Guest Post by Brian Klassen (History & Genealogy Buff, and Julie's Husband) What more can be said about Thanksgiving? We all know that the holiday is about eating turkey, being thankful, and spending time with family and friends. We all know that Thanksgiving started with that plucky band of self-styled Pilgrims who got together with a group of Native Americans and gave thanks to God for … [Read more...]

I met Jane Austen this past weekend! Ok, not really, but I did meet actress Debra Ann Miller who brings to life the beloved novelist in a moving and humorous one-woman performance. I was especially impressed by her excellent script, which is drawn almost entirely from Jane's letters and novels. Ms. Miller has skillfully woven together Austen's own words into an entertaining and informative … [Read more...]

It's always a pleasure to attend a sister-writer's book launch and help her celebrate a new release. I recently joined other friends and readers at the launch of Michelle Griep's new Dickens-inspired Christmas novella, A Tale of Two Hearts. She looked gorgeous in her new gown, spencer, and bonnet! Michelle is quite talented. She writes vivid, quirky characters, heartwarming romance, and … [Read more...]

I don't believe I've ever read Middlemarch, a novel by author George Eliot (pseudonym used by Mary Anne Evans) but I certainly enjoyed the beautifully-made 1994 BBC/Masterpiece series starring many wonderful British actors like Robert Hardy, Patrick Malahide, Douglas Hodge, Pam Ferris, Jonathan Firth, Juliet Aubrey, and a young Rufus Sewell ("Lord M" of recent Victoria fame, though I have been a … [Read more...]

I am in no way entering the modern debate about building walls, but I am interested in history. Since ancient times, walls have been built in many places around the world, to mark borders, protect kingdoms, or keep out enemies. Examples include: The Great Wall of China, The Berlin Wall, The Wall of Ston in Croatia, and others. More recently, walls have also been built as memorials, like the … [Read more...]