Jan > Recent Status Updates

I'm only on chapter 5, but I hope it picks up pretty soon because so far I'm bored.

I really think that including a quote from Sam Alberry is very questionable and shows me a lack of discernment, even before the most recent news about him, and makes me a bit wary about the rest of this book. And the fact that I cannot remember by whom or where I saw it recommended makes me wonder if it's worth finishing.

For all the quotes and references warning about didacticism, some of this feels pretty didactic.

Waiting for Jane Austen July 2026 to finish.

Bit off more than I could chew last summer so now I'm waiting for this year's Jane Austen July to get back to and finish this book, although I'm pretty sure I've forgotten enough that I'll have to start over at the beginning.

Paused because I didn't finish before it was due back at the library and now I'm back on the really long holds list.

Whispersync Kindle & Audible

Rereading because it's rumored that volume 9 should be released sometime this year.

Even though it's taking me a long time to read this because it's usually my bedtime read and I'm almost always so tired that I only manage to read a page or two, and often am too tired to read at all, I always remember what's going on in this story and what's happening to the main characters. Whereas others books don't stick with me very long.

Pretty sure my 3 star review was for the Stephen Fry audio book because my family and I just don't care for him as a narrator - for us he's like nails on a chalkboard. But this is now linked to the new, full cast version, and so far so good.
November 13, 2025

Pusillanimity must be her favorite word. Listening to the audio, I was getting tired of hearing it over and over and almost wished for a Kindle copy to make counting just how many times she used it easy.
Pusillanimity: lack of courage or determination; timidity. "the pusillanimity of his answer surprised me"
Synonyms -
fearfulness, cowardice, cowardliness, gutlessness, spinelessness, cravenness, timidity, weaknes

Very good, but it's my bedtime read, and sadly, I'm no longer a night owl, and I am so tired by then that I usually fall asleep after just a few pages. ☹️🤦🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️ I should probably make it my lunchtime read.

Not impressed so far. Glad I borrowed it from the library.

Disappointing so far - and I really expected it to be one of my favorites for the year. 😳🥺

I've read quite a few of these essays already in the original books they first appeared in, but needed a book of essays (or poems, short stories, etc) for this year's Back to Hogwarts challenge and thought it would be fun to reread some of CS Lewis's.

Actually, I've listened to all of it once, and am now listening a 2nd time while reading and marking/ tabbing the print copy. So far, I'm agreeing with most of it, but I think that as far as her section on literature and Harry Potter go, I align more with The Literary Life's position. And there are mistakes in the audio book of the wrong name being read (it's correct in the print copy) and sentences being repeated.