Bookends: September 2019
This month’s book totals are a little inflated due to the picture books and early readers I read for the Birth and Beyond Reading Challenge (#BBRC) on Litsy. Still, even … Continue reading Bookends: September 2019
Recent Posts
Epic Battles for Middle School
My son is using Don and Jenny Killgallon’s Paragraphs for Middle School as part of his writing curriculum this year. The idea is to introduce writing concepts, illustrate them with … Continue reading Epic Battles for Middle School
Hazards of Time Travel by Joyce Carol Oates
Plot summary, gleaned from the book jacket flap: “A recklessly idealistic girl dares to test the perimeters of her tightly controlled (future) world and is punished by being sent back … Continue reading Hazards of Time Travel by Joyce Carol Oates
Flaking Out: An Eczema Update
In the seven years since I published my first post about eczema, several people have written expressing interest in an update. I’m less inclined to blog about skin issues than … Continue reading Flaking Out: An Eczema Update
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
In the late 90’s/early aughts, Volkswagen had an ad campaign with the tagline, “Drivers Wanted.” Even in my early 20’s I was a jaded consumer of advertising. I knew I … Continue reading My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund
Usually, I like reading books quickly. I like immersing myself in the world, a quick dive to the bottom of the pool and then back up again for a deep … Continue reading History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund
The Third Hotel by Laura van den Berg
There’s an episode of the podcast “Hidden Brain” about counterfactuals. Counterfactuals are basically a reimagining of past events, an answer to “what if?” and all of the events that cascade … Continue reading The Third Hotel by Laura van den Berg
All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
Reading this novel, I asked myself, why would the Nazis ban this book? Because at first, it’s just a story of young men going to war narrated by Paul Bäumer. … Continue reading All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
24in48 January 2019 Wrap-up
Well. I’m done. Actually, I’ve been done since 9:00 last night when I finished All Quiet on the Western Front just before my alarm went off signalling the end of … Continue reading 24in48 January 2019 Wrap-up
24in48 Halftime Report
Twenty-four hours into the January 2019 24in48 readathon, and I’m still in the game. I finished Ali Smith’s Winter (which I was already halfway through at the start of the … Continue reading 24in48 Halftime Report
Cautious Optimism: Preparing for the 24in48 Readathon, January 2019
January 2018’s 24in48 readathon came when we were deep in moving mode. I made some half-hearted plans to participate, but reading took a backseat to finding lodging and figuring out … Continue reading Cautious Optimism: Preparing for the 24in48 Readathon, January 2019
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Perhaps as a mother I could read this as a story of children abandoned on an island and left to survive in any way they can. I could read it … Continue reading Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Imperfect Happiness 