On my reading journey, I have found that podcasts can sometimes serve as the reading community I need. They can be the perfect balance to going at my own pace and having my understanding of the text broadened. Literary podcasts can also fill in the gaps on my shelf or inspire me to try something different.
Here are four literary podcasts that are the perfect listen for those who love good books in company.
Read MoreThere is something inherently reflective about measuring a year in books. Each binding contains seeds of thought and perhaps even little mirrors to help us better see ourselves. New stories can introduce new awareness and fresh perspectives. Rereads can remind us of discoveries once made or show us our own growth by way of changing responses over time. Either way, a year well read is a year well spent.
Read MoreJane Austen’s final completed novel, Persuasion, is often ranked by fans near the top of their list. But on my most recent re-read to prepare for the upcoming Netflix adaptation (July 15), I realized upon completing it that my dissatisfaction could not be shaken. My recent read left me with three reasons Persuasion no longer ranks at the top of my Austen list.
Read MoreReading a book can be a magical experience. They can take you across the world, through time, even into the eyes of another creature. A collection of books seems to whisper of adventures and begs to be housed somewhere equally as promising. In honor of Independent Bookstore Day, I am sharing a short collection of Georgia bookstores that are worth the visit.
Read MoreWeddings, like ballet performances, are supposed to look effortless. However, any bride who has planned her own wedding knows that in reality the journey to the alter is anything but. For me, the twelvemonth road was packed with decisions of all shapes and sizes, most of which were obligatory. Luckily, designing, developing, and creating the wedding details were not only the most self-expressive part for me and my husband, they were what gave our wedding that magical, personal touch.
Read MoreHigh school reading lists are the subject of debate, outrage, and, frequently, chagrin. Everyone from teachers to preachers to parents to politicians have strong opinions on what teenagers should or should not be required to read in school. Rather than haggling about titles and content, students want to know two things:
How long is the book?
Is it remotely interesting?
Despite finding the movie Young Frankenstein hilarious, I suspect it, along with the many other parodies and adaptations of the monster I had seen in pop culture, contributed to my aversion. The story seemed to be totally outside of what would compel me. I assumed it had no character development, thin plot, and an oversized dose of horror. By the time I learned the author was a woman, my ignorant opinion on the matter was fully formed and unassailable; that the monster’s father was actually a woman meant nothing.
Read MoreThough I have always held devoted reader as a defining part of my identity, truth be told, in recent years I have allowed the demands of life to steal away this part of me. In October 2019 I cast a line to see if I could find anyone willing to read a book along with me and just like that a book club took root. The next year brought me up to 12 books and this time last year I resolved to read 24 books in 2021, partly wondering (with a house rehab and later a wedding to plan) if I had it in me. The ebb and flow of life still knocked me about a bit, but I still fought to find time for this thing I love. Some months I read 2 or 3 and others I read none. In the end I fell short of my goal, but I am so grateful that I made it as close as I did!
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