Enjoyed reading the story of a spiritual journey as I hopped around the beautiful beaches of Southern Thailand. Hesse has written a thought-provoking tale that depicts Eastern philosophy through a Western lens, which goes to show the universality of the infinite quest that makes up the human experience. I love matching up genres with travels, and am glad I learned more about Buddhist ideology and these amazing cultures. #booksaroundtheworld

Taking in the awe-inspiring beauty of Cambodia, from its vibrant and warm culture to the incredible temples~~all accompanied by this lovely little book, which is helping me dive into the spirituality of Buddhist belief and understand this all on a much deeper level. Truly humbled and in love with this side of the world! #booksaroundtheworld

Because gothic tales can be read and enjoyed in all seasons, anywhere ;) This was a captivating, short read by James! This time, it's not a tale packed with supernatural and grotesque suspension--instead it focuses on a dark, psychological progression that leaves the reader making their own assumptions as the mystery gets deeper. Fit for readers who are looking for a slow creeper rather than consistent suspenseful moments! #booksaroundtheworld

Many of the books that I read on Victorian Murder referenced this work, as De Quincey followed the crimes of his era and often wrote on them. I have realized we don't talk about the 19th century as a time when drug addiction was a problem like it is today; but the powers of opium made its way through the population, affecting some of the great writers we know. I wanted to learn more. I had to pick this up when I came across it-- I'm happy I did!

I am so happy I stumbled across this gem in the Amazon "suggestions" section. As a researcher in literature, I often get lost in the middle/upper class understanding of Victorian life as presented to me in the novels I read. This work brings to light the majority of the Victorian population (working class) and depicts their daily life, giving an intimate feel of their constant struggle to survive and their endless endurance through it all. ♡

This quote still gives me butterflies. The mastermind behind this and so many enriching novels that continue to culture our population died 200 years ago today. Happy bicentennial, Miss Jane Austen ♡
#janeausten200

An Italian beach with a side of Victorian nonfiction has summertime written all over it ☆
#booksaroundtheworld

Off I go on another two month trek across Europe and Asia! Never without a book in hand, of course (and quite a few more being hauled on my back) ;) Excited to bring back #booksaroundtheworld to the Litten community!

Wow, finishing this book was so bittersweet. I couldn't put it down, but never wanted it to end at the same time! What a thoughtful, well-researched, intimate portrait of Queen Victoria's life and reign. As a researcher of the Victorian era, my reading of the Queen's biography was long past due. I am so grateful that I waited for the right moment and the right book to truly understand this woman from a deeper perspective. This is a MUST read! ♡♡♡

When you finally get the nerve to go to the optometrist and this happens....life will never be the same again. At least I satisfy the aesthetics of the quintessential English PhD student, I suppose!

When you match your outfits with your books more than you do with any person...

Book 3/3 (the closing) of my Victorian murder binge: a book that doesn't focus merely on the act of murder, but rather society's reaction to death itself. It contains a myriad of newspaper articles discussing the most fashionable, unique, and downright strange Victorian mourning customs, with everything from laugh/cringe worthy moments to even the most touching stories. PS: the book tagged is not the one--this book hasn't been added to Litsy yet!

When you realize your book matches your outfit and you feel like the coolest person around town ;)

Book two in my 19th century murder history binge: I LOVED this one. 466 pages packed with every last grisly detail behind the most (and least) infamous murders of the epoch, their repercussions and effect on society, as well as the everlasting impact they had on literature. I am a sucker for alternative history on the Victorian Era, and I definitely geeked out about how much I learned from this book. On to murder book number three!

Nothing like a relaxing weekend off mixed with my favorite sidekick and a 19th-century murder reading binge ♡

Book one in my 19th century murder history series: solid book, although could've been better. It provides insightful information about murder in the height of romanticism and intertwines real crimes with the leading gothic writers of the time. Although at times the order was sporadic and the quotation excessive, it was nevertheless an enjoyable read and a unique investigation of the lesser known murders and their influence on literary history.

Oh Wilson, how you understand me!

When you go to buy ONE book on Amazon and then just glance down for a moment at the "suggestions".....looks like I'm back in my phase of reading all there is to know about the Victorian's fascination with murder and crime! :D #sorrynotsorry

I've been a sorry excuse for a litten lately! Life got crazy for a bit, and I'm happy to be settled into the habit of reading on my daily ferry commute into the city. I'm back at it ♡ Anyway, Forster did it again with this one! Always a genius at creating eloquent, satirical societal investigations--never ashamed of critiquing the absurd parts of the colonial nature within his own English culture. Not to mention, one of my most cherished covers!

This week, I've been rather silent on Litsy as I've returned to my dear Italy before my trek back to California and instead of reading, I've been reflecting on my travels and updating my travel journal. It's been a refreshing three months of travel, leisurely reading, and bookstore scavenging. But I'm excited to move onto my next adventure moving to work in San Francisco for the next three months! Stay tuned for the best of Californian bookshops;)

Everybody on my newsfeed all over social media seems to have already seen Beauty and the Beast and I'm stuck in places where I can't find it in the original language version!! So while the anticipation is killing me, I am indulging in my memory from a couple days ago where I nerded out and felt just like Belle walking with my books in and out of bookstores in provincial France ♡♡

Almost 100 years later...."The IOU," one of F. Scott Fitzgerald's recently uncovered "lost stories," was published by "The New Yorker" and is available to readers for the first time!! It's a satirical short story that is quite different from the conventional Fitzgerald reads~~but eloquently mocks the fake news in 1920's America. It's hysterically relatable to modern times, not to mention an enjoyable little read for all Fitzgerald fans!

"Every smile hid a yawn of boredom, every joy a curse, all pleasure satiety, and the sweetest kisses left upon your lips only the unattainable desire for a greater delight."
I finished the novel yesterday, & found myself in small town France today. I couldn't help thinking: "Would Emma Bovary grow bored of this quaint beauty as well?" While she has detestable tendencies, Emma is like no other heroine of 19th-century fiction. #booksaroundtheworld

"And Emma tried to find out what one meant exactly in life by the words felicity, passion, rapture, that had seemed to her so beautiful in books."

I've hunkered down in Germany for a bit as I take time to research/ponder my upcoming decision. While it's hard to concentrate on anything besides my next step presently, this alluring & beautifully written novel has thus far succeeded in being my faithful refuge ♡ Long overdue! #booksaroundtheworld

"There they were, close together and safe and shut in; yet so chained to their separate destinies that they might as well have been half a world apart."

My, how this one tore at my heartstrings! Wharton again provides the most eloquent & tender portrayal of societal imprisonment in upper class NY, this time through the eyes of a young, love-stricken man. No romantic shield, depicting the harsh realities of the time--beautiful even if it hurts. ♡

SOMEBODY PLEASE PINCH ME!! This might be the best news I've ever received in my entire life! I won't be able to attend if I don't find funding, but this is still a dream!! ♡♡ Anybody from the UK--if you have advice for funding as a non-EU resident, I would greatly appreciate it! But for real--IS THIS REAL LIFE?

Part of me feels guilty about reviewing this as "so-so," as this is certainly a solid work. I really did enjoy the content and learned plenty, as I was drawn to the non-conventional argument in defense of the more liberating side of Victorian life. I just couldn't connect with the writing-- could be because the author is a journalist, which is definitely evident in the matter-of-fact style. Nevertheless a great reference text & fresh perspective!

"Once more it was borne on him that marriage was not the safe anchorage he had been taught to think, but a voyage on uncharted seas."

Wonderful trip in Poland~pierogi, sour soups, [so many] colorful buildings, and a dash of the always eloquent Edith Wharton. I've been taking this one slow, as I like to indulge in the richness of her style--but I can already see why it is renowned for its depiction of Victorian NY society. #booksaroundtheworld

While The Woman in White is still my number one of Wilkie Collins' works, this was preceding novel was a delightful read! While it doesn't contain any of the creepy supernatural feel, it plays upon Victorian tropes like deep secrets, identity switching, and family scandals--all based around societal prestige. Collins carries the story on in such a way that clarifies why he is the king of sensation novels~you won't want to stop turning the page!

This post is past due, but I just had to share! Copenhagen surprised me--it had much more of a literary atmosphere than I'd imagined. Also I stumbled across this beauty, Cafe Paludan...the most wonderful book cafe I've ever stepped foot in! There is even an antiquarian bookstore on the lower level, and all walls are covered in books. The pictures don't do it justice, but you get the point ;) You MUST go when in Copenhagen! #booksaroundtheworld

Nothing like a Victorian sensation novel to accompany me on this long overdue trip to Copenhagen! The thrill so typical of Collins' work is coinciding perfectly with the cold, gloomy Danish weather these days. This city is also surprisingly much more literary than I had anticipated! More to come on that soon... ;)
#booksaroundtheworld

This review is almost a month overdue! Traveling will do that to you ;) What to say about this book...what a beautiful and poetic work that serves as a portrait of feminine servitude in late 19th-century America. Truly a psychological portrait of when domestic constraint wreaks havoc on the human mind. It'll frustrate you, seduce you with the eloquence of Chopin's language, and tug at your heartstrings. Highly recommended this short, tragic read.

There is no city on the face of this planet that nurtures my literary soul quite like London. ♡

Also, this book has been a fascinating, eye opening read thus far! How could you turn away when a book about your favorite era begins with "Suppose that everything we think we know about the Victorians is wrong. That, in the century which has elapsed since 1901, we have misread their culture, their history, their lives..." :D
#booksaroundtheworld

My fourth time in London and I FINALLY made it to the British Library! If you ever find yourself in this literary city, don't skip this. I was in awe as I glanced at Austen's handwritten diaries and letters and the manuscript of Eliot's Mill on the Floss. And these were just one of MANY! There is something so intimate about glancing directly at the pages that marked the initial inspiration behind a literary masterpiece. ♡ #booksaroundtheworld

"I am an unspeakable of the Oscar Wilde sort."

My trip to Oxford had the perfect pairing--Maurice is an eloquent depiction of a young man's internal and external difficulties in coming to terms with his homosexuality in modernizing times--so relevant to Forster's own experience. This touching work accompanied me as I walked the grounds of Oxford's most famous (homosexual) literary alumnus--Oscar Wilde himself! Nerd moment ♡ #booksaroundtheworld

Fellow Littens, check this out! This is the Szabó Ervin Central Library in Budapest, Hungary. Built in the 1890's, this palace area is still open and filled with students studying all hours of the day (also open for visitors!). It's one of the most beautiful libraries I have ever stepped foot in--what I would give to study in a beauty like this! I wish the pictures didn't wash out the chandeliers, but you get it ;) #booksaroundtheworld

My friends, I had to share this absolute gem I found in Bucharest, Romania. Cărtureşti Carusel is perhaps one of the most stylish and elegant bookstores I have ever visited. It had 6 floors all with different bookish items and a trendy little café at the top floor overlooking the old town! I could have spent hours in here. Reasonably priced items as well! Highly recommend a visit should you find yourself in Bucharest ;) #booksaroundtheworld

"An indescribable oppression, which seemed to generate in some unfamiliar part of her conciousness, filled her whole being with a vague anguish. It was like a shadow, like a mist passing across her soul's summer day."
It was an delight to discover Romania with this book at my side-the theme of confinement was prevalent this week. Edna's domestic imprisonment, the communist oppression still in the Romanian air. Feeling humbled! #booksaroundtheworld

"Welcome to my house! Enter freely. Go safely, and leave something of the happiness you bring!"
My Litten friends, I had to share this surreal moment from today. I finally made my dream a reality and visited Bran Castle, aka the birthplace of the legend of Dracula (thank you, Bram Stoker). Transylvania has been a dream--a place that makes you feel the folklore and has left an impression on my traveling and literary soul ♡ #booksaroundtheworld

It's been one month since I've been obsessing over Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald. This might be the only 450 page biography that kept me eagerly turning each page! I feel like I understand the Fitzgeralds on such a new, intimate level. What a tragic, flawed, dazzling life they led with passion. My heart wrenched as I learned about Zelda's descent into insanity, but she was such a captivating woman and her story is one that begs and deserves to be told.

Found this little gem in Berlin, Germany--it's a bookstore that focuses on translated works from the Italian literary canon! Italian literature does not always receive the credit it deserves, and I was thrilled to see such a blend of cultures in this shop. Afterall, many of the greatest literary authors that we know and love were inspired by classic Italian works! #booksaroundtheworld

"She was the American girl living the American dream, and she became mad within it."

Oh Switzerland, you've been just as sweet and magical as this biography is captivating. It's time for my book and I to head up to Germany for more literary adventures!
#booksaroundtheworld

Antique bookshop in Zurich, Switzerland ♡
#booksaroundtheworld

Passport: check. Travel journal: check. Travel-inspired bookmark: check. Good book: check.
This transitional semester is the first time in my life that I have no school and no set plan! So I'm taking off to Europe (my second home) to make the world my playground for a few months. Not without a solid collection of books in my backpack, of course! My favorite "books around the world" photos are coming soon! :)

"Marry me, Zelda. We'll make it all up as we go."
I waited far too long to read this one, but it was so worth it. A beautiful work of historical fiction that provides such a poignant depiction of what it might have been like to be the wife of a literary celebrity during the Golden Age of American literature. Its also a representation of the tension surrounding the changing status of women and the emotional repercussions of cultural restraint.

Being sick on Christmas is just an excuse for curling up with a blanket and an addicting book. Fully enjoying this downtime before I take off to be a vagabond for a few months ;)
Merry Christmas, my fellow bibliophiles! ♡

I think this book may have seemed better if I had read it before The Woman in White. While I couldn't resist turning the page until I finished, I felt it lacked the narrative structure of his earlier work. After having lived in Venice, I did enjoy his eloquent descriptions of the city! It is quite the example of the differences of Collins' writings later in life, as he became addicted to Opium and lost his literary inspiration. Give it a chance!

Another good one from one of my favorite works, in anticipation of my upcoming return to my beloved Europe. My life wouldn't be the adventure that it is without my voracious passion for travel. I've always felt that good old Wilde would have been my literary best friend--the eccentric, beautiful, and misunderstood aesthete ♡

This book is an eloquent, poignant piece that reads as a journal of a high class English butler as he reflects upon his lifetime of service. It's a touching journey of unfulfilled love, emotional growth (or lack thereof), and the realization of his master's dark secrets during World War II. Not only is it this, but it's a study of the true concept of dignity, the dangers of professionalism, and an exploration of what it means to be an Englishman.

Jack the Ripper enthusiasts, this one is for you! With this piece, graphic novel meets homocide to create an intriguing artistic rendition of the most notorious murder mystery in English history. Not only does it do that, but it's filled with conspiracies relating to a darker side of Queen Victoria's reign! And let me tell you, Moore did his research for this one--I recommend reading the appendix as you read each chapter for the full experience.