Tuesday, February 28, 2023

February Book Report: In Praise of Miss Read

On the first day of this month, I woke up early and as I lay in the darkness I remembered to say “white rabbit, white rabbit” before I got out of bed.  I won’t say that I expected good luck to join me for the month, though I did hope as much.  Alas, that is not how the day played out.

Most of my plans for February were set aside so that I could fly West and spend time with my family, and especially take time with my mom.  To look after my own heart, I turned to my favorite Miss Read books, Changes in Fairacre and Thrush Green.  These series are beloved favorites for me, stories that I have read again and again.  I find friendship and familiarity in the lives of the characters who live in these imaginary places.  



Changes in Fairacre takes place just past the midpoint of the Fairacre series and is full of reminders about the comforts still to be found amidst the fragility of life.  As Miss Read settles into the cottage she has inherited after the death of her dear friend Dolly Clare, she remembers her with a sweet fondness, and determines to move forward to enjoy life.  It was a message that was especially timely for me this month.

Thrush Green is the first of the Thrush Green series and I first read it in the Summer of 2006, a very hard time for me.  That year, the book was a great comfort.  When I reread it now, it’s both a comfort and a reminder of how strong I can be when the need arises.

These familiar novels were the backbone of my reading this month.  They were both companion and comfort as I thought about my Dad and the fragility of life.  Being strong when it’s called for is my superpower.  In my favorite books, I find the strength that I need to see me through the hard parts of life.

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