Please note: I have intentionally decided not to include Amazon links (unless something is available exclusively on Amazon). Instead, if you are interested in reading any of the books I mention, I encourage you to check out your local library or independent bookstore. These places (and the communities around them) need your support, and they are generally quite willing to order any book if they don’t currently have it in stock. However, if Amazon is still the more practical choice…
This article was originally published in The Catholic News Herald of the diocese of Charlotte. One of my favorite books for meditating on Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary is Caryll Houselander’s “The Reed of God.” I was introduced to this book just a few years ago and it has since become one that I return to quite often for contemplation. Houselander’s prose writing is as lyrical as her poetry, which is also sprinkled throughout the book, and makes for a beautifully…
This article was originally published in The Catholic News Herald of the diocese of Charlotte. I have always been an avid re-reader of books, just as I also delight in re-watching favorite movies and television series. In some ways, this is due to finding comfort in the familiar and predictable, knowing that my imagination is not going to be assailed by inappropriate or untimely thoughts and images. But I have also learned that the pieces I enjoy returning to can be treasure…
It’s been over a solid decade since I read many of the “Classics” of English Literature in college; Homer, Chaucer, Dante, Milton, etc. At the time, it was my first exposure to many of these texts, while I was also simultaneously attempting to juggle many new life experiences, relationships, and responsibilities. I am ashamed of the practice, but willing to admit, that I often didn’t give my best to studying the books I was assigned to read in my classes,…
Please note: I have intentionally decided not to include Amazon links (unless something is available exclusively on Amazon). Instead, if you are interested in reading any of the books I mention, I encourage you to check out your local library or independent bookstore. These places (and the communities around them) need your support, and they are generally quite willing to order any book if they don’t currently have it in stock. However, if Amazon is still the more practical choice…
This article was originally published in The Catholic News Herald of the diocese of Charlotte Sometimes the right book finds you just when you need it the most. I had not heard of Julian of Norwich before this past year, when her book “Revelations of Divine Love” was assigned for the Well-Read Mom book club, a national community with small groups all over the country (wellreadmom.com.) While I am not a mom myself, the ladies of the local group warmly welcomed me…
It’s my tradition to spend the month of April focused on the works of William Shakespeare, though this usually means just watching various movie adaptations of the plays. Why April? Mostly because this was the month that the Bard was born and later died. I find it helpful to have specific times during the year to focus on little traditions like this. Otherwise, it can be easy to put things off, saying that you will get to them some time…
So, the highlight of my week definitely came yesterday, when I was able to save this sweet chickadee from being toyed with by one of my cats. Now, to be fair, my cats are not exceptionally fierce, being well-fed house cats, and don’t exactly have killer instincts. But they do like to play. When I saw one of the cats out in the yard, clearly engrossed with something, I went over to investigate and found this stunned little chickadee on…
Hello, dear readers. I must first apologize that it has been so long since I’ve given you any serious, dedicated content. I’ve been so caught up in life and other writing projects, that this poor blog has been rather neglected. But I am now hoping to get things back on track with some re-prioritizing. With a mind to better time-management, I’m going to be suspending my monthly posts on What I Read. The truth is that I am reading so…
Please note: I have intentionally decided not to include Amazon links (unless something is available exclusively on Amazon). Instead, if you are interested in reading any of the books I mention, I encourage you to check out your local library or independent bookstore. These places (and the communities around them) need your support, and they are generally quite willing to order any book if they don’t currently have it in stock. However, if Amazon is still the more practical choice…