Reading in the Garden

Adventure on the Appalachian Trail A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson is a humorous memoir about Bill’s adventure on the Appalachian Trail, a 2,180-mile trail that takes hikers through fourteen states (Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine). “Thru-hikers” are those hearty souls who actually attempt to complete the trail in a twelve-month period.   The majority of people, however, are “section-hikers” and only walk portions of the trail at a time coming back year after year to begin again where they left off. Then there are the people who complete just a fragment of the trail and call it good.   I’m not sure if they have an official title—maybe “Normal, Casual, or Even Lazy Hikers.” Bill Bryson, who is a well-known a travel/humor writer, was a thru-hiker working his way up the trail in one daunting year.   On great chunks of the trail, hi...

Road to Friendship 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff  is an epistolary account of a twenty-year correspondence between a New York writer and a used book seller in London.  In 1949 Helene Hanff writes to Marks & Co., Booksellers at 84, Charing Cross Road in London to inquire about out-of-print books that she is looking for. She promptly receives a response and so begins a cordial business relationship that ends in friendship, though the two never meet personally.  Slowly you see the progression of familiarity.  They go from salutations of “Gentlemen” and “Madam” to “Helene” and “Frankie.”  Helene’s witty and sassy letters are at times accompanied by packages of precious goods that are still rationed in post-war England.  She send hams, powdered eggs, and other goodies to an appreciative Frank and his colleagues, which spurs letters from the grateful bookstore recipients as well as Frank’s wife.  This book was on my reading wish list ...

Take a Book, Leave a Book – Coeur d’Alene, ID Update Take a book, leave a book—that’s what the Little Free Libraries are all about—sharing books. It seems like these libraries are popping up like popcorn in Coeur d’Alene!  I just found four more. How exciting!   (Click here to see original post) 317 W. Mill Ave, Coeur d’Alene, ID .  This library is awesome and my photo doesn't do it justice.  It matches the beautiful house and the topper is that the house and library have matching whimsical pine cone rain chains hanging from them! The library has a nice selection of books, and there's a bench right next to it.  Here’s what steward, Kim, wrote about her library on the Little Free Library map locator: Besides brushing my teeth, reading is the only thing I do every day. I have an extensive personal library and have always delighted in sharing books with others, so becoming an LFL Steward was the next right thing. My partner, Tom, and I bought and have ...

August Authors in the Spotlight Happy Birthday to Notable Authors born in August!  Click on the links to read reviews. August 1, 1819 Herman Melville Famous for Moby-Dick (1851) , a whale of a book that produced bipolar reactions of being wholeheartedly panned, then enthusiastically praised. Read my review to find out what I thought about it.   August 2, 1942 Isabel Allende Famous for adventurous family sagas such as House of Spirits (1985), Daughter of Fortune (1999), and Zorro (2005), Allende’s version of the legendary masked man.  August 4, 1841 W.H. Hudson Famous for Green Mansions (1904), about a man who escapes to the forests of Guyana and forms a relationship with Rima, the mysterious girl who sings like a bird.  This book is definitely different—at times magical and strange, but interesting nonetheless.       August 8, 1896 Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Famous for The Yearling (1938), about a poor Florid...