Dear Readers,
It has been a while since I have sat down to do some writing; the summer has been fun and busy, full of all sorts of things.
As always, I read some really wonderful books over the summer.
Highlights from June:
“The Starless Sea” by Erin Morgenstern
I liked that that the main premise is about story and how the story, even when it ends, still goes on. I loved the world of the Starless Sea that the author created.
“Interpreters with Lewis and Clark: The Story of Sacagawea and Toussaint Charbonneau” by W. Dale Nelson.
This is a thin little treasure published by University of North Texas Press. I picked it up because in 2003, when we were homeschooling our children, we did a history unit on the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery (1804-1806) and followed parts of the Lewis and Clark Trail in Idaho, Montana and Oregon. Later we went east to the Missouri River where it crosses through South Dakota on I-90 (there is a nice Interpretive Center at Chamberlain, SD). Then in 2004 we visited Pompey’s Pillar along the Yellowstone River in Montana. I found the book to be an interesting account of Sacagawea, Toussaint and their son Jean Baptist’s (Pompey) lives after the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Highlights from July:
“The Water Dancer” by Ta-Nehisi Coates.
I loved the mystical realism of the story; how memories + stories + water = conduction. A unique story about the Underground Railroad.
“The Meaning of Everything” by Simon Winchester.
This book is about the 70 years it took to make the 13 volumes of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED). The author made this an engaging story with facts, anecdotes and great photos.
Highlights from August:
“The Elegance of the Hedgehog” by Muriel Bradbury.
The story surprised me; I picked it up because of the title – my children had hedgehogs as pets for many years (one was even named Pompey!) I found the story to be well written, sad, hopeful and satisfying.
“Persuasion” by Jane Austen.
I love Jane Austen’s stories.
“Meadowlark” by Greg Ruth and Ethan Hawke.
This is a graphic novel and I found it rather violent, but the story was compelling and the sepia toned artwork is very good.
Highlights from September:
“The Prisoner of Heaven” by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
This is part of a three-book series. I find the stories to be well written and intriguing. Daniel and his father own a bookstore in Spain and there is also a “Cemetery of Forgotten Books” to add to the mystic of the series.
I will also add that I read books 8-12 of Jaqueline Winspear’s “Maisie Dobbs” series. I enjoy the history as much as the mystery in these stories. I like that Maisie continues to evolve as she learns, suffers, finds joy and ages.
My complete reading list for each month can be found on the in the “Book Lists” tab.
The summer is short here so we crammed in as many garden and yard projects, hiking and exploring as we could. I also finished up a rather humongous family photo scan project and shared my efforts with family far and wide.
Oh, and I am now employed part time at our local library. It has been so wonderful to be a part of the library and I have learned a lot! I feel a bit like a kid in the candy store, to tell the truth! It also took longer than I expected to adjust to the schedule of going to work a certain number of hours each week. Our dinner and dog walking routines were all over the place for a while.
So, it is October and I am looking forward to the beautiful fall and catching up a bit with indoor projects, including writing once again for “The Bookery Place”.
I hope you all had a wonderful summer too with lots of material for your own “What I did on Summer Vacation” papers.
Happy reading!
Cheri
These are wonderful “book reports,” and I am now inspired to try the Maisie Dobbs series. Thanks for sharing your opinions and your family memories. I love hedgehogs!
Thank You Nancy! I know you are a big history buff, and if you are at all interested in the events and the aftermath of WWI, the “Maise Dobbs” series will fill the bill. Later series heads into WWII and that is fascinating too. The worries, attitudes, policies and such that Britain struggled with while trying to avert another war. Hedgehogs are awfully cute!
What a busy summer you had! And STILL, as busy as you were, it appears you had time for many great books! Your tastes are so eclectic, your list always gives me good ideas. I’ve been in a rut, re-reading both Katherine and The Winthrop Woman by Anya Seton (yet again). So now I’m inspired with your titles and I’m going to read the Water Dancer, The Meaning of Everything (I think I watched a movie about that once upon a time??) and the Prisoner of Heaven. Thank you Cheri! Here’s to autumn 🍁🍂
Nothing wrong with a good rut! I’d say that re-reading Anya Seton for you must be something like me re- reading Jane Austen. 😊 You have re-inspired me to re-visit Anya Seton. I first read her in the 1990’s as a new mom. I do know her father was also an author, he wrote books about nature and animals (I think mostly for young adults).
I just last night found the movie on Netflix. It is called ‘The Professor and the Madman” and it stars Mel Gibson and Sean Penn. Sean Penn is the madman. I do remember the book talking about about that, but nothing as in-depth as the movie seems to be about (so far I’ve only watch 30 minutes or so of it).
Since I get to hear some of the book critiques as they occur – I must add that some of the family photos are very enjoyable also. I am a bit biased though!
I so enjoy your writing!! This one makes my To Read List longer! 🙂
Thank You Elspeth! Nothing wrong with a nice long “To Be Read” list!