Month in Review: March 2024

Before looking back on last month’s reading, I want to point to this month’s giveaway of my book, When Fragments Make a Whole: Click here to learn more and enter.

Literature

In March, I enjoyed books by two new favorite authors. Abraham Verghese is a doctor-turned-novelist who writes long but gripping stories. And after working my way through all of Dani Shapiro’s memoirs, I’ve now sampled some of her fiction. (So far, I prefer the memoirs, but I’d try another novel.)

Revisiting old favorite authors is always lovely as well, of course … such as Willa Cather and Diana Wynne Jones, two of the best. Thanks to Calmgrove for keeping the March Magics event going — I was glad to see more bloggers are reading DWJ for the first time, to revisit one book I’d only read once myself, and even to link to an interview by my son.

Books read in March:

The Covenant of Water and Cutting for Stone by Abraham VergheseStill Writing and Signal Fires by Dani ShapiroMy Antonia by Willa Cather – reread Enchanted Glass by Diana Wynne Jones – reread, March Magics

Other bookish posts this month:

Make me read it , Books I got for free edition Nonfiction Reader Challenge: I reviewed Circle of Hope by Eliza Griswold, a thought-provoking tale of trouble in a liberal church.The Ozathon reached the fourth Oz book, Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz . I announced that Reading the Theatre will be back in April.Language

I’ve added a couple of English students to my schedule and enjoy reading books with them. One advanced student allowed me to press My Antonia on her, even though it was not her usual kind of thing. (She prefers Poe, Lovecraft, and such.) But she did enjoy it, to her surprise. I reread it myself and found that we responded to the same things: the characters, the sense of place, and the beautiful language.

My student wondered why she’d never heard of Cather, and I agree it’s a shame she’s not better known. I try to do my small part by encouraging English learners to give her a try. I’d rather read her than Hemingway any day, myself.

Life

There’s still snow in the higher reaches of the Alps here, and my husband wanted to take advantage of our spring vacation to go skiing. We drove to Grindelwald and from there took a super-speedy gondola that whisked us to the slopes near the north face of the Eiger. It was a lovely day! I even ventured to do some walking on the groomed hiking paths.

Maybe I had too much time on my hands in vacation, because I decided to start a new Substack newsletter, Healing Stories and Sacred Songs. I enjoy recommending some of my favorite writing to be found on the internet, as well as quotes from my reading. I hope to add more resources for contemplative reading and writing in the future. Check it out if you’d like!

Linked at The Sunday Post at Caffeinated Book Reviewer, the Sunday Salon at Readerbuzz, and the Monthly Wrap-up Round-up at Feed Your Fiction Addiction