Apologies for the orientation of these 2 photos, What a splendid book by the Norwegian writer Karl Ove Knausgaard – Winter. His book Autumn came out a while ago, now Winter, and I’m sure Spring and Summer are sure to follow. Just collections of kind of random essays appropriate to the season. Excellent – and thought provoking. Plus beautiful paintings.
Reading Treasures February 5, 2018
Latest Reading December 12, 2017
a book by Alexandra Fuller – Quiet Until the Thaw. This is about the Lakota Indians of the Dakotas. Whether writing about Africa or the western part of the United States, she is one of my favorite authors.
Images of Reading December 9, 2017
do you think my granddaughter has the right idea? a book, the cat companion, a favorite drink
or this man reading the newspaper in the painting by Edward Hopper
reading and knitting – the right combination for me – Dublin 1998?
In this case the reader took the picture – a sunny day in Dundrum – a good time for reading in the garden
Reading al fresco in the conservatory under construction, Dundrum 2009
reading at home
artist unknown
sweet photo courtesy of a Facebook friend
Current Reading November 23, 2017
rotate this photo please – sorry
My current reading is pretty heavy going …….but readable enough to keep me going. Now to identify which of my ancestors lived during the turbulent reigns of the Plantagenets in the 13th and 14th centuries.
Thinking About My Reading September 17, 2017
I recently read a book by Susan Hill called Howards End is on the Landing. A thoughtful book about the books in her personal library and her reading preferences.
A most interesting book – I could not agree with a number of her choices but more importantly it set me thinking about what I choose to read and the books I keep on my shelves. I read a lot. I have almost always read a lot. But I have not had the luxury of keeping all the books I have wanted to have a permanent place in my home. We have just moved house and country too often for that. But, I’ll now think about what is on my shelves now – and reminisce about certain books in the past and in other places.
……to be continued
Interested In Maine History? July 4, 2017
Here’s the book for all history enthusiasts. In a book store in Mystic Connecticut, I found this book about the history of Maine – titled The Lobster Coast, Rebels, Rusticators, and the Struggle for a Forgotten Frontier, by Colin Woodard. As one would expect, there’s quite a bit of detail about fish and the fishing industry, particularly lobsters. But there is also a lot to make one think about the rights of Native Americans and the rights and relationships between the original settlers and the subsequent waves of “newcomers”, right up to the present day transformations of land use and the questions of distribution of wealth.
In my genealogy research I have been able to trace most of my ancestors back many generations. At present I am trying to concentrate/focus on the immigration experiences of these branches in my family tree. These would be the 6th-9th great grandparents. About 90% of these forebears came to New England. I have one case of an abrupt end of the trail with my 3rd great grandparents Joseph Reed and Sarah Maddox. They were each born in Maine in the late 1700’s. Joseph died in Maine in 1850. Their daughter Abigail was my great great grandmother. She was born in Gloucester in 1804. But I do not have any information re Joseph and Sarah’s forebears, my 4th great grandparents etc. Did they come to Maine as immigrants? What happened to them in this remote and harsh part of the American frontier. Did they perish in an encounter with one of the many tribes of Native Americans who raided the settlers villages and isolated dwellings. I wonder.
The Plantagenets And My Genealogy May 11, 2017
I am enjoying reading this book about English history. On first encountering it one would think that it would be a pretty tough read, but no, somehow the author has made it flow. Maybe it’s because I am eager to find some of my ancestors. The author, Dan Jones, covers the years 1120-1399. I’ve been able to trace a few of my ancestors back that far.
More History Reading Choices January 26, 2017
Very appropriate reading at this point in time in our country.
Reading Choices January 2, 2017
I’m forever working through my pile of unread books. The pile of unreads grows faster than the pile of reads. Makes me think of the Walt Disney film Fantasia back in the 1940’s. One of the first films I ever saw – probably in the University Theater in Harvard Square. The water kept coming despite Mickey Mouse frantically trying to keep ahead of the deluge.
Here’s a book for the New Year 2017. Truth Like the Sun by Jim Lynch. An interesting fictional take on Seattle’s history since the World’s Fair in 1962. I found this book 2nd hand at Eagle Harbor Books over on Bainbridge Island. It had lurked near the bottom of my unreads pile for about a year.
Good Reading November 1, 2016
This is one of the books I read while I was in Glastonbury Connecticut last week. A lucky find on my son’s bookshelf. It made for grim but gripping reading. And it was sad too. We whites were the immigrants pushing aside the Native Indian peoples.
