In 1929 Virginia Woolf published A Room of One’s Own in which she argued that if a woman is going to write fiction, she must have money and a room of her own. Woolf developed her theme by looking at female writers in history, many of whom did not publish their writings. In her observations
Articles Categorized Books
More Mysteries: Dark, Cozy, & Curious
I kicked off this year’s Summer Reads with murder mysteries set in Yorkshire, so perhaps it’s fitting to end the series with a darker story set in the same locale. Grimm Up North by David J. Gatward Grimm Up North: A Yorkshire Murder Mystery is the first volume in the DCI Harry Grimm crime novels.
Mystery Reads
I like good historical fiction, but while in mindless escape mode as I lie on a hammock, I want stories that engage my attention but don’t require much thought on my part. My recent reading choices lean towards mysteries that don’t dwell too much on crime details. And if there’s a dash of romance involved,
Ichabod Crane Goes a-Courtin’
In honor of Halloween, I’m sharing Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow this month. It’s about more than a wild horseback ride in the dead of night. Last week we met Ichabod Crane, a man of unfortunate appearance and few prospects. Nevertheless, Ichabod persevered in his quest for a comfortable life. Ichabod set his
Last of the Summer Reads
Before we bid farewell to summer, there’s still time to enjoy a final three fictional escapes. Each story is attached to a place, and one or more points in history. Each involves at least one feisty heroine who takes control of her own life, however reluctantly. I almost didn’t pick up The Lions of Fifth
Summer Reads: Mysteries in Exotic Places
It’s the end of July, the height of the summer season. Many of us have emotional baggage — those suitcases and backpacks that finally accept they won’t be going anywhere this summer. But we can still escape into other worlds via mysteries with intriguing locales. This month’s episode of Summer Reads features mysteries in locales
Summer Reads: Historical Fiction
Summertime and the reading is easy. Many people imagine a summer vacation that includes lying on a beach reading a book, while the sound of waves serenades our ears. People select all kinds of books for beach reads. A few of them are historical fiction. Historical fiction is a broad category. On one extreme, it
Summer Reads: 3 Thrillers for Summer Afternoons
Summer is a nice time to get away from my usual reading topics and look for something off my beaten track. And one of the side tracks I most enjoy is a “thriller” that is more mystery than violence; more story than hard-boiled detective. Which brings me to John Grisham, prolific writer of 29 novels
Summer Reads: Prominent Women Lost in Shadow
This installment of Summer Reads is a bit on the serious side, because early in the summer I’m still picking through my history reading pile. The first book is historical fiction; the second, narrative non-fiction that is partly biography, and partly a great deal of information on Elizabethan building techniques. Taken in chronological order, let’s
Summer Reads: 3 Novels by Lindsay Jayne Ashford
I always associate summer with time for leisure reading, whether it’s a day at the beach, a Saturday afternoon in a hammock under a shady tree, or on an airplane. [Sidebar: I do hope these young women remembered to Slip-Slop-Slap, as well as Wrap their eyes in sun glasses. But I digress.] Today’s blog begins
