life, travel, stories – Join the journey, Love Raven
Dear Reader, Have you ever read Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice? While it is, perhaps, one of the most popular works of Victorian literature, it wasn’t until recently that I completed this 19th century classic. By today’s standards, the story is nothing special (stilted flirtations, courtship, matrimony, etc.), however, one thing that stood out to... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader, Do you have a favorite book? I never really did. I used to think I had favorite books, but, honestly, I just relished the task of choosing a favorite. What does it mean to have a favorite book anyway? Must you have read your favorite book more than once? Does having a favorite... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader, Do you remember the vampire movie Twilight? Even though it has been over a decade since the shiny Cullen clan sparkled on the silver screen, I bet you still remember Bella Swan, werewolves, and awkward high school drama. If you are a fan of the series, you’ve probably already heard that the author,... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader, Have you ever had the (dis-)pleasure of swiping left and right through Tinder? Dating apps — what a revolution! Even after cutting out your friends, the matchmaker, and loads of opportunities for chance encounters, dating online can still be a chore. But what if we had a better dating app? And, I’m not... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader, They say that the difference between Shakespeare’s comedies and tragedies is that comedies end in a marriage and a tragedies end in death. While I am not a bardolator, I have a similar view about certain memoirs. I have fallen down a very niche literary rabbit hole. I am currently reading memoirs that... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader, Are phone numbers numbers? This question and many more are answered in the book Humble Pi: A Comedy of Maths Errors by Matt Parker. Can a book all about numbers really be a comedy? I too was skeptical, but I assure you that the answer is a big, fat YES! Australian Matt Parker... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader, Doesn’t it sometimes seem that older books use more advanced language than our novels of today? For example, take this line from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte: I felt a drop or two of blood from my head trickle down my neck, and was sensible of somewhat pungent suffering: these sensations for the... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader, In the memoir, In the Land of Men by Adrienne Miller, the author details her life as a literary editor of Esquire magazine and the difficulties she has had to overcome to stay on top of her game in this male-dominated field. While I enjoyed learning about Miller’s life and exploring the world... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader, While the freedom of religion is a founding tenet of the United States, not all religious communities respect this choice. Several weeks ago, I read Educated by Tara Westover (review here) and learned about the author’s strict Mormon upbringing in rural Idaho and eventual escape from her cloistered lifestyle. More recently, I read... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader, We’ve all seen before and after pictures of extreme weight loss. These moments in time, however, only present you with a tiny fragment of the incredible journey. I recently finished reading It Was Me All Along by Andie Mitchell, in which she details her struggle to lose weight and keep it off. Mitchell’s... Continue Reading →
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