January was incredibly busy for me as I returned to my admissions work at the university. Of course, January was also incredibly cold this winter which makes hunkering down at my desk in front of two computer screens far more palatable. This weekend, we hit freezing during the day, meaning I could hear the birds outside the window in the morning and the deer came to rest in the sun.
Days are lengthening. To be sure the progress is slow but nonetheless still noted and embraced.
I am still reading Winter Bloom but thought I would share these works before the cold weather passes. (Yes, it will pass.) All three are easy and enjoyable reads perfect for this time of year, especially in front of the fire or curled up beneath a down comforter.
I did find the third book, Winter Garden, particularly moving. It takes the reader back to the Seige of Leningrad undertaken by the Germans in WWII, during one of the coldest winters on record, in the form of a fairy tale. Both creative and compelling, I think I was really able to relate to the story line due to my German heritage and memories of days spent in the Eastern Block and Soviet Union before the Iron Curtain fell.
As usual, I have a trio of books to share. These fiction works all revolve around the theme of winter. In line with James Baldwin's words, reading is a wonderful way to share experiences across space and time, including that of a long and difficult winter. Take a peek:“You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me the most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, who had ever been alive.” James Baldwin
I am still reading Winter Bloom but thought I would share these works before the cold weather passes. (Yes, it will pass.) All three are easy and enjoyable reads perfect for this time of year, especially in front of the fire or curled up beneath a down comforter.
I did find the third book, Winter Garden, particularly moving. It takes the reader back to the Seige of Leningrad undertaken by the Germans in WWII, during one of the coldest winters on record, in the form of a fairy tale. Both creative and compelling, I think I was really able to relate to the story line due to my German heritage and memories of days spent in the Eastern Block and Soviet Union before the Iron Curtain fell.
I so appreciate how reading connects us to our humanity in its most flawed and heroic forms. Music can do so, too. After finishing Winter Garden on a cold but clear winter night, I was reminded of the song Leningrad by Billy Joel , a master storyteller in his own right. Connections and more connections and more connections to come.
