Recent days have been filled with some of the worst moments of the year. Multiple acts of gun violence and extreme examples of deranged mental health and family tragedy have occupied the headlines, and my mind, along with the almost unbelievable responses to these situations by the emotional toddler who resides in what is left … Continue reading My (highly subjective) best of 2025 picks
Tag: book-review
Ann Petry’s The Street
Ever since Barbra Streisand introduced me to the pleasures of listening to audiobooks, I’ve been hooked. Generally, I seek out and borrow specific books, like my comprehensive read through/listen to all available books by Barbara Kingsolver or my recent focus upon Ann Patchett’s work. Sometimes, though, my searches are more broad. I set the filters … Continue reading Ann Petry’s The Street
A Demon disciple
I’m in the midst of doing something which I’ve never before done - I’m relistening to an audiobook. A couple of things, I think, make this remarkable. The first is that the audiobook encompasses 21+ hours of listening, a real commitment of time and attention, especially when you multiply it by two. The second is … Continue reading A Demon disciple
Writer’s tears
I’ve mentioned before that I often find myself weepy when I’m in Ireland. If you know me at all, you’re aware that’s atypical of me. I’m not known to be a crier. On the occasions that I do get teary, it’s likely to be about children and animals, not songs or physical gestures. Last week, though, … Continue reading Writer’s tears



