“Socrates said, ‘The misuse of language induces evil in the soul.‘ He wasn‘t talking about grammar. To misuse language is to use it the way politicians & advertisers do, for profit, without taking responsibility for what the words mean. Language used as a means to get power or make money goes wrong: it lies. Language used as an end in itself, to sing a poem or tell a story, goes right, goes towards the truth. A writer is a person who cares what ⤵️

I‘ve had this on my shelf for a long time & I‘d really love to tackle it this year! Is anyone interested in a buddy read?

It‘s a trilogy of historical novels set in 14th-c. Norway, originally published in 1920, 1921, & 1922. These would work well for anyone finishing the #192025 challenge this year! I‘m planning to use the first 2 books for 1920 & 1921.

I was thinking May—July or June—August, one book per month. Comment if you‘re interested!

“I am almost worn out and feel as if the only thing that would do me any good would be to get away out in some lonely waste place and shriek at the top of my voice for half an hour.”
—July 22, 1919 (p. 173)

Same, Maud. Same.

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMJournals

Next up in the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead: our #LMMReread of Rainbow Valley, and our #LMMAdjacent read of The Last of the Mohicans.

I‘ll post check-ins on Saturdays; the full discussion of Rainbow Valley will be March 15, and for Last of the Mohicans it will be on April 12.

All are welcome to join in! I‘ll post my tag lists for each book in the comments. Please let me know if you‘re not tagged and you‘d like to be (or vice versa!)

This week‘s section was ROUGH and heartbreaking to read, and I‘m glad we‘re alternating between the journals and other books! A couple questions to get us started:

What stands out to you in LMM‘s description of her grief?
What stands out in her descriptions of Ewan‘s illness and her own response to it?
Are there other sections that you found interesting or meaningful?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMJournals

“You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the object of its displeasure. So use that anger. You write it. You paint it. You dance it. You march it. You vote it. You do everything about it. You talk it. Never stop talking it."

I read an awful lot of books this month to have not gotten a #BookSpinBingo. Maybe I can read Raybearer before midnight? 😆

✅#BookSpin: North Woods
✅#DoubleSpin: Behold the Dreamers

15 books read total

5 from my TBR
2 re-reads
8 library

13 belated reviews yet to write (from both January and February) 😬😂

#5JoysFriday!

📚Early #BookSpin numbers today!
🔥Wearing this t-shirt
🎹My husband‘s piano service—paired with this poem by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer: https://braidedway.org/how-to-meet-this-difficult-day/
I‘ve been wading through mean-spirited accusations and nonsense on FB this week, but there have also been some delightful joys:
🌅Sunset pictures of my beloved Ely Riverside from Veronica in the Fens
😊Tara Wine-Queen‘s roundup of whimsy & joy

Thanks for the tag, @julieclair !

Favorites:
Rebecca
Sound of Music
And I can‘t decide between Shakespeare in Love and The King‘s Speech!

Want to see:
It Happened One Night
An American in Paris
Schindler‘s List (I learned & played the theme from the soundtrack in college, but I haven‘t seen the film!)

Didn‘t like:
The English Patient
Chicago
The Hurt Locker

https://www.listchallenges.com/academy-awards-for-best-picture
#tlt #ThreeListThursday

This was a fascinating look at a part of the White House I‘ve heard referenced frequently during crises, but otherwise knew very little about. The book traces the history of the Situation Room and the way it‘s changed and developed over the years, from JFK through Biden, focusing on a crisis in the Sit Room during each presidency. It was fascinating to see the vastly different ways each president approached/interacted with the room & its staff⤵️

This pick from @librarybelle‘s #AuldLangSpine list was a delight! I thoroughly enjoyed Sister B‘s letters describing ups and downs at the convent of St. Winifreda. They open a farm shop and begin to engage the community in their struggle to remain open as church leadership is pushing to sell their land. An unexpected bonus for me was discovering that the setting was the Fenlands of East Anglia, not far from Ely—where I lived as a child. 💜💜

This was an assigned read for my spiritual direction program. In some ways I loved it, and in other ways it annoyed me. I love Starr‘s approach to seeing the mystical in ordinary, everyday life—affirming that sacred mystical experience is for ordinary people, not only spiritual and religious “professionals.” And her strongly interfaith stance broadened my understanding of mystical experience. However, there were times when her descriptions of ⤵️

It‘s said that MLK Jr. was inspired by Thurman‘s work & often carried a copy of this book with him. Published in 1949, Thurman‘s insightful wisdom is (unfortunately) still fresh & relevant today. Thurman discusses how hatred destroys both the oppressor & the disinherited—and offers Jesus and the truth of the Gospel as an example to follow, in love and in resistance. It was the second time I‘ve read this, and I got even more out of it this time.

March #BookSpin list! I have lots of usual suspects: book club, buddy read, and challenge picks, etc.—but since March is my birthday month, I‘ve fleshed out the rest of the list with several books I‘ve received as gifts but haven‘t read yet 😆

A sweet, huggable, cozy, found family fantasy. I liked the characters, and I liked their growth and their growing vulnerability and connection to each other. Overall, the book felt a bit light and forgettable—but there‘s nothing wrong with a light, enjoyable cozy fantasy. That cover, too! 😍

I thoroughly enjoyed this Golden Age murder mystery. The characters are almost all over-the-top cariacatures, and as such, were hilarious. Gossip and judgment turns to murder and there‘s suspicion all around—and there‘s no shortage of witty dialogue and clever characterization along the way. This was my December #BookSpin (yes, another belated review!).

This was a soft pick. On the surface, it checks lots of boxes for me: a secret enchanted world, the aftermath of returning from (and to) that enchanted world, found family vibes, and a gorgeous cover! I enjoyed it overall, but it was missing something for me. Some of the mechanics of the world felt clumsy, and the ending felt hopeful but unsatisfying. I did enjoy the characters & I wonder if a sequel might resolve some of my unsatisfied feelings.

Catching up on belated reviews… I read this back in December for the #OokBOokClub. I loved Pratchett‘s take on journalism, as William deWorde accidentally invents the first newspaper in Ankh-Morpork. The story brings up questions of what the truth is, how it‘s told, how that telling shapes people‘s perceptions, who tries to suppress that telling & why… there‘s so much here that‘s still alarmingly relevant. And I loved Otto!

This week, we read the first part of volume 4 of the complete journals, where perhaps most significantly, LMM records her response to the end of WWI.

📚What are your thoughts on this week‘s section of the journals?
📚What sections or quotes stand out to you?

#LMMJournals #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead

“…think of all the fun you miss if you are non-excitable. There's nothing quite so wonderful as dancing around a blazing fire. What matter if it end only in gray ashes? And while walking is a sure and safe mode of locomotion it isn't half as exhilarating as flying, even if you do come down with a thud.”

This reminds me SO much of Anne! Doesn‘t Marilla use the same reasoning in reverse?!

#LMMJournals #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead

"It is only my foolish fancy, mamma, said Kate, forcing a smile.
“Well, then, my love, I wish you would keep your foolish fancy to yourself, and not wake up *my* foolish fancy to keep it company,” retorted Mrs Nickleby.

? #WhattheDickens

#5JoysFriday!

1. Sunday jazz
2. A 3-hour lunch convo with one of my best friends yesterday
3. Picking 80+ tangerines from our tree today to take over to our church‘s soup kitchen
4. Library holds came in (finally!)
5. It was warm enough today to wear this t-shirt 😁

“This is part of Montgomery‘s great gift as a story teller—she actually relived the moments as her pen traced them on the page… It would be a mistake to underestimate the importance of the journals as living text. Her life is literally in these pages and in the pages of her novels.”
#LMMJournals #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead

I started Vol. 4 last night and really enjoyed the intro, as well as getting back into Maud‘s life. How‘s your reading coming?

“Christians, especially ministers, so often think they must always contribute something when they‘re in the company of others, that this is the one service they have to render. They forget that listening can be a greater service than speaking. Many people are looking for an ear that will listen. He who can no longer listen to his brother will soon be no longer listening to God either. This is the beginning of the death of the spiritual life.”

Just received this from a (non-Litten) bookish friend & thought I'd share here (video in comments):

“At the end of the month, Amazon is taking away the Download to Other Devices feature of Kindle. This means that if Amazon removes a book from their service—despite the fact that you BOUGHT it—it's gone. Or if they decide to update something, your version may be replaced automatically. It will also lock you into the Amazon ecosystem... (cont'd ⬇)

Bonus info I somehow missed before:
There are four short stories related to Pointed Firs (I guess those are the “and other stories” in some editions!). I haven‘t read them yet, but I‘m planning to track them down to read in the next week or two. If you‘ve read them, or want to check them out & report back, please chime in with your thoughts! The stories are:
"The Foreigner"
"The Queen's Twin"
"A Dunnet Shepherdess"
"William's Wedding"

Which scenes or chapters stand out in your reading? What made them memorable or meaningful?

Is there anything else you‘d like to discuss from your reading of this book, or quotes you‘d like to share?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

Reading this as an #LMMAdjacent book, I had my eye out for paralells with LMM‘s other work. What similarities or differences do you see between Pointed Firs and Anne‘s House of Dreams (setting, characters, narrative style, etc.)?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

Pointed Firs largely focuses on female characters—and only a few of these women are pictured in relation to a male character. Did you notice this emphasis on female experience in the text? Do you read this as a matter of perspective (“write what you know”) or a conscious choice to center female experience?

Which characters were most vivid to you?

I‘m sorry this is so late! Busy week + a long class today = late discussion questions! #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

How did you feel about the 1st-person narrator? Did you wonder about her context & who she was? For you, did the lack of info about the narrator contribute to or take away from the story?

Why do you think Jewett chose to tell the story through the perspective of (what I assume is) a semi-autobiographical main character? ⤵️

It‘s been HARD to find the joy lately. I keep a running list for #5JoysFriday and the last date on the list is 1/17. That tracks. But I know I need to lean into the practice of noticing and seeking joy. I read the tagged book over the past couple of weeks—an exploration of contemplative practices in the Black church. Holmes talks about “crisis contemplation” and boy, does that resonate. So here are my five joys this week: ⤵️

“Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won't adhere to any rules. The most any of us can do is to sign on as its accomplice. Instead of vowing to honor and obey, maybe we should swear to aid and abet. That would mean that security is out of the question. The words ‘make‘ and ‘stay‘ become inappropriate. My love for you has no strings attached. I love you for free.”

I saw this on @bookriot today and love it so much!!

Happy Valentine‘s Day, Littens! 😂💜📚

“In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.”

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

I scheduled my IRL book group meeting for this evening, completely unaware that it was Superbowl Sunday. Yesterday I realized my faux pas and checked in with everyone… there was only one person in the group who had a conflict or cared 😆 So I guess you could say that the above was indeed my Super Bowl party vibe. 🎉📚🎉

Hello, #KindredSpirits! Today is our check-in discussion halfway through The Country of the Pointed Firs.

🌲How is your reading going? What are your thoughts so far?
🌲What stands out to you from the first half of the book?
🌲Any favorite sections or quotes?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

Thank you everyone who voted on our next adjacent reads! Top picks:
Last of the Mohicans (6 votes)
Pollyanna (5 votes)
Life of Charlotte Bronte (4 votes)
I made the above schedule based on our votes & the Journals Vol. 4. We'll read Rilla and Pollyanna in May! Ivanhoe, More Tramps Abroad, and Beautiful Joe all received 3 votes each, so I'll plan to work those in later in the year.
#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMJournals #LMMReread #LMMAdjacent ⬇

Conversation as book review:

Me: This is seriously the strangest book I‘ve ever read
My MIL: Then why are you reading it?
Me: Your son gave it to me for Christmas!
My husband: It was on your list!
Me: No, it wasn‘t—you picked this one out on your own!
Husband: Because it sounded amazing!
Me: No, you don‘t understand, this is next-level strange
Husband: Hahahaha yessssss

Me, later, after finishing the book: I‘m still not sure what I just read

Just a reminder that the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead of The Country of the Pointed Firs begins today! We‘ll have a discussion halfway through, on Saturday Feb. 8, then we‘ll discuss the whole book on Saturday, Feb. 15. All are welcome—let me know if you‘re not tagged and you‘d like to be!

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead - House of Dreams Discussion - 4/3!

I completely forgot I added a short story to our House of Dreams read! Captain Jim and his life-book are based on LMM‘s story, “The Life-Book of Uncle Jesse.” Here‘s a link to the story:
https://www.online-literature.com/lucy_montgomery/1909-1922/21/

It reads like a preliminary sketch that LMM fleshed out in House of Dreams. If you have a chance to read it, please share your thoughts!

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread - House of Dreams Discussion 3/3

🏡 For those who are re-reading, what was it like to read this book right after Anne of the Island instead of after Anne of Windy Poplars?

🏡 What elements of this book did you most enjoy? What did you dislike?

🏡 Final thoughts on Anne‘s House of Dreams?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread - House of Dreams Discussion 2/3

I was struck by this quote on the value of different life paths, specifically the roles that women choose for their lives (or the roles that society/circumstances choose for them). What do you think about the way House of Dreams portrays women‘s roles, through characters like Anne, Leslie, and Miss Cornelia?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread

Anne‘s House of Dreams Discussion - 1/3

🏡 What did you think of Gilbert and Anne as a married couple? What (if any) changes do you see in Anne now that she‘s married?

🏡 How would you compare Anne‘s other friendships (Diana, her college chums) to her friendship with Leslie?

Here‘s my Black History Month-inspired #BookSpin list for February! I took my “required” reads for the month (book clubs, buddy reads, library checkouts, some course reading) and finished out the list with books from my TBR for Black History Month. Hoping for some good picks tomorrow!

My January #BookSpinBingo board—with no bingos. I didn‘t realize how close I was until yesterday, but my reading slate is so full right now I probably wouldn‘t have been able to squeeze in that one center square anyway (I‘ve been too free with the library holds lately!). With four read for #AuldLangSpine including my #DoubleSpin, plus #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead, #OokBOokClub and keeping up with the #HashtagBrigade, it was a good reading month!

This was a deeply reflective and also heartbreaking read, given current events in Gaza. Nikondeha positions the stories of Advent in their historical as well as present-day context, offering fresh insights and thought-provoking connections I hadn‘t previously considered. Her discussion of Mary and Elizabeth as a story of resistance was profoundly moving for me this Advent.

I loved this book so very much, from its characters and themes to its setting (a fictionalized version of Ely, the English Cathedral city I lived in as a child). The Cathedral is almost its own character in the story, and the descriptions of the Cathedral and the city evoked so many memories for me. Beyond the personal connections, the story itself is simply lovely, exploring the transformative power of kindness, compassion, friendship, and love⤵️

Can‘t find the second bookstore of the day in the database (Stranger than Fiction in Ardmore, OK), so I‘ll tag one of my purchases! I was excited to pick up several by Josephine Tey as well.

My mother-in-law always looks for local bookstores to check out while we‘re visiting—this was one of the two we discovered today! I couldn‘t resist getting DiCamillo‘s Norendy tales, which I read from the library last year and loved. And I had a lovely chat with the bookstore proprietor about how wonderful Kate DiCamillo is!

In this complex, non-traditional memoir, the author explores her own memories and imagines the stories of her ancestors through the lens of Chinese myths and folk tales. The narrative is strongly feminist, complex, and often unsettling, subverting my expectations throughout. Although I appreciate and respect what the author was doing here—weaving together fact and fiction, playing with words and silence and withholding— ⤵️