I am a huge fan of Jane Austen novels so when I saw this was coming out I knew I simply had to read it! It’s not a retelling exactly and Jane Austen and her novels are frequently talked about throughout the book as Lady Victoria Aston aspires to be strong-willed and witty like some
I have just finished IF I LIVE TO BE 100. Lent to me by my father, who just celebrated his 90th birthday, it is a quick and enjoyable read. Originally a radio show on NPR, the book was published in 2004. The stories are, for the most part, delightful and fascinating. A warm look at
I’d like to open by thanking this community for supporting our collective reading endeavors. Sometimes it helps me to commit “out loud” in order to create a sense of commitment within myself– and acknowledging my intent to read Middlemarch as part of the Winter Reading Session certainly helped me follow through. So thank you! I started
I have just finished reading this academic work written about Mariana of Austria, Queen of Spain (1634-1696). It was recommended to those of us who attended a gallery talk given by Rebecca Quinn Teresi at the Meadows Museum on the campus of SMU. The museum has a painting of Mariana early in her life by
I read this book in 2 evenings, and if I had started earlier in the day I would have finished it in one go. Then I lent it to my bedridden cousin and she finished it in one day as well. We both loved it. It tells, through a series of Government Inspector interviews with
I struggled– really, failed– with Shakespeare when I was first introduced in the American tradition through high school required reading. I think we read Hamlet and I had zero interest, but I always felt left out or somehow incapable since plenty of my peers seemed to have no issue and perhaps even enjoyed this reading.
Well, as promised, I am starting Winter Reading early! I hope you feel free to as well. This book came to me from fellow reader Gina who sent it as a Christmas gift that I carried along with me to Poland. This book is certainly not something I would have picked up on my own,
This short memoir came to me as an advance reader from the library. I enjoyed the fluctuation between letters from her mother and her prose throughout the story. This story partially takes place in Davis, which felt unusual– I haven’t read many books that mention Davis, California as a location. Eun Ji gives lots of
I was moved to write my response to a Bible study I attended. While my Christianity is nontraditional, it is my religious background. I attended seminary in my 40’s to try and understand Christianity at a deeper level. I love the Bible and its great stories. I am grateful for a space to share my
Yesterday I hosted an art show in the yard– rain or shine. It rained on and off throughout the day, which was better than what I had expected. I think about a dozen people came through and the afternoon turned to evening. I used my whiteboard to orient visitors and even gave one tour at
Seasonal Reading 