Tennyson’s Poems, Harper’s Complete Addition, Illustrated

This is the newest book on my bookshelf. But in fact it is very old. It was published in 1870! I consider myself lucky, for I found this treasure at a thrift store and acquired it for a ridiculously low price!



What an exciting find! I was overwhelmed to think how many people had held this book in their hands; some of them are long gone. How intriguing to think who those people might have been.



The beautiful etching illustrations are so fascinating to look at.



The name Tennyson sounded familiar, but I was sure I had never read any of his work. But where could I have heard that name? As I flipped the pages, I noticed that one page was torn off but was still in the book. The Lady of Shallot was the name of the poem on the torn page. That title sounded even more familiar than the author’s name! I began to read the poem. When I came to the following lines,

Out flew the web and floated wide;
The mirror crack’d from side to side;
“The curse is come upon me,” cried
The Lady of Shalott.

the mystery was solved!

The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side is a novel by Agatha Christie, by whose work I am so fascinated!

I am looking forward to getting acquainted with Lord Tennyson’s poetry.

Monterey Bay Dunes

Last Saturday I took a day trip to Monterey Bay, California. As I walked around its beautiful dunes, The Moonstone by Willkie Collins came to mind.











There are more outdoors posts at A Southern Daydreamer Wednesday link party.

Agatha Christie’s Autobiography

I just finished reading eight hundred pages of Agatha Christie’s autobiography. I wish there were another eight hundred pages for I would’ve swallowed them in one gulp!

I am a big fan of Christie’s and have read a lot of her novels and short stories. However, I must say her autobiography is my favorite of them all! The narrative of her life is no less fascinating than her detective stories. And to me it was even more thrilling because all the events described in the book were true. What an adventurous and productive life she lived!

I read the book in a Russian (which is my native language) translation. I know one day I will read it again in the original language. There is only so much time in my life I can spend on reading, so I am always very careful when I choose a book to read. And I hardly ever read the same book again. However, this book is absolutely worth reading over. I would love to have it in my personal library (I should hint to my husband that it would make a fantastic Christmas gift), so one day when I feel like escaping my time and place, I can once again join Agatha in the journey of her life.



Dear Agatha,

How wonderful it was to spend several quiet nights with you - watching you playing at your beloved Ashfield; living with you through two World Wars; following you on your travels and adventure. How thrilling it was to learn about the way all your great detective characters came to be. When I came to the end of your autobiography, I felt sad because it was over. But I am so glad you left such a wide literary legacy for me and the world to enjoy!