As I've mentioned before, I spent the summer reading Madame Bovary in French, trying to make up for not reading it when I was supposed to in college, along with boosting my language skills. I was very happy to have some company on this challenge, notably Emma of Words and Peace, a native speaker and … Continue reading How To Be Unhappy: Madame Bovary
I am pleased to announce that my blogging friend Robin Bates has a new book available: Better Living Through Literature: How Books Change Lives and (Sometimes) History. Can books create such personal and social change, and is that in general a good thing? I think all of us here believe the answer is "yes", but … Continue reading Book Excerpt: Better Living Through Literature
Literature August was a month where I celebrated my summer Moomin binge, covered two more Oz books, and also knocked off three categories for the Nonfiction Reader challenge. Here's what I read during August: Moominland Midwinter, Moominvalley in November, Comet in Moominland, Moominpappa at Sea by Tove Jansson - Moomin Week, Women in Translation The … Continue reading Month in Review: August 2024
We've crossed over into September, so it's time to check on how I did with my 10 Books of Summer list (Challenge hosted by Cathy of 746 Books). I think of this as a way to knock off some books from other challenges and reading projects, and it worked pretty well for that, although I … Continue reading 10 Books of Summer 2024
Well, I thought I might read a Moomin book or two for Moomin week but ended up going on an absolute binge where I finished reading all the novels -- six of them this summer in addition to the two I'd read previously. I did it in a completely mixed up order, thus: Finn Family … Continue reading The marvelous Moomins for #Moominweek #WITMonth
As I make my way through the latter books of the Oz series, I notice how Baum kept trying to get outside the confines of Oz. Perhaps he realized that giving it an all-powerful and all-knowing ruler put something of a damper on conflict and adventure, or perhaps the land had been circumscribed in a … Continue reading #Ozathon24: More adventures outside Oz
I'm doing a combined post with shorter reviews here, because in the summer my attention span for blogging has gone out the window. Plus, these books happen to go together well, as I hope you'll agree... In early June I read All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me by … Continue reading Nonfiction Reader: Culture, Architecture, and Science
Literature It was great this month to participate in a Zoom call with some bloggers from Paris in July, Emma's event celebrating all things French. It inspired me to start reading The Discovery of France, a fascinating look at how the country (made up of many small groups who didn't necessarily consider themselves French) came … Continue reading Month in Review: July 2024
I'm back from break with a fun event from It Starts at Midnight - the Olympic Book Tag! Though personally I would be more into a Bookolympics, it's hard to avoid getting somewhat excited about the Games, especially when they are happening in the country next door. And it was irresistible to take on the … Continue reading Olympic Book Tag
Hello! In the midst of my blog break, I wanted to post a few photos from my amazing week in Chartres, France, before Paris in July (#2024parisinjuly) passes us by. We explored the beautiful gothic cathedral from top to bottom, taking all available tours including of the roof and the crypt, spent hours gazing at … Continue reading Near Paris in July – My trip to Chartres
