"Bindi" (Little, Brown), by Paul Matthew Maisano
Any parent would be proud of Birendra, the 8-year-old boy who is the central character of "Bindi," the debut novel of Paul Matthew Maisano.
Born in India, Birendra is bright, sweet and thoughtful, despite fateful events that take his family from him. He is so kind and good in the face of adversity, however, that his story, despite interesting twists, is often too saccharine.
Birendra's story, set mainly in 1993, shifts among three locales — the coastal Indian town of Verlaka where he was born and becomes an orphan, west London where his married aunt lives and well-to-do Hollywood where his adoptive mother resides. All are rendered by Maisano with convincing and informative cultural and descriptive touches.
The narrative also is built on troubling events, including the deaths of parents and the breakup of families and relationships. One of the main characters — Birendra's Aunt Nayana, the twin sister of his mother — is drawn with depth and complexity. An academic achiever in west London, she moves from an adulterous affair to the verge of an emotional breakdown.
All of this helps give dramatic substance to the story of an orphaned boy on a journey around the globe. But too many scenes move slowly with simplistic events and dialogue; they seem written for readers about Birendra's age.
These include scenes with Madeline, the rich, self-absorbed single woman from Hollywood who adopts Birendra on a sudden impulse, and her brother, Edward, a much-needed adult male figure in the boy's new life in America.
A novel about an orphaned boy on an uncertain trip across continents has much to recommend it. But this boy is smart and kind at the start, in the middle and at the end of the book. This is good for Birendra, but not the novel.
Online:
https://www.paulmatthewmaisano.com/
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — The vast coin collection of a Danish butter magnate is set to finally go on sale a century after his death, and could fetch up to $72 million.
Lars Emil Bruun, also known as L.E. Bruun, stipulated in his will that his 20,000-piece collection be safeguarded for 100 years before being sold. Deeply moved by the devastation of World War I, he wanted the collection to be a reserve for Denmark, fearing another war.
Now, over a century since Bruun’s death at the age of 71 in 1923, New York-based Stack’s Bowers, a rare coin auction house, will begin auctioning the collection this fall, with several sales planned over the coming years.
On its website the auction house calls it the “most valuable collection of world coins to ever come to market.” The collection's existence has been known of in Denmark but not widely, and it has has never been seen by the public before.
“When I first heard about the collection, I was in disbelief,” said Vicken Yegparian, vice president of numismatics at Stack’s Bowers Galleries.
“We’ve had collections that have been off the market for 100 years plus,” he said. “But they’re extremely well known internationally. This one has been the best open secret ever.”
Born in 1852, Bruun began to collect coins as a boy in the 1850s and '60s, years before he began to amass vast riches in the packing and wholesaling of butter.
His wealth allowed him to pursue his hobby, attending auctions and building a large collection that came to include 20,000 coins, medals, tokens and banknotes from Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
Following the devastation of World War I and fearing another war, Bruun left strict instructions in his will for the collection.
“For a period of 100 years after my death, the collection shall serve as a reserve for the Royal Coin and Medal Collection," it stipulated.
“However, should the next century pass with the national collection intact, it shall be sold at public auction and the proceeds shall accrue to the persons who are my direct descendants.”
That stipulation didn’t stop some descendants from trying to break the will and cash in, but they were not successful. “I think the will and testament were pretty ironclad. There was no loophole,” Yegparian said.
Yegparian estimates some pieces may sell for just $50, but others could go for over $1 million. He said potential buyers were already requesting a catalogue before the auction was announced.
The collection first found refuge at former Danish royal residence Frederiksborg Castle, then later made its way to Denmark’s National Bank.
Denmark’s National Museum had the right of first refusal on part of the collection and purchased seven rare coins from Bruun’s vast hoard before they went to auction.
The seven coins — six gold, one silver — were all minted between the 15th and 17th centuries by Danish or Norwegian monarchs. The cost of over $1.1 million was covered by a supporting association.
“We chose coins that were unique. They are described in literature as the only existing specimen of this kind,” said senior researcher Helle Horsnaes, a coin expert at the national museum.
“The pure fact that this collection has been closed for a hundred years makes it a legend,” Horsnaes said. “It’s like a fairytale.”
Vicken Yegparian, vice president of numismatics, Stack's Bowers Galleries, holds a silver Norwegian coin from 1628, part of L. E. Bruun's collection, in Zealand, Denmark, May 7, 2024. The vast coin collection of a Danish butter magnate is set to finally go to on sale a century after his death, and could fetch up to $72 million. Lars Emil Bruun, also known as L.E. Bruun, stipulated in his will that his 20,000-piece collection be safeguarded for 100 years before being sold. (AP Photo/James Brooks)
Coins from L. E. Bruun's collection on display on wooden tray, in Zealand, Denmark, May 7, 2024. The vast coin collection of a Danish butter magnate is set to finally go to on sale a century after his death, and could fetch up to $72 million. Lars Emil Bruun, also known as L.E. Bruun, stipulated in his will that his 20,000-piece collection be safeguarded for 100 years before being sold. (AP Photo/James Brooks)
Vicken Yegparian, vice president of numismatics, Stack's Bowers Galleries, holds a golden coin once belonging to the collection of Danish king, Frederik VII, now part of L. E. Bruun's collection, in Zealand, Denmark, May 7, 2024. The vast coin collection of a Danish butter magnate is set to finally go to on sale a century after his death, and could fetch up to $72 million. Lars Emil Bruun, also known as L.E. Bruun, stipulated in his will that his 20,000-piece collection be safeguarded for 100 years before being sold. (AP Photo/James Brooks)
