Welcome!

Welcome! Isn't the image in the title box gorgeous? I love the English countryside/moors. Isn't it strange how a place simply captures your heart and won't let go? Unfortunately, I am stuck here in Maryland because this is where our jobs are. But I can dream! And go on vacation :-) But I travel in my head to the far corners of the world and back in time through my love of reading, especially historical fiction. Historical fiction is my first love and passion. That's not to say I don't read other types of books- in fact, I started a book club for exactly that reason- to expand my horizons. I've never been involved in a book club before and I'm sorry I waited so long. It's a fantastic way of getting to know people through our passionate love of books.
The other way I expand my horizons, so to speak, is to work as a volunteer reviewer and distributer for the Historical Novel Society (www.historicalnovelsociety.org). In the role of reviewer, I often volunteer to review books set in times and places that are outside of my comfort zone, which are books set in medieval England or that take place during the first and second World Wars. I have discovered some marvelous books that way and have opened myself to the delights of historical fantasy and Civil War history, for example.
One of the reasons I love historical fiction is because it is such a pleasant way to learn history. I hated history classes in high school- memorizing lists of dates and events was torture to me. But in college, I took a history course in which we read works of literature to supplement the dry history texts. It was like discovering a great secret- ah, this is how I learn best! Thus began my love affair with historical fiction.
Historical fiction also sweeps me away from the mundaneness and occasionally ugliness of reality. Sometimes it is easier to for me to be excited by the mundaneness of life in a past era; and the ugly affairs of the past are often romanticized by time, making them riveting reading.
In general, my favorite books are lengthy family sagas or epics- the longer, the better. If the book is part of a trilogy, fantastic! I prefer lengthy books because, having put so much effort into starting one, I like to coast along enjoyably for as long as possible before starting from scratch again.
I love the physical sensation of books- they way they feel in my hands, the way they smell, the satisfaction of turning the crisp pages of a newly-minted tome. The idea of reading e-books is completely abhorrent to me. Reading on a cold, impersonal computer? No way!I am an avid collector and my home is overflowing with books.
So, fellow book lovers, join me to reminisce about thumping good reads that are like comforting old friends and to explore new genres and titles, from both my book club and my personal collection.