“And it came to pass nigh upon nineteen hundred and sixteen years ago” This begins Frances Hodgson Burnett’s little book published in 1916 about a rejected, deformed orphan boy who is sent to beg for the cruel woman who keeps him. One day, hiding in the brush near the road to Bethlehem, he watches a … Continue reading Review of The Little Hunchback Zia by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Tag: old books
Fair’s Fair in Calgary
Fair’s Fair is my favorite used book store in Calgary, actually a “chain”, with 5 locations around the city. They are a joy to browse because they are organized, neat, well-lit, clean, well-labelled and full of near-new books (that is, except for their wonderful vintage books!). The staff at all locations are friendly and helpful. … Continue reading Fair’s Fair in Calgary
The Junior Instructor, my First Encyclopedia
The other day I got out two of my favorite books from my childhood, The Junior Instructor, Books 1 and 2. These were originally published in 1916, and the ones my mom gave us as small children were published in 1956. I was looking for some of the children’s prayers I’d learned, and while I … Continue reading The Junior Instructor, my First Encyclopedia
Review of Looking Backward 2000 – 1887, Part 3
Romance, 1887-style! Or…was it 2000-style? In the introduction to the 1915 printing of this book published in 1887, Sylvester Baxter describes the novel as “the ingenious device by which a man of the 19th century is transferred to the end of the 20th”, and notes that in the decade that followed its publication, the world … Continue reading Review of Looking Backward 2000 – 1887, Part 3
Review of Looking Backward 2000 – 1887, Part 2
In a recent post I began describing this 1887 book written by Edward Bellamy. Here is more about the author. The first page leaves no doubt as to why he wrote this book . “We ask to put forth just our strength, our human strength, All starting fairly, all equipped alike. But when full roused, … Continue reading Review of Looking Backward 2000 – 1887, Part 2
Review of Looking Backward 2000 – 1887
At a recent used book sale I bought an intriguing book written by Edward Bellamy. It was published in 1887, with the premise of having been written in the year 2000. The author imagines how the country would look in another century if certain idealistic industrial, political and economic changes were made to enable the … Continue reading Review of Looking Backward 2000 – 1887
What to Read Next?
How do you decide what to read? Do you scan the latest bestseller lists? Do you have a library of unread books where you just close your eyes and reach for one? Does a friend inspire you to read the great book they just finished? I had a lot of time to ponder this question … Continue reading What to Read Next?
Louisa May Alcott’s First Novel, The Inheritance
Written in 1849, first discovered in 1988 and published in 1997, The Inheritance, as expected, is a breath of fresh air. This is no surprise, considering the era in which it was written, when writers consistently wrote with dignity, delicacy, insight, and restraint. It is considered Alcott’s first novel, written when she was only seventeen … Continue reading Louisa May Alcott’s First Novel, The Inheritance
5 Hours in the Library and No Reading Allowed
Our grade 12 students did their final exams last week and I helped supervise the tests. I was with students in the library, and as supervisors, our job is to move among the students to ensure security, so we are not allowed to sit, catch up on our work, or check emails. Or read! … Continue reading 5 Hours in the Library and No Reading Allowed
I Love Old Books! (Part 4)
Even though I don’t necessarily need to read all the gems that I find at the book sales—it’s enough to surround myself with them—I do read them. Now, to be honest, if a book is more than 50 or 100 years old, after quickly thumbing through it to touch and smell the pages, I generally … Continue reading I Love Old Books! (Part 4)
