Olga Dies Dreaming, by Xochitl Gonzalez. Pub 2021 Another from the Christmas bounty from my sister, I chose this book based on a recommendation from a friend. While the setting and story elements are different, the tone and style (and even the cover art) are reminiscent of Lessons in Chemistry, and like that book, this... Continue Reading →
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, by Karen Joy Fowler. Book report #28 (2022)
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, by Karen Joy Fowler. Pub 2013. This book was a re-gift from a friend (who herself received it as a re-gift). My friend reported being surprised at enjoying this one, as she did not enjoy the author’s more famous book. At the heart of this book is a surprising... Continue Reading →
Item #29: Salt Rock
Today brought a few reminders that I’m way behind on my 100 objects project. The second occurred when I looked back at my list so far and saw that it seemed that I’d missed a number in my inventory, resulting in a review of all items and several trips down memory lanes, cul-de-sacs, and back... Continue Reading →
Remembering Pop
It is a week of remembrances, in a month of loss, in a year of change and fear. Pop left us 10 years ago today, and like most of the recent past, it seems like both a lifetime ago and just yesterday. In a book I read recently, the main character and his friends have... Continue Reading →
Permanent Record, by Edward Snowden. Book report #28 (2020)
Permanent Record, by Edward Snowden. Pub 2019 This was the last of the vacation reads - a gift from my sister at Christmas last year, and long overdue to read. I've stayed up late a few nights this week with this one. Edward Snowden needs no introduction as the whistleblower of the US NSA mass... Continue Reading →
Nocturne, by Helen Humphreys. Book report #19 (2020)
Nocturne, by Helen Humphreys. Pub 2013 I have loved (or at least really liked) every book I've read by Helen Humphreys. I've had this one on my shelf for a few years now, and stayed away from it I think because it was likely to be very sad. I can now confirm that it was... Continue Reading →
Dunbar, by Edward St. Aubyn. Book report #20 (2019)
Dunbar, by Edward St. Aubyn. Pub 2017 My third foray into the Hogarth Shakespeare. While not as good either of the previous reads, this was a good (if not great) read, perhaps helped by the fact that I was not familiar with the play that it is based on. St. Aubyn updates King Lear into... Continue Reading →
Crashing coffee cups
April 27th is Tell-a-Story Day. It is also what would have been my Pop’s 72nd birthday. So it seems highly appropriate to tell a story about him. A short one this year, inspired by a comment by a friend. She was describing how she frequently, in her haste to get going in the morning, will leave her coffee cup... Continue Reading →
Unsheltered, by Barbara Kingsolver. Book report #5 (2019)
Vacations makes such a lovely time to read... (books 7, 8 and 9 all read on holiday.) Unsheltered, by Barbara Kingsolver. Pub 2018 After putting this aside after 2/3s done last month, I decided to stick it out till the end in the hopes that it would get better. It didn't. Barbara Kingsolver's... Continue Reading →
Item #23 – Green canvas shirt
This article about an article of clothing reminded me of this item of mine. This green canvas shirt by LL Bean was given to me by my Pop nearly 25 years ago, and has become a treasured item and an example of clothing that lasts. Pop gave it to me for Christmas in 1993 (I... Continue Reading →