Chaletmomma

Hi Friends as we all gear up for Thanksgiving this week I’m sharing my annual installment of Thankful for the Written Word. Last year I wrote about Books I was thankful were in my permanent collection. This year I’m sharing titles I was fortunate to enjoy in 2018.

This is a building which holds a special place in my heart. I grew up visiting the Library weekly with my mother. Rita was a avid reader and would read multiple titles a week. If my mother wasn’t doing laundry or cooking - you found her reading.

I volunteer and am treasurer of the Libraries Friend Group - we work to defray costs and purchase materials that are not in the Municipal budget. A library is the cornerstone of any community. I sincerly hope you have a library card.

I have a basket under my desk filled with books I want to read - lent to me predominantly by my sister - in addition I’m borrowing from the library and if anyone sees me with my earbuds in - I can pretty much guarantee I’m listening to a book through the app Hoopla.

So let’s get down to the list: all titles are linked to Goodreads.

Mrs. Queen Takes the Train: What might happen if the Queen wandered off for a day.
Secrets of a Charmed Life: Makes you think about history on a personal level. Hard to put down
Commonwealth: Stirs caring for these souls in a profound way. Hard to put down
️Stars over Sunset Boulevard: A not always friendly look at friendship.
️Brain on Fire: A riveting true medical mystery. Hard to put down
What Remains: A Memoir of Fate, Friendship, and Love: She lost her best friends and husband within weeks of each other. Hard to put down
️Daughter of Empire: Enjoyable memoir of Pamela Mountbatten Hicks childhood growing up in England and India.
The Little Book of Hygge: I always thought we lived Hygge in the Chalet and we do!
️A Man Called Ove: He pulls you in just as he is pulled in by those around him. Hard to put down.
The Paris Secret: A hunt for the truth about priceless Art.
Library at the Edge of the World: I felt myself rooting for Hanna to claim her place.
The Hidden Kennedy Daughter: Without this tragedy the Special Olympics would not exist.
️Killing Monica: I have always been a Candace Bushnell fan. This book did not disappoint.
White Chrysanthemum: I was unfamiliar with the history of Japans invasion of Korea and of girls stolen from their families. This story is gripping and hit home with me as a sister and a woman. Hard to put down.
Lady Fortescue Steps Out/ Miss Tonks Turns to Crime/ Mrs. Budley Falls from Grace/ Sir Phillip’s Folly/ Colonel Sandhurst to the Rescue/ Back in Society: These six titles are The Poor Relations Series A delightful series of books taking place during Regency Era London (1811–1820 ) I equally enjoyed listening to the British accents and their escapades.
Fortune's Children: The Fall of the House of Vanderbilt This is an all encompassing history of the Vanderbilt family: I found very interesting.
The Glitter and the Gold - Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan: After reading Fortune’s Children it was interesting to hear directly from a daughter of privilege.
️What Alice Forgot: What would you do if you woke up and had lost ten years of your life?
️Every Crooked Nanny: Detective book with a softer edge.
️Revenge Wears Prada: hum…. I found myself thinking “What happened to Andy Sachs???”
️The Shoemakers Wife: I can’t express how much I enjoyed these characters. I listened to this on Hoopla and was really sad when it was over. (I was sad when I finished The Perfume Collector and Rare Objects last year too.) All three are Hard to put down.
️Benjamin Franklin Autobiography: I enjoyed hearing his take on himself - I also watched the History Channel’s documentary to fill in missing details and learn more.
Capital Gains: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff: Chip Gaines is a very motivating personality. This book should be shared. So enjoyable.
Mary Poppins: What I know - is Mary does not suffer fools gladly; at times she’s a bit callous and Mr. Disney definitely softened her. It’s an interesting read - that’s for sure!
Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune: A fascinating story of the reclusive heiress - daughter of copper magnate W. A. Clark, she owned mansions she never set foot in. It’s a mystery that I’m still reading!

I continue to recommend my Top Pick from 2017:

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper: A sweet tale of discovery.

Also, I would be remiss if I failed to mention my most beloved title from Childhood:

The Christmas Mouse: This lovely tale still enchants me about the best in human nature.

Happy Thanksgiving - I hope your time with loved ones is wonderful and filled with fun!

Til next time!

In thinking about this weeks post I looked around the chalet and immediately I knew -

BOOKS.

like my quote? feel free to use it -HA! i am someone who can never do one of anything... not a single scoop of ice cream, not one glass of prosecco or only one piece of art #saynotoemptywalls i collect books to read, to admire, to live with.

i am a bookjunkie.

Liam is enrolled in a weekly gardening club at our library. so of course i bring home books... on top of the books i have in the TOBEREAD basket under my roll-top desk and the books i am currently listening to through the Hoopla app.

if you're new around the chalet you may not have heard of my Hoopla love! as my time gets eaten up with chaletmomma-ing, work, volunteering etc... it's lovely to listen to a book while i do my merry-maid impression or take a walk (the weather warmed up - i started walking again - break out the confetti! ha).

Heirloom Modern by Hollister Hovey was a must get after Gwen Heffner the makerista storied about her copy on IG. it's filled with amazing images and much beloved objects. this book is right up my alley.

in the past few months i have added volumes through thrifting.- the Van Gogh, America and Alfred Stieglitz, Faberge - these along with others picked up while shopping and museum vising are taking up residence on the porch side table - until i can figure out where they will live

such problems!

i stumbled across this amazing life history of Charles Dicken's - one of my favorite authors in the clearance section (tear on the cover) of my Home Sense store. it has fold out sleeves that contain replicas of documents from his life! i mean it doesn't get any better than this!

combining history and kitch - what could be better! reminds me of author Nick Bantock his stuff is so creative. his Griffin and Sabine series is magical. check it out....

i read Truman Capote works : A Christmas Memory and The Thanksgiving Visitor last year and i'm so pleased to add this to my permanent collection!

here's what i've been reading - I enjoyed each! the only thing i am not a fan of is scary - no Stephen King for this momma. although - i do own Caleb Carr but, the titles i love are based in Manhattan during the turn of the last century - i am a huge fan of historical fiction - now i have to mention two more books from my collection - that feel similar - The Waterworks by E.L. Doctorow and Time and Again by Jack Finney.

current read:

Rosemary the Hidden Kennedy Daughter.

list of my recent favorites:

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper - a sweet tale of discovery.
Secrets of a Charmed Life - makes you think about history on a personal level.
A Man Called Ove - he pulls you in just as he is pulled in by those around him.
Commonwealth - stirs caring for these souls in a profound way.