I am still working through the last clue of the Larissa Brown’s mystery shawl. I have some blocking of the pieces to get done (and a pattern update on dimensions just dropped yesterday) so in the mean time I am being entirely distracted with a Linen Ranunculus. The photo above is an hour or so of knitting, so I think this sweater will knit up quickly! AND it will be the perfect summer sweater! (and yes, I am totally copying these sweater mods)
This yarn is just incredibly yummy!
I have really hit my reading stride this week! No bingo’s yet, but I should have my first one in the next day or two!
Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I started this book and almost stopped reading it because I wasn’t sure I needed a rambling stream of conscious book right now. And then it clicked. Perfectly. Or rather, imperfectly.
Three things no one has ever said about me: You make it look so easy.
If you have spent any amount of time looking at your life wondering why everyone else’s life is perfect and yours is just, well, not. This is the book that will validate you and have you feeling good about it by the time you are finished. I wish I had read this book when I had three small children and contemplating divorce. I too was living in the Little Theater of Hurt Feelings as well, but I wish that I knew the name of if while I was there!
This could have been my Christmas Letter, had I ever made the effort to send one:
Dear Family and Friends, It is the year of the bugs. It is the year of the pig. It is the year of losing money. It is the year of getting sick. It is the year of no book. It is the year of no music. It is the year of turning 5 and 39 and 37. It is the year of Wrong Living. That is how we will remember it if it ever passes. With love and holiday wishes.
Now I am looking at all those Christmas Letters I got and wondering…
I highly recommend this brilliant little book.
The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz by Erik Larson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Early Quarantine Days Me just could not settle into this book at all. I would pick it up and read a page or two and zone out.
So I put it down and waited. And about the 10th of May, I picked it up and started again and it all just clicked this time… and I suddenly found myself needing to pace my reading to make it last!
This is a brilliantly written book about Churchill and the Blitz of London. I thought when I started the book the first time that I would end up disliking Churchill, but I can tell you that is absolutely not true, in fact – I might love him even more!
If you like history you will enjoy this book. If you love history, you will love settling into the days with Winston, and you will appreciate the insight, the conversations, and all the things that are not in history books.
The preface gives a hint at the splendor to come:
Although at times it may appear to be otherwise, this book is a work of nonfiction. Anything between quotation marks comes from some form of historical document, be it a diary, letter, memoir, or other artifact; any reference to a gesture, gaze, or smile, or any other facial reaction, comes from an account by one who witnessed it. If some of what follows challenges what you have come to believe about Churchill and this era, may I just say that history is a lively abode, full of surprises.
AMEN! If you read nothing else this year, but this book on your list! I highly recommend!
And that is all I have for this week! If you wrote a post to share, please leave your link below and thank you for joining us!
The Dept of Speculation sounds perfect for me – thanks for the rec! And I have Splendid and the Vile sitting beside me RIGHT NOW – I am so excited!!
My comment froze before I could finish it – sorry!!
I just wanted to add that I hope you’re doing well!
The Splendid and the Vile sounds like a good read – thanks! And your Ranunculus in linen is going to be so lovely. Happy mid-week Kat!
very pretty knitting. I have knit with linen a few times and like the results when I am done. My friend (IRL) made that pattern many times and it is gorgeous to see in person!!
I keep meaning to read something Erik Larsen has written because his books are always raved about. I think I need to move this one to the top of the list!
I really enjoyed Dept. of Speculation — and I’ve heard good things about The Splendid and the Vile. My reading is “clicking” more these days, too. A very good thing! 🙂 I am going to watch your new sweater with great interest. I have a bunch of Kestrel just sitting in my stash — and I never seem able to figure out what to do with it! Maybe your Ranunculus will be my inspiration????
Ooh, that Ranunculus looks summery squishy and like it is providing almost instant gratification! I can almost imagine how that sweater will look when you model it; it’s so you! And I can’t thank you enough for your reviews. I’ve got some good books to read, but I’m in a slight post-Apeirogon funk — nothing I’m reading is measuring up. These two books sound like they may come close and are going on my list. Thanks!
Thanks for the reading suggestions. I put The Splendid and the Vile on my to read after the Book Passage interview with Larson. My mom was just a toddler during the London blitz so I’m intrigued by this and watching The Crown also had me wanting to know more about Churchill.
Must read those books!!!
Both of those books look interesting! As soon as my library opens back up, I will pick up both of those.
I finally (!) finished my Hitchhiker. Yay! On to finish my 2017 (???) Fugue in Mosaic Minor by Kirsten Kapur. I absolutely LOVE my yarn, it is by Mrs. Crosby Satchel.
Have you decided on the pattern(s) you’re going to use on those baby blankets?
Hooray for distraction. Knit away on that lovely summer sweater. The Splendid and the Vile is on my list to read. I have read some of Larson’s work and enjoyed every one.
Lovely shawl so far!
Loving the yarn for your Ranunculus…I think I scrolled back up to that about a half-dozen times 🙂 And hooray for some 5-star book recs! I have finally gotten back in my groove–though still a few squares away from a Bingo. Rainy weekend coming up…that should give me a boost.
The Splendid and the Vile , I too thought was fantastic! Eric Larsen is a wonderful author and has not let me down once. I’m going to start Dead Wake by E.Larsen. Hope
you have a good week.
I managed to resist the temptation of Melissa’s Ranunculous last year … wonder if I can do the same this year?! and woot! for TWO 5-star reads. I am a fan of Churchill and look forward to checking out Larson’s latest.