A book list...yours and mine
September, Tahilla Farm….
Wildly giddy!!
It’s fall…and I am feeling a case of bibliomania coming on along with the giddies. I am wildly giddy over the wonderful responses to the questions in my recent surprise giveaway. I can’t reveal the surprises just yet because I am carefully selecting the items for each winner. The winners are listed below. It was SO much fun reading your responses and getting to know you that I plan to do it again and again. Thank you, thank you!
I wanted to sum up all the responses in one blog post but it would be the longest one in my eleven year history! Today I will focus on the first question…. the name of a book you recently recommended to a friend. I picked this question because we tend to give some thought before suggesting a book. Chances are it’s one we really enjoyed.
All I can say…is you have impeccable reading taste. If I could scoop them all up, I would. Luckily, I have read many of them. I was going to list a few….but I couldn’t help myself, I listed them all! You can click on any book below to read more.
A word on independent book sellers….I shop local whenever I can. Especially during the challenging times many stores face today. I linked each book to Indie Bound, a site offering a community of independent local bookstores. For residents of the USA, enter your zip code into the box provided on the site and it will direct you to your local book store. Not everyone has a local bookshop but it’s a start. For international visitors, I hope you can easily find a book in your location. If not, write to me and I will see what I can do. I hate for anyone to miss out on a good book!
Your book list…
My September book list….
As soon as the first autumn leaves float off into the wind, I reach for a book. September has a way of doing that to me.
From Willa’s Grove by Laura Munson
I was gifted Willa’s Grove by Laura Munson for my birthday. I have to say, when I turned to the first page of the story, I was all in. If I could replace Montana with Tahilla Farm and sign off with Jeanne…it would be a dream come true. This book follows the journey of four women who are looking to make some hard decisions in life and are calling on each other to support them through it. I have read several books on this theme lately and enjoy them all. If you are in a similar state of mind, you may find it inspiring.
I mentioned Raynor Winn and her book, The Salt Path a few months ago. I follow her on Instagram and was excited to read the launch of a follow-up book, The Wild Silence. The books follow the lives of husband and wife, Raynor and Moth, who hit a wall in life, finding the depth of despair that you imagine they could never recover from. They do, step by step. We follow them 630 miles along the windswept English coastline in the first book and then to a neglected farmhouse in the Cornish hills in the second book. Both books are beautifully written and heart-achingly told. It’s life…in all it’s wildness.
There is something thrilling about knowing someone who has taken to task to write a book. I can imagine the dedication it takes to undertake such a project. When blogging friend, Sunday Taylor, of Ciao Domenica announced the launch of her first book, The Anglophile’s Notebook, I knew I had to read it. What I have enjoyed most about this book is where it takes me. It is reminiscent of our expat days living in England where I spent time in many of the places mentioned in the book. The list is long…but if you live in London or are a frequent visitor…especially if you are a bibliophile and or an anglophile, you will enjoy traveling with the main character, Claire. There is a mystery too…involving Charlotte Bronte. I have nearly finished reading the book, and I know I will enjoy the ending as much as I have the rest of the book. I have pulled out Jane Eyre to read again…I can’t wait. Thank you Sunday for the wonderful journey!
Onto my Audible library where I am enjoying Miss Austen by Gill Hornby, narrated by Juliet Stevenson. I am living in two worlds at the moment, Charlotte Bronte’s and Jane Austen’s and the lost letters of both. Miss Austen follows the story of Miss Cassandra Austen, older sister to Jane and keeper of her memory. Listening to the story reminds me of the TV production of Elizabeth Gaskell’s novel, Cranford. I can imagine Judi Dench, Julia McKenzie, Imelda Staunton and Deborah Findlay playing the characters in Miss Austen which has me enjoying it that much more. The narrator, Juliet Stevenson, another brilliant English actress is superb. This book is a keeper and perfect reading for an autumn afternoon.
The ladies of Cranford via Jane Austen’s World
I hope there is a book or two that interests you. If you have a book you would like me to add to the list, please do! You can leave a comment or write to me here.
Lastly…..Congratulations to the winners of the Surprise Giveaway!
Beth Corwin ~ Layne Stabler ~ Marguerite Cassidy ~ Nancy Sholler ~ JoAnne Brendle
Wishing one and all a wonderful week and most of all… Happy Reading!
Jeanne xx
