A Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson

What a joy to know that this 1885 book is still current, and still bringing the same wonder and delight to new generations of children--and adults! A Child's Garden of Verses is my VERY favorite children's book ...as evidenced by the fact that I have 3 versions of it. It is the author's imagination … Continue reading A Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson →

Fellow vintage book readers

I just wanted to share some of my favorite websites for vintage books and reviews for all of you fellow vintage book afficionados! Leaves and Pages "Bibliovore. Botanist. Gardener. Armchair Traveller and Vintage Book Explorer" And I would add: "Voracious Reader"! A feast! On this blog I find excellent reviews of books published in every … Continue reading Fellow vintage book readers →

Review of Back to Arcady by Frank Waller Allen

Thirty years ago it was said of me that I was as gallant a beau as ever bowed over a fair lady's hand... I am more years past fifty than I like to acknowledge, and now a girl of twenty is coming to upset the habits and routine of a lifetime. One of my treasures … Continue reading Review of Back to Arcady by Frank Waller Allen →

Titus: A Comrade of the Cross – a classic novel for Easter

In 1894, a publisher held a writing competition to obtain the best manuscript that would inspire a child’s Christian faith. Florence Kingsley submitted her manuscript for Titus: A Comrade of the Cross and won the $1,000 award. In six weeks, 200,000 copies had been printed to meet demand. The story is about a young boy … Continue reading Titus: A Comrade of the Cross – a classic novel for Easter →

Lonely Lily: a vintage children’s book by Mary L. Code

Lonely Lily or The Shepherd’s Call, a tiny thin book published in the U.K. in 1893, gently tells a sweet but powerful story of faith. It is written for children, but nevertheless fascinated me with its suspenseful telling of the inner journey of hearts, from despair to comfort. I am struck by how much more serious … Continue reading Lonely Lily: a vintage children’s book by Mary L. Code →

What Did Lucy Read?

What literary works have had an effect on you? Who are your favorite writers, and how have they influenced your perspectives or improved your life? Have you ever wondered what literary works influenced your favorite writers? I recently read The Complete Journals of L.M. Montgomery: The PEI Years, 1889-1899, about the woman considered Canada’s most … Continue reading What Did Lucy Read? →

Review of Ramona by Helen Hunt Jackson

When I was in elementary school in Denver, Colorado, there was a book high on the top shelf of the school library that kept catching my eye. The book's title was my name. How intriguing! I saw it year after year, but I couldn't reach it, and anyway it looked too thick and grown-up to … Continue reading Review of Ramona by Helen Hunt Jackson →

Book review of The Sojourner by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

If you had offered me a book with a rather off-putting cover drawing about a family who endured the hardships of trying to make a living on a farm in the late 1800’s, I’d have probably declined. That’s been done in various scenarios, and sounds depressing. I’d have preferred something with more pizzazz and originality. … Continue reading Book review of The Sojourner by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings →

Review of God’s Good Man: A Simple Love Story, by Marie Corelli

“It was May-time in England. The last breath of a long winter had blown its final farewell across the hills,—the last frost had melted from the broad, low-lying fields, relaxing its iron grip from the clods of rich, red-brown earth which, now, soft and broken, were sprouting thick with the young corn's tender green.” I … Continue reading Review of God’s Good Man: A Simple Love Story, by Marie Corelli →

Sam’s Mission: A Story of Jubilee Year, by Beatrice Marshall

This lovely little children’s book published in 1892 is set in Long Leatham, England, at the time of Jubilee Day, celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of Queen Victoria’s ascension to the throne. Sam is a young boy about eight or nine years old who one day goes to church and hears a traveling missionary say that … Continue reading Sam’s Mission: A Story of Jubilee Year, by Beatrice Marshall →