Welcome to Litsy!

5 glorious ⭐️!!! Wow! I love this epistolary format, and I admire John Williams for weaving different POVs and timelines effortlessly. It‘s so lively and refreshing I could almost see all the hand gestures 🤌

#BookedinTime I am fascinated by this time period and enjoyed this audio version of Augustus told through letters and diary entries of family, friends, enemies and the man himself. That being said the cast of characters was hard to get a handle on in the beginning and the entries were not linear which added to my confusion. Of course, this might be a me problem and not the books.

Starting this for book club meeting this weekend. I have been procrastinating because this is my last John Williams. I‘m a big fan of Stoner and Butcher‘s Crossing, and I‘m sure Augustus won‘t disappoint

Final decision for our next #BookedinTime topic. Looking forward to the audio book,

The best of November. It didn‘t feel like an awesome reading month but when I sat down to choose my favorites I found it really difficult to choose!

30 audiobooks with hardcover/kindle companions. Here are 12 I‘d read or listen to again.

This is SO unusual but I finished 3 TV seasons/series this month. I loved The Sandman, Wednesday & 1899.

Did anyone watch any remarkable TV?

🎧 epistolary format! Gripping tale, bounces around in time, POV & type of content.

It covers 60-ish years between the death of Julius Cesar to the death of his great nephew/adopted son Octavius AKA Emperor Augustus who took over at the age of 18 & died at 76.

The political scheming! Julia, the daughter of Augustus! Maneuvering & positioning by marriage/divorce & then being bartered off to marry someone you hate. It was crazy! Duty.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Library loans I‘ve gotten without waiting on hold?! Well. Hello November! 😁 A mixed bag … they looked interesting last night ... has anyone read any of these?

Best historical novel I‘ve ever read.

More stuff I hope to get to in 2021. Cautiously optimistic that it can be done. We'll see!

https://open.spotify.com/show/6A6hXZ7eaOG7BtHOSJpCTI?si=G_jbkpu5SBucN6P9n3H94w

These are all the books I read this month.

Better than last month I suppose but still slacking 😕 gonna struggle to meet my GR reading challenge this year if I don't pick up the pace

It is fortunate that youth never recognizes its ignorance, for if it did it would not find the courage to get the habit of endurance. It is perhaps an instinct of the blood and flesh which prevents this knowledge and allows the boy to become the man who will live to see the folly of his existence.

A man may live like a fool for a year, and become wise in a day.

Mankind in the aggregate I have found to be brutish, ignorant and unkind, whether those qualities were covered by the coarse tunic of the peasant or the white and purple toga of a senator. And yet in the weakest of men, in moments when they are alone and themselves, I have found veins of strength like gold in decaying rock; in the cruelest of men, flashes of tenderness and compassion; and in the vainest of men, moments of simplicity and grace.

...the moralist is the most useless and contemptible of creatures. He is useless in that he would expend his energies upon making judgments rather than upon gaining knowledge, for the reason that judgment is easy and knowledge is difficult. He is contemptible in that his judgments reflect a vision of himself which in his ignorance and pride he would impose upon the world. I implore you, do not become a moralist; you will destroy your mind.

One does not deceive oneself about the consequences of one's acts; one deceives oneself about the ease with which one can live with those consequences.

#augustwrapup

The next several are books I picked up at a thrift shop for three dollars or less apiece. This is by the author of Stoner, one of the best novels I've ever read - this one is quite different, set in ancient Rome.

Superlative! Regret not having discovered Williams' work earlier. Such a joy to read!

This book was #recommendedby my boyfriend (who doesn't read, but read this one because it was for free and digital...). I have to say he has good taste 👍

Today is Saturday and that means another bookpair for #historymonth! This time we turn to the Roman Republic. Mary Beard has written an amazing book on the history of ancient Rome. It is huge and very detailed but well worth the read. The republic officially came to an end when Augustus became the first roman emperor. John Williams has written a lovely fiction book about his life. It is made up out of fake letters and diary entries. I loved it!

tolles buch

Good news for me! My first selection of books to bring to Switzerland weighs only 6 kilograms 😍 after I'm done packing I'll probably stuff in more wherever I can! (If needed leave many unnecessary things, likes shoes and whatever behind! 😝😝) Shampoo and stuff I'll just buy there

My family and friends (except @Noonnie who helped me pick a selection) think I'm crazy! Some even told me to get a Kindle.. not my thing though..

A true friend= someone who knows you like books, who knows your kind of books, forgets your language preference is English hihi 😍 so thankful to one of my best friends who came to visit me today ❤️

Might take some getting used to, reading in my native tongue, but can't wait to get started! 😍📚

Endnu en fantastisk John Williams roman