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
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