Part of my long running Nancy Mitford project. The was quite good on audio as well. Just prior to WW2 up until the end of the war and follows the sisters and daughters of Landed gentry- the Hons and the Counter-Hons. I am glad I read Jessica Mitford‘s Hons and Rebels first. 4 stars.

Interesting work- you can read it as a statement on women and hunger, food, control of a mother, the effects of non-consentual invasions into a body or just a surface new take on the vampire story. Whatever it was engaging but, for me, like a debut work.

This is my third by Simone St. James and I have given 4⭐️ to each one. They are on the border of mystery and supernatural and are compelling and quick reads. When you need a gripping, pacey, fun thriller mystery with good female leads try this author- I know I will continue to have her on my must read list!

4⭐️ from me. This is humourous while handling deep issues of the exploitation of “artifacts” and the politicization of “preservation” specifically of Monument National Park. Excellent characters and great audio narration- I recommend this!

Signed first edition from #Parnassus highly recommended by Ann Patchett and the blurbs are a who‘s Who of celebrated authors. Also just longlisted for the National Book Award! Next up for me!

Well, another odd book from OM but isn‘t that what we read her books to encounter- the genre bending, unexplainable ambiguous novel with no clean ending. This is that in spades. “Her name is Magda. Nobody will ever know who killed her. It wasn‘t me. Here is her dead body.” I dare you to walk away from that!

Well, I fell in love with Florence in 2004 and have returned twice since then as it is a place that never leaves my soul. Like character Evelyn Skinner, I first spent a month in Florence studying art and exploring and that trip was a gift. Still Life is a beautifully quiet book with love and found family and the beauty that is enduring friendship, enduring love and Florence. Read it when you need to feel a connecting love and you will find it.5⭐️

Taking a cue from my best reads of 2021 I have decided my big challenge for 2022 is to complete Muriel Spark‘s Novels/novellas. I need to read 16 and I am trying to go chronologically by publication date. This is number 1- I recommend this as a challenge as she remains in print and her novels are relatively short but so much fun. As an ancillary also reading Barbara Pym and Nancy Mitford- hooray 2022!

Set in the 12th century the story follows Marie de France and her removal to an abbey by Eleanor of Aquitane. Full of the triumph of the feminine overcoming the poverty and dismissal of all things female, this book is more lyric tale than narrative. Short and clearly well researched it was only a 3⭐️ for me although I suspect I am in the minority.

As I discovered from my reading list in 2021, I enjoy modern classics written by women so decided to read this first novel of Nancy Mitford. Like much of her work it is a satire of her own “set” and family. Clearly a first novel but still a good eye for characterization and for skewering pretensions- here the gentry, old peers, bright young things, those of artistic sentiment and couples who are “poor but blissful”. Only 3⭐️ from me but a fun read

To anyone who loves trees and nature writing, David George Haskell will be well known. I discovered him in 2020 with a readalong of The Songs of Trees and this is a more compact version of the biography of 13 trees (and tree products like those pine scented car fresheners and paper used in books) that speak to his scent memory. It is a lovely renewal of a book- it has companion violin pieces and activities so take yourself out and smell a tree5⭐️

5⭐️ thanks to @mklong for this great #jolabokaflod read! I don‘t want to say too much as this is one you just need to flow along with. I will say that the writing is precise, descriptive and not overdone. A gem of a novel and quite an ending!

@mklong Katie thank you so much for the book I most wanted to read tonight and a signed copy! The chocolates will be devoured and the wrapping was so lovely- everything was so lovely! I hope you have an excellent night of reading as well! Thank you @MaleficentBookDragon for another wonderful swap!

2021 top reads- apparently a year of reading classics by women and non fiction about women. @britt_brooke

@mklong the #Jolabokaflod package has arrived! Thanks so much! @MaleficentBookDragon

Well OK then. I got this book in 2017 as I knew it took place over Christmas and I love a Christmas, british novel. Finally, 4 years later I read it. It is about a family in quarantine after the daughter, working for the WHO battling a virus in Liberia, comes home and puts the whole family in a 7 day quarantine. In 2017 I would not have known about PPE or quarantine and this would have been a different book altogether. 4⭐️ wow did this resonate!

@MaleficentBookDragon my #JolabokaflodSwap is on its way!!!!🎄📚

The excellent #Jolabokaflodswap is back hosted by @MaleficentBookDragon I recommend this lovely low key swap- sign up until November 18 and spread the love of books and chocolate at Christmas!!!🎄📚

It‘s that time- The Raven speaks.

S.T. is back and the birds are watching over the last MoFo. Such a good time to return to the land of S.T. Even if Dennis is only a sweet memory🦉🦅

I am following the Literati Atlas Obscura bookclub and July‘s pick was Ghostland. Much more a social commentary on what our ghost stories and haunted places actually signify- the retelling of a community‘s story, fiction to alter reality- a recognition of damage done and the need to explain it. I came to this book thinking I was going to read some ghostly tales- and I did, just not the paranormal ones I was expecting- spookier! 4⭐️

5⭐️ As I expect from author Walter Isaacson, this is full of science, even handed portrayals yet what presents as honest assessments of the amazing breakthrough work in Gene editing. Read this and inform yourself about the pandemic, the science behind the vaccines and the implications for our future. Isaacson focuses on Jennifer Doudna, nobel prize winner and leader in the Crispr technology that became so vital over the last year. Great read!

The blurb says this is a morality tale where fact can be “swallowed up in the sublimities of myth”. Crewe is England and the blurb writer says “it is certain to bring acute pangs of recognition and knowing laughter to every American”. Written in 1974 - I confess a love for Muriel Spark and this American laughed but the recognition is probably for every nation that strives for their myth to triumph. 4⭐️

Got this signed edition from #ParnassusBooks after attending a virtual event where Walter Isaacson was interviewed by John Meacham- read it! Want to know how the Covid Vaccine got done? Well here is the timely story of Crispr and genetic engineering- fascinating! Happy Easter all!

My Libby hold came in for this book- the next in my “creativity reads” project. I have been fascinated to read this since I heard the author talk- premise: you don‘t have to master everything, the learning itself is the point. Whew! What a relief!

If you are a fan of Sally Rooney you will enjoy this. I am not. Good narrator on audio. This is my second book completed from the #WomensPrizeLongList and so far #Piranesi is far ahead. 3⭐️

@Catsandbooks Thank you Thank you for the perfect Valentine‘s Box!!! This is the book I hoped I would get and the dark chocolate Dove truffles and cutie pie Chocolate puppy and bookmark of “all the feels” are all just 100% exactly me!!! Thank you so much for everything and I hope your Day is just as special!💖💖💖💖💖😍Thanks to @candority for organizing this will be an every year swap for me!!! Happy Valentine‘s Day Littens🥰

Selected this audiobook for a Black History Month focused read and it is a corker! Eunice Carter was a female prosecutor in NYC in the 1930s who helped take down Lucky Luciano- I had no idea! The first 1/3 of the book covers her parents who were highly accomplished and world travelers- before that was a popular thing to do in the US. This is fascinating and the narrator is excellent! Can‘t wait to hear the rest of the story- told by her grandson.

It has arrived @Catsandbooks . Can‘t wait! Thanks for hosting @candority 💖💖💖🎁

Thanks to @britt_brooke for this Christmas gift. I really enjoyed reading short stories in January and this is 7 short stories and a novella dealing with many aspects of race, being female under a male gaze, and my favorite, the titular novella - oh if there were such a government department to certify truth - but at what cost to delusion and hatred based on lies- and whose lies? Thought provoking - 1/2 were 4⭐️ for me- a good collection.

@candority #BookCupidSwap Package sent via UPS today!!! Book Llve on it‘s way to Pennsylvania!💖💖💖💖💖🎁

Next up this lovely Christmas swap gift from @britt_brooke Look how pretty the naked hardcover is under the jacket! Ready to dive right in!🥰

This was my Classics read for December but I got sidetracked. I finished in a couple of days recently and loved this, my second read from the Mitford sisters. It follows “Little D” Jessica Mitford from her childhood with the “Revereds” through to the beginning of WW2 and marriage to her cousin, Churchill‘s nephew Esmond. The second 1/2 of the book was much more engaging and was an interesting take on America/England circa 1940 for a certain set.

Wow- a low key one book and candy swap for Valentine‘s Day! I am in! Go to @candority to sign up by January 10 and Get something fabulous for Valentine‘s Day while doing the same for others! Win Win and only adds one book to my almost ready to topple tbr😂😂😂😂🤪 #BookCupidSwap

Whiskey says Happy New Year!!! #dogsoflitsy 🥂🥃

Here are my top reads of 2020 with the tagged book standing in for the 7 volumes of #Proust2020 year long read. Interesting reading year for me with several top reads published well before 2020 but these are the ones that will stay with me- most of the many 2020 published books I purchased I did not read- time to get to those in 2021 as apparently I need to stare at a book on my shelves for awhile🤷‍♀️ Anyway these are the top of 2020.

Well 2020 came to a close and so did my year long Immersion in Proust. There is an article from the New York Times that I found recently written by another reader who experienced the “plague year” reading Proust and finding, much as I did, that he was an excellent companion bringing diversion, observation and reflection in a way that resonated with me this year. I will miss him but I am sure I will return - if just to passages, for his language

A Christmas favorite as illustrated by Quentin Blake- Emily begins thanking Edward ever so properly when she receives a partridge in a pear tree on December 25- the next 11 days bring about a decidedly cooler response! I love this little Christmas treasure! 5⭐️

Thank you @Sharpeipup for the lovely pillow dark chocolates and memoir- I actually listened to this on audio when it came out but it is lovely having a copy! Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness! Happy #JolabokaflodSwap @MaleficentBookDragon

#Jolabokaflodswap I received my package from someone in Florida-hooray- now to hide it from myself until Christmas Eve!!!
@MaleficentBookDragon

Listening to Nigel Slater read all about the Christmas windows in London and making mince pies I decided I needed to do a wintery pastel. Love this season!🤶🌲☃️🌬

#JolabokafludSwap @MaleficentBookDragon Sent to Colorado Springs today!🤶🎄🍄

Anyone else follow the tradition of reading this beautiful book from November to February 2- also, start the podcast listening on December 1 for the run up to Christmas- such a joy!☃️🎄

My November “classics” read is back to the Mitford sisters- this time Jessica on her family. This promises to be quite rebellious!
Happy Fall reading Littens and Stay safe and well📚🍁🍂🐿

#Proust2020 finished this last month and am almost finished with The Fugitive (they are usually bundled together as V. 5) but have had to go to a new edition as these delux ones only go to this book. In this volume Albertine says “Oh, Marcel” so I guess our narrator is named. I will admit Albertine gets on my nerves but the writing is still brilliant and we are nearing the end of this obsession and I don‘t go to Proust for plot. Stay well!

My favorite and only swap of 2020!!! Thank you @MaleficentBookDragon for hosting this again! I highly recommend this low key, meaningful swap honoring a great tradition of reading on Christmas eve!!!

I have intended to read this classic, set in one day, Dia De Los Muertos in 1938 at the Fiesta at Chapultepec. This writing is descriptive, full of the tragic despair of Mexico and the breakdown of the 20th century colonialism as envisioned through the descent of “TheConsul” into drunken release. This sounds dismal and I had avoided it for this reason but I flew through it- it is a masterwork full of symbolic myth and truth. 5⭐️

#HappyHalloween #GhostStories Happy Halloween all you Ghouls and Goblins! Here‘s wishing you a Spooky and healthy All Souls Day!

Enjoying the evening watching RJ Jacobs, Joe Hill and Paul Tremblay in conversation on the Southern Festival of Books Youtube (next 2 weeks check out the schedule online) and starting my October classics read Edith Wharton‘s Ghost Stories🎃

The lyrics, the music, the war, the drugs, the Haight, the Summer of Love, The Grateful Dead, the Eight of Cups, the Third Planet, the end. Wow- to a child brought up by her mother on this time, San Francisco in the 1960s, the music - it is all here- plus David Mitchell‘s time and space bending characters from here and now and then and yet to come. I loved this and it felt like the story of a real band in a real place. Mitchell does not disappoint