"My ideas flow so rapidly that I have not time to express them -- by which means my letters sometimes convey no ideas at all to my correspondents." - Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Keep Calm And...


When people are insulting you, there is nothing so good for them as not to say a word — just to look at them and think. When you will not fly into a passion people know you are stronger than they are, because you are strong enough to hold in your rage, and they are not, and they say stupid things they wished they hadn’t said afterward. There’s nothing so strong as rage, except what makes you hold it in — that’s stronger. It’s a good thing not to answer your enemies.
— Frances Hodgson Burnett, A Little Princess


Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Tennyson's 'The Play'

Alfred Lord Tennyson - painted by Hubert von Herkomer 

The Play

Act first, this Earth, a stage so gloom'd with woe
You all but sicken at the shifting scenes.
And yet be patient. Our Playwright may show
In some fifth Act what this wild Drama means.

- by Alfred Lord Tennyson



This is one of my new favorite poems from my volume of Tennyson's Poetical Works
I love how this poem speaks of our life on earth as a play and that our Playwright will show us what events in this life will mean.

I hope you enjoyed!

Miss Laurie :)



Saturday, July 23, 2011

The Fantasy World Map




What if all the made up lands of books were all on the same map? I’m not familiar with all of these lands but I love the idea!


Here's a brief list of the lands I recognized:

Other's sound familiar. Isn't this a great idea! '

Are there any other made up lands that you would add?

Which land would you most like to visit?

Quote About Books

For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet or excite you. Books help us understand who we are and how we are to behave. They show us what community and friendship mean; they show us how to live and die
Anne Lamott  

Monday, July 11, 2011

My Finds at a July Book Sale


At a recent library book sale I wen to I found a whole bundle of books that I'm very excited about! I devoured their tables labeled "Antique" and "Literature". I'm so pleased to add to my small collection of classics!

Take a closer look at my finds:


I've really been wanting to try reading one of Wilkie Collins' mystery novels so I was excited when I found this like new Oxford World's Classics edition of The Moonstone. It's 522 pages long and much less thick than the volume of The Woman In White that I had considered purchasing at a local bookstore recently. This fact is good because I tend to get discouraged in the first few chapters if the book is too long. This I'm going to enjoy reading!


I've really been wanting to acquire my own C.S. Lewis books lately. I have all of The Chronicles of Narnia books but wanted my own copy of Mere Christianity and Surprised By Joy. My father has an audiobook of C.S. Lewis reading excerpts from 'The Four Loves' which I enjoyed listening to as part of my high school curriculum. So I was delighted when I found this Harvest Books paperback edition of The Four Loves and knew I had to take it home! In this book C.S. Lewis explains the four basic kinds of love and the Greek words for love used in the Bible. A must read for any Christian!


I really enjoyed watching The Barchester Chronicles TV series based on Anthony Trollope's books The Warden and Barchester Towers. So I've been wanting to try reading some Trollope and I think reading a story of Barchester is the best way to start! Even though this is the second book it will help that I have seen the TV series and know the basic story. This volume is older but the spine looks like it's barely been cracked! 

There was also a lovely set of Anthony Trollope's The Pallisers series. Unfortunately I didn't have enough money to buy all of them, also I don't know the story at all. 


Dickens' novels is something else I've really been wanting to add to my collection. I really don't know the story of A Tale of Two Cities and film adaptations are difficult to put one's hands on so I'll be glad to read the book for myself. 
At the sale there were about 20 copies of A Christmas Carol which I've read and one day I want to own my own copy, preferably illustrated. Also I found a paperback version of Bleak House and a large hardcover illustrated edition of Martin Chuzzlewit all of which I wish I'd had money to buy as well. But I decided that I might not read them because they are very long.


This is another book that I've been wanting to try reading. I found several copies of Ivanhoe at the sale but this Signet Classics edition looks brand new! 


I enjoy the story of The Scarlet Pimpernel so when I found this interesting volume on the "Youth" table I was delighted! It says it's complete and unabridged but I can't remember if the story was originally written in another language or not. 


Now, this last book was my find of the day and my newest prized possession! I found this beauty on the "Antique" books table among similar books that aren't so weren't so well taken care of. 


This is what I saw first and it piqued my interest "Tennyson's Poetical Works". I immediately snapped it up and examined it closely!


The Poetical Works of Alfred Lord Tennyson

Just wow! This book had ALL of Tennyson's poetical works printed in order from his Juvenalia to his latter works. It also includes a lovely face page with a pencil drawing of the author, an introduction that tells about Tennyson's life, and in the back historical notes about several of the poems! 

As my brother said, this volume also has a lovely feel to it. It has a hard fabric cover, little wear and tear to the edges and yellowing of pages but no rips and the pages open so nicely to the spot you want. All of this and it only cost me three dollars! 


I was particularly delighted because I've been very interested in the older poets lately and collected volumes of their works are expensive and difficult to come by. What a blessing to have this volume of my very own and how delightful to read his poems for myself (and not just on a computer screen)! 


Tennyson's poem Lady Clare has always been a favorite of mine. Such a sweet story of true love!



And of course The Lady of Shallott is another favorite. I definitely feel like Anne of Green Gables when I'm reading my book of Tennyson! 

I've also found a few new favorites! I hope to share some of my favorites on Rather Bookish from time to time. Do you have any favorites of him poems?


I dearly love book sales like this and am so blessed my all my wonderful finds! Thank you for taking a look at these newest editions to my shelf of classic literature. I hope you've enjoyed it!

God Bless,
Miss Laurie :)