I finished this book with mixed feelings, though I do recommend it, and it’s getting well-deserved rave reviews. I love a novel that tells a historical story in a new way, especially a history I know little about. In this debut novel, Shelley Parker-Chan tells the story of the beginnings of the Ming Dynasty, after their…
This week, we had to say goodbye to our beloved cat, Harley. She lived a good life, and she was part of our family for more than 17 years. She was my first cat, and to me she is everything that is lovely about cats. She was strong, independent, opinionated, loving, and loyal. We found…
I moved to Washington, DC in September 1996. I’ll never forget the first time I visited, and how excited and awed I was by the city. I still am, even though I’ve come to know this region as much more than just the seat of government. It’s not just museums and monuments, but a region that…
I spent a lot of time this weekend thinking about the things I’m thankful for. I’ll be honest– I’m struggling to feel good about the world these days, as much as I’m grateful for the many things I have. A good friend just found out his wife has cancer, and I’m devastated for him. So many people…
May 2020 marks the tenth anniversary of The Book Stop. This kind of caught me by surprise, even though a year ago I was thinking what I might do to mark the big ten. What can I say, life is a little strange right now. So much thanks to WordPress for the helpful reminder! Since…
How was your April? This month moved a lot quicker than March — life at home is feeling more normal. I guess I like having a routine, and we’ve been keeping virtually busy, actually (online wine tasting, book clubs, zooming with family). Our cat, Harley, got really sick this month, so we had to go…
How is everyone? This was a strange and terrifying month, one that seems to have lasted forever. Which is scary in itself, because we have at least a couple of months of this ahead. There are things I’m liking about staying home. In some ways I’m actually connecting more with friends and family than I…
I started teleworking last Friday, and like many of you I’ll be home for the foreseeable future. I’m bouncing back and forth between serious anxiety about the virus and reminding myself how much I have to be grateful for. I’m fortunate that my work can be done from home – and in fact work is…
This week’s Nonfiction November topic is hosted by Katie at Doing Dewey, and the subject is to talk about nonfiction books on a specific topic (“Be the Expert/Ask the Experts/Become the Expert”). I’ve been reading a lot this year about immigration, because it’s such an important topic to understand right now. So here are some…
July was a fantastic reading month, much better than June. Here’s what I read: The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware (audio) Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi (audio) The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal How Dare the Sun Rise by Sandra…
Last month my husband and I traveled to Chile, Argentina, and Brazil. Instead of writing book reviews, which I’m not really feeling at the moment, I thought I’d share our trip instead (this also gives me an opportunity to weed through our many photos). I’ve wanted to see South America for a long time. The…
This book about a series of murders on the Osage reservation in the 1920’s was incredibly powerful. At first you may wonder why this particular murder of a woman in Oklahoma matters. And by the end of the book (as in Just Mercy) you see why it matters very much. Maybe one murder is never…
The Book Stop 