Welcome to Litsy!

I absolutely loved Scoff by the same author, so this was an essential purchase. Please excuse my avocado Oodie in the background - it's half-term here & we've been getting up late, hanging out in PJs and generally living our best lives!!!

Having opened her short review of English diarists by categorising them as bores, O'Brien proves to be a lively guide to those of us who omit no detail of an anecdote, commenting that those qualities which in person are deadly dull as we have no polite escape, in written form are fascinating as we have the choice of reprieve & of skipping over.
The only diarist I'm inclined to explore further is 19th century governess Ellen Weeton, though her 👇🏼

"Let me begin with the hard saying that the best English diaries have been written by bores."

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

A brief (48 pages) overview of some key diaries and journals from English history up to contemporary (i.e., 1943) times by Irish writer, Kate O'Brien.
It has 8 colour plates and 19 b&w illustrations, and is number 55 in an extensive series of books covering many aspects of English culture and history. Trying *very* hard for this series not to become a collecting "special interest"! ???

This book isn‘t perfect - it‘s organised chronologically so some aspects of celebrations are touched on more than once - but overall I enjoyed this trip through the development of Christmas traditions that brought us to the experience many of us, in the west, recognise as “traditional”.

I want to remind everyone at this time about special ballots and mail ins. These are never counted right away. Especially important for Pennsylvania and Michigan these two states are razor thin. And some of the states haven't finished their counts yet.
#uselection #americavotes

This is as dry and long winded as you'd expect it to be (why would a politician use 5 words when they can use 50?), however Lammy is ultimately advocating for diversity and inclusion and I can get behind that (if he can get over his fat phobia - there's some odd weight comments floating around this book).

Its not too early is it? I try and get a christmas history book from the library in Nov but theyre all booked out - so i grabbed this one early! Its a nice thorough little history - everything i wanted to know in 245 pages, without getting bored by too much detail. It was interesting to see how secular Christmas has been & how different periods have created a nostalgia for ancient traditions that are actually not old! ⬇️

Would so much prefer this to still be a book stall. Why do you taunt me Manchester Victoria train station? @TrishB @squirrelbrain

I would‘ve enjoyed this history of pockets more if I had read it in print with the accompanying pictures. Carlson does a good job outlining how pockets came to be prevalent and actually useful in menswear but patriarchal views kept (and still keeps) excellent pockets out of womenswear. I didn‘t know a pocket was so expensive to add! I sit here having switched from my winter men‘s sweatpants to women‘s pants for summer, and I want better pockets!!