Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
Louise

Louise

Joined May 2016

Reader, writer, editor, musician, artist. I'm armchair traveling with the Reading Around The World challenge and loving it!
reading now icon
Borges On Writing by Jorge Luis Borges
review
Louise
Dominic: A Picture Book | William Steig
post image
Pickpick

Such a wonderful book! I‘ve loved it since childhood, when I walked around with a stick over my shoulder with a bandanna tied to it just like Dominic. This time, I read it aloud to my mom, and she loved it too. ❤️ #readoutloud

review
Louise
Abel's Island | William Steig
post image
Pickpick

I love this book, and it was wonderful to read it aloud to my mom! #readoutloud

43 likes1 stack add
blurb
Louise
post image

Jack Finney is such a wonderful writer. His research is meticulous, and he brings the past alive in marvelous detail. His MC Sy Morley embodies the excitement and adventure of time travel. All Finney‘s books and stories are great fun, and this one takes the reader to NYC in 1882. #LetterT #alphabetgame @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Thank you for playing 📚 2y
53 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
Louise
Sing Me the Creation | Paul Matthews
post image

Hands down, the best and most inspiring book on creative writing that I have come across. The book contains both individual and group exercises to free up one‘s imagination and get the words flowing. Matthews‘ examination of language and sentence types as they relate to the four elements is fascinating. Full disclosure: Paul‘s writing led me to his courses, and he has become a dear friend & mentor. #LetterS #alphabetgame @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks So pretty 📚 2y
43 likes1 comment
blurb
Louise
post image

If you are curious about what it would be like to be the Ravenmaster at the Tower of London, Christopher Skaife tells you all about it from first-hand experience. Lots of photos, too! #LetterR #alphabetgame @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Thank you for playing 📚 2y
56 likes3 stack adds1 comment
blurb
Louise
The Pharmacist | Ingrid Noll
post image

Ingrid Noll‘s novels and stories are generally written from the perspective of a murderous woman. With dark humor, Noll‘s anti-heroines give their own twisted logic for eliminating anyone who gets in their way. Unfortunately, only 3 of Noll‘s brilliant books have been translated into English, so Germany‘s “Queen of Crime” is largely unknown in North America. If you enjoy dark humor, seek out one of Noll‘s books! #alphabetgame #LetterP

39 likes2 comments
blurb
Louise
post image

A practical guide for writers, as well as a beautiful memoir about the role of writing in King‘s life and how it helped him to heal after a terrible accident. #alphabetgame #letterO @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

marleed I often explain this book changed how I read and forevermore notice adverbs used to describe conversations between characters 2y
Louise @marleed Ah, yes, the great adverb debate! 😆 2y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Thank you for playing! 📚 2y
45 likes3 comments
blurb
Louise
Neverwhere | Neil Gaiman
post image

Neverwhere is my favorite book by Neil Gaiman. I especially love the audiobook read by the author. I have listened to this book countless times. When I can‘t get to sleep, the story and Neil‘s voice transport me away from circling thoughts and help me to drift off. It‘s a story about friendship, finding where you belong, and about people who fall through the cracks. #alphabetgame #letterN @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Thank you for playing! 2y
40 likes1 comment
blurb
Louise
post image

The most remarkable thing about this autobiography is that it is artistically written in such a way that the reader recognizes characteristics of Chagall‘s visual art in his writing. Well worth a read, especially if you are a fan of Chagall‘s work. #alphabetgame #letterM @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Thank you for playing! 2y
37 likes1 comment
blurb
Louise
post image

This beautiful book contains translations of sacred poetry from both the East and the West. The 12 poets are Rabia, St. Francis of Assisi, Rumi, Meister Eckhart, St. Thomas Aquinas, Hafiz, St. Catherine of Siena, Kabir, Mira, St. Theresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, and Tukaram. The translator has written an introduction to each poet. #alphabetgame #letterL #poetry @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

kspenmoll Sounds lovely. 2y
Louise @kspenmoll It really is lovely. It‘s the type of book one can turn to for comfort or meditative reading. 2y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks ❤️❤️❤️ 2y
43 likes3 comments
blurb
Louise
The Kite Runner: Rejacketed | Khaled Hosseini
post image

I‘m sure many #alphabetgame participants will choose this book, and I‘m no exception. It is beautifully written, deeply moving, and it taught me a lot about Afghanistan. #letterk @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I need to read this one! 2y
Louise @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Yes, you really do need to read this one! All his books are very well-written and moving. 2y
40 likes2 comments
blurb
Louise
Jacob Have I Loved | Katherine Paterson
post image

I‘ve known about this book for many years but have yet to read it, so I‘m recommending it to myself as much as anyone else! ☺️ #alphabetgame #letterJ @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

melissajayne I love that books as well! 2y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Thank you for playing! 2y
38 likes2 comments
blurb
Louise
post image

One of the foundational books in Rudolf Steiner‘s philosophy, this book explores practices that can help a person to develop greater clarity and inner freedom. #alphabetgame #letter I @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Thank you for playing! 2y
26 likes1 comment
review
Louise
Damascus Nights | Rafik Schami
post image
Pickpick

What a delightful celebration of storytelling! This book contains stories within stories within stories and is filled with charm and quirky characters. It is told in the tradition of Syrian storytelling and gives a few nods to Scheherazade. Book 3 in my #readoutloud project, in which I read aloud to my mother. We both enjoyed it very much, and the story gained something through being “spoken”. #readaroundtheworld #Syria

56 likes4 stack adds
review
Louise
post image
Pickpick

My mom and I love this book, so we chose it as book #2 in our #readoutloud project. Everyday, we sit together; and I read aloud for us. It was fun to revisit Eleanor and her journey toward freedom from a traumatic past. Her way of seeing the world is quirky and humorous, even in a story filled with sadness. Eleanor is a survivor who learns to thrive.

review
Louise
84, Charing Cross Road | Helene Hanff, Frank Doel, Marks & Co
post image
Pickpick

This is a charming read for book lovers, as it celebrates the joy of finding the right book, the right edition, the right author, and bookish friends across the miles. This was the inaugural book in a #readoutloud project I‘ve started with my mother. I read to her every day, and we are enjoying this “live” version of audiobooks.

paulfrankspencer There is something so wholesome and intimate about reading to someone. I love this idea. 2y
KathyWheeler I just finished The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street which is about her trip to England for the UK publication of this book. I really enjoyed both. 2y
Louise @paulfrankspencer Yes, I agree. It‘s been such a beautiful experience thus far. 2y
See All 6 Comments
Louise @KathyWheeler Oh, that sounds like a great companion book to this one. Will add it to my list! Thanks! 2y
Crazeedi I so enjoyed this book 2y
KathyWheeler @Louise You‘re welcome. I hope you like it. 2y
74 likes3 stack adds6 comments
review
Louise
post image
Mehso-so

I‘m a fan of this series, and it‘s always fun to revisit the characters in Three Pines; but this book felt weighed down in sections. It was more ponderous and less exciting. #audio

robinb Miss you, my friend. 🤗 Hope all is well. 2y
Louise @robinb Thank you! We have been going through a very difficult time. I‘ve been meaning to write. We have a new address, which I will send to you. I hope all is well in your corner of the world. 😘 2y
robinb @Louise so sorry to hear this but hope things are looking better day by day. Thinking of you and sending positive thoughts. 🤗 2y
Louise @robinb Thank you so much. I‘ll be in touch soon. 💗 2y
63 likes4 comments
review
Louise
A Sunlit Weapon | Jacqueline Winspear
post image
Pickpick

It‘s always fun to read a new Maisie Dobbs novel. This one includes a visit to the UK from Eleanor Roosevelt. The book also touches on issues of race and how things differed or were similar at that time in the US vs. the UK. The novel is a nice tribute to the female pilots of WWII. Listened to this on audio.

review
Louise
post image
Pickpick

Gamache and family in Paris. What‘s not to like?! The mystery is exciting, as the scope of criminality grows bigger and broader, and the stakes are very high. Themes of family, trust, love, forgiveness, sacrifice, and letting go are interwoven throughout. I listened to this on audio, and it was well done.

54 likes1 stack add
review
Louise
The Comfort Book | Matt Haig
post image
Pickpick

Words of comfort and hope from a writer who has been in the depths of despair and found a way to cope. I read a few pages a day with a family member; and when we had finished, we started again from the beginning. The book lives up to its name. Highly recommended.

79 likes1 stack add
review
Louise
Madame de Treymes | Edith Wharton
post image
Pickpick

This novella is a quick read that explores the cultural naïveté of Americans in Paris and how they are perceived by old-family Europeans, and also the themes of quiet revenge and Schadenfreude. Toward the end of the book, the reader is waiting for the other shoe to drop, for the veneer of polite charm to give way to the dark motivations beneath it. Wharton‘s insightful and often surprising turns of phrase are a delight to read. #Whartonbuddyread

Graywacke I must be the only one who didn‘t feel the shoe, so to speak. I thought it was resolved! Oh well. 2y
68 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
Louise
The Beatryce Prophecy | Kate DiCamillo
post image
Pickpick

The first chapters utterly charmed me with the style of writing and the world Kate created. The illustrations and the construction of the book are also charming. There is a lot of darkness in the book which the characters must deal with, and this affected me. It was a bit heavy for me in that regard—the sadness in the world. The themes of love, friendship, self-knowledge, courage, and the power of story are beautifully rendered.

LeslieO Just finished this one. Very sweet. I love the goat! 2y
Louise @LeslieO Kate DiCamillo posted on Facebook that the number one thing parents are telling her is that their kids want a goat now! 😆 2y
LeslieO @Louise hahahaha! 😂 2y
61 likes1 stack add3 comments
review
Louise
Vintage 1954 | Antoine Laurain
post image
Pickpick

I enjoyed this whimsical foray into 1950‘s Paris. Antoine Laurain has the ability to cast a romantic light on the past without ignoring the things that have changed for the better over the years. This is a light, fun read that is an excellent escape from the dark times we are living in. #timetravel

71 likes4 stack adds
review
Louise
post image
Pickpick

If you are looking for a life-affirming read, this is a good choice. In a style reminiscent of “It‘s A Wonderful Life”, the story begins with the main character wanting to end it all. But when she takes a load of pills and is hovering between life and death, she finds herself in the Midnight Library, in which she gains new perspectives on her life choices. A quick read with short chapters, it‘s a clever examination of what really matters.

review
Louise
The touchstone | Edith Wharton
post image
Pickpick

This early novel reads a bit like a morality tale, yet there is much more to it than that. The main character goes through a kind of initiation experience, coming face-to-face with his own narcissism and weakness, nearly being destroyed by it, and ultimately beginning an inner transformation and renewal. There are echoes of Poe‘s The Telltale Heart and interesting philosophical elements. Wharton‘s prose is a delight to read. #whartonbuddyread

Hooked_on_books Nice to see you on here again! 👋🏼 3y
Louise @Hooked_on_books Thanks, Holly! I hope you are doing well and reading some great lit! 👋 3y
55 likes2 stack adds2 comments
review
Louise
Eggshells | Caitriona Lally
post image
Pickpick

This book is a celebration of language—of quirky words, odd phrases, groups of vowels and consonants! At first, the book reminded me a bit of #Elinor Oliphant. I enjoyed the MC‘s unusual way of seeing things but wished that she had more support around her. Vivian is delightful but never bathes and is caught in a delusion pressed upon her by her abusive father. The end is hopeful, as she plans an adventure with a friend.

59 likes3 stack adds
review
Louise
The Readers' Room | Antoine Laurain
post image
Pickpick

Another fun read from Antoine Laurain. This time, Laurain takes us inside the Paris publishing world and the lead-up to the Prix Goncourt. The “unknown” author of a runaway bestseller must be found, as a number of recent deaths/murders bear a striking resemblance to those described in the book. The ending leaves a lingering question; but overall, it is a clever, noir—and very French—fictional ride. #readingaroundtheworld #France

yourfavouritemixtape This sounds great! Adding to my TBR-pile asap! 🙂 3y
Louise @yourfavouritemixtape Enjoy it! Laurain has written several fun books. I‘ve enjoyed all the ones I‘ve read so far, but I have a special affection for (edited) 3y
yourfavouritemixtape @Louise I am intrigued! I think I‘m gonna try reading it in French! 3y
Louise @yourfavouritemixtape His books are great for French practice! I have The President‘s Hat in both English and French. Enjoy your reading! 3y
81 likes4 comments
review
Louise
A Writer's Reality | Mario Vargas Llosa
post image
Pickpick

Mario Vargas Llosa invites the reader into his writing process and also his theory of fiction. The interplay between reality and fiction is fluid and fascinating. This book would be of special interest to writers and students of Vargas Llosa‘s work. #writersoflitsy

review
Louise
Lucy Gayheart: Reissue | Willa Cather
post image
Pickpick

Willa Cather beautifully evokes the artistic sensibility and the effect of great music on the inner life in this story of a talented young pianist from a small town who goes to study music in Chicago. The book focuses on her relationships with two very different men. The first 2/3 of the book are more satisfying than the end. But Cather‘s mastery of language and metaphor are strong throughout. #catherbuddyread

Suet624 This one packed a punch for me. Lucy. ❤️ 3y
Tanisha_A Fab review! Loved this 3y
Louise @Suet624 Yes, for me too! I cried and cried at the end. Cather really lingered on the ephemeral nature of things. . . and that last line about the footprints on the sidewalk—oh! 😩 But so beautifully rendered in Cather‘s masterful style! 3y
See All 6 Comments
Louise @Tanisha_A Thanks. What a ride this book was. I‘d have preferred a happier, more triumphant return to fullness of life for Lucy. Oh, Cather! 3y
batsy Lovely review. I agree, I wanted so much more for Lucy 💔 Cather really knows how to get to you. 3y
Louise @batsy She really, really does. This one came as such a shock. And then that elegiac ending! 💙 3y
73 likes1 stack add6 comments
blurb
Louise
Michelle Remembers | Michelle Smith
post image

Happy Birthday to pen pal extraordinaire and all-around great person @Chelleo !!! May the coming year bring continued health, inspiration, joy, and loads of magnificent books! 💕

Graciouswarriorprincess Happy birthday! 3y
Megabooks Happy birthday!!! 🎉🎉 3y
ShelleyBooksie Happy Birthday! 3y
56 likes3 comments
blurb
Louise
post image

A very Happy Birthday to #Litsypenpal @robinb !!! May you be safe, healthy, and well-stocked with good books during these unusual times. A package will be on its way to you very soon (just need to wrap it!). Wishing you a wonderful day. 💕

Chelleo Happy birthday, @robinb ! 🎂🎉🎊 3y
rubyslippersreads Happy 🎂🎂🎂 @robinb 🎉🎉🎉 3y
robinb Thank you for thinking of me sweet friend and for your kind wishes! 💕🤗😘 3y
robinb @Chelleo Thanks so much Chelleo! 🤗 3y
robinb @rubyslippersreads Thank you Ruby! 💕 3y
48 likes5 comments
blurb
Louise
post image

#crochetersoflitsy #craftersoflitsy À read-along like no other! Inspired by the Museum of Natural History in Paris and Anthony Doerr‘s book, in which it is featured, Scheepjes yarns is hosting an international crochet-along-read-along! The mandala-style blanket will be made in 4 colorways—or pick your own! Book clubs on Sundays. Starts on Sept. 23. Info here: https://www.scheepjes.com/en/cals-and-mals/scheepjes-cals/scheepjes-cal-2020/inf...

monalyisha How cool! 4y
Louise @monalyisha Yes! I signed up right away, even though I‘m a beginner crocheter! It‘s just too cool to pass up! I‘m on Team Conchology, the colorway pictured here. 🤓 4y
Texreader That‘s gorgeous!! What fun! I learned rudimentary stitches as a child. And that was that. My coordination sucks for it but I so love this! 4y
See All 14 Comments
PurpleTulipGirl I have seen a couple of those mandala blankets up close, and they are just gorgeous. 4y
Freespirit I loved this book...and the mandala blanket is gorgeous! 4y
Louise @Texreader It‘s a great idea, isn‘t it! They advertise it as being for “adventurous beginners”, and there‘s loads of support, so I took the plunge. I only started crochet during lockdown, so this will be quite an adventure! 4y
Louise @PurpleTulipGirl That‘s good to hear! So far, I‘ve only seen them in pictures. 4y
Louise @Freespirit One of the teams is called “Team Free Spirit”! It‘s for those who choose their own colorway for the blanket rather than one of the prepared kits. I loved the audio version of this book and am looking forward to diving deeper into it with the read-along. 4y
Freespirit Louise I look forward to seeing the work in progress

4y
Louise @Freespirit That‘s so kind of you to say. I‘ll try and post updates now and then. 🤓 4y
Clare-Dragonfly That‘s really cool! I don‘t crochet but I sent the link to a few friends who do. 4y
Louise @Clare-Dragonfly That‘s great! Thanks for spreading the word. There‘s wonderful enthusiasm in the Facebook group for this project. Lots of people from around the world are taking part. 4y
Texreader It will be a lot of fun watching your progress. Post photos! 😁 4y
Louise @Texreader Will do! 🤓 4y
67 likes14 comments
review
Louise
Letters to a Young Novelist | Mario Vargas Llosa
post image
Pickpick

In a series of letters, Vargas Llosa opens up the structure of the novel form and examines its inner workings, using examples from world literature. His love of literature and empathy for the young writer shine through. After 132 pages of insight, he concludes, “My dear friend: what I am trying to say is that you should forget everything you‘ve read in my letters about the structure of the novel, and just sit down and write.” 😆 #writersoflitsy

70 likes1 stack add
blurb
Louise
The Saga of Erik the Red: Translation with Icelandic and Old Norse Texts | Anonymous, J. Sephton, Volundr Lars Agnarsson
post image

The little-known cousin of Erik the Red. . . Bjorn the Well-Read.
#litsyhumor

merelybookish 😂 love it! 4y
sisilia 🤣 4y
CarolynM 😂😂😂 4y
84 likes3 comments
review
Louise
Create Dangerously | Albert Camus
post image
Pickpick

This little volume is the transcript of a speech given by Camus in 1957. It is as relevant today as the day he wrote it. #writersoflitsy #artistsoflitsy

plemmdog I haven‘t read his novel The Plague, but will probably tackle it before the summer is over. I couldn‘t go near it at the start of the pandemic... 4y
Louise @plemmdog The Plague wouldn‘t be my first choice of reading material during a pandemic, either! 😷 4y
69 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
Louise
post image
Pickpick

Stegner‘s insights into the creative process, the writing life, the responsibility of the author, and how to nurture and develop one‘s writing are a joy to read. This book would be a fine addition to any writer‘s bookshelf and perhaps also of interest to avid readers. #writersoflitsy

CindyMyLifeIsLit I have this but haven‘t read it yet. Need to get to it soon! 4y
Louise @CindyMyLifeIsLit You‘ll love it! 4y
robinb Nice to have you back! Hope you‘re doing well! 4y
Louise Thanks, @robinb! Warm greetings to you! 👋 4y
64 likes1 stack add4 comments
blurb
Louise
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
post image

Good questions, @TheSpineView ! I‘m currently reading the English translation of Zorba the Greek, by Nikos Kazantzakis. I read books in German regularly and am starting to read in French again as I brush up on the language. #Two4Tuesday Tagging @robinb Hi, Robin! 👋

TheSpineView Thanks for playing! 👍 4y
57 likes1 comment
blurb
Louise
post image

Thanks for the tag, @vlwelser The most beautiful thing I‘ve heard this week is a pop-up online concert of mainly Bach music played on the Archguitar by Peter Blanchette. It was a balm for the soul! This answers the second question too, though I also like to play my own instruments to lift my spirits. The last food I indulged in was a hot cocoa with ginger snaps. Tagging @ju.ca.no

ju.ca.no Oh thanks for the tag🤗 I‘m late to the party though, it‘s friday already🙈 4y
Louise Better late than never! 😂 4y
49 likes2 comments
review
Louise
My Mortal Enemy | Willa Cather
post image
Pickpick

Another incisive gem from Willa Cather. The #catherbuddyread group posted some fabulous insights. What struck me personally in the 2nd half was that the character of Myra Henshawe was remarkably like someone I know who recently passed away. The parallels were astonishing! And I could understand Oswald‘s wish to remember the good and let go of the bad. As Myra said herself, she “couldn‘t help” being cruel to those she loved. A complex character.

94 likes1 stack add
quote
Louise
post image

Years later when I read T.S. Eliot‘s line that April was the cruelest month, I would recall what happened to me one April day in 1954, in chilly Limuru, the prime estate of what, in 1902, another Eliot, Sir Charles Eliot, then governor of colonial Kenya, had set aside as White Highlands. #firstlinefridays @ShyBookOwl

64 likes1 stack add
review
Louise
The Professor's House | Willa Cather
post image
Pickpick

Willa Cather‘s work is a joy to read. She interweaves many themes and gives the reader plenty to think about. For me, this book is a fascinating exploration of what it means to hold true to our most authentic Self, when so many forces in life and our time in history seek to draw us away from ourselves. Lots to chew on in this book! If you‘re interested, see the great discussions of this book in the #Catherbuddyread group.

Graywacke I have to rethink the book a bit with this in mind. Great review! 4y
TEArificbooks How did I not know there is Cather buddy read group. I decided to read all her books this year and reread what I have already read. What is next months book? When do you need the books done by? 4y
Louise @mdm139 Next month‘s read is a novella called My Mortal Enemy. Because it is a short book, we‘re just having one discussion on the whole book on March 7th. It would be great to have your perspective added to the mix. It‘s a great little group full of astute, Cather-loving readers. @Graywacke leads it and does a fabulous job getting/keeping the discussion going. 4y
See All 28 Comments
Louise @graywacke Thanks for that. If you have read any of Steiner‘s work on the evolution of consciousness, you‘ll see why these themes jumped out at me as they did. Of course, they are universal themes. As the discussions unearthed, many philosophers and great writers have explored these things. 4y
Graywacke @mdm139 Wow, awesome that your reading Cather now. We‘re a small group. I‘m happy to add your name to the list. ( Follow the tag for the various discussions. #catherbuddyread ) And, yes, March 7 is 4y
Graywacke @Louise Steiner ?? 4y
TEArificbooks @Graywacke great! I read My Mortal Enemy Last month 4y
Graywacke @mdm139 you have to remember everything till March 7 😉 4y
Louise @graywacke Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian philosopher who lived in the late 1800‘s and until 1925. Founder of Waldorf education, biodynamic farming, eurythmy therapy, anthroposophical medicine, and the anthroposophical society. His ideas coalesce nicely with Goethe‘s phenomenological scientific methods. He maintained that spiritual phenomena could be approached scientifically and used the phrase “spiritual science”. There are interesting lectures... 4y
Louise . . . of his on how the development of the arts, including architecture, reveal to us the development of human consciousness. He was a fascinating thinker and “seer”. Some of his lectures are pretty “far out”, and I don‘t know what to think of them. But his understanding of the human task to maintain one‘s center while being pulled in many directions is profound. 4y
Graywacke @Louise whoa... I‘m going to accept your summary for now. He‘s a new name to me. (Goethe is really only a name to me too. Never read him. ) 4y
Louise @Graywacke I don‘t know if I‘m the best spokesperson for Rudolf Steiner‘s ideas, but yeah, it‘s a lot of philosophy to digest. But as Cather‘s novel demonstrates, we find these ideas in all kinds of places without having to stress out about it. 😂 (edited) 4y
cmastfalk I live Willa Cather‘s writing! 4y
Louise @cmastfalk I do too! It‘s so easy to read, isn‘t it? She draws the reader along with her beautiful prose, and all the while, she is weaving meaning after meaning into the story. How does she do it? Amazing! 4y
Lcsmcat @Louise I can totally see the staying true to your authentic self as an overarching theme in Cather. And even though one have been rereads, I‘m getting so much more out of her writing with the combination of reading them back to back and the great discussions we have in the #catherbuddyread. Everyone‘s insights give me lots to ponder. 4y
Louise @Lcsmcat I agree about the group. It‘s great to hear so many perspectives! @cmastfalk, can we tempt you to join? (edited) 4y
CarolynM Great review, and I'm fascinated by your comments about Steiner (do you have Steiner schools in the US? their educational philosophies are all I really know about about him) I get so much from the knowledge and ideas this group brings to our discussions. 4y
batsy I agree very much with your insight... Like @Lcsmcat says the battle for the authentic self seems to be a recurring theme in her work. I loved The Song of the Lark in particular for depicting the costs and compromises of an artist's soul. 4y
Louise @batsy Good to hear this about Song of the Lark! I haven‘t read the Great Plains trilogy yet but ordered it recently. Looking forward to reading it! 4y
Louise @CarolynM Yes, we do have Steiner schools in the US. We call them Waldorf Schools here. Where are you located? 4y
cmastfalk @Louise I found the hashtag. How do I go about joining? 4y
CarolynM I live in Melbourne, Australia. If I'd thought a bit longer I wouldn't have asked that question. I realised I know a couple of people who went to a Steiner schools in the US 😳 I haven't heard them called Waldorf Schools before, though. 4y
Louise @CarolynM Ah, Melbourne! I have a friend who is a piano professor at the university there! Such a wonderful musician! Yes, the first Steiner school was commissioned by a rich businessman by the name of Waldorf (of Waldorf-Astoria Hotel fame) for the children of his factory workers in Stuttgart. He asked Steiner to develop a curriculum based on his understanding of the developing child. And the rest is history. 4y
Louise @cmastfalk So glad you‘ll be joining us! I‘ll tag @Graywacke here so he can add you to the group list. Welcome! 4y
Graywacke @cmastfalk I‘ve added you to the list. 🙂 Next book is tagged here. Usually we discuss the book in sections, but the next one is a novella, so we‘ll only have one discussion at the end - March 7. 4y
cmastfalk @Graywacke Thank you! 4y
canbku That cover is so gorgeous! 4y
Louise @canbku Yes! The whole Cather series by Vintage has lovely covers. 4y
104 likes2 stack adds28 comments
review
Louise
Stoner | John Williams
post image
Pickpick

What an achingly beautiful book. Exquisitely written. It is the story of a life lived deeply. There is sadness, yes, but there is also love. In this book, love of words and literature is also a redeeming and comforting force. It‘s a book that will stay in my thoughts for a long time and that I will surely read again.

Cinfhen I‘m thinking of reading this for @Reviewsbylola #ClassicsChallenge2020 (edited) 4y
emilyhaldi Ugh it's so good. Your description is spot on! One of my fav books from last year and I will certainly be reading it again. 4y
Louise @Cinfen Great choice! Enjoy! It was interesting for me that I happened to be reading The Professor‘s House, by Willa Cather, around the same time. Both by great American authors. Both with a professor as the main character. Both brilliantly written, yet both also so very different. Lots to think about. 4y
See All 10 Comments
Louise @emilyhaldi Yes! The writing is so brilliant; it is to be savored and revisited! (edited) 4y
Reviewsbylola I‘m reading it right now! It‘s great. @Cinfhen 4y
Cinfhen Oh good!! I know @KarenUK recently read it and loved it too @Reviewsbylola Thanks for posting the above review @Louise it‘s pushed this book up my TBR 4y
Louise @Reviewsbylola It‘s so beautifully written, isn‘t it?! I marked so many passages. Such amazing writing! Enjoy! @Cinfen You are in for a great read! 🤓 4y
KarenUK @cinfhen @emilyhaldi @Reviewsbylola @louise It‘s one of those that‘s really stuck with me..... still thinking about it.... 4y
Reviewsbylola I‘ve been thinking about it all night and I‘m finally able to settle back in with it now after a busy day! @karenuk @louise 4y
Louise @Reviewsbylola Hooray! Happy reading! 4y
101 likes4 stack adds10 comments
review
Louise
post image
Mehso-so

I‘ve just completed this book‘s daily readings, which go from Nov. 24 to Jan. 7. While a broad array of voices are included here, I was surprised and even a little disturbed by how many of the readings I could NOT relate to. I had an easier time with the poems than the prose. To me, it seemed that the great mystery of God had been too narrowly interpreted, too confidently expressed. Perhaps next Advent, I‘ll choose readings from the mystics!

MaureenMc I‘d recommend The Reed of God by Caryll Houselander for next Advent. 😊 (edited) 4y
Louise @MaureenMc Thanks for the tip! I‘ve added it to my list! 4y
Suet624 @MaureenMc The Reed of God is 💕💕💕 1y
Louise @Suet624 Thanks for the reminder about this book! Happy Holidays! 1y
Suet624 Same to you!! 1y
78 likes5 comments
blurb
Louise
Collected Stories | Willa Cather
post image

Christmas #bookhaul of 2019! Heartfelt thanks to my Litsy pen pals @robinb and @Chelleo for your contributions to this wonderful tower of reading material! Your thoughtfulness is deeply appreciated! My packages to you both will arrive in the New Year, as I‘m behind with my “Literary Santa to-do list”! Wishing everyone many pleasant hours of reading in 2020! 🎄📚🎄📚🎄📚

charl08 Lovely stack! 4y
Chelleo Nice haul! Looks like 2020 will be a great reading year ☺️ 4y
Louise @Chelleo I feel so guilty, as I have your birthday gifts wrapped up in a pile here and haven‘t yet got them parceled up and mailed. And your Christmas gifts have yet to be wrapped! It‘s been difficult to get organized. My apologies! I will get them sent off as soon as I can! 😘😘😘 4y
See All 13 Comments
Chelleo @Louise No apologies needed. They‘ll get here right on time...just when I need them, I‘m sure. 🤗 4y
Louise Thanks, @chelleo! I really enjoyed your recent letter about your women‘s retreat. And thank you for the gorgeous pin, fun socks, and lovely book! You are so thoughtful! 💕 4y
ju.ca.no Lovely stack!😍 4y
Louise Thanks, @ju.ca.no ! And thank you for your lovely letter, the cute origami, and the tea! I will write to you very soon! 😘 4y
ju.ca.no @Louise I‘m glad it has arrived already🤗😘 4y
robinb Nice stack awaiting you @Louise ! Happy Eudora arrived safely! 🤣 Enjoy! 🤗 4y
Louise @robinb I‘ve already read the first story! It‘s a great collection! Thank you so much! I‘ll write soon and send your package in the New Year. 😘 4y
robinb @Louise I do hope you‘ll enjoy the collection! Hope you‘re doing well, sweet friend! 😘 4y
Tonton Maria Popova! 4y
Louise @Tonton Yes! Have you read it yet? I‘m looking forward to diving in! 4y
92 likes13 comments
blurb
Louise
Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas | Annie Dillard, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Thomas Stearns Eliot, C S Lewis, Edith Stein, Philip Yancey, John Donne, Thomas Merton, Dorothy Day, Thomas Aquinas, Henri J M Nouwen, Meister Eckhart
post image

To carry the spirit of the Season this year, I bought this book of daily readings for Advent. Some readings are religious, some are poems, some are questions and seekings. There are contributions from Aquinas, Luther, Dillard, Nouwen, Bonhöffer, Plath, and others. It begins on this day, the first Sunday of Advent.

EliNeedsMoreShelves I have used this book in the past - really good stuff. 4y
Louise @EliNeedsMoreShelves That‘s good to hear. I‘m heartened by the diverse list of people whose words are gathered in this book. Many perspectives on what it means to receive and carry the light in the darkness at this time of year. ✨ (edited) 4y
80 likes2 comments
review
Louise
post image
Pickpick

How does one live in the present when the past was defined by war, abuse, and loss? And how does one build a brighter future? In this novel, the characters are dealing with these questions and finding their answers through the many forms love takes. #audiobook

79 likes1 stack add
review
Louise
post image
Mehso-so

I found this #audiobook a bit too “on the nose” with its theme of a self-sacrificing woman learning to set boundaries and take care of her own needs. It includes themes of the power of stories and the importance of family and forgiveness. It was an okay listen while lazing about fighting off a seasonal bug.

review
Louise
Days of Reading | Marcel Proust
post image
Pickpick

“There are no days of my childhood which I lived so fully perhaps as those I thought I had left behind without living them, those I spent with a favourite book.” So begins Proust‘s beautiful essay “Days of Reading (1)”. In his distinctive, densely detailed style, Proust shares his thoughts on reading, writing, art, machinism, society, Ruskin, and more. This is a slim volume filled with gems. #France #ReadingAroundTheWorld

70 likes2 stack adds
review
Louise
The War that Saved My Life | Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
post image
Pickpick

What a beautiful, heart-warming #audiobook! A young girl with a club foot is evacuated from London to the English countryside with her little brother at the start of WWII. Having suffered physical and emotional abuse at the hand of their mother, young Ada and little Jamie begin to blossom under the loving care of their guardian Sarah. Sarah, too, comes back to life with renewed fervor. Highly recommended!

erzascarletbookgasm I loved this book 👍 4y
Bookwormjillk A favorite of mine. 4y
87 likes5 stack adds2 comments
blurb
Louise
Happy Birthday! | Ariel Books
post image

Fellow Littens, please join me in wishing the Happiest of Birthdays to @Chelleo — Litsy-how-to-video Queen, fabulous academic librarian, mom of 2 growing readers, and #Litsypenpal extraordinaire! May the coming year bring many happy hours of reading! (Michelle, a little something for you will be arriving a few days late.).

Birdsong28 Happy birthday @Chelleo 🎉🎊📚📖 4y
Freespirit Happy birthday @Chelleo xxx 4y
JacqMac Happy birthday @Chelleo 🎉🌸🎉 4y
See All 16 Comments
Sace Happy Birthday! 🎁🎉 4y
Jerdencon Happy Birthday @Chelleo 🎉🎉🎁🎈 4y
Kaylamburson Happy happy Birthday, @Chelleo !! I hope it's the best one yet! 4y
jb72 Happy Birthday @Chelleo 4y
Butterfinger Hope you have a great birthday @Chelleo 4y
Chelleo ...and BTW...I LOVE the Peanuts gang! Louise, I'll be writing to you from the mountains of Georgia this weekend!
4y
Dragon Happy birthday 🥳 @Chelleo 🍰🍧! 4y
NeedsMoreBooks Happy birthday! 4y
Come-read-with-me @Chello Happy birthday to YOU!!!! 💐🌈💫🎂 4y
Louise The mountains of Georgia! Sounds like a really fun trip. Safe travels, and have a great time! @chelleo (edited) 4y
AnneCecilie Happy birthday 🎁🎂🎈🎉 @Chelleo 4y
Ddzmini Happy birthday 🎁🎂🎈🎉🎊 🥳📖😋 4y
71 likes16 comments