blogis librorum. A blog about books. Rare books.

Children’s books are loved by people of all ages, not just kids. Some of the most loved books in this genre are from author Virginia Lee Burton. Her seven books all have whimsical drawings and an appeal that even modern children are drawn to, despite being written over 50 years ago. Burton’s talent was recognized in 1942 when she was awarded the Caldecott Medal for her fourth book, The Little House. Since then, Burton’s work has enthralled and inspired generations of children, adults, and collectors.

     

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Read a Book Day is one of the best days of the year, other than, perhaps, Talk Like a Pirate Day. Celebrated on September 6, Read a Book Day encourages everyone, both book lovers and ambivalent readers, to read, and it provides yet another excuse to sit down with a good book and escape from the world. It can be difficult to narrow down what to read in a day when there are so many options. From YA to classics, here are ten possibilities to consider when choosing a book to read in a day.

     

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Sentences can bring both joy and pain. The joy brought from a well crafted sentence lasts far longer than the pain a poorly written one inflicts on readers. Even when a beautiful sentence helps readers feel the pain present in the work, the contentment felt when remembering the beauty of the sentence far outweighs the momentary fleetingness of the emotion. It is the word choice, the flow, the structure, and the skill of the author that all combine to create something truly beautiful. We all have sentences we love. Certain elements draw each of us to different authors and sentences, much like how some prefer mountains over the ocean, but we all can appreciate when the written word is crafted with such skill and grace to elicit a sense of beauty. We wrote a post about ten of the most beautiful sentences in literature nearly three years ago now. Since sentences are subjective, we thought it was time for another round. So, without further ado, here are ten of my favorite sentences in literature to add to the list. 

     

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Cooking is a skill everyone must utilize with varying degrees of success. There are people who struggle to turn on the correct stove burner when making pasta, others who are able to manage something edible, and some who create food to be savored, not just eaten. But after the skill-less, mediocre, and expert, there is another type of cook. These cooks are able to bring about new innovations and introduce previously foreign tastes to the public. One such cook was Julia Child who is credited with introducing French cuisine to the American public through her cookbooks and television shows.

     

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Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë are sisters of great literary skill. All three are still published authors over 100 years after their deaths. The novels they produced explore the intricacy of human nature and the effect one person can have on others. Their lives provide examples of the difficult life faced by citizens in Industrial Age England. Before being published, the sisters were forced to be teachers and governesses. Once they started seeking publication, they were forced to use male pseudonyms in order to be published. All three died from causes treatable with modern medicine. Through their writing and, by extent, their lives, Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë give readers a glimpse into the life of well-educated, intelligent women in the Victorian Era.

     

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