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
Classics
10 Years of Blogging
Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans) Ten years ago, in April 2012, I published my first blog post on Blogger. After just over 9 years of using the Blogger platform I moved across to WordPress in the middle of this year, keeping my original blog name of journey & destination. I started blogging to record our home … Continue reading 10 Years of Blogging
Bookish Destinations 2022
2022 Art Book Reading Challenge Rebecca @ a humble place is hosting a 2022 Art Reading Challenge with seven categories. I've chosen the four options below: A biography of an artist from the 20th century (Beatrix Potter by Linda Lear) A biography of an artist from the 19th century (? Van Gogh by Peter Burra) … Continue reading Bookish Destinations 2022
Mother Culture: Advent & Christmas Reading
The birthdays in our family are concentrated into four months extending from the end of November through to the end of March. It makes the time leading up to Christmas rather full. I've never read much in the way of short stories generally but I've enjoyed finding some for Christmas. If you are short on … Continue reading Mother Culture: Advent & Christmas Reading
The Riddle of the Sands
The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers (subtitled, A Record of Secret Service) was published in 1903 and is considered to be the first modern spy thriller.Childers had an interesting background; he was raised in Ireland, educated at Cambridge, and was a clerk in the House of Commons for fifteen years. During the First … Continue reading The Riddle of the Sands
Love by Elizabeth von Arnim (1925)
This is only the second novel I’ve read by Elizabeth von Arnim, but along with Edith Wharton, she has shot up on my reading radar. Both authors have gotten under my skin with their beautiful literary writing and their sensitive treatment of women’s issues and sometimes difficult themes.In the context of the times in which … Continue reading Love by Elizabeth von Arnim (1925)
Rilla of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery
Rilla of Ingleside was published in 1921 and is the eighth book in the Anne Series which began with Anne of Green Gables in 1908.Rilla is Anne’s youngest daughter and the story begins just prior or the start of WWI when Rilla is fifteen years of age.The tone of this book is more sombre than … Continue reading Rilla of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery
Home Schooling in Lockdown
Just about everyone where we are is homeschooling these days, but not out of choice. I prefer to say that we are home educating because our situation looks nothing like school. We have been teaching our children for 28 years and it is a normal part of life that we don't think twice about, but … Continue reading Home Schooling in Lockdown
Ten Favourite Books of a 15 Year Old
I asked my 15 yr old daughter to write a few words about the books she's enjoyed - she reads A LOT, so the following are books she's read or re-read recently or those that first came to mind about an hour ago when I asked her. Seven Daughters and Seven Sons - Barbara Cohen … Continue reading Ten Favourite Books of a 15 Year Old
The Lord of the Rings by J.R. Tolkien (1949)
I've just remedied the possibility that I was perhaps one of the few people on the planet who had never read (or even watched) the The Lord of the Rings (LOTR). I did read The Hobbit aloud to my daughter a few years ago and enjoyed that and it was my plan to read … Continue reading The Lord of the Rings by J.R. Tolkien (1949)
journey & destination 