This biography of Beatrix Potter by Linda Lear was published in 2007. It is a very comprehensive 584-page account of an extraordinary woman. Although Beatrix Potter is mostly known for her iconic Peter Rabbit and friends children’s books, these books only represent one aspect of her life over a ten-year period. Besides being a gifted … Continue reading Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature by Linda Lear
Charlotte Mason Highschool
Reading, Thinking, & Domesticity #6
It's been a while since I've written one of these posts. I always find it difficult to come up with a title unless I'm writing an obvious 'book review' as I like to go off on tangents. So 'Reading, Thinking, & Domesticity' it is as it is a bit of everything. I've been listening to … Continue reading Reading, Thinking, & Domesticity #6
A Charlotte Mason Education: the ‘extras’ that sometimes get left out in high school
The week before last I had a phone call from the Symphony Manager of the orchestra my daughter is a part of. Her son and two friends had entered an Eisteddfod competition and the cellist had just pulled out due to sickness. She asked if Miss 17 could play in his place - the only … Continue reading A Charlotte Mason Education: the ‘extras’ that sometimes get left out in high school
Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart (1958)
Linda Martin was back in Paris after an absence of nine years. With an English father and a French mother, she had grown up in France during the Second World War. When she was fourteen both of her parents were killed in a plane crash and she was sent to an orphanage in England where … Continue reading Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart (1958)
Ourselves by Charlotte Mason: Some Thoughts on the Will
I’m re-reading Charlotte Mason’s fourth volume, Ourselves, this time with my online book buddies. Ourselves is subtitled: Improving Character and Conscience, and is divided into Books 1 and 2. The first was designed for children around the age of twelve and the second for those of high school age, but, as many home educators have … Continue reading Ourselves by Charlotte Mason: Some Thoughts on the Will
Assignment in Brittany by Helen MacInnes (1942)
'Her purpose always was to strike at authoritarian governments. In the genre of highly literate suspense she is considered unrivaled.' Assignment in Brittany is Helen MacInnes’ second book and was published early in World War II not long after the Battle of Dunkirk. It is set in Brittany and captures the bleak atmosphere that must … Continue reading Assignment in Brittany by Helen MacInnes (1942)
Quo Vadis: A Tale in the Time of Nero by Henryk Sienkiewicz (1896)
Quo Vadis is, as its subtitle implies, a work of historical fiction set in Ancient Rome during Nero’s reign. It is the love story and spiritual journey of a young couple - Marcus Vinicius, a Roman tribune from a patrician family, and Lygia, daughter of a Lygian barbarian chief, held as hostage in Rome. It … Continue reading Quo Vadis: A Tale in the Time of Nero by Henryk Sienkiewicz (1896)
It’s Friday #5
We're on to the final book in James Herriot's memoirs, Every Living Thing. I started reading his series of books...I don't know when, but it was years ago, and this is the final one. Today we read about a cat which sounded a bit like our boy: '...he was always there, seated upright and majestic … Continue reading It’s Friday #5
It’s (not) Friday #4
This is a belated It's Friday post where I share snippets of what we've been doing in our Charlotte Mason High School curriculum. One of my daughter's favourite books this year is The History of the Ancient World by Susan Wise Bauer but because it covers so much, she finds it difficult to narrate, so … Continue reading It’s (not) Friday #4
Barnaby Rudge by Charles Dickens
Barnaby Rudge was published in 1841 and was Charles Dickens’ first historical novel. It is his least read book, which surprised me as the story is very interesting. It is based on a real historical event and includes a murder mystery, a talking raven, two romantic dramas, as well as being a social commentary on … Continue reading Barnaby Rudge by Charles Dickens
journey & destination 