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Essays & Opinions

Looking for some summer reading for your kids? Thi

Looking for some summer reading for your kids? This series, Girls Survive, mixes history and heroics in dramatic tellings of various events. Very similar to the I Survived! series, both my girls have been picking these up and reading them quickly.

To be honest, the last time words and numbers inte

To be honest, the last time words and numbers intersected for me was high school math and physics - it wasn't pretty. Nabokov's Favorite Word is Mauve by Ben Blatt is way better than word problems! Blatt takes common writing advice or myths and starts counting words - starting with whether to limit adverbs or not. He challenges authors who give out writing advice - do they follow the advice themselves? He tries to determine if there are ways to know if an unidentified author is male or female. He asks the numbers to count clichés. And is it really not a good idea to mention weather in the first sentence of a novel?
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Blatt pulls data from a range of genres and authors. You're sure to find a section or two that resonates with the books you like to read. He asks good questions and pokes at convention. I thoroughly (ah! -ly adverb) enjoyed the numbers and words and graphs in this one - proof that numbers and letters can work together for good in ways other than absurd high school word problems! A great summer non-fiction read for word nerds and bookworms!

We Fed an Island by José Andreás is his memoir o

We Fed an Island by José Andreás is his memoir of feeding hot meals to Americans of Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. This is our book club read for July, and I'm won't be there to discuss it so let this be my "highly recommend" verdict!
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Chef Andreás arrived in Puerto Rico and quickly resolved to feed hot meals to the devastated region. In collaboration with local and national contacts he set up a massive food-delivery effort. He talked with people, empowered locals and volunteers, and advocated fiercely for Puerto Rico. It is an impressive accomplishment. Through his writing readers get a glimpse at the frustrations and rewards of undertaking a big idea. An informative and inspirational read in many ways.

I've had a few essay collections going recently. E

I've had a few essay collections going recently. Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman is a favorite. Her smart writing and clever insights into all things bookish are delightful. Her essays cover proofreading menus, marrying her's and her husband's libraries, revealing her "odd shelf," how to care for books, and other relatable quirks of bibliophiles. And while not every one resonates the same, it isn't hard to understand how each topic could be important for a reader.
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A perfectly enjoyable summer read for word nerds and avid readers. Recommend!

In post-Arthurian Britain the Saxons and the Brito

In post-Arthurian Britain the Saxons and the Britons are at peace. But Kazuo Ishiguro doesn't start there in The Buried Giant. He starts with an aging couple deciding to go on a quest to visit their son who they think lives in a nearby village.
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Their quest, as it turns out, is not so simple. A mist veils the countryside and creates amnesia for those under its spell. The source of the mist is a dragon. The couple is soon joined by a Saxon warrior with an order to kill the dragon, a young boy with noticeable warrior potential who receives a bite that raises all local superstitions, and a knight of Arthur's round table with a charge contrary to the others. Their shared plights and separate promises weave a stunning story of friendship, loyalty, and love, but it is their blurry history that ultimately defines them. The couple must face unpleasant memories of their past and the peace of the Britons and Saxons will fall. Ishiguro adroitly provokes reflection about the good and bad of forgetting history - personal and communal.
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I am always delighted (and hope I always will be) when a piece of fiction holds me beyond what I expected. As someone who gravitates to non-fiction, I have a hard time choosing fiction. The Buried Giant is the second book of Ishiguro that I've read with such a result. What should I read next?

Happy Monday from these cool cats 😸 . . . . #pu

Happy Monday from these cool cats 😸
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#puzzles #puzzlesofinstagram #coolcats #catsofinstagram #livingthelearninglife #cats #mondayvibes

These Precious Days: Essays by Ann Patchett is a b

These Precious Days: Essays by Ann Patchett is a book of beautiful musings and anecdotes about people and time. Family, friends, and Patchett's writing career are interwoven for an intimate look and thoughtful reflection on how time shapes our memories and realities. This collection was sweet and delightful - a skilled combination of artful storytelling and mature introspection. Perfect for those who find non-fiction daunting and for readers who want a gracious peek behind the scenes in the life of an author.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. No big review or t

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. No big review or thoughts, it was a good story. A great book rec (again) by @bookworm_baggins 😁
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The Splendor is a hotel that provides guests with a fully illusionary experience. And while guests are aware of it, they don't know the full implications. When Juliette's beloved sister comes back from her visit at The Splendor fully altered, Juliette arranges a visit to reclaim what was lost. She uncovers a lot more.
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Pick this one up if you need a good read this weekend!

Put not off your Cloths in the presence of Others,

Put not off your Cloths in the presence of Others, nor go out your Chamber half Drest.
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In visiting the Sick, do not Presently play the Physicion if you be not Knowing therein.
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A couple weeks ago we went to Mount Vernon for our last #homeschool field trip. The weather was perfect, it wasn't overcrowded, and the displays were interesting. This gem of a book is the best addition to the memories.
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If you, as my girls fear, think I may be trying to find a way to use it in our studies next year, then you wouldn't be wrong 🤔🤔😁
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Have you picked up any good books as souvenirs before?

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