"Captain Tartan, In the Library . . . "

Greetings,

I find simple day-to-day rituals to be incredibly reassuring. I love the ritual of drawing the drapes in my bedroom every night as I get ready for bed. Making one last cup of herbal tea. With a little sugar, and a splash of cream (or more likely some 2% milk.) Curled up in a great pair of vintage pajamas - and grabbing a book from the nightstand.

And every spring, one of my rituals is re-reading some of my favourite books. I have friends who NEVER re-read book. What? I put them in the same category as the people who never see a movie more than once. It's only a small group of people. And I don't understand them.

I treasure re-reading books. Feeling the tousled pages against my fingertips. Seeing written notes in my own handwriting. Discovering something new. Seeing different motivations. Feeling the warm memory of re-visiting well-loved characters. and locations. and emotions.

Whilst the house is in complete remodeling upheaval, the one shining light of organization is my library. So tonight, I'm getting some books ready for the next several weeks of reading - and here's a few favourites just waiting for me . . .

"The Woman Who Gave Birth to Rabbits"

by Emma Donoghue

A wonderful collection of short stories based on odd bits of English and Irish folklore and obscure trials from the 1800's. Whimsical. Imaginative. Heartbreaking.

"Elle Minnow Pea. A Novel in Letters"

by Mark Dunn

I love the written language. And I love letters. And this sweet, effortless tale explores both worlds. Imagine a world where we begin to lose letters from our alphabet? Could we survive without the letter 'n?' Or the letter 'q?'

"Icefields"

by Thomas Wharton.

The book opens with a small band of explorers trekking across a glacier. One lone man slips and falls into a cravasse - a sees a winged human figure buried in the ice. And a romantic, mysterious tale unwinds from that one random occurrence.

"The Daughter of Time"

by Josephine Tey

A breathtaking re-telling and investigation into the story of Richard III.

Smart and wonderfully constructed.

"Me Talk Pretty One Day"

by David Sedaris

My hope if that you've already read this once. Or twice. Or maybe monthly. And if you've never read the works of the ever-brilliant Mr. Sedaris, this is one of my all-time favourites. One of the reasons that I need to read this in the privacy of my own home - it's 'laugh-out-loud' funny. No seriously - there are times I've embarrassed myself - guffawing in public. On a plane. At Starbucks.

"Brideshead Revisited"

by Evelyn Waugh

This is one of the few books that I've read SO many times, I might be able to simply recite it from cover to cover. The beautiful romance of England between the wars. And an exploration of love. and ambition.

complete with a teddy bear, named Aloysius.

"Pride and Prejudice"

by Jane Austen

Just read it.

I firmly believe that reading Austen makes you a better person. That's what I'm hanging all of my hopes on.

So tell me - what are some of your favourites? There's always room for more books.

cheers,

tartanscot