My Top Ten Favourite Books #3

Little Women has been a treasured classic for many girls ever since it was first published, and I am one of them.  Not only because I can relate to it so well, but also because there are so many good things to learn from it.
I see similarities between myself and all of the March sisters; I am artistic and slightly vain like Amy (I also wish my nose was smaller), I write and secretly hope for adventure like Jo, but I also want a home with children like Meg, and I can play the piano but can only hope I am half as good as dear little Beth.  Thank goodness my mum is as kind and loving as Marmee.
I live in a family of four (although two of them are brothers, not sisters) and it really is like that - everyone is different, but everyone has the same inside jokes and lovely memories.  We even had our own newspaper once, just like the Marches.  (I was writer and editor, but at least everyone read it...)
There is so much good in this 'little book'!  I think it should be on everyone's must - read list.
I loved being a part of the March girls' lives; play acting, laughing with Laurie, writing tragic romances, struggling to be good, but most of all realizing the importance of family and friends.
I laughed and cried my way through it and will never tire of re-reading it.  I think that's what makes a book really special; it's so good you will always want to read it again.
Suffice to say that Louisa May Alcott wrote this book from her heart, and it shows.  There is so much heart in Little Women that it overflows into the reader and leaves you feeling as if you've found another place to call home.

Book Sale at the Library

Yesterday was a soft gray day shimmering with silver raindrops.  I love the music of the rain!  I woke up around 7:30 and proceeded to spend most of my day tidying, reading, and relaxing.  It was lovely.  The rain made it so homey in our little house.  You could see it trickling down the window panes and hear it dancing on our roof.
I decided to leave early for work so that I could stop by our little library beforehand.  I drove all the way there in my little car (I got a car!!  She's small and silver, and her name is Josephine).
I don't know whether I've ever described my library, but I will now.  It's in part of a heritage building in our village, which is a light yellow with white pillars in the front, almost Parthenonian style.  It has warm dark wooden doors, and the one that leads into the library has a little roof overtop of it to keep you dry.  The library is quite small, but our kindly librarian has managed to squeeze as many books in as possible.
Anyway, I went in to pick up our books and saw lots of boxes of books waiting for a booksale happening the next day.  I was going to leave without looking through, as I wouldn't be able to come later, but my dear librarian said she would give me a whole box of my picking for a dollar because she said she knew they were going to a good home where they would be read and loved.
I thanked her profusely and collected my treasures, stacking them on the counter.  When I was finished, she tucked them all into a cardboard box and gave it to me.  The rest of my day I was filled with contentment and gratitude.  I honestly have the best librarian in the world.

  

 

Every day seems to have a little pearl which is given to me.  I didn't realize it before; I've had to train myself to find them.  It's like a treasure hunt!  I'm collecting them to make a whole string, a beautiful one, full of happy memories.
God is so good to me.
I hope every one of you are having as wonderful a year as I am.

My Top Ten Favourite Books - #2

Having been completely fascinated by this story since childhood, Peter Pan has to make the top of my list.  I am still unsure whether I should have put this first, before The Blue Castle, but 'what's done is done'.
As you know, I am one of those people who have grown up believing in fairies and romanticizing everything, so Peter Pan is a perfect fit.  It has pirates and mermaids, Indians and fairies, but best of all, it has Peter.  Ever since this impish little boy entered the world of fictional literature, he truly has become eternally young.
I believe that J. M. Barrie was a genius.  In his sweet little book he has hidden so many truths about children and growing up that to find them all you have to re-read it many times.  For example, haven't you always suspected that when you were little your mother tidied your mind while you were asleep?  Or that the nightlight was watching over you when she wasn't there?
The humour and truthfulness of the tale caught me after the adventure, excitement, and the romance of the idea of Neverland did.  I bought the version that was illustrated by Scott Gustafson, who is one of my favourite illustrators.  It took him four years to complete and there are over fifty breathtakingly beautiful oil paintings in it as a result.  He captured the essence of Neverland perfectly.
Peter Pan featured in most of my dreams as a child and we had many merry romps in Neverland together.  Unfortunately, now I have grown up and cannot fly anymore, but I will treasure the memories forever.  I can even relive them by opening the front cover of Peter Pan and stepping back into J. M. Barrie's world.
I can't say enough about it, but I don't want to gush, so I'll leave it there.  Please, if you have never read the original version, read it!

Lovely Discovery (and New Favourite Book)

A while ago, a dear friend of mine (you know who you are :) ) recommended that I read a book she particularly liked.  I'd never heard of it before, but it sounded lovely, so I searched the library for it. I ordered it in through Inter Library Loan, but it would be ages before I actually got to read it.  So I did a little more searching and discovered a movie version of it, which I checked out of the library and watched at home.  I wasn't disappointed.  It was such a beautiful, calming film that I left it feeling very relaxed and uplifted.

After watching it, I desperately wanted to read the original book.  So I resorted to Librivox and downloaded it in audio version.  Over the next few weeks, I listened to it in my free time; which was often just the time before I fell asleep.  I fell in love with the storyline and the characters, enjoyed the lyrical style of the writing, and decided that I need to rent a castle in Italy someday.

But before I run away with myself, in case any of you are not yet familiar with the story, I'll fill you in.  It begins in London; rainy, miserable London.  One poor soul, a Mrs. Wilkins (who dislikes her last name and remarks that it has an end 'like the upward curve of a pugdog's tail.') is especially miserable.  But then she glimpses light at the end of this sad tunnel in the form of an advertisement in the paper.  A small medieval Italian Castle is to be let in Italy for those who 'appreciate Wistaria and Sunshine'.  She recruits another lady from her church, Mrs. Arbuthnot, and together they rent the villa and find two other ladies to join them.  In Italy, they each discover Paradise in their own way.

I won't spoil the ending, but I will say this; I have a new favourite book.  I bought it from Amazon and it was shipped today!  It has a place waiting on my shelves.

There is one thing that I want to mention, in between all my praise.  I didn't agree with some of the characters' ideas about religion and being good.  For example, Mrs. Wilkins exclaims to Mrs. Arbuthnot that she thinks they are miserable because they'd been good for so long.  This is completely untrue; if you really had been good, you would be happy.  Other than that, I would recommend this to any romantic.  From one romantic to another; you will love it.