coming out of my shell

coming out of my shell
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

I'm thankful for history books

I refuse to admit to depression in the face of this wild U.S. roller coaster ride. That's what he wants. My fear, of course, is that the roller coaster hasn't been maintained properly and a crash is imminent. 

I've been amusing myself reading a history of 14th century Europe. It was a time of petty tyrants, violence, and chaos. The book is "A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century" by Barbara W. Tuchman. Fabulous read, albeit a bit slow. I spend a lot of time pulling out my phone to google things like the Beghards, or Charles V. It's quite the learning experience. Why I need to learn anything more is not really clear to me; however, it's fun. (That's the depression I'm pretending not to have speaking. Ignore her).

It's hard to describe why I find this book so comforting. I guess I am reminded that history is cyclical, and time marches on. Things change.  

My foray into the 14th Century has been so encouraging, that I just ordered a used hardcopy of "Europe: A History" by Norman Davies. That one goes all the way back to the cave men. I can't wait. I just wish it was available as an ebook. It's 1200 pages, and going to be physically uncomfortable to read.  

How do you manage reading actual books that are so darn heavy? 


Monday, May 23, 2022

Chewing on a memory

My husband bought a loaf of sourdough bread at the farmer's market. This morning I was lazy, and I didn't want to make breakfast. I wanted to grab something. I grabbed a piece of now almost stale sourdough. So good! As often happens, I chewed on more than just the bread.  

This "madeleine moment" reminded of the book Heidi, which made a strong impression on me as a child.  In this case, I remembered Heidi and her grandfather ate bread and cheese for breakfast. I may have cheese later. For now I'm just eating the plain bread, allowing my mind to wander.  

I may read that book again. There was a strong class consciousness throughout, and it may have been my introduction to class and inequality.  At least to an inequality that was clearly defined. Feelings, fears, and suspicions were justified. I have never been the same.   


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