Book Nerd: Library Chicken Weekly Scoreboard (4.14.17)
Here’s your (new!) weekly round-up of what the BookNerd is reading and how many points I scored (or lost) in Library Chicken. To recap, you get a point for returning a library book that you’ve read, you lose a point for returning a book unread, and while returning a book past the due date is technically legal, you do lose half a point. If you want to play along, leave your score in the comments!
The New Annotated H.P. Lovecraft edited by Leslie Klinger
I’ve watched television and movies inspired by Lovecraft’s tales, played board games based on his works, and read countless novels and short stories set in the world he created, but I’ve read very little by the man himself, which is embarrassing given my self-proclaimed status as a hard-core bookish sf/fantasy nerd. This beautiful oversized volume collects 22 of Lovecraft’s Arkham Cycle stories, with extensive annotations by Klinger and a short biographical preface. (Spoiler: Lovecraft was super racist!) Lovecraft definitely has a specific (and repetitive) style — narrators share events almost TOO TERRIBLE TO RELATE involving INDESCRIBABLY HORRIFIC TENTACLED ENTITIES the mere mention of which MAY DRIVE YOU MAD — and may not be for everyone, but this is a great introduction to his work, definitely worth passing along to any teens or adults who may have a Cthulu t-shirt or two but have never gotten around to reading the original. (LC Score: +1)
The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann
As a fan of Victorian novels, I can’t tell you how many characters I’ve watched gracefully waste away after being stricken with consumption. And there are times (especially after a not-so-successful day of homeschooling) where being an invalid on top of a mountain somewhere, breathing the crisp fresh air while a handsome young orderly adjusts my lap blanket before wheeling me to another part of the meadow, sounds pretty awesome. Except, of course, for the whole coughing up blood and dying part. Mann’s famous (and famously long) German novel, set just before the Great War, describes the kind of sanatorium I’ve always imagined myself in and the people that inhabit it more or less permanently. I enjoyed this novel, though I only understood about 80% of it, not including the almost-entirely-in-French chapter that my translation (by H.T. Lowe-Porter) didn’t bother to translate to English and which I didn’t understand t al, forcing me to spend quite a bit of time arguing with Google Translate before discovering a more recent and more friendly edition (by John E. Woods) online. (NOTE: For the past few weeks, I’ve been reading this book alternately with the Lovecraft collection and they went surprisingly well together. I have no idea what that means.) (LC Score: +1)
Mrs. Pollifax and the Second Thief by Dorothy Gilman
This 10th entry in the Mrs. Pollifax spy series — think Miss Marple, CIA agent — has, as usual, a faintly ridiculous plot (set in Sicily this time around), but makes a delightful change from tentacled monsters and German consumptives. (LC Score: +1)
The Rose-Garden Husband by Margaret Widdemer
I think I picked this up based on Amy’s recommendation — and it is indeed a charming little romance, once you get past the racism, which is still kind of charming. (At least compared to Lovecraft.) (LC Score: 0, read on Kindle)
The Year of Living Danishly: Uncovering the Secrets of the World’s Happiest Country by Helen Russell
Russell, burnt out from her high-powered London life, moves to Denmark after her husband gets a job at Lego. This is the memoir of her “Danish happiness project”, investigating the claim that Danes are the world’s happiest people and trying to figure out why. I’ve had this book on hold since I read a similar travel memoir — The Almost Nearly Perfect People: Behind the Myth of the Scandinavian Utopia by Michael Booth — but apparently the idea of moving to Denmark strikes a nerve with my fellow metro Atlantans, because I had to wait months for it to become available. I was reminded of the very similar (but non-Danish) The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin, and of the two Scandinavian memoirs I think I preferred the Booth book, but it’s still an entertaining read. It left me with NO desire to move to Denmark, however. (LC Score: +1⁄2, loses half a point because I returned it overdue)
Constance Fenimore Woolson: Portrait of a Lady Novelist by Anne Boyd Rioux
I love a literary biography, especially of a female writer, but it’s unusual for me to read one about an author I’ve never heard of or read before. Woolson is primarily known today for her close friendship with Henry James, but in her time she achieved both popular success and critical acclaim. While the reviews of the day hailed her as a permanent addition to the American literary canon, my library doesn’t even have copies of all her major works, though it carries several biographies that (no doubt) emphasize her relationship with James and her death by probable suicide in Venice, proving that fame is fleeting but gossip is forever. (LC Score: +1)
Georgia Odyssey: A Short History of the State by James C. Cobb
I grew up in Florida, so while I learned how to pronounce Ponce de Leon correctly (hint to fellow Atlantans: ‘ponts-dee-lee-on’ is not the usual way to say the name of that street downtown where the Kripsy Kreme is located), I don’t know much about Georgia history. As I’m going to be teaching a class on the history of my adopted state in the fall, I’ve started reading up and have learned that most of Georgia history can be subtitled “Don’t Be Bringin’ Any of That Yankee Nonsense Down Here.” After reading a couple of volumes heavy on cotton crop statistics and making my way through all 1,037 pages of Gone With the Wind, it was wonderful to discover this lively and surprisingly entertaining history by native Georgian and UGA professor James Cobb. At just under 200 pages, it lives up to its title’s promise, but Cobb packs a lot in there. (LC Score: +1)
Library Chicken Score for 4/14/17: 5 1⁄2
On the to-read stack for next week:
Fanny Kemble’s Civil Wars: The Story of America’s Most Unlikely Abolitionist by Catherine Clinton (for the Georgia class)
Quite a Year for Plums by Bailey White (reread for the Georgia class)
Fanny Burney: A Biography by Claire Harman (because it’s the week of Fanny, I guess?)
Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie (because I’m gonna need some space opera after spending all that time in Georgia)
Stuff We Like :: 3.3.17
This week’s weirdly Hamilton-free Stuff We Like is brought to you by Suzanne.
around the web
We’ve established that I’m a big fan of lists, yes? Here are a couple of good ones: 100 YA Books For Feminists and the Bookish Spring 2017 Preview
Something to look forward to: the new Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 trailer!
LEGO for everyone!
at home/school/life
in print: We’re putting together a “best of” HSL magazine to pass out at the SEA conference. Anything you think we should be sure to include?
on the blog: We are getting ready to launch Homeschool Madness this weekend, and I think you are going to like it A LOT.
on the podcast: The Lost Episode is up, and we’re talking about math.
one year ago: Shelli kicked off her year of citizen science with Lab in the Wild.
two years ago: Navigating the bumpy patches
reading list
I’m reading Rita Williams-Garcia’s Gone Crazy in Alabama, the third book (following One Crazy Summer and P.S. Be Eleven) in her middle-grade trilogy about the Gaither sisters growing up in 1960’s America, but I’m reading it sloooowly, because I don’t want to say goodbye to these girls. I’d gladly follow the narrator, Delphine, from age 13 to 43.
I’m doing a lot of comfort reading these days, which means I’ve got a stack of Georgette Heyer novels from the library, plus Jennifer Kloester’s Georgette Heyer’s Regency World, an entertaining overview (in the spirit of What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew and To Marry an English Lord) of Regency customs and culture.
For the podcast: Ann Leckie’s won-every-award-in-the-sf-genre: Ancillary Justice!
at home
Because we’re slow watchers (and it’s not easy getting everyone in the house together in front of the television at the same time) we’re still working our way through season one of Supergirl and have just begun season three of The Flash. Gotta catch up in time for the upcoming Big Musical Crossover!
Some great mini-series (mini-serieses?) on this week: ABC’s When We Rise, about the beginnings of the LGBTQ equality movement, and the PBS documentary Africa’s Great Civilizations, hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Update from February’s Stuff We Like: the Christmas tree is down! Hurray! Yes, there may still be a few snowmen and ‘Merry Christmas’ signs scattered throughout the house, and the stockings have only made it from in front of the mantel to on top of the mantel, but it’s progress!
Stuff We Like :: 2.3.17
Around the Web
Guys, I’m having a difficult relationship with the internet right now. It’s important to me to stay connected and engaged with what’s happening—but it’s also important for me to stay upright and to hang out with my kids on occasion, instead of crawling under the bedcovers for the next four years or so, which is what I feel like doing every time I fire up Facebook or Twitter. Even my favorite non-political pop culture sites have almost daily WHAT THE @%*& IS HAPPENING posts, which I appreciate because we’re all in this together, but which makes it difficult to surf on those days when I just can’t handle another newsflash. So the web pickings are a bit slim this week, but I’m hoping that if we all share strategies and support each other, we can figure out how to stay engaged AND stay sane. Comment if you have suggestions!
Here’s a great list of children’s and young adult books on refugees and what the refugee experience is like. I’ll be adding some of these to our bookshelf. (We also have a big list of immigration books, which includes books about the refugee experience, in the winter issue.)
If you’re in the middle of a comfort re-read of Harry Potter (and isn’t it always a good time for a comfort re-read of Harry Potter?), be sure to check out Sarah Gailey’s Women of Harry Potter series which is WONDERFUL and inspirational and may possibly make you cry a little bit (looking at you, Molly Weasley) but in a good way, I promise.
Thanks to the Boy Scouts of America for giving us some good news to celebrate this week!
at home/school/life
on the blog: Obviously you're going to want to add all of Suzanne's Hamilton fan reading recommendations to your library list. Because you never know when you might get stuck in a library with Lin-Manuel Miranda.
one year ago: We kicked off Black History month with a great high school unit study on the Harlem Renaissance.
two years ago: Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda: Better Homeschooling After the Fact
three years ago: Quick ways to cut the stress on hard homeschool days
Reading List
I’m currently teaching a Hamilton History class (aka U.S. History 1765 - 1800), so I’m brushing up on my Revolutionary reading. I’m only a short way into Janice Hadlow’s A Royal Experiment: The Private Life of King George III, but it’s fascinating so far.
In honor of the new Shirley Jackson biography ( Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life by Ruth Franklin), I’m reading/re-reading my way through Jackson’s works. My favorite “discoveries” so far: the recently published collection Let Me Tell You: New Stories, Essays, and Other Writings, and her novel The Sundial, which I’m totally adding to my Apocalypse Lit curriculum.
I’ve mentioned before that I’m a big fan of Lyndsay Faye’s Jane Steele (a Jane Eyre homage), and now I’ve moved on to her Timothy Wilde series, set in 1845 New York City—the first book, The Gods of Gotham, was excellent!—and have just begun her Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper novel, Dust and Shadow.
At Home
I know I talk about The Good Place every time, but the season finale was AWESOME and I’m now rewatching all the episodes on Hulu and you should watch them too because if it isn’t renewed for a second season it will be a small tragedy.
Big weekend coming up: Daughter #2 turns 14, Husband #1 turns 48, and the Falcons are in the Superbowl! I predict a lot of chips and dip and birthday cake in my immediate future.
So, my Christmas tree is still up. Is that bad? Between “I just don’t have the energy for this” and “the twinkly lights are so soothing and friendly” we haven’t managed to dismantle it. (Family of asthmatics = artificial tree, so at least it isn’t a fire hazard.) I’m sure we’ll have it down by Valentine’s Day. Probably. Maybe.
The BookNerd’s Guide to Life: Library Chicken
maybe YOU ARE READY to UP YOUR LIBRARY GAME and PLAY LIBRARY CHICKEN! Be the person who takes up an entire shelf in the hold section! Impress friends at parties by reeling off your library card number from memory! WIN VALUABLE PRIZES! (NOTE: No prizes will be awarded.)
Are you a library power-user? Did you have to invest in a wheelie suitcase for library day because that bitty little “Friends Of” library tote bag wasn’t going to hack it? Can you find your way to your favorite sections blindfolded? Do you know the weekly work schedules of your favorite librarians by heart?
Well then, maybe YOU ARE READY to UP YOUR LIBRARY GAME and PLAY LIBRARY CHICKEN! Be the person who takes up an entire shelf in the hold section! Impress friends at parties by reeling off your library card number from memory! WIN VALUABLE PRIZES! (NOTE: No prizes will be awarded.)
Here are the steps:
1. Start with a nice fresh library card. You have no checkouts. You have no holds. You have no fines due. You and your local library coexist in peaceful harmony, content to follow your separate and individual paths. You have no plans to visit the library in the immediate future—instead, today is the day that you will start on the shockingly large number of books purchased but unread that seem to have accumulated on your bookshelves. And you’re definitely going to recharge the Kindle and take a look at those Project Gutenberg downloads, because this time you really are going to make it all the way through the complete works of Anthony Trollope. Everything is possible and all is well.
2. And then—something happens. Perhaps you broke your favorite coffee mug. Perhaps the cat decided to register a complaint about the new brand of cat food by hacking up a hairball on the quilt Grandma made for you when you went to college. Perhaps you accidentally caught part of a newscast out of the corner of your eye and you are feeling blue about the imminent decline of the American republic. Whatever it is, you need a pick-me-up—and the library is just down the road! Full of lovely FREE books just waiting for YOU! The books on your shelves—you know them, you’ve lived with them for a while now, and frankly, the excitement has gone out of that relationship. But the library has shelves and shelves of books you may have never even seen before! Or maybe there are books you’ve been eyeing, flirting with from a distance, and now you’re ready to commit. Anyway, it’ll do you good to get out of the house. You’ll just pick up a book or two, see if there’s anything good on the new release shelf. No big deal.
3. You stagger out the library door, trying not to drop your massive stack of books in the parking lot (because of course you left the big bag at home), having maxed out your card. And maybe your husband’s card too, since you happen to have it on you from that one time he wanted you to pick up that one thing. But probably not, because that would be AGAINST THE RULES.
4. At home, you cheerfully unload your books and arrange the stacks. What order will you read them in? Alternating fiction and non-fiction? Maybe all the books with blue covers first, just for fun? Alphabetical order by author, like that friend of yours from book club who is so much more neurotic than you are (not that we judge)? It doesn’t matter what you choose, because you have all the time in the world—you can renew each book twice, after all. Yes, the plan has changed slightly, but you’ll get back to Trollope soon enough. Everything is possible and all is well.
5. Except that now the cat seems to be unhappy with the litter box, as well. And did you know that political news is on 24 HOURS A DAY? You’d like to do some research at the library to find out if that little twitch you’ve developed in your left eyelid is serious, but by the time you’ve scoured the house to find your daughter’s library card (which you would never actually use without her, because that would be AGAINST THE RULES), the library has CLOSED. But this is no big deal, because we live in the 21st century! You login to the library’s online system and put The Left Eyelid Solution on hold. And maybe another book or two. Or 14. Look at all those lovely books that the lovely library truck is going to pick up from other branches and bring to your very door (or at least your local branch). There’s so much to look forward to in life. Your eyelid feels better already.
6. HURRAY! Three of your holds are in! Wow, the library is really on top of things. Of course, you can’t check them out right away, because your card is maxed out, so you’ll need to read three books and return them before you can get your holds. And they’ll only keep the holds for one week at the library before canceling the hold. No big deal— you’ve already read one of your check-outs already!
7. Wow, four more holds have come in! The library system is so efficient! Okay, no problem, you can go ahead and take back the two you’ve already read, and maybe read that graphic novel next, since you can zip through that in day or two. When you’re getting two of the holds at the library (picking the ones that expire earliest), you notice that five more have come in just today. That’s great.
8. Okay. Okay. You’ve read five more. (Along with graphic novels, YA novels and memoirs are usually quick reads.) Time to go to the library again. Pick up some more holds—the library is busy, so they haven’t gotten around to checking all your returns back in again, so you’ll have to come back tomorrow. Better not forget or your holds will expire! Plus, the Kate Atkinson that everyone is so excited about is due.
9. Days have passed, perhaps weeks. Your life has narrowed into a tunnel leading to the library and back home again. You keep your online account open all day long so you can check it obsessively. “Mom, would you like to check my math?” You can’t, because you have math problems of your own. The Sarah Vowell hold only has two days left so you’ve got read something and fast. Do you start on the Hilary Mantel that has already been renewed twice and will be due back in 6 days? But you’re really excited about the latest N.K. Jemisin and sure, you just checked it out, but if it’s popular and other people have holds you won’t be able to renew it. You should probably check on that. And you just couldn’t resist the 2-week-only Margaret Atwood you saw on the new release shelf the other day, could you? Could you? What will you do? Do you allow the Vowell to expire and be released back to its home library, forcing you to put it on hold again sometime? Do you hang on to the Mantel, even if it means racking up those exorbitant $0.10/day fines? Will you gamble with the Jemisin, leaving it on your to-read stack in the assumption that sure, I can just renew it whenever, praying that when you click the button you won’t get the dreaded “RENEWAL DECLINED - ITEM HAS HOLDS” message? Or will you just give up, admit you’re a failure and a disappointment to everyone who knows you, and pile all the library books—partially read or never even opened—in the car, dropping them in the return slot on the side because you’re ashamed to go inside and meet the librarians’ eyes?
What will you do? What will you do? WHEN YOU LOOK INTO THE LIBRARY’S STEELY GAZE, WHO BLINKS FIRST, MY FRIEND? WHO. BLINKS. FIRST?
10. Congratulations! You are now playing Library Chicken!! You also have no social life and haven’t eaten a meal with your family in weeks, but that’s the price you pay to become a top-level library athlete of this caliber! Come visit me and we can read side-by-side, hollow-eyed, and DO NOT SPEAK TO ME BECAUSE I HAVE TO READ THIS MAGGIE STIEFVATER BY 5 P.M. TODAY.
Happy reading, everyone! (With great love and appreciation for the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System, particularly the Roswell and East Roswell branches. I always obey all library rules, I promise.)
Stuff We Like :: 1.13.17
Around the Web
- Catherynne Valente, author of the Fairyland series (my FAVORITE contemporary fantasy series), has given us a post-election gift: a prequel story starring A-Through-L and the Green Wind, called The Beasts Who Fought For Fairyland
- And here’s another gift, from Key and Peele: the last Obama-and-his-anger-translator sketch (NSFW-ish :))
- The school kids in a nearby county were hoping for the gift of the snow day, but at least the county twitter account has a sense of humor
At home | school | life
- The winter issue is out! Thank you guys so much for all the nice comments about it, and if you haven’t downloaded your copy, do it now so you can read it this weekend.
- on the blog: What do you do when your homeschooling days are over?
- one year ago: How to organize your homeschool library
- two years ago: Education for a different version of success
Reading List
- Zadie Smith has been on my to-read list for years and I FINALLY read On Beauty—am now busily putting the rest of her books (including the just published Swing Time) on my library hold list.
- I’m halfway through Ali Smith’s How to Be Both and the first section (narrated by the ghost of a Renaissance artist) was both bizarre and wonderful, so I’m looking forward to the rest.
- Next up: Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay!
At Home
- The Good Place is back! I LOVE this show! If you haven’t seen it, catch the older episodes on Hulu and then join us to watch the best show on television at the moment. (Besides, it totally counts as a homeschool intro-to-philosophy credit.)
- Actually, we’re watching a lot of TV, now that all the shows are back after Christmas break. I don’t have the emotional energy for drama (well, except for This is Us, which I’m hooked on), but I’m really enjoying the diversity in the new & returning batch of family sitcoms: Blackish, Speechless, and The Real O’Neals are all excellent.
- Up next for our semi-monthly family movie outing: Hidden Figures—everyone I know who’s seen it has loved it!
Reading the Brontes: The BookNerd’s Official Guide
I loathe Wuthering Heights. I should probably tell you that right up front. It’s not that I haven’t tried. I had to read Emily Bronte’s (so-called) classic first in high school and hated every ridiculous humorless violent hateful brooding moment of it. Being a person who typically enjoys nineteenth century classic literature, though, I figured that it probably was my fault, so I tried it again in college, and once again despised every ridiculous humorless violent etc. moment. I gave it one last try a few years later and finally decided, nope, it’s not me. Wuthering Heights is indeed an terrible garbage fire of a book. (Except for all those people who inexplicably love it. I promise not to judge you if you’re one of those people. I mean, you’re clearly wrong, but we can still be friends.)
That said, I’ve been a big fan of Charlotte Bronte’ s Jane Eyre since the very first time I read it, around age 13 or so. As I’ve reread it over the years I’ve found that I particularly enjoy different parts of it—my first time though, I was obsessed with Jane’s experiences at Lowood, the Boarding School From Hell, but during later reads I’ve been more interested in Jane’s relationship with Mr. Rochester, or the strength of will she finds to run away from Thornfield Hall.
Recently, I had a wonderful time doing Jane Eyre as a read-aloud with my daughter, and that experience set me off on a reread through Bronte works, Bronte history, and Bronte miscellany. From that, I’ve come up with this list for anyone - homeschool student, homeschool parent, or interested bystander - who’d like to take a deep dive into the world of the Brontes. I’m happy to present:
The BookNerd’s Official Guide to Reading the Brontes
(NOTE: Wuthering Heights NOT Included)
1. Read Jane Eyre. If you’ve already done that, reread Jane Eyre. Better yet, find a 13-year-old (or thereabouts) girl to read it with you, so that the two of you can enjoy Jane’s near-constant fury at the circumstances of her life (not to mention her occasional snarkiness) together. I’ve found that 13-year-old young women in particular have a real connection to Jane’s anger. Plus you’ll need someone to talk with about how St. John is THE WORST.
2. Read a biography of the Brontes. The lives of Charlotte, Emily, Anne, and supposed-to-be-the-Golden-Boy-but-never-got-his-act-together brother Branwell are at least as fascinating as their most famous novels. Claire Harman’s Charlotte Bronte: A Fiery Heart and Rebecca Fraser’s The Brontes: Charlotte Bronte and Her Family are both very good. Spoiler: Branwell is THE WORST.
3. Read more Charlotte. Both of her other major novels, Shirley and Villette, are good reads, though I’ve found that Villette stays with me longer and has more of an impact. Plus, after reading Villette, you can join in the great literary game of gossiping with your 13-year-old about what exactly happened in Belgium between Charlotte and her mentor, Constantin Heger.
4. Read some Anne. Poor Anne. Poor neglected Anne. Posterity seems to have entirely forgotten about Anne, which is utterly unfair. Plus, if this To Hark a Vagrant strip is historically accurate (IT IS and I refuse to entertain any discussion to the contrary), she was the most awesome sister of all. I’ve enjoyed both Agnes Grey and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, but if you only read one, make it Tenant, which—with its plot of a woman escaping an abusive husband with her child, not to mention all the arrogant entitled would-be suitors of the heroine, who get really really angry with her when she chooses not to love them back—feels (sadly) contemporary at times.
5. Read some fanfic. In this case, by fanfic, I mean some of the professionally published retellings of and homages to Bronte works that have appeared over the years. From Jean Rhys’ classic Wide Sargasso Sea (which tells the story of Bertha Rochester pre-attic), to Jasper Fforde’s The Eyre Affair (set in a world where people can jump in and out of books to change the narrative), to my new favorite, Lyndsay Faye’s Jane Steele (“Reader, I murdered him”), there are plenty to choose from.
6. Finally, as a reward for all that reading—not to mention all those moors and all that brooding—read Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons, in which a very sensible young woman visits the broody family Starkadder on their gloomy farm in deepest, darkest Sussex and proceeds to set everything right with a few common-sensical changes. I strongly suspect that Charlotte and Emily would have loathed this book (not Anne though, because she’s awesome), but it is enormously funny and one of my top-ten comfort book rereads. As a bonus, it was made into a wonderful movie with Kate Beckinsale as the heroine (and Stephen Fry as a delightfully smarmy Branwell fan).
EXTRA CREDIT This past year I finally got around to reading The Madwoman in the Attic: The Woman Writer and the Nineteenth-Century Literary Imagination by Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar . This book is a classic work of feminist literary criticism, first published in the 1970s, so I was a bit intimidated, but even as a layman I found it a fascinating read. I’m not exaggerating to say that it has changed the way I read novels written by women. But if that sounds a bit too much to tackle at the moment, you can pick up (the much shorter and much funnier) Texts From Jane Eyre by Mallory Ortberg for your homeschool (sample here ), secure in the knowledge that anyone who gets all the references in this book—conversations in text from literary figures including Medea, Hamlet, Lord Byron, Jo March, and Nancy Drew—can definitely consider themselves a well-read student of Western literature.
Happy reading, everyone!
Stuff We Like :: 12.2.16
Around the Web
It’s the most wonderful time of the year -- time for the Best Books of the Year lists! Plus Gift Giving Guides! If you listen closely, you can actually hear my to-read list streeeeetching. (It makes a creaking noise as it grows.) These are great, diverse lists well worth diving into.
Reading List
Saga is the best comic series I have ever read. (What? Better than Gaiman’s Sandman?!? Sandman is AWESOME. Definitely read it. But I like Saga even more.) It’s an epic space opera/fantasy about family and love and us vs. them and every single panel is gorgeous. It’s not yet complete (Rejoice! for there is more coming!), but 6-issue compilations are released regularly. BE AWARE that it is definitely an adult R-rated series, so please read it yourself before deciding to give it to your favorite tween or teen. Aside from being gorgeous and funny and moving, the themes here are very relevant to what’s happening in the world today.
Also relevant: Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and her Daughter, Mary Shelley by Charlotte Gordon. Aside from having read Frankenstein a few times, I didn’t know much about these two amazing women. This biography is a great read and comes at a time when I need some inspiration. The Marys experienced legal and cultural oppression that I can’t even imagine, and still managed to live by their principles, fight for women’s rights, and create work that echoed down through the generations. I expect I’ll be reading about and reading the works of many feminists (past and current) in the coming days, and this was a great start.
In the I-know-I-know-I-should-have-read-this-years-ago category, I am FINALLY reading To Kill a Mockingbird. I’ve put it off for years (even while making it part of my kids’ homeschool curriculum), but I’m finally doing it. And...in a lot of ways, it’s not at all what I expected. Tune in to episode 10 of the home|school|life podcast to hear all about my thoughts and feelings! I’m sure they’ll be fascinating!!
At Home
So the Hamilton Mixtape is out. You probably want to get that.
Also, go watch Lin-Manuel Miranda on the Drunk History Hamilton episode! (That counts as homeschooling, right?) It’s not on Hulu yet so I haven’t seen it, but while I’m waiting I can re-watch all the old episodes. (Definitely counts as homeschooling, I think.)
And just to continue the all-things-Miranda all-the-time theme: Moana is wonderful! The movie is gorgeous, the music is wonderful, and Moana herself is a fantastic new Disney “princess”. (Moana: “I’m NOT a princess. I’m the daughter of the chief.” Maui: “You wear a dress, you have an animal sidekick, you’re a princess.”)
Stuff We Like: : 10.28.16
STUFF WE LOVE:
VOTING!! We love voting!! I’m fortunate to live in a county that holds early voting in all the library branches, so last week I was able to pick up some holds AND support democracy in the free world by casting my vote! Please remember to get out and vote!
Around the Web
Much to my daughter’s chagrin, I have only seen a handful of Gilmore Girls episodes, but even as a newbie to the series I find this trailer for Netflix’s Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life utterly delightful. Also utterly delightful? All of the male commentators I’ve seen on various sites who were exposed to Gilmore Girls via sisters (“just walking through the living room I’ve seen every episode at least twice”) or significant others (“my fiancee said we had to watch the entire series before the wedding”) and are now squeeing with joy over the new episodes.
I may have mentioned that I’m a teensy bit excited about Disney’s Moana. I almost wish they’d stop putting out new clips because SERIOUSLY, I CAN’T BE ANY MORE EXCITED ABOUT THIS MOVIE THAN I ALREADY AM. But if you feel you must entice me with Dwayne Johnson’s singing voice, I guess it’s ok…
This is fine, I suppose, but if you try to get Branwell a co-credit on Wuthering Heights I’m out of here: Christopher Marlowe Credited as Shakespeare’s Co-Writer
Reading List
Speaking of Branwell (though really, let’s not), I’m having a Bronte moment. I’ve been reading Jane Eyre aloud with my 13-year-old and am about halfway through Charlotte Bronte: A Fiery Heart, the new biography by Claire Harman. I think I might reread Shirley and Villette next (I looove me some Project Gutenberg on my Kindle!).
In keeping with broody moor-ish melodrama, I’m rereading Joan Aiken’s Wolves of Willoughby Chase series and looking forward to the later books that I never got around to reading. Black Hearts in Battersea is my favorite so far.
Next on the to-read stack: Shrill: Notes From a Loud Woman by Lindy West
At Home
Great Performances: Hamilton’s America is running on a loop in the living room. (Stream it on pbs.org if you missed the broadcast.)
Our new favorite show (and the only thing I’ll turn Hamilton off for): The Good Place starring Kristen Bell and Ted Danson
Hey, I’m on the Twitter! (Is that what the kids are calling it these days?) Of course, my children now say that all the cool people are on Instagram and Snapchat, but I think I’ll try to figure out to how to tweet before I jump on anywhere else. Follow me @SuzyRez.
Stuff We Like :: 9.2.16
This week's Stuff We Like is brought to you by Suzanne, who always finds the best stuff!
Around the Web
So, did you hear the one about the racist sexist trolls trying to take over science fiction’s Hugo Awards because the awards are sometimes given to non-white non-male authors writing on topics that the trolls aren’t interested in? No? Well, count yourself lucky (it’s not always easy being a sf fan <sigh>), but read this heart-warming article anyway: How a Self-Published Writer of Gay Erotica Beat Sci-Fi’s Sad Puppies at Their Own Game (I’m serious! It’s heart-warming! You’ll thank me!)
Just Say No: How to Actually Talk to a Woman Wearing Headphones
Laughed so hard I did a spit-take with my morning mug of ‘Man Tears’: Today’s Vagenda
It’s been kind of tough out there lately, so I like to remind myself that sites like this exist: Greater Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life
Reading List
More Neil Gaiman! I’m sloooowly reading my way through The View From the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction because I want to highlight every page and write “Yes! I feel the same way! That’s it exactly!” in the margins.
Favorite dystopian-near-future-of-economic-and-environmental-collapse novel of the month: The Book of Strange New Things by Michael Faber. Runner up: The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood. LEAST favorite: The Mandibles: A Family 2029-2047 by Lionel Shriver (NOT recommended, boo)
For when you’re sick and tired of reading about a dystopian near future of economic and environmental collapse: Lisa Lutz’s The Spellman Files
Favorite podcast-turned-into-a-novel: Welcome to Night Vale by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor
At Home
Were you wondering what Thor was doing during the events of Captain America: Civil War? Us too! So the whole family had to stop what we were doing and watch this: Team Thor
We would also definitely watch this version of a Full House reboot: Avengers: Full House (with an Olson sister and everything!!)
Are you a fan of Harry Potter? And podcasts about critical analysis? Would you enjoy a discussion of Hagrid and performative masculinity? OF COURSE you would, you right-thinking person you, so I can recommend this podcast, which I’ve been enjoying immensely: Witch, Please (NOTE: I would highly recommend this podcast to interested tweens and teens, but please be aware that the delightful hosts use four-letter words when appropriate and sometimes discuss adult situations.)
Dragon Con is this weekend! I won’t be there this year (though I did attend the very first one in 1987), but by the time you read this assorted friends and family will be in downtown Atlanta hobnobbing with superheroes, aliens, and cartoon characters. If you can’t make it to the Saturday morning parade, you can watch it live on Atlanta’s local CW station, as it’s being televised for the first time ever! YAY, NERDS!
at home | school | life
on the blog: I’m pretty intrigued by Rebecca’s review of Layers of Learning—I’m always looking for things my 9-year-old and 14-year-old can do together!
on the website: Now’s the perfect time to recharge your homeschool with our workbook. (It’s free in the subscriber library, but you can also pick up a copy here.)
in the magazine: Group subscriptions are open! Now through September 30, you can subscribe to HSL for a bargain $10 per person if you subscribe in a group of at least 20 people. (This is such a good deal! You should get your homeschool group to sign up!) Email us if you're interested!
one year ago: We rounded up readalikes for The Mysterious Benedict Society.
two years ago: Shelli and Amy met up at the NASH conference.
notable sales
fabric.com has some awesome discounts going, where you can save big if you buy multiple yards. (This Amy Butler floral print seems to have jumped into my shopping basket.)
This Carol Feller shawl kit is on my birthday wishlist. (In espresso and coffee, please!) Her gorgeous Mendel sweater is one of my all-time favorite knits.
Stuff We Like :: 7.28.16
Around the Web
I’ve been enjoying the SDCC news (superheroes! movie trailers! superhero movie trailers!) on my favorite (and sometimes NSFW) movie site BirthMoviesDeath
I love Lynda Barry: When Heidi Met Carrie
Let’s face it: I was never gonna be able to afford to fly to NYC and see Lin-Manuel Miranda as Alexander Hamilton, but I will miss watching him host Ham4Ham
But (speaking of Lin-Manuel) we’re all excited for Moana, right? Have you seen the Baby Moana trailer?
at home | school | life
for subscribers: We added the Time Cat reading guide to the subscribers library!
on the blog: Don’t miss your chance to enter our fab weather book giveaway.
in the classroom: There’s lots of good stuff coming up on the fall class schedule.
Reading List
I finally made my way through The Sandman series by Neil Gaiman and WOW, now I understand what people have been talking about all these years. Bonus, The Omnibus editions make a very satisfying THUMP when you bring them back to the library returns counter.
Favorite very-post-apocalypse-plus-Brazil-and-matriarchy! YA of the month: The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson
Favorite dutiful-daughter-and-her-doctor-fiance-and-the-squirrel-that-might-come-between-them fiction of the month: The Portable Veblen by Elizabeth McKenzie
Favorite French-Revolution-historical-fiction-that-posits-that-Robespierre-was- maybe-not-that-bad-a-guy? of the month: A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel
At Home
We ain’t afraid of no (female) ghost(-busters): The whole family loved the new Ghostbusters movie!
Haven’t made it to Star Trek Beyond yet (yes, we’re nerds), but we’re busy watching the first two reboot movies in preparation.
Our new kitten is all of FIVE POUNDS now and has already transitioned from fuzzy bitty kitten to mini-cat.
If anyone wants to meet up for a strawberry margarita or two, I think I’ll need it after dropping Eldest Kid off at his COLLEGE ORIENTATION tomorrow. Cheers!
Stuff We Like :: 7.1.16
Hooray! Suzanne is back with this week’s edition of Stuff We Like, most of which I plan to borrow for my own homeschool life, stat.
Around the Web
What’s better than a summer reading list? A LIST of summer reading lists!
As a long-time reader of science fiction and fantasy mostly written by white men I’ve really been enjoying the new books by authors like .N.K.Jemisin, Karen Lord, and Zen Cho. And (speaking of lists) here’s a great list of authors past and present to help diversify your sf/fantasy reading:
I’m also enjoying Black Nerd Problems, a website with commentary, news, and reviews about diversity in comics, television, movies, video games, and all things geeky. (For a sample, check out this recent article on cultural appropriation.)
One of each, please! (My birthday is in October, but don’t feel you have to wait ‘til then.)
At home | school | life
in the magazine: The summer issue is coming out any minute. That means even more summer reading lists. Time to clear out some room on your library card!
on the blog: If you can’t wait another minute to fill up your library tote, there are some great summer readaloud ideas in the July Pep Talk.
in the classroom: The fall class schedule isn’t officially out yet, so I’ll just mention that if you are looking for a U.S. History class that is pretty much based around Broadway musical numbers, you are in luck. (Hamilton and 1776, together at last!)
on instagram: A much better comeback than the classic “only boring people are bored." (Though what's so bad about being bored anyway?)
Reading List
Just finished Nimona, the much praised web comic collection about teen shapeshifter Nimona, sidekick to the evil Lord Blackheart, and am ready to pass it on to the 13-year-old, who has discovered (after reading Persepolis that she really likes graphic novels. (Did I mention that Lord Blackheart’s hero nemesis is Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin?)
In the category of “Arrgh! What do you MEAN the third book isn’t out yet?!?”, I’d like to encourage Robert Jackson Bennett to hurry up with the final book (following City of Stairs and City of Blades) of his Divine Cities trilogy. I’m in love with these books and this world, not to mention Bennett’s smart, strong, and in-charge female protagonists.
Fortunately, Jane Smiley recently did finish her Last Hundred Years trilogy, a multi-generational saga following one Iowa farming family from 1920 to 2020, so I was able to power through all three (wonderful) books, me Some Luck, Early Warning, nd Golden Age, in one (long) go.
And Amy tells me I’ve been sorely remiss in leaving it this long, but I finally got around to reading some Chuck Klosterman, specifically his I Wear the Black Hat, essays on the nature of villainy. I’m glad I’ve got more by him to look forward to!
At Home—Special Board Game Edition!
We’re heading off for our annual vacation to meet up with family and do as little as possible for a week, so it’s time to pack the boardgames! ndemic s one of my all-time-favorites, so I’m excited to try out Pandemic Legacy, hich is an “epic twist” on the game with “ever-changing elements”! I have no idea what that means, but I’m in.
For a person who can’t read Stephen King or watch a horror movie, I’m remarkably fond of “horrific” games, so we’ll definitely play a couple of rounds of Arkham Horror and and Betrayal at House on the Hill.
These days, I mostly prefer cooperative games, but I’ll make an exception for Portal: The Uncooperative Cake Acquisition Game.
And of course, there’s always room to pack various Munchkin card sets and maybe a deck or two of Gloom.
Stuff We Like :: 6.3.16
Suzanne's back with lots of geeky goodness in this week's edition of Stuff We Like.
Around the Web
JANE MY LITTLE SUNBEAM WHERE ARE YOU I NEED YOU BY MY SIDE: I know Amy already talked about how we’re going into mourning as The Toast closes its doors (fortunately, the archives will remain, so that we can catch up on Ayn Rand’s Harry Potter among other things), but I thought I’d take this opportunity to make sure that we’ve all got our copies of Texts From Jane Eyre by Toast co-founder Mallory Ortberg—we do, right? Yes? Excellent.
And while it doesn’t make up for the loss of The Toast, Mallory’s fellow co-founder, Nicole Cliffe, can now be found at The Guardian, writing about the Romanovs and Erma Bombeck (not together, but that would be an awesome fanfic).
In happier news, FILM CRIT HULK, my very favorite all-caps superhero/film critic has made a triumphant return to essay writing after a too-long absence (though I respectfully disagree with his take on Captain America: Civil War).
READER, I &*^%$ING MARRIED HIM: When Storytime Blows Kids’ Minds: The Power of the Plot Twist
at home | school | life
on the website: Amy and I recorded the first episode of The Podcast with Suzanne and Amy this week. Look for it next week!
on the blog: Apparently Amy’s obsessing over planning high school pretty much everywhere. (It’s going to be fine!)
on instagram: A little first-day-of-homeschooling nostalgia
in the classroom: There’s still time to sign up for my Hamilton class (and other great summer classes, too)!
Reading List
Obnoxious and Disliked: Although I adore Hamilton and have new love and appreciation for the man himself, my very favorite founding father is still John Adams, so I’m thoroughly enjoying David McCullough’s John Adams (yeah, I’m just now getting around to reading it — I’ve been busy!)
Just got The Mind Readers, the last Campion mystery written by his creator, Margery Allingham (though the series continues with books written by her husband); Allingham created Campion as a spoof of his contemporary, Lord Peter Wimsey, and he indeed comes off as Wimsey crossed with Bertie Wooster at the beginning, though by now I’ve followed him through several decades and he’s his own man, surrounded by an entertaining group of family members, old friends, and various detective inspectors, some of whom at least I’m hoping will show up in this final book
My current fantasy pick is A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab, sequel to the original and entertaining A Darker Shade of Magic, about a magician who can travel across worlds from Red London (his home) to Grey London (our London, during the Regency period) and White London (where evil magic runs rampant)
I’m reading Jane Eyre with the 13-year-old, which gives me another excuse to link to The Toast, with The Best Part of Jane Eyre Is Guessing What the French Is (for the record, as an non-speaker of that language, my read-aloud approach has been “...and then Adele speaks in French for a bit.”)
At Home
Lots of video games in my house for summer break: Right now the 18-year-old and the 11-year-old (not to mention the 47-year-old) are obsessively playing Uncharted 4, which is convenient for me, the non-gamer, as Uncharted is my favorite video game to watch and I can’t wait to see what happens to explorer/thief/treasure-hunter Nathan Drake (who should totally be played by Nathan Fillion in the live action adaptation) in this, the final chapter of the series
Haven’t had a chance to play it yet, but the family is also looking forward to some tabletop gaming with Ghostbusters: The Board Game, a cooperative game (my favorite kind!) with some of the cutest pieces I’ve ever seen, including a very large (comparatively) Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man
And I know it’s a week away, but don’t forget to set your DVRs for the 2016 Tony Awards on June 12th, where we’re sure to get at least one freestyle-rap acceptance speech from Hamilton-creator Lin-Manuel Miranda!
Stuff We Like :: 5.6.16
Happy May, everyone! And special thanks to Amy for letting me take over Stuff We Like this week! I’m busy getting ready for the summer Hamilton History class (register today!) so I’ll do my best to limit the number of Hamilton-related links, but I can’t help starting off with one (or two or three…)
Around the Web
Awesome Hamilton Broadway Crossover Pt. 1: For when you’ve memorized the cast recording and start wondering how other great Broadway shows would sound Hamilton-ized, here’s the cast doing their version of “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd” (Demon barber Sweeney Todd/I am the demon barber Sweeney Todd…)
Awesome Hamilton Broadway Crossover Pt. 2: A conversation between my favorite Alexander Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and my favorite John Adams, aka the actor William Daniels, from the other great Broadway musical about American history (and my favorite July 4th movie-watching tradition), 1776
Speaking of politics, it’s time for my election-year rewatch of The West Wing (I’m also enjoying Joshua Malina’s new podcast The West Wing Weekly) and I was thrilled to see C.J. Cregg herself taking the podium at a recent White House press briefing (and was reminded of these two adorable West Wing PSAs from a few years back—walk and talk, anyone?)
And now that I seem to have established a theme, here’s #Ham4Ham in the West Wing with Cabinet Battle #1 (makes me wonder why I even bring the thunder…)
at home | school | life
in the classroom: Speaking of Hamilton, registration is now open for our summer classes
in the store: Also open: registration for our awesome Homeschool 101 workshop
on the blog: I think we can all identify with the messiness of homeschooling
on instagram: Any excuse to quote Umberto Eco
in the archives: What to read next if you loved Lemony Snicket
Reading List
My non-fiction reading at the moment is all Hamilton-related—my favorite so far has been Ron Chernow’s Washington: A Life (in which I learned that during his second term George Washington himself was challenged “to point out ONE SINGLE ACT which unequivocally proves you a FRIEND to the INDEPENDENCE of AMERICA,” proving that partisan political speech in this country has always been nasty and bone-headed, a fact I find strangely reassuring at this time of year). I’m midway through Founding Brothers by Joseph J. Ellis, a much shorter book which focuses on several specific events of interest to Hamilton fans (the duel, the Jefferson-Hamilton-Madison dinner, etc.) in which Ellis memorably describes the secretary of the Treasury’s “dashing Hamilton-to-the-rescue demeanor.” (Now I want a Hamilton-to-the-rescue t-shirt.)
For lighter, non-Hamilton-related reading, I’ve been working my way through Kerry Greenwood’s Phryne Fisher mysteries (the racier inspiration for the also-very-enjoyable and exceptionally-pretty-to-look-at television series, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries) from Cocaine Blues to the latest installment, Murder and Mendelssohn, and am hoping that Greenwood will give us some more, now that I’ve become very fond of the indomitable Phryne and her household of devoted minions.
Current read-aloud: the final book of Catherynne M. Valente’s Fairyland series, The Girl Who Raced Fairyland All the Way Home, which I confess to reading more slowly than usual, as I’m not ready to say goodbye to this world.
Is it weird that I pre-ordered Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter so that I would get it the day it came out, but haven’t actually read it yet? I like looking at it on my shelf, anticipating how much fun it will be to read, and taking it out every once in a while to admire its encyclopedia-like loveliness and maybe give it a little hug. That’s super-weird, isn’t it?
At Home
Superheroes, Pt. 1 (Marvel edition): We’ve already got our tickets for Captain America: Civil War (opening this weekend!) and family relationships are starting to break down along Team Iron Man vs. Team Captain America lines. (For the record, it’s Steve Rogers all the way.)
Superheroes, Pt. 2 (DC edition): Got to catch up on our DVR’d episodes of The Flash (this season is very stressful) and Supergirl—can’t wait to finally see the crossover.
There’s a new Mapp and Lucia on PBS! My well-read copy of E. F. Benson’s Make Way for Lucia is dog-eared and falling apart and I’m a huge fan of the 1980’s adaptation (starring Prunella Scales, Geraldine McEwan, and Nigel Hawthorne), so I’m very excited to return to the 1930’s and the seaside town of Tilling.
International Tabletop Day was last Saturday (mark your calendars for next year) and this year we tried out Cash N Guns and Last Night On Earth at a local game store. (Apparently we were feeling a bit violent. We’ll have to play a couple of rounds of Pandemic to save the world and make up for it.)
Coming up in May: We’ll soon be celebrating my eldest’s 18th birthday AND his high school graduation! I couldn’t be happier to reach such major milestones. I also may be having a small nervous breakdown. Clearly, it’s time to pour a glass of wine and listen to Hamilton.
Have a great week!
Suzanne’s Favorite Books of 2015
I love this time of year! New beginnings and new resolutions—plus all the Best-Of booklists come out, so I can restock my to-read list. In the spirit of celebrating last year and looking forward to some seriously good reading in 2016, I thought I’d share some of my favorites of 2015.
Favorite Young Adult
Favorite First Book of a Post-Apocalyptic Trilogy Where I Didn’t Love Books Two and Three but Book One is So Good That I Can’t Help Recommending It and You Should Probably Read the Others And Make Up Your Own Mind :: Pure by Julianna Baggott
Favorite First Book of a Contemporary Fantasy Series With Clairvoyants and Ley Lines and Cute Boys Which I Stopped Reading After the First Book Because the Fourth and Final Book is Coming Out in March 2016 and I Want to Read Them All in One Glorious Binge :: The Raven Boys by Maggie Steifvater
Favorite Fantasy Heist Novel Which I Didn’t Even Know Was a Thing But Which As a Big Ocean’s Eleven Fan I Was Thrilled to Discover and Even More Thrilled to Learn That It’s the First of an On-Going Series (NOTE: Maybe Don’t Get Too Attached to All of the Characters in the Heist Crew) :: The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
Favorite Reading Inspired by My Obsession with the Broadway Musical Hamilton
(Because we’re all obsessed with Hamilton, right? Even those of us who live nowhere near New York and couldn’t afford tickets even if we did and so are forced to make do with listening to the cast album over and over again and singing along while our children mock our hip-hop skills? If you are not yet obsessed with Hamilton , you have my permission to stop reading briefly to immediately check out the album. As a bonus, it totally counts as a homeschool history lesson.)
Favorite Biography That Inspired it All and At 800-Some Pages is Maybe Not a Quick Read but Still a Great Book About Our Ten-Dollar Founding Father Who Just Like His Country Was Young, Scrappy, and Hungry ::Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
Favorite Upper-Elementary/YA Historical Fiction That I Had Been Meaning to Read For Years And Finally Got Around to Because It’s About the 1793 Yellow Fever Epidemic in Philadelphia That Also Sickened Alexander Hamilton :: Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson
Favorite New Sarah Vowell Book About America’s Favorite Fighting Frenchman and Alexander Hamilton’s Best Bud the Marquis de Lafayette Which Has, Disappointingly, Not All That Much Hamilton But Which is Wildly Entertaining Nonetheless As Are All of Sarah Vowell’s Books of History :: Lafayette in The Somewhat United States by Sarah Vowell
Favorite Readalouds
Favorite Series That I’m On My Fourth and Probably Last Time Through Reading Aloud Until I Have Grandchildren Many MANY Years From Now :: The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
Favorite Series That Just Keeps Getting Better and Is Giving Narnia a Run For Its Money As My Favorite Kids’ Fantasy Series of ALL TIME Where We’re Currently Reading Book Four (The Boy Who Lost Fairyland) While Anticipating the Release of the Fifth and Final (Sniff) Book (The Girl Who Raced Fairyland All the Way Home) in March 2016 ::the Fairyland series by Catherynne M. Valente
Favorite Series by My Favorite Kids/YA Fantasy Author Diana Wynne Jones Where We’re Currently Reading The Magicians of Caprona Which is Turning Out to Be One of My Daughter’s Favorites Because It Has Magical Italian Cats :: the Chrestomanci series by Diana Wynne Jones
And finally:
Favorite Memoir That Examines the Author’s Life in Terms of Her Favorite Literary Heroines (Including Elizabeth Bennett, Anne Shirley, and Jane Eyre) Which Also Has the Best Title of Any Book I’ve Read This Year :: How to Be a Heroine: Or, What I’ve Learned From Reading Too Much by Samantha Ellis
SUZANNE REZELMAN is home | school | life magazine’s Book Nerd. Subscribe to home/school/life to read her brilliant book recommendations and literary musings every issue. Your library list will thank you.