It's a Classical Life

  The last few years I have made a concerted effort to declutter my house. When the kids were younger somehow we managed to fill every nook and cranny with bookshelves, craft cupboards and toy boxes. As they have grown I have encouraged them to downsize what they have to be able to keep it neatly in their room. I've decluttered a lot of my own things too - everything from home wares to clothes, photos, journals and yes, even books. There are a lot  of programs, books and content creators out there that talk about decluttering and how by having less stuff we actually have more room for the things that really matter. For me, the biggest benefit of decluttering and letting things go has definitely been for my mental health. Now, even when we have guests or we just let things go for a week or two, it is very easy to tidy up and get the house back in order. I simply cannot handle the added stress of clutter and stuff everywhere anymore. But I still have a long way to go.  Decl...

This quote concludes our month of Bitesize Inspiration from Eric Carle. It was always my intention to focus on one person each month for inspiration but I'm surprised that my first one was Carle. I've learnt a lot about him and his creative life. This quote came from this article here , and was in reference to his own upbringing and time spent reading with his father.  There is so much love and warmth to be had when reading with a child. As Carle says, it really does cultivate a sense of security, belonging and wellbeing in both parent and child. I find it really sad when I hear people say they are too busy to read to their kids but it's okay because they play them audio books (I've actually heard this a few times over the years). I'm a big fan of audio books as an adult and they certainly have their place, but nothing beats that quality time spent with a parent who can put on silly voices, explain new words and engage with the text - all while having a little snugg...

  Hello Friends and thanks so much for stopping by here today. Amongst the the lists that I like to make and the goals I like to plan, there is one that I haven't shared here before. That is, a reading goals list for the coming year. There are a few books that I would like to read in 2024. Some of these have been on my shelf (or on my Kindle) waiting patiently for my attention. Others I will need to order from the library but am inspired to read. Others still are rereads that I want to revisit and fall in love with all over again. So, without further ado, here is my list of Reading Goals for 2024.  Evil Under the Sun - Agatha Christie Gone With the Wind - Margaret Mitchell Othello - William Shakespeare Hamlet (reread) - William Shakespeare The Picture of Dorian Grey - Oscar Wilde Nineteen Eighty-Four (reread) - George Orwell The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain Villette - Charlotte  Bront ë   The Age of Innocence - Edith Wharton (Kindle Download) Agnes Gre...

  Image via  The Graphics Fairy Easter has come and gone for us this year. It is my favourite time of the year - yes, I even prefer it to Christmas! The weather where we live is perfectly autumnal and the beauty that surrounds the Easter tradition in our church is very special to me. I love to reflect, read and be transported during this time. Sagan's quote spoke to me this week, as I have read through the crucifixion of Christ and his resurrection. I don't talk often here about my religious beliefs, but even if you are not a follower of Christ, reading these accounts is very powerful and transporting. We are taken to another time and place. We suffer with Christ, and we rejoice with Mary Magdalen and the Apostles.  I have always felt that books should do this for us, whether they are religious or not. I struggle to finish a book that fails to transport me, to enable me to voyage through time. It is especially poignant for those of us who read the classics, but ...

  Last Saturday I posted an article about  finding inspiration in the classics . Writing it reminded me of all the reasons on why I chose to embark on this classic-inspired life. Then yesterday when researching today's Bitesize Inspiration I came across this quote by Rene Descartes, French philosopher, mathematician and scientist. Famous for the quote - "I think, therefore I am," Descartes focused much of his philosophical writing and teaching around the metaphysical. This week's quote, however, is a lot more straight forward than that.  When we spend time with classic literature, music or art from the past, we are indeed embarking on a conversation with the finest minds of past centuries. We listen to what they have to say, to what they can teach us and how we can empathise with them. When we have conversations such as these we no longer feel alone. Isn't that reason enough to dive into the classics? Have a lovely week, and thank you for stopping by.

When I was young I enjoyed reading Stephen King novels. Now, not so much, but I can still respect his talent as a master story teller. This week I chose this quote because as we approach Christmas, there is indeed magic in the air. Magic in books, magic in stories, magic in history, magic in faith. Whichever way you choose to look at it, it really is the most magical time of the year!  Books have always had the ability to be portable, but with technology at our fingertips, we can carry stories with us without having to carry the actual book. The stories are indeed magical, but to me, and perhaps to you, there is still something special about a real, hold-it-in-your-hand book. Our favourites with the jam stains on them, or the ones that we treasure so much but are falling apart at the spine, or the ones that are brand new to us, waiting to share their magic. I hope as you consider Christmas gifts this year that there are a few books on your wish list. Each year in my family the...

 There are different ways to read and there are books that should be read differently. What I mean to say, is that there are some books that, as Bacon suggests, should be chewed and digested slowly because they require a deeper read, closer examination and ultimately will offer unlimited joy and inspiration. Then, there are those that are purely for enjoyment or instruction and once finished offer no great insight into our lives or how we are living them. Both types of reading are fine and should be encouraged. My son is very good at differentiating between these two and will alternate between simple, graphic novels that are purely for entertainment purposes, and deeper classics that he continues to mull over for months. A slow chewing and digestion. A couple of years ago I decided to focus my reading on the classics, because it was something I wasn't interested in doing in my younger years. I have gained so much wisdom and inspiration in choosing to read this w...

  We've been chatting a bit lately about how life is becoming more expensive, and last week I shared 9 ways to live well when money is tight . One of these tips was to join the public library and to use it for free entertainment. In continuing with this theme I noticed that there are a lot of classic books available for free online. Many of these are available for download at Gutenberg, but Vicki at V ickie's Kitchen and Garden often shares free digital Kindle downloads, and I thought I would do the same. The ones I want to share today are from Amazon and work well with the free Kindle App that can be downloaded on both Apple and Android phones. I have a second-hand iPhone 8 and it works perfectly with these digital downloads. As a side note, I would definitely advocate reading books in paper where possible, but if that isn't possible and you're ready to jump on the classics bandwagon, here are some the books I saw for free on Amazon this week (please check the price b...

  The last few weeks for me have been incredibly busy as we are preparing to come out of lockdown and return to regular in-school teaching. Getting my own children ready as well as myself and my classes, has been no small chore. It has taken up a lot more time than my allocated "part-time" status suggests. I don't mean to complain, simply state a fact why my posts here have been a bit sporadic (I missed one completely last week!). In amidst all of this busy-ness, one quote kept coming to my mind. Each morning as part of my morning ritual, I read. I often read something spiritual whether that be the Bible or some other spiritual reflections. Part of my reading routine has been Leo Tolstoy's "A Calendar of Wisdom." I have loved this book. Here's what Tolstoy himself says about the book in a letter dated 16 May 1908 to his friend Gusev: "I cannot understand how some people can live without the Calendar. What could be more precious and important than co...

Normally, I unashamedly only read books that I consider classics  (not everyone agrees with my definition!) but sometimes books, especially non-fiction books, come my way that were written recently but hold the allure of potentially offering advice that is timeless and classic. When my good friend Jenny, a retired English and History teacher, told me about Eddie Jaku's book, The Happiest Man on Earth, I was intrigued. Jaku is a Holocaust survivor, and in his book he "shares how he found gratitude, kindness and hope in the darkest of places." I knew that my friend had met Eddie Jaku on several occasions when she took History students to the Sydney Jewish Museum to hear him speak. After reading the book in only one sitting, I knew that there was so much enduring wisdom that I wanted to share it here with you. The content can be quite deep and troubling, but the writing is easy to read and, honestly, it's hard to put it down! Without giving too much of Eddie's story...

  At the moment my Instagram is filled with the lovely wintery snaps of books and Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere. Many of my favourite Bookstagrammers are from the North, but I am also seeing my favourite Australian Instagrammers sharing summer shots, garden shots and brilliant blue skies.  We are definitely entering summer and there is no denying that; I wanted to write a summer reading list, but really these books are such classics and can be read at any time of the year. Most of these books are on my summer reading list. I can't wait for the holidays to really begin on the 18th, when we can get away for a few days and begin the long, hot, break with rest, family and relaxation.  Here is my list for classical reading this summer. There are only 5 classics on the list, because summer should be full of other things as well!! 1. A Mid-Summer's Night Dream, William Shakespeare. I studied this play in high school drama class and I'm really keen to revisit it again th...

Crime fiction, and in particular Detective Fiction, is one of the most popular genres in modern literature. People are drawn to the clues, the methodical, logical steps taken by detectives and enjoy pitting their wits against the protagonist to guess "who dunnit" first. Even if people aren't fans of reading this popular and diverse genre, most will have heard of the most famous detectives: Sherlock Holmes, created by Arthur Conan Doyle, and Hercule Poirot (the little man with the funny moustaches) and Miss Marple, both created by Agatha Christie. These three detectives are amongst the most famous, most adapted and most parodied characters in all literature. Yet how did two English writers create such famous characters, when 'detectives' as a form of police investigator weren't even introduced into the English consciousness until 1842? Read on for a little history lesson on the rise of detective fiction.  In his book,  "Murder in Print: A Guide to Two Cent...

I'm a bit of a fussy reader sometimes. I don't do very well in Book Clubs because I don't really like to be told what to read, when. When the mood takes me for a story, or a place, or a character, I reach for those books - and often I'll binge on them until my desire is sated. This is particularly true for Agatha Christie books, Montalbano books, Sherlock Holmes and so on. Reading books like this with strong characters or place/time settings can lead me to look for other books along the same lines.  I read through these books quite quickly and then move on to the next one straight away. I would like to spend more time thoughtfully contemplating each book, and perhaps being mindful of what I have read. Did I like it? Why? Why not? What do I think the author was trying to say with this book? Was it purely entertainment or is there some deeper message? This is very much in-line with a classical education, read the facts first, analyse what has been read, offer an opinion/e...