My last blog post (written THREE MONTHS ago, yikes) was about Emily Dickinson, and today--once again--it is Miss Emily who inspires me. A NEW BOOK: From the publisher: An engaging, intimate portrait of Emily Dickinson, one of America’s greatest and most-mythologized...
Even if you're healthy and safe at home, you may be losing your mind right about now. I've put together a list of things (in no particular order) that might brighten your mood during this surreal quarantine from the rest of humanity. -- First of all, complete your...
This post is a continuation of my Friday Favorites post on North & South (2004) and perhaps will only be interesting to those who are already fans of the mini-series. (Or maybe it will inspire potential new fans? One can hope.) In 2006 I read the novel and had...
A little while ago this article reminded me of one of my very favorite costume dramas of all time: the BBC adaptation of Elizabeth's Gaskell's North and South, which premiered nearly 15 years ago. Reading the article filled me with such nostalgia and yearning that I...
This past Saturday we saw the OKC Ballet Company's production of La Sylphide! Principals Miki Kawamura and Alvin Tovstogray / Photo by Shevaun Williams The evening was particularly special because it was Miki Kawamura's final performance. Though she has retired from...
I recently finished Tatiana de Rosnay's Manderley Forever, a carefully researched and annotated biography of Daphne du Maurier that reads like a novel. Some of you might remember my scathing reaction to Rebecca back in 2012. In short, I despised the unnamed heroine of...
Dear old blog o' mine, I've missed you! I'm back from my travels (see my instagram for recent photos) and am eager to get back into the routine here. Lately I've had cozy mysteries on the brain. To be honest, I'm always in the mood for cozy English...
It's nice to have regular topics on the blog, and with this post I recommit to discussing favorite books, films, TV shows, and whatnot in "Friday Favorites." If anything on this list strikes a chord, do let me know in the comments. (I'm also very open to your...
Lately I've become obsessed with the horror films of Mike Flanagan. (And yes, HE is the writer/director for the forthcoming Netflix adaptation of Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House!) My obsession began when one of my favorite YouTube film reviewers, Chris...
Hello blog friends! It’s been a long time since I’ve posted here. I’ve missed chatting with you. I should explain that my lovely and loving mother died on May 19 at the age of 71. Since then I’ve alternated between sorrow, anxiety, numbness, and a cautious...
Recently I discovered Willow & Thatch, a blog that recommends period films and television series. That discovery alone was worth a blog post, but one of their recommendations particularly caught my fancy -- a Turkish historical romance (with subtitles) about...
Charlotte Bronte's 200th birthday last year inspired me to re-read Jane Eyre, and I decided to make this part of my Read Harder Challenge by watching two film adaptations for comparison to the original text. I'd been meaning to re-watch the 2006 BBC version with Toby...
For today's blog post I offer you a grab bag of happy-making things:TEA AND A GARDEN WALKThis past Tuesday I picked up my dear friend Michelle in Dallas and we had quite the tea adventure in Fort Worth. I'd read glowing reviews of Antique Outlet and Mitra's Tearoom on...
March has come and nearly gone, and what with revision, travel, and friends coming to town, I haven't had much time to read, much less blog. So this very late edition of Tea and a Book will have a slightly different focus.This past Friday, my dear friend Michelle and...
I have a lot of book-related obligations looming, so how do I cope? Well, I do crack. Actually, I watch TV, but it's just as addictive. Want a hit of some of this?1. So You Think You Can DanceTravis and Amy. Holy moly. It's a dance about "an irresistible player" and...
