Under a Gilded Moon

by Joy Jordan-Lake

‘Have more than thou showest.’” “‘Speak less than thou knowest.’”

The power of a free press. Guarding the integrity of a democracy. You must think I’m a little ridiculous.”

Books will remind you, Miss Hopson had said, you can make of your life what you want it to be.

Whereas books, once read, become fully a part of us.”

Because resentment, she knew, once under the skin, festers. And spreads.

Maybe, she thought, grown-up life was not so much finding your perfect place in the world, but aching for all the faraway places and people you loved—and learning to look at right where you are now, as Rema would say, through a long eyepiece of grateful.

Let her eyes scan the roll and crest of the mountains, an ocean of dark, swelling gray-blue. She felt her shoulders relax.

It was ideas that he was helping spread. That’s harder to prosecute.”