Twinkletoes

""Twinkletoes: A Tale of Limehouse"" is a novel by Thomas Burke set in the Limehouse district of London in the early 20th century. The story follows the life of a young girl named Violet who dreams of becoming a dancer, despite her poverty and the disapproval of her family. She meets a group of Chinese sailors who introduce her to their culture and teach her the art of dance, leading her to become a popular performer in the Limehouse dance halls. However, her success is threatened by the prejudices of society and the criminal underworld that surrounds her. The novel explores themes of identity, cultural exchange, and the struggles of marginalized communities in a rapidly changing world. It is a vivid portrayal of a unique time and place in London's history, and a compelling story of one young woman's journey towards self-discovery and independence.1926. Burke's novel begins: Monica Minasi was named Twinkletoes by the teacher at the Council School which she attended in her early years; and you had but to glance at her tempestuous limbs to realize that no other name belonged to her. When she arrived in Shantung Place, Poplar, she had a mother and a father. But within a week she had other friends. Mother at first didn't like her to play in the streets as other children did. She said it would make her grow up rough, and run in the gutters, and tear her cloths; and that nobody respected a mother who allowed her children to run in the gutters. But there were nice differences in Shantung Place; it was easy to find a sympathetic set; and when Twinkletoes told her mother how nicely the Matchkey boys and girls behaved, she was allowed to play in the street after school, so long as she didn't run in the gutter, and came in before dark. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.