Jane Austen would be pleased to know that her letters will be preserved for all to see. This morning, I read the most exciting news on The Literary Hub. Walker Caplan wrote that The Honresfield Library’s rare collection, that dates back to the 1800’s, came up for auction this May. Up until then, this collectionContinue reading “Milestones: Happy Birthday Jane Austen”
Author Archives: Rebecca Budd
Milestones: Dalton Trumbo
“The only kind of love worth having is the kind that goes on living and laughing and fighting and loving.” Dalton Trumbo On December 9, 1905 James Dalton Trumbo was born. For those who are unfamiliar with this name, you would know Dalton Trumbo’s work and know of the pivotal time in history in whichContinue reading “Milestones: Dalton Trumbo”
Milestones: Mark Twain
On November 30, 1835, Mark Twain is born. “In a good bookroom you feel in some mysterious way that you are absorbing the wisdom contained in all the books through your skin, without even opening them.” Mark Twain
Milestones: Alfred Tennyson
November 19, 1850, Alfred Tennyson was named Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom. I understand that he accepted this honour on the condition that birthday odes would not be required of him.
Milestones: Fyodor Dostoyevsky
On November 16, 1849, Fyodor Dostoyevsky was sentenced to death for antigovernment activities associated with a radical intellectual circle, The Petrashevsky Circle. The Petrashevsky Circle was formed in St. Petersburg in 1840 and named after the founder, Mikhail Petrashevsky. Members held diverse political views, but all were in opposition to the Russian feudal system, whichContinue reading “Milestones: Fyodor Dostoyevsky”
Milestones: Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
November 12, 1969, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn is expelled from the Soviet Writers Union. One year later, he is awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for The Gulag Archipelago. “If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from theContinue reading “Milestones: Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn”
Celebrating Halloween with Carl Sandburg
Join me in reciting “Theme in Yellow” by Carl Sandburg! Happy Halloween!
The Poetry of Rupert Brooke
On this day in 1887, English poet Rupert Brooke, described by W.B. Yeats as “the handsomest young man in England,” is born. Rupert Chawner Brooke is known for his idealist war sonnets written at the beginning of WWI. While his poem,“The Soldier,” also known as “Nineteen-Fourteen: The Soldier” was immediately popular, looking back there isContinue reading “The Poetry of Rupert Brooke”
#KaramazovReadalong Day 1: Who is Fyodor?
The #KaramazovReadalong adventure begins with the first chapter entitled Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov. To commemorate this special date, I steeped a pot of Russian Caravan tea, which has a bold smoky taste of lapsang souchong, oolong, Assam, and puerh to accompany me on this profound journey into Russian Literature. Who is Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov? What wasContinue reading “#KaramazovReadalong Day 1: Who is Fyodor?”
Three Apples Fell From The Sky
I just finished reading Three Apples Fell From the Sky by Narine Abgaryan. My thanks go to Elisabeth Van Der Meer, from the blog, A Russian Affair, who recommended this book. Serendipity seems to bring books to me at the right time. From beginning to end, this book was an absolute joy. Amazon’s overview providesContinue reading “Three Apples Fell From The Sky”
On The Road Book Club 