Holiday Reading

Becca and Bella had a post recently about D.E. Stevenson's book Miss Buncle's Book.  I had read that book many years ago while reading most of Stevenson's books.  

I like to find an author I really like then read everything they've written.  In her case, that's about 40-50 books!  I haven't read them all but a lot.  

So after reading the post referred to above, I went to my fiction collection to see if I could find Miss Buncle's Book.  Unfortunately, I didn't find it.  I do own several of Mrs. Stevenson's books; just not that one.  I called our local library to see if they were open today, and they were.  

So Darcie and I took off to the library and spend a happy forty-five minutes cruising the stacks.  I found Miss Buncle plus the stack in the photo.  I shouldn't have gotten more.  I have so many stacks already at home.  But there's just something that I can't resist about checking out books.  Call it an addiction.  It's better than drinking or smoking!

Another good book I just finished is Stealing Athena by Karen Essex.  It's about the lives of two women; one living in ancient Greece while the Parthenon is being built and the other living during the late 1700's when her husband, Lord Elgin from Scotland, removed many Greek statues from Athens and shipped them to England.  

These are called The Elgin Marbles and are on display at the British Museum in London.  I saw them while there a few years ago but didn't realize what I was seeing.  There are so many similar objects on display.  After an hour or so, they all start running together in your mind and your eyes cross.  Next time I'm in London, I'll make a point to view them.  Greece has just built a museum in Athens to house them.  I guess they plan on winning the battle over who gets them.  So I'd better hurry before they're shipping back to Greece!  I think that's where they belong though.

The other book about Lady Elgin is one I've had in my stacks for a few months.  I plan on reading it next while the other one is still fresh in my mind.  She was quite a character!

I went to the Elgin Cathedral ruins in Scotland.  I was probably very close to Lord Elgin's ancestral home.  If only I had known then....Oh well, I'll just have to go back!

I just love historical fiction.  I've learned so much history that way.  And it's so much more interesting than reading history books.  The research that authors put into their books is just amazing.  I wouldn't have the patience!  So I'll let them do all the work and I'll enjoy the fruits of their labors by reading the books.