READING UPDATE AND BOOK MAIL!

[@bethanybringsbooks]

I didn't realize that L.M. Montgomery's life ended the way it did until recently. It shocked me but also helped me. My husband passed from suicide in 2020. Learning about some of L.M. Montgomery's struggles was very relatable. Her writing was so beautiful, yet she still had her own struggles! It made me realize that we are not alone in our struggles.

[@theBeachbumbookworm]

Hey Mitzi! Love, love, love, the vintage covers! Omgosh!! Love the sears catalog! I would add up my wish list. Added to my tbr! Love the very vintage readathon!!! Such a fun idea! Oh I’m so excited! I’m also searching for Gladys Taber! Great find!! on track…so amazing!!❤❤❤

[@ShawnBrink-xj3eh]

I remember the Sears catalog. Thanks for sharing and for resurrecting some childhood memories.

[@Fernie4243]

I worked for Sears taking telephone orders and handing out packages when they came. That was in '88 & '89, one of my first jobs. Not as fun as looking through the catalogue when I was little, but still lots of good memories.

[@mitzireadsandwrites]

Yep. Looking and wishing is much more fun than dealing with the customers. 😂

[@janetsmith8566]

What a great job!!

[@kimberlycasey4105]

The Sears and Montgomery Ward catalogs were the best, my brothers and I would go through and circle and initial everything!! I just received that exact same Miracle on 34Th St. book❤️💚❤. I would love to be added to the voxer, I think you have my name from the Nancy Drew group. Looking forward to your Christmas read along!

[@theresas709]

We called it Monkey Wards. 🤣🤗

[@kimberlycasey4105]

That’s much easier to say!😂

[@Soniawithani]

Oh how I remember the Sears Wishbook, but I also loved going through the JCP home catalog and planning and designing my dream home. YOU found a treasure.. a Gladys in the wild! I don't think I have that one... great score!

[@janetsmith8566]

I think these are charming memories. Over here in England, we used to get catalogues from a local tool and garden shop called Elmer’s. I hardly ever shop there because I don’t use very many tools or do much gardening! However, when my son was five years old, he got out some stickers and went through the entire catalogue and put a sticker on every page and circled something he wanted From the shop and the whole thing was stickered up, LOL! He did get a few of the strange items from there - strange in my mind but then I’m not a five-year-old boy, but I do wish I had saved the catalogue because that was just so funny and such a great memory!💕💕💕🫶

[@Soniawithani]

@ I love this!

[@Angela-it2tb]

There is a great bbc radio drama of The Pale Horse on youtube and I loved it!❤really brings the story to life!

[@mitzireadsandwrites]

Oh, thanks! I'll look for it!

[@janetsmith8566]

I’ll have to find that! ❤❤

[@theresas709]

Yes to the Sears Wish Book. We also had Ward's catalog.

[@Thecatladybooknook_PennyD]

Yessss girl the Sears Wishbook!!!❤🎉🎉

[@janetsmith8566]

Love your hauls! Also that’s a great Pale Horse cover! A pub sign! How evocative and gorgeous ❤❤❤. One “funny thing”: without my glasses on what I saw was an outline of a body (the top) on an altar! (The sign). 😂. Then I put on my glasses… 😂🙄. Somebody has too much imagination….

[@philipstrumolo8057]

Hello Mitzi: I read THE PALE HORSE a little over 50 years ago and loved it. A very atmospheric and suspenseful novel...one of Christie's best. I re-read this novel last year and loved it just as much. A must read for any Christie fan. I'd place it in the top five of Agatha Christie. Best, Gerard Denza, Author of the Edward Mendez, P. I. series

[@mitzireadsandwrites]

Yes! I'm so glad I read that one!

[@bethanybringsbooks]

I would love to be added to the voxer group. I have this same edition of Miracle on 34th Street but I haven't read it.

[@insearchofwonder]

I read a great biography of LMM a year or two ago. It's called The Gift of Wings. She particularly really dug into the circumstances surrounding her death, and her conclusions made me sad and angry. I think she was probably right in her conclusions, because it fit. Anyway, LMM I think was able to find joy in her life despite her circumstances, for a good part of her life, but she definitely had some heavy moments as well. It certainly wasn't an easy life, that's for sure.

[@MLLatUtube]

I love The Pale Horse - one of my favorite Agatha Christie books. I do have Miracle on 34th Street and am hoping to get to it this December, although I do not know if I am going to join Voxer. And, yes, I remember the Sears Wish book too.

[@mitzireadsandwrites]

No problem about Voxer. I'll be sharing thoughts when I finish, so hope you can get to it, too.

[@teresaglasco6082]

I absolutely remember pouring over the Sears Wishbook!!!

[@mitzireadsandwrites]

Oh my goodness, that wishbone takes me back!!

[@glendaw5221]

Because of your description I went to put The Pale Horse on my TBR and I had already read it. And didn’t much like it! I don’t even remember reading it but I said in my review that I might not read any more of Agatha Christie books. 😢 (I gave it 3 stars though which is strange)

[@janetsmith8566]

It’s very different and much darker than most of her books. I had told Mitzi ahead of time that the first time I ever read it I disliked it intensely as did you. I was very young and I was totally focused on the scary parts like the seance. But I made myself reread it when I was older and I understood the sleight of hand that was going on. I also understood some of the other things happening. It’s quite complex and ingenious, but it might not suit fans who prefer her other styles. Isn’t it interesting that Agatha can write in so many different styles? I feel that her style is completely different with Poirot, with Miss Marple, with Tommy andTuppence, and then each of her standalones, and really different in her spy novels. And of course then she wrote those romances under a pseudonym. What a true talent! Maybe you gave it a three because you still enjoyed her writing style?

[@estherjane-m8e]

Always looked for the Sears Wish Book😊

[@joyceredman2136]

My county library book club just finished reading Agatha Christie's The Pale Horse. One of the things we noticed was that the Inspector's name is Neele, just like the last name of the woman her husband left her for! Nancy Neele! The next one we're reading is Peril at End House. I am reading a biography of Beatrix Potter. Highly recommend reading about her. I never knew that she secretly bought up all this land, put it into conservancy, and left it to England's National Trust for everyone to enjoy! She was born during Victorian times and yet she was thinking about England's environmental future. Intrigued by your biography of L M Montgomery. A lot of those early women writers had a better fantasy life than their personal lives. I also highly recommend any biography of Georgette Heyer. The one I have has a list of all her books written.

[@mitzireadsandwrites]

Oh my goodness, Neele! I didn't catch that connection!!! Thanks for the Beatrix Potter recommendation, too. I'll look for one.

[@janetsmith8566]

All those sound interesting. I’m going to pursue that. Did you know Agatha called herself Theresa Neele when she disappeared? And it’s been said Nancy and Archie appear again and again in her books and I think that’s true. She was sensitive and 1926 was such a blow to her; I don’t think she ever really got 100 per cent over it.

[@janetsmith8566]

Also re your comment about female authors: I’ve often speculated it’s due to having a great imagination. They can write a great story, but life isn’t like that. And life is very hard on romantics. You can never really understand the world, and it can never understand you. I’ve always thought realists get along much better in this world. Oh well 🤷‍♀️

[@deborahracette9755]

I read The Wish Book Christmas last December and really enjoyed it! And that cover?🥰

[@mitzireadsandwrites]

Can't wait! That cover is PERFECT for VeryVintageChristmas!!

[@eileennielsen5165]

This is fantastic Mitzi! Thank you. I have Read Lynn Austen for yrs.. I prefer her earlier bks. ( the first 8/9 she wrote). I did read The Wish book Christmas and really enjoyed it. Brought back so many memories as did all your comments about marking it up, ordering, when the orders came in and how you picked them up. We actually had a Sears pick up store in my hometown of Lexington Massachusetts! I have often compared Montgomery as life to Alcott's .Louisa had a lazy, jerk ( for lack of better word) for A father and Montgomery had a very oppresive, depressed husband who was A clergyman. She married after writing Anne. I have a couple of her biographies one called " After Anne" don't recall name of other. I love short little Christmas bks. because I have so many also! I also enjoy my anthologies w/ Christmas brings by Montgomery, Alcott, Mark Twain, poems, prayers and lots of older writers. I have a great collection for Christmas. Just got them all out 2 days ago (well, not ALL) including some newer ones I haven't read. LOVE Poe since I was in upper elementary. Have a few biographies of him, total collection of his works and smaller editions of his bks. The author AVI wrote a very good bk. about him for children, ya? I think the title is The Man Who Would Be Poe? Something like that. He was A very depressed, troubled man as well as an alcoholic. Depression and alcohol seem to go hand in hand often. Esp. w/ writers! Have a blessed Sunday and Thanksgiving! 🤗

[@mitzireadsandwrites]

Oh my goodness, yes, Alcott's father was awful!! I read a biography about him and was shocked by how he pretty much left them to starve!!

[@marciakistner8977]

Mitzi, yes, we couldn't wait till the Wishbook arrived. I just got "A Christmas Party" by Georgette Heyer, since I heard it is fantastic. Have you read this? Also, I'm reading A Cornwall Christmas by Marcia Willett. It really isn't about Christmas, but it is beautifully charming. ❤

[@lizziefayelovesbooks]

I just ordered Miracle on 34th Street from the library. I'm excited to read it!

[@StormReads]

You have had some great reading time and got some cool books! I loved the wishbooks!

[@mitzireadsandwrites]

I was surprised because it's been so busy around here, but yay for getting some things read!

[@starlasell5698]

❤📚🎄❤️

[@tarasadowski7467]

Have you read anything from the British Library Crime Classic series? They all have great vintage travel poster covers. Some are standalone novels, but they also have a ton of themed short story collections which I know you enjoy. You should check out one of the winter/Christmas themed collections such as "A Surprise For Christmas", "The Christmas Card Crime and Other Stories", "Who Killed Father Christmas? And Other Seasonal Mysteries", "Crimson Snow: Winter Mysteries" and "Silent Night: Christmas Mysteries".

[@mitzireadsandwrites]

I have one of those, I think it's A Surprise for Christmas, but I guess I thought it was the only short story collection! I love the covers and yes, you are so right- they feel like my kind of book! I'm going to head over and look at the titles- maybe add it to my Christmas wishlist!! 😂

[@janetsmith8566]

I got crimson Snow for Christmas last year but didn’t get around to reading it so am pulling it out as we speak! I started a Christmas Mystery shelf in my book room and surprised myself (not hard to do) at how many I’ve got! By some great authors too. Rubbing my hands together….. now if everyone would just leave me alone!!😂😂

[@emilyreads5207]

I do think Edgar Allen Poe was a genius and for sure experienced trauma in his life, and even at such a young age, that does alter how the brain functions. I would also say that be probably battled mental illness and self-medicated with alcohol and opium.

[@emmareads734]

I just got Miracle on 34th Street and would like to join the Voxer? I haven’t used that app before. I will email you. I am reading Anne of the Island for More Montgomery! LMM is a read to zero author for me.

[@mitzireadsandwrites]

Yes, I want to read all of hers, too! Just email me and I'll add you to the Voxer group. I hope to set it up in a day or two.