Welcome to Litsy!

A soft pick. I enjoyed the descriptions of the Orient Express and discovered in the acknowledgments that the author had travelled on it. Also unknown to me ,she has been battling cancer. One of her characters has also survived cancer. Hopefully the author will stay well and go on to write many other books. Another Aussie author with a widening audience.

Every year at Christmastime, the Library becomes home to this beloved village and train setup, not just for our Polar Express Night (we read the story and eat treats and drink cocoa and Santa comes!), but for the whole season. It‘s become a tradition to which all of our patrons, young and old, look forward. 💖 #thepolarexpress #christmastraditions #librarylife

#haikuhive

I gifted this book to every child in my life when they reached “that age.“ I still read it every year and am still stunned by it, especially the illustrations. ♥️🚊💚

The crowd hushes as the
“first gift of Christmas“ rings true.
Does it still ring for you?

This gorgeous novel follows the passengers and crew of a fateful train ride to Paris, one that will end in disaster and a famous nineteenth-centruy photograph. I love how the story jumps from one passenger or crew member to another, some based on real people known to have been on the train, others invented wholecloth. Brilliant and propulsive..

#WeekendReads

The 3rd episode of Charles Dickens Ghost Stories is The Signalman. A classic ghost story, 5⭐, you should read it!
What fascinated me about this reading was the introduction, in which Dickens's experience as a survivor of the 1865 Staplehurst rail crash is cited as an inspiration for the story. Dickens helped to treat casualties, nearly lost an installment of Dombey and Son, and was said by his son to have never really recovered from his trauma.

Abridged Christmas Classics

I really enjoyed this book — I loved the characters, the setting, the tone, all of it. The reveal was a little unexpected. I finished it in the middle of my walk, so I started Here We Go. I want to be those old ladies when I grow up. 😄 #audiowalk

Hercule Poirot is returning home after a successful case abroad. He is travelling on the famed Orient Express which is unusually busy for the time of year. One of the passengers, a rich American, recognises Poirot & tries to employ him to investigate a threat to his life, but Poirot (having taken an instant dislike to the man) demurs.

I‘m really enjoying this book and especially like the train setting. It‘s such a different tone from The Woman in the Library, which I also liked. #audiowalk