Last week, I happened to remember a book from my childhood, given to me by my great-grandfather who was as crazy about rocks as I am. His...

Song Without Words ,  The Photograhs and Diaries  of  Countess  Sophia Tolstoy , by Leah Bendavid-Val, is a fascinating book published...

In a good bookroom you feel,  in some mysterious way,  that you are absorbing the wisdom  contained in all the books through your sk...

My daughter, Elspeth, recently gave me a signed copy of Maira Kalman's delightful book, And the Pursuit of Happiness .  She...

If what Proust says is true, that happiness is the absence of fever, then I will never know happiness.  For I am possessed by a fever for k...

He spots gold leaf on faded linen a forgotten sparkle bound in dust confidently pulls it to him, gently soothes the dark ...

That's the effect of living backwards, the Queen said kindly: it always makes one  a little giddy at first--Living backwards!  Alice rep...

As is turns out, Santa knew I was a good little girl this year, and surprised me with an extra generous visit. He has the most exquisite tas...

Now comes the days of brown leaves. They fall from the trees. They flutter on the ground. When the leaves flutter, they are saying little th...

At the suggestion of my friend John Hayes, of Robert Frost's Banjo fame, I added several of pioneer French filmmaker Agnes Varda's ...

Said the Almond to the Raisin, Don't you think we ought to marry? I am sure 'twould be as well, though you have lost your juices, an...

Back in March, my Aussie journalist friend, David McMahon asked me if I would be kind enough to read his latest novel, Muskoka Maharani , P...

The nickel dinner would, in periods of poverty, be gratifying indeed. Then, during those too chance bonanza moments, the same dinner could b...

Remember a few weekends ago, when I saw The Last Station at the charming little Drexel Theater in Bexley? They happened to have a box of ...

At the manor, we like to call out the name of a favorite actor, director, or designer we might happen to see in the opening credits of a fil...

Did anyone else enjoy the evening of pen pal flicks on Turner Classic Movies last night? The opening film was one of my all time faves, 84,...

So, what did I do on my birthday? I went to one of my most favorite places in town, Karen Wickliff Books . I was in complete book heaven fo...

Wildeve , was kind enough to send me this great book by Patrick   Tracey . There were some unusual synchronicities, which she took as a sign...

I recently won a cool book ( The Huffington Post Complete Guide to Blogging ) over at All I Ever Wanted . (Thanks, Linda Sue!) If you don...

Each moment in time we have it all, even when we think we don't. Melody Beattie Codependence is described as a disease that origina...