The Drum and the Bell A Historical Novel

It was a time of change, a time of uncertainty, a time for men and women of vision and commitment, a time of high adventure for those with the courage to step into the unknown, or for those who had nothing to lose. It was Christie’s time. From Swiss estates, to the African wilderness, join Christie in her epic journey, through the changing landscapes of Europe and Africa at the turning of the twentieth century and into a wild and uncertain future. Christie's story is an account of a long life remembered, and the panoramic lives of those who touched her, retold, by a granddaughter, who was paying more attention than Christie realised. Listen, as her granddaughter sings the song of Christie’s history.

Marguerite Anne Muller is a fine artist, living in Ireland since 1977. In her long life she has put pen to paper from time to time and written on various subjects, but The Drum and the Bell has been an ongoing project that has spurred her for over a decade. Born in South Africa in 1937, Much of her childhood was spend in the care of her grandmother, a vivid story teller, who would recount events from her past and remember the people with whom she had shared her adventurous life. These hours of tales and recollections from around the hearth, in a time before television, are recalled in this book.