Category Archives: Year

North and South, by Elizabeth Gaskell

Posted on February 7, 2011 by Thistle

When Margaret Hale’s father decides to leave the Church of England (he’s a preacher), the family is uprooted and moved to the industrial north, where Margaret gets involved in industrial-era politics. This book is both a romance and a political … Continue reading →

Posted in 2011, Adult, Prose | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Radio Shangri-La, by Lisa Napoli

Posted on February 5, 2011 by Thistle

Lisa Napoli traveled to Bhutan, a small country sandwiched between India and China, after hearing it was “the happiest kingdom on earth.” She was given the opportunity to go without the daily $200 tourist tariff as long as she helped … Continue reading →

Posted in 2011, Adult, Prose | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Readathon: Chocolat, by Joanne Harris

Posted on February 4, 2011 by Thistle

Vianne and her daughter Anouk move to a little town in France and open a chocolate shop, which offends the priest in town because she does this right at the start of the Lent season. The two lock into a … Continue reading →

Posted in 2011, Adult, Prose | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Readathon: By the Time You Read This, I’ll be Dead, by Julie Anne Peters

Posted on February 4, 2011 by Thistle

Daelyn is tired of being bullied and hurt, and has decided to commit suicide. In twenty-three days, she will make another attempt, and this time, she won’t fail again. In the meantime, she starts to say goodbye to everything around … Continue reading →

Posted in 2011, Prose, Young Adult | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Readathon: No Exit, by Jean-Paul Sartre

Posted on February 3, 2011 by Thistle

In this play, three people who have died and gone to Hell are placed together in a single room with no way out. They don’t know why they’ve been placed there, or why they’ve been put together. They slowly come … Continue reading →

Posted in 2011, Adult, Drama | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Readathon: Chopin and George Sand in Majorca, by Bartolome Ferra

Posted on February 3, 2011 by Thistle

In the 1830s, Chopin and George Sand spent a winter in Majorca for Sand’s son’s health. Neither liked it very much. This is one account of their time there. When I originally got this book from a library book sale, … Continue reading →

Posted in 2011, Adult, Prose | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Protected: Readathon: The Pearl, by John Steinbeck (audio)

Posted on February 3, 2011 by Thistle

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

Posted in 2011, Adult, Prose | Tagged , , , , , | Enter your password to view comments.

Lady’s Maid, by Margaret Forster (audio)

Posted on February 2, 2011 by Thistle

Elizabeth Barrett Browning was attended to for many years by a maid named Elizabeth (Lily) Wilson. This is a (very) fictional narrative of Wilson’s life. I originally wrote up a very long review for this book. I decided to delete … Continue reading →

Posted in 2011, Adult, Prose | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Hope in Patience, by Beth Fehlbaum

Posted on February 2, 2011 by Thistle

For years, Ashley was molested by her stepfather, but after she has the courage to tell someone what has happened to her, the worst happens: her mother and grandparents abandon her, claiming she is lying. She is placed with her … Continue reading →

Posted in 2011, Prose, Young Adult | Leave a comment

La Bête Humaine, by Émile Zola

Posted on February 1, 2011 by Thistle

When Roubaud discovers his wife, Séverine, was sexually molested in adolescence by her guardian, Grandmorin, he flies into a rage at both of them, beating his wife nearly to death (he’s a real catch, isn’t he?) before forcing her to … Continue reading →

Posted in 2011, Adult, Prose | Tagged , , | Leave a comment