For some reason, I've been feeling rather depressed lately. It comes on occasionally, and I try to overcome it with the comforts of reading, cooking, venturing out to new places, or writing. In poring over my library to find something that hopefully will help shake me out of my low spirits, I came across Possession, … Continue reading Possession by A.S. Byatt
Tag: Great Britain
Heroines of the Medieval World by Sharon Bennett Connolly
I think I've mentioned my lack of enthusiasm for most non-fiction books before. However, I discovered Sharon Bennett Connolly's amazing blog, History, The Interesting Bits, a few years ago, and her subsequent book, Heroines of the Medieval World, so hooked me into her writing that I immediately ordered the book and was sucked into the … Continue reading Heroines of the Medieval World by Sharon Bennett Connolly
The Scottish Prisoner by Diana Gabaldon
Thanks to Dr. H for the photography. Lord John Grey was a major character in the Outlander series, being the warden of Ardsmuir Prison in Scotland, where Jamie Fraser was imprisoned after Culloden. Lord John, being the fascinating character that he is, got his own spinoff series - of which today's book is the latest … Continue reading The Scottish Prisoner by Diana Gabaldon
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
Thanks to JG for the photography. Set in a slightly alternate universe, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell has been touted as the Harry Potter for adults. It's far more than that, however. Set in England during the Napoleonic wars, its a lengthy book that delves deeply into the mythology of Faerie. One thing that has … Continue reading Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
Photography by me. The reason I love Sarah Waters' books is because there is always a sense of pervasive menace throughout her pages. Her settings are innocuous: British post-war, large rambling houses, upper-class families who have fallen on hard times and must economize in ways they never had to before, and a way of life … Continue reading The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
A Scandal in Bohemia (Sherlock Holmes) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Thanks to JRB for the photography. Who doesn't love the adventures of the erstwhile Sherlock Holmes, and his faithful sidekick Dr. Watson? So ingrained in our culture are these two literary detectives that the image of a deerstalker cap and pipe, the phrase "elementary, my dear Watson," and the address 221-B Baker Street in London, … Continue reading A Scandal in Bohemia (Sherlock Holmes) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnim
Dedicated to my dear friend Kate Parker. "Well, this is Italian rain!" I came across the book The Enchanted April while browsing on Amazon.com one afternoon when I should have been working. Having loved the film so much, I decided the time had come to see how faithful to the book it had been. The … Continue reading The Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnim