The final week of Nonfiction November, hosted by Hopewell’s Library of Life, are the books we added to our TBR this month. I’m happy to give a shout out to some of the bloggers who inspired me this month (and added to my already very long list of books to read). Nature and Science: I’m…
October was a tough month, not so much for me but for close friends and family. It was a reality check, a reminder to hold close the people I love. Here’s what I read in October: My favorite reads: I loved Talking at Night, a novel recommended in the Modern Mrs. Darcy Summer Reading Guide. …
Every year, Cathy from 746 Books hosts the 20 Books of Summer Challenge. It’s a good opportunity to challenge my reading during the summer and to hopefully get to some books I might not have read otherwise. This year, I didn’t meet my goal of 15 but I did read 13 books from my list:…
In March we lost a member of our family, my father’s wife Lily. Lily and my father met around the age of 70; for each it was a second chance at love. They met in 2004 through an Jewish online dating service, something that still makes my family laugh – they were quite the trendsetters…
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…
The Book Stop 