😂😂😂

#Italy #Jubilee #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

I‘m sending this book to a dear friend, my now retired paralegal. She wrote a book (tagged below) about her great grandfather, a famous Mexican physician and a senior health official in the presidential administration who was forced out of Mexico during the Mexican Revolution. He was part Aztec and she‘s done so much research there. Doesn‘t it look awesome? I‘m actually stacking it myself! I hope she likes it!

A good elderly friend and distant relative died on Halloween. I‘m sending her daughter this book. I love Charlie Mackesy books so much. A dear friend on Litsy sent me his first book after a very close friend died during Covid. I‘ve passed on the kindness, giving a copy to a friend when her breast cancer recurred. And now I‘m sending this book. If you ever wonder what to do for someone who‘s grieving & lives at a distance, this book is marvelous

#wordoftheday

I didn‘t know the second “e” was silent

“Several hundred boats joined the cortège of the river, and almost the entire town participated in the funeral procession that followed the coffin, which was carried by eight sea-captains, up the steps to the grave…. Lucy herself, pleaded to attend the funeral, otherwise I would not have liked to suggest it, fearing it would upset her, and she also wished us to sit on our usual bench and…⬇️

#wordoftheday

“Gianbattista was learned, courteous, and by now, sober. He was also indecisive to the point of paralysis, deeply suspicious of others, and subject to gloomy silent depressions. Over time, he had developed a highly effective defense to prevent others from seeing the doubts that lurked inside him—a wall of inscrutable dignity.”

🐝 🐝 🐝 🤭😂

#Italy #Jubilee #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

Elliott Roosevelt wrote 20 mystery books with his mother as the sleuth! I‘ve got to find these!

More here:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DRR6TDfD_d1/?igsh=b2t5dWt2OGFyZHRp

Audiocrafting again, working on the #naturewintercardswap cards! Loving listening to the narration by @ImperfectCJ

@TheBookHippie I got your card! 😁

I‘m super excited to be listening to this audiobook, narrated by our own @ImperfectCJ !! I‘m already loving mischievous Clementine the cat! 🐈♥️

The black hound that jumped from the Demeter and ran through the Whitby Cemetery

The Demeter. From the log-book of the Schooner Demeter (Varna to Whitby).

Installment part 2 of Mom‘s mini story using my #wordoftheday posts. @Doll8455

From her new novel due out in 2026!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DRnPu9njop-/?igsh=cXJ0YnFodGd1emJ6

#wordoftheday

“He had little capacity for such [scholarly] tasks and applied himself slowly to studies, passing his youth more in the pastimes of a cavalier than in learning the law. Despite his uncle‘s assiduous efforts, he could not make him forget his nocturnal pleasures.”

Audiocrafting tonight listening to an audiobook

#Algeria #foodandlit #naturewintercardswap @TheBookHippie

I am fortunate to have my parents and my whole family here. It was eventful to say the least, starting with our son in Arizona, missed his plane due to traffic in Phoenix, took another flight all the way to Orlando, Florida, to fly back to San Antonio. Mom and Dad are dealing with Dad‘s dementia, so we are grateful he still knows us all, but for a brief and scary time this morning when he was lost in our house, and he is so loving, Mom an angel.

When your mom ( @Doll8455 ) writes a mini story using all of your #wordoftheday posts!! 😂👍🏻🎊🎉💕

In The Stranger, Meursault shoots and kills a nameless “Arab.” Here, the Arab‘s brother describes his and his mother‘s poor attempt at an investigation, his learning about Meursault‘s book describing the murder, and his own life in the absence of his brother, the “Arab.” I love the concept. And truthfully, this book follows Camus‘s same devil-may-care depiction of the main character. But I didn‘t care for The Stranger, and I care for this book ⬇️

#foodandlit #Italy @Catsandbooks

#wordoftheday

“He‘s supposed to be the origin of my brother‘s death, source of that imbroglio of social mores, whores, and honor, but I wonder if he ever existed.”

“O do not be born a woman, if you want your own way. —Lucrezia de‘ Medici”

#foodandlit #Italy @Catsandbooks

This is a difficult book to love, but I do. Quilp is among the very worst of villains in Dickens‘ novels, which says a lot because there are so many wicked people in his novels. One of the main characters, Little Nell, almost 14, must lead her grandfather with dementia out of London and into the wide world. She learns in the harshest of ways his horrible dark secret, which persists along with his dementia. The most heartbreaking scene I‘ve read ⬇️

Reposting for @TheBookHippie

#HOLIDAYCARDSWAP
Sending Holiday cards to fellow Litsy peeps.

Keeping in mind you will get all matter of types of Holiday Greetings.

Sign up open now until December 5 💌✉️💌📬📮

🎄🎅🏼🕎🧤🧣☃️❄️🛷🧑🏻‍🎄🌲🪔🕯️

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdltZaC3TUmvMH0kd0TsA1xyx8YgjDGHOXSIKiw...

Renfield. From the “Madhouse Doctor‘s Notes”

“The old man looked around with a smug face—apparently he was an ‘esprit fort‘ in his circle.”

#wordoftheday”

October and November were extremely busy and I wasn‘t able to pick up this behemoth of a Dracula story since October! So I‘m back into it at page 300 with “only” 524 pages to go. Fortunately I know the original Dracula story so well, there‘s no rereading needed, despite the extreme differences between the original and this one written a couple years later.

The descriptions of Whitby in this version are so detailed! I love it!

#majicmonday @Eggs

1) Public speaking: it comes naturally, I come from a very very long line of Baptist preachers! 🤭 But I also belonged to Toastmasters for many years, which helped me improve

2) Editing: I love writing but honestly I‘m a better editor. I‘ve been pretty good at it for as long as I can remember

3) Lawyering: I love taking care of my clients, that part comes naturally. But the law? I learn new things everyday!

I‘m starting this one early for our country in December for #foodandlit #Italy #Jubilee

@Catsandbooks

I‘ve registered! Thanks @monalyisha for doing this! How incredible! And thanks @KadaGul for reposting!

#auldlangspine

A delightful mini story today

https://www.instagram.com/p/DRaqky4Dpuk/?igsh=MXNpcmZscGgzNnA4bQ==

Buddy reading tonight. Isn‘t my buddy the cutest? ♥️🐈‍⬛

This is my #vibeboard for #naughtylistholidayswap #nlhs

I love Charles Dickens because of A Christmas Carol, from which I learned his mastery of words, characters, and humor. I love that he loved cats. And I love that my grandmother collected The Old Curiosity Shop dishes back in the 1940s, so I can use them at Christmas time.

As charming as they are, however, I do not like the Muppets Christmas Carol. So that‘s a big NO.

My next audiobook for #Algeria #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

An extraordinarily unsympathetic main character floats through life being thoughtless and too blunt with people. He attends his mother‘s funeral with nonchalance—really, we‘re all just going to die anyway, so what‘s the big deal? Then a suspicious character befriends him, he enters a serious (at least to the extent he‘s capable) relationship, and murders a man (not a spoiler—it‘s in the first sentence of the book‘s description). The MC lives a ⬇️

#wordoftheday. I ♥️ your sample sentences Mom! @Doll8455

“I inclined to think that they were greeting me, after their fashion, but it had a queer effect, seeing all those old fellows grouped round the keeper, solemnly eying me and dandling their heads from side to side.”

#Algiers #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

The premise is so interesting. But instead it‘s just listening to the main character living in his own head. Very boring. Fortunately I don‘t need it for #letterZ for #litsyatoz nor for #Algeria #foodandlit as I‘ve got both challenges done! Yay, guilt-free (somewhat) bailing!

Audiobook on sale on Audible today only. Works for #authoramonth next February. @Soubhiville

Nominations are open now until November 30. We hope to include countries from these 12 regions. Feel free to nominate by commenting to this post your country picks, or nominate a country for each region. Preference will be given to countries not previously chosen, but depending on demand we may duplicate past countries. Countries will be vetted for availability of a range of books, food, and ingredients. Tag me if you post other than to comments.

“He was turning like a teetotum, looking in all directions, and sometimes peering into the darkness of the hall with his little bloodshot eyes. Then he'd mutter something to himself and start gazing up and down the street again.”

#wordoftheday

#Algeria #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

#litsyAtoZ #foodandlit

I got my match today and I‘m so excited!!! Thanks for hosting! #naughtylistholidayswap @WildAlaskaBibliophile @TieDyeDude

Not for the faint of heart! The author was a French sympathizer with the native Algerians during the war of independence. As an outspoken journalist, he was a wanted man. When he was arrested his torture began immediately. He committed every detail to memory, knowing most people try to forget the torture. He wrote this book while still imprisoned and snuck it out of his prison page by page. Banned by France, it reached an immense amount of ⬇️

#wordoftheday

“Anyhow, after some palavering among the bench, the Prosecutor, and my counsel, the presiding judge announced that the court would now rise; there was an adjournment till the afternoon, when evidence would be taken.”

#Algeria #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

I‘m on my fifth book for #Algeria #foodandlit and only now
is food mentioned! And most certainly not in an appetizing way. I‘m suspecting food is not much to write about for Algeria.

@Catsandbooks

My next audiobook for #Algeria #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

Also #letterZ for #litsyAtoZ

I finished The Stranger, so now I‘m able to read this book for #Algeria #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

Book coincidences again! Both books I‘m reading today have prison visits! Not weird for the tagged book, which is short and about murder. But weird because the other prison visit showed up today in my Dickens chunkster. How did they both land on the same day?

From Dickens:

“The man contented himself by briefly replying 'Wisitors;' and taking him by the arm in exactly the same manner as the constable had done the day before, led him, through ⬇️

I had such a great weekend at my friend‘s craft retreat making cards for #naturewintercardswap!! This was Sunday afternoon and most everyone was gone. But I was still going strong. I‘ve a lot more to do on them. I made a special design I hope you all like! 🥰 @TheBookHippie

#wordoftheday

“And then the Arab drew his knife and held it up toward me, athwart the sunlight.”

#Algeria #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

A new mini story:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DRIGp5Pj32I/?igsh=b3ZqOGhkbXNldzly

#wordoftheday #whattheDickens @Cuilin

The definition sort of begs the question doesn‘t it?

“Then, Mr Brass left off writing entirely, and, with his pen in his hand, hummed his very loudest; shaking his head meanwhile from side to side, like a man whose whole soul was in the music, and smiling in a manner quite seraphic.”