A Tonic for Our Times
I had a quiet birthday earlier this month with my husband and daughters, a chocolate Betty Crocker cake (hard to beat), and perhaps my favorite present of all time--this full set of books:
I started reading the first book in the series, and almost instantly it was like being in a Calgon ad. Remember those?
Eventually the book ended, and I had to return to the trauma and chaos of the Capitol insurrection and its aftermath. Nothing else managed to take me away, and I started puzzling through why, exactly, Anne of Green Gables had.
I got to talking about it with Eve, my co-host on the Book Dreams podcast, and we decided to record a mini episode discussing which books we've found to be tonics in this difficult time, and why. We hope you’ll take a listen--just click on the link below. You’ll also find the transcript there, and links to books we mention.
Maybe the months to come will require less and less palliative reading. I sure hope so. Here’s at least one occasion I’m looking forward to: The Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience is opening its doors in New Orleans this spring. In a few weeks I’ll speak with its executive director, Kenneth Hoffman, about what it was like to write a book (namely my latest middle-grade novel, Summer of Stolen Secrets) based on my own Southern Jewish experience. If you’re interested, please save the date: Sunday, February 21, from 7-8 PM CST / 8-9 PM EST. I’ll circulate a Zoom link, too.
I wish you much joyful reading in the meantime.
All the very best,
Julie
P.S. If you would like to receive updates when we release new episodes of the Book Dreams podcast, please subscribe to the podcast newsletter.
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