A Well Read Life

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase is the story of two cousins, Bonnie and Sylvia Green. After Bonnie’s parents are lost at sea, they become the wards of Mr. Green's cousin Miss Slighcarp. Miss Slighcarp sends them off to a children’s home from which they must escape with the help of Simon the Goose Boy. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase is a lovely book filled with humor, heart, and adventure.

I have loved Jane Austen's books since I was a teenager. I've always thought of her books as romances or at the least romantic comedies, but after recently re-reading her books, I'm wondering if I have misjudged Jane Austen's works for years.

A secret garden. A buried key. A spoiled and selfish child must find the hidden key to a wild and neglected garden and make it thrive once more. The Secret Garden is a delightful children's classic filled with mystery, redemption, hope, and beauty.

Barbara Robinson's classic Christmas story, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, is a book I reach for year after year. It is written with humor and heart, and it always manages to surprise me.

Wendell Berry's moving account of a woman's life spanning the years between the Depression-early 2000. A contemplative book that shows the value of place and belonging. 

As a child, did you spend the summer days exploring? Gerald Durrell's memoir, My Family and Other Animals, is filled with the adventures he had as a boy studying the natural world on the island of Corfu. After reading it, I suddenly have a desire to go exploring in my backyard.

Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster was another of my favorite childhood books. My mom first shared this book with me at a critical time in my childhood, and Judy Abbot quickly became one of favorite heroines. I read the book countless times over the years. But with a few years gap since last reading it, lately I've been wondering if I will still love the book as an adult. 

Bram Stoker's classic vampire tale. A story of good versus evil.
Podcast mentioned in this episode:
A Good Story is Hard to Find Episode 168

The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes tells a surprisingly poignant story of forgiveness and grace.

A quick introduction to A Well Read Podcast.