Tag Archives: History

Leaving Ireland

Posted on March 5, 2019 by

They left to escape the famine, poverty, an oppressive colonial government, then the violence of rebellion and civil war. They left to find work, to send money home to their families, to find opportunities in the big industrial cities far … Continue reading →

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On My Bookshelf – The Marxist Brontes?

Posted on January 23, 2019 by

Myths of Power: A Marxist Study of the Brontes by Terry Eagleton, published in 1975. Quite what this book is doing on my bookshelf I have no idea. I must have acquired it long, long ago judging by the antique … Continue reading →

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Streaming Royal History

Posted on January 9, 2019 by

Did you enjoy The Crown on Netflix or Victoria on PBS Masterpiece Theater? Then check out my latest library blog listing related reading for fans of the series.

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My Favorite Books of 2018

Posted on December 17, 2018 by

Of the fifty odd books I read this year I’ve picked a handful of favorites, all but one published this year. My two fiction choices are both beautifully written stories of wartime, one set on the Eastern front in World … Continue reading →

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On Thanksgiving and Guy Fawkes Day

Posted on November 21, 2018 by

One of the oddest questions I’ve been asked since moving to the U.S. is “Do you celebrate Thanksgiving in England?” Yes, this was a real question. I resisted the temptation to answer “Yes, we celebrate that the Puritans left and … Continue reading →

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Resistance in World War II

Posted on October 3, 2018 by

My latest blog for my former professional home, Montgomery County Public Libraries, is a companion piece to my post on Churchill’s V sign. I introduce a selection of books on World War II resistance in Europe and reveal my favorite … Continue reading →

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My Love Affair with Gerard Manley Hopkins

Posted on September 3, 2018 by

Last Saturday I watched the funeral service for Senator John McCain at the National Cathedral. I really tuned in because I wanted to hear President Obama’s eulogy, but I was soon drawn in by the beauty and dignity of the … Continue reading →

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The Darkest Hour, The Suspect V

Posted on August 22, 2018 by

I finally got to watch the much lauded film The Darkest Hour last weekend. Gary Oldman’s performance as Winston Churchill certainly deserved the Oscar Award for Best Actor. Equally deserving were the creative group who won the Oscar for Makeup. … Continue reading →

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The Amazing True History of Yankee Doodle

Posted on July 3, 2018 by

To celebrate the July 4th holiday I reprise the amazing true story of an American patriotic song, first published in The Dabbler on June 3rd 2015. Could it be that Yankee Doodle Dandy started out as a British insult? In … Continue reading →

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The Cousins Lunch

Posted on June 19, 2018 by

“Let me get this straight,” said my husband as he dropped me off at our local Metro station. “You’re going to New York to meet a guy you met on the internet?” We laughed. What he said was literally true, … Continue reading →

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