—from Bentari—Hans and Karl, who fought in the battle, later correspond with Bentari and narrator Max Farleigh:

One thing amused the Germans and they shared it with me in a letter not very long ago. It seems that one of the most recent letters from Bentari was full of odd questions. It seems that the young student-athlete had recently read an essay for part of his course work at the University. The famous H. G. Wells, one of Bentari’s favorite authors, apparently wrote the essay. It had nothing to do with Wells’ popular science fiction works, however. The piece was entitled, “A Pair of Boots.” Bentari wrote to Hans and Karl asking to learn as much as he could about the manufacture of boots!“

Why on earth does he want to know how to make boots?” Hans asked me in his letter.—Ch. 26, Of German Chocolate Cake and Boots

Chapter one of Bentari is posted below for you to sample a taste of the adventure[1].

The final chapter will not be posted, however (doesn’t seem like good business sense), but the passage above comes very near the end of the tale.

Endings are so vital. Yet they often are not as important as next steps.

Send me your ideas about Bentari’s interest in boots or about H.G. Wells’ writing on the subject, or about why you think it was that Vincent Van Gogh immortalized a pair of boots in 1887.

Please contact me at tim@bentari.com.

May your next steps be taken in well-shod comfort and lead to places that please you!


Image of Van Gogh’s 1887 painting A Pair of Boots—found on Facebook[2]

Buy Bentari and Fly! Bentari is also available at Amazon.com and on Kindle.

[1] Entered 10/5/13: http://www.bentari.com/Blog/Entry.aspx?pid=276&bid=51&beid=947 Ch. 1, The Calm

[2] See: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Van-Gogh-The-Life/146441978754953 posted 1/3/14