Category: Fiction
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Author Spotlight Part 2: Jane Austen
I like Jane Austen’s stories because of the courtly the manners or lack thereof, the old language and big words, the wit and humor. These heroines had standards to live up to. And the characters are so like people we live with, work with and socialize with today. Each one is a study in human…
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Author Spotlight: Jane Austen
Jane Austen (1775-1817) was an English novel writer. You can read Austen’s books as witty romances or insightful commentary on the social classes and materialistic society of Georgian England. No novel written since her time is exempt from her influence. Jane’s books have rarely been out of print since their first publication dates. George Austen,…
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19 Lines from My Notebook
I love a good sentence! Either specifically clear or beautifully poetic, I collect them in my notebook or underline them in books. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do. “I worked so hard for so many years to make my life into something, that it was a surprise to see all the truly…
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Tips for Creating Memorable Christmas Letters (and why you should write one)
Which side are you on? There are those that love to write Christmas letters and those that don’t. There are those that love to read them and those that don’t. There are letters that are a delight and those that aren’t. I’ve written both kinds. And because I keep trying, I think I might have…
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Heartwarming Holiday Books for all Ages
Here are some book recommendations with great examples of thankfulness and the Christmas spirit. They range from picture books to longer novels, and most will be enjoyed by a wide range of ages. Most of them I have read and enjoyed, a few are on my wish list. I will let the covers speak for…
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A Fall of Marigolds
By Susan Meissner, 2014, 400 pages, historical fiction A Fall of Marigolds is a dual time-line story of two women touched by tragedy and connected by a silk scarf with marigolds woven across it. The majority of the story follows Clara Wood, who saw the Triangle Shirtwaist fire in 1911. There she lost a person…
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A Piece of the World
A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline, 2017, 304 pages A Piece of the World is a fictional account of the life of Christina Olsen’s life. Characters, places and events really happened but the inner life, drama and complexities were created from the author’s imagination. The story begins on a July afternoon in…
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Books in Which Gardens Play a Part
In the spring and summer, our minds turn towards gardens and the outdoors. Without further ado, here is a selection of books where garden or gardening play a part. THE FORGOTTEN GARDEN Kate Morton A tiny girl is abandoned on a ship headed for Australia in 1913. She arrives completely alone with nothing but a…
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The Most Wonderful Reading Time
Some Decembers are really good for reading. But this was not one of them. Most of the family members were home more of the time, some noisy house building going on. So I didn’t do a lot of decking the halls and all was not calm. It was still a wonderful time of the year.…
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Peace Like A River
Leif Enger, 2002, literary fiction What do Christians do when a member of their family commits a crime? Reuben’s conclusion, near the end of this story, is that fair is whatever God does. This is a tale of murder and miracles, of family love and community justice, of seeking God’s will and accepting God’s judgement.…
So She Reads 