Of late Anwyn has loved designing and coloring clothes, shoes, hats, bags and everything in between.  Watching a few Project Runways with me has definitely fueled this interest.  This fabulous little book Eric and I picked up in San Francisco at Anthropologie has been perfect.

If you’re looking for a book on restoring houses, here’s an awesome one for your consideration.  Tim got me this for my birthday on the recommendation of a client who renovates houses in DC and I love it! It’s called Restoring a House in the City and unlike a lot of books I enjoy looking [...]

I am not a Francophile so this book was a surprise.  I thought I’d despise reading about how the French always have been and always will be better than Americans.  How the French do everything just so and just so right.  How Americans are always loud and obnoxious, have no class.  But I [...]

Has anyone read this book?  Do you have a book you have just loved recently?

I was lent Unbroken and given a brief description.  I immediately knew I was not interested.  Books about World War II and the torture that was inflicted make me cringe.  And good golly, how many thousands of [...]

My latest pre-pub. book is The Long Journey Home by the mother of  the author Running With Scissors.  I thought the title of Running With Scissors terribly clever; I mean, who hasn’t been told not to run with scissors?  As a minimum, walk with the blade pointing down so if you [...]

We were really hoping not to, but we are returning to Seattle Children’s Hospital midweek.  We were going to be the special appointment right here in our home town’s satellite clinic with a surgeon flying in specially to see Taite on Friday. Things are not progressing as they should, at all.  Now we are traveling [...]

M is for Mischief

I don’t think my kids are alone in this, but they love to hear stories about bad little children who end up getting their comeuppance.  I have two such books, one I checked out at the library “M is for Mischief” by Linda Asherman and as I suspected if was a [...]

I just finished The Paris Wife by Paula McLain. It is the story of Ernest Hemingway and his first wife (not to be confused with the other three).  It is told from his wife’s perspective.

Ernest Hemingway was a jerk and he had a wife who loved him.   Older by about seven years, [...]

I have been waiting for this book.  I have been fairly ho hum lately about the books I’ve read; I have been craving a well written book where sentences are poignant, beautiful and tight.  At long last here is the book:   Blood, Bones and Butter by the owner of Prune restaurant in Manhattan’s East [...]

Need something for that history buff in your life?  I just reviewed a  well written book about the War of 1812, Perilous Fight.  It is fascinating reading.  You can read my review to get a taste.

Similar to Glass Castle in that this author, Liz Murray, had no reason to ever hope she would make something [...]

Long ago in Chicago, I was left in the care of a homosexual couple, Mack and John, when my parents went to the hospital for birth of my brother and sister.

Later when my mother bewailed my extremely red and extremely unruly  hair, Mack and John were quick to defend me and tell my mom [...]

Anyone who is familiar with Alexander McCall Smith will be glad to know he has another book coming out in October.

I first came across this author through his No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series.  It is very light, easy reading and you know, sometimes that’s all you want to read. That’s where I’m at these days. [...]

I knew the character was a scruffy looking, straight haired, knobby knee-ed thing who I really identified with. I knew she had a wonderful imagination and played the sort of games I liked to play.

My favorite childhood book is all spotty in my mind. I remember my mom’s voice telling the story as I stared at the [...]

A few recent books fresh off the printing press:

If you are interested in the history of the wine grape in America, you will like The Wild Vine.  Not California but rather Virginia is home to the first truly American wine grape, Vitis nortoni.  The first American wine grape was called by the very poetic name, [...]

Searching desperately,  I  hope there is an old magazine in the pocket of the seat in the car, if all else fails at the least a flyer ad, something to read.  I have to read.  If I have just minutes to wait for someone to finish a class or a sport, I want a book [...]

“You learn to write by writing.  It’s a truism but what makes it a truism is that it’s true.”

After the initial moping by my students and the initial screeching by the teacher, we came to an understanding; the first draft of their thoughtful essays was not to be confused with being the final draft.

I was [...]

“You do not know me yet. My son Thomas, who is publishing this book, tells me, it is customary at this place in a novel to give the reader a little taste of the story that is held within these pages. As your storyteller, I am to convey that this tale [...]

Most of my wonderful loot.

The library book sale happens only once a year and on a grand scale.  I mark my calendar and wait with great excitement for it to come round.  They have loads and loads of culled library books and most of them for only a quarter.  That [...]

I  knew unequivocally that I was a pack rat.   I had to get a grip.  But every time I thought I would clear out a drawer, a closet, or, heaven forbid,  an entire room I would declare everything way too essential and valuable to cull.  So, I mostly spent that time wandering helplessly through my [...]