As I enter my annual blog break over the twelve nights of Christmas, here's a favorite poem - an excerpt from Tennyson's In Memoriam. The first two stanzas are the ones I knew and loved as a child, but as I read the whole passage, I think how applicable it is to our time. Faithless coldness, false pride, party strife...can we really ring them out, and ring in a better future?

As I did with nonfiction, I'm listing my favorite novels and short story collections read this year. It's quite an interesting selection! Have you read any of these, or would you like to? What were your books of the year? Little by Edward Carey - Finished February 15. I had no idea of the history behind Madame Tussaud’s wax museum in London -- but this fantastical grotesque novel brought Madame T.

What I read this month Despite Nonfiction November, I read only one nonfiction book this month! It was a good one, though...and so were many of my fiction reads. The Collected Enchantments by Theodora Goss Shadows on the Rock by Willa Cather - Reread Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven by Susan Jane Gilman…

I did not manage to keep up with the weekly themes for Nonfiction November this year, but I enjoyed browsing others' posts, and I want to thank all the hosts: Heather – Based on a True StoryFrances – Volatile RuneLiz  – Adventures in Reading, Running and Working from HomeRebekah – She Seeks NonfictionDeb – Readerbuzz At the tail end of the month, I'm chipping in by listing ten of my favorite nonfiction reads this year.

At my Sacred Reading Substack, I’ve just announced plans for a special study to take place during the season of Advent, starting tomorrow. We’ll work with the three stories from the Gospels in which Jesus raises someone from the dead — stories I found extremely transformative in my own life. I want to explore them from a universal point of view, so please feel invited, whatever your faith tradition may be (or none). If you’re interested, find the details at this post: Hoping some of you will consider joining us!

What I read this month This month, I achieved a perfect balance between fiction and nonfiction - seven books each. However, fiction won big in terms of my ratings, aided by a reread of a favorite series (the Complete Earthsea), two new-to-me books from a favorite author (see below), and a forthcoming short-story collection by an author who seems set to become a new favorite (my review soon to come on Shiny New Books).

The Engadin, the valley of the En or Inn river in Eastern Switzerland, is, so far, my favorite region of the country -- I previously shared photos from a trip to the Upper Engadin. In early October this year we planned to visit another part of the valley where we'd not yet been. I was very excited as the time approached, but also apprehensive; I had not reckoned on the fact that fall weather in that region was likely to be cold, stormy, even snowy...

I keep meaning to read through my Library of America edition of Willa Cather's work, catching up on her novels and stories I've not yet read, because everything I have read has been marvelous -- but somehow, I never get around to it. Therefore I'm very glad the latest "club week" hosted by Simon and Karen inspired me to read…

Fall weather is in the air; we're just about to leave on a trip to the mountains for a few days, and I hope we won't be rained or fogged or snowed in! But if we are, I'll be sure to bring along plenty of reading material. Here's what I polished off this month: What I read in September: The Woman Who Borrowed Memories…

When I was a child in school, I was never assigned the task of writing to an author -- thank goodness, as such mandated correspondence is the dullest and most pointless kind. However, I did once write to the favorite author of my adolescence, Robin McKinley, and she not only answered with a real letter, which she sat down and typed on official stationery in her publisher's office (this was 1984), but sent me a copy of a book of hers I had not been able to find, not yet having access to online bookstores.

Musings and News from Lory

The thing we must notice is frequently identified by what is not described or told or explained. In our first Season Two bonus episode, Farah Mendlesohn -- who literally wrote the book on Diana Wynne...

As I reported last week, reading books by women in translation was something I wanted to do this summer, and I did it! Four of those were in August, plus one by a man in translation (I had been confused), and three mysteries. I do seem to gravitate to those in the summer. What I read this month Temple Alley Summer…

I aimed to read women in translation this summer (August is earmarked as #WITMonth), and I did read quite a few. I'm happy I got to meet so many new-to-me authors, and revisit a couple of favorites, but regret the lack of diversity in my list. I need to branch out beyond Europe and Japan! Next year I'll make that a priority.

What is the practice of sacred reading? This episode offers a brief overview of the origins and form of the practice, which is rooted in the monastic tradition of lectio divina. The four movements or steps of the practice are described: read, reflect, respond, and rest, and some suggestions and resources for further exploration are given.

Introducing the new podcast, Sacred Reading, hosted by Lory Widmer Hess.

After living in Switzerland for 6 years, I had still not seen the iconic Matterhorn peak - and nor, I may add, had my husband, though he was born here. But when friends visited this summer from North America, they wanted to go to the big M, and so we decided to come along. View from above Grächen It's not an easy spot to get to, one reason why we'd never made the pilgrimage.

For anyone interested in the sacred dimension of reading, I've created a week of free online meetings to introduce a contemplative way of engaging with texts--not necessarily "religious" in the conventional sense. I'm very excited to share this practice with you all, as it's been transformative in my own life. Each meeting will be independent, and it's never too late to sign up.

What I read this month Mina's Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa, translated by Stephen B. Snyder - Women in Translation (Japanese) Piglettes by Clementine Beauvais, translated by the author - Women in Translation (French) A Case of Mice and Murder by Sally Smith Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz Storybook Ending by Moira Macdonald The Magician's Book by Laura Miller - Reread…

As I recently posted in my blog newsletter and Substack, The Enchanted Circle, I'd like to offer an opportunity for those interested in reading as a sacred practice to gather online. It would be so wonderful to share this practice with others! Going forward, such gatherings might take place once or twice a month. As an introduction, I decided I'd offer a whole week of daily meetings to give the greatest chance that those who might want to participate will be able to do so, at least once.

Nobody Sits Like the French: Exploring Paris Through Its World Expos by Chrles Pappas Nonfiction / Travel guide / History 240 pages Published April 2025 in the UK Luster Publishing August 12, 2025 …

What I read this month The Abandoned by Paul Gallico - Reading the Meow The Ghost of Frédéric Chopin by Eric Faye Bodyfulness by Christine Caldwell The Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susanna Clarke - Reread Mansfield Park by Jane Austen - Reread, Reading Austen 2025 The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree…

Thanks for being part of this circle

This year, I've been reading through the novels of Jane Austen in publication order, something I don't think I've ever done before. Thanks to the hosts of the Reading Austen 2025 event for putting me onto this project, and be sure to check out the other posts so far - lots of good stuff there. The first half of the year has taken us through three books: …