READING UPDATE AND BOOK MAIL!

#nonfictionnovember #moremontgomerychallenge

Group Read: Miracle on 34th Street by Valentine Davies

READING PROMPTS:

OLD FASHIONED CHRISTMAS
Read a book that features an old fashioned Christmas OR has an old fashioned cover

A CHRISTMAS CAROL
read a book that features music

THE NUTCRACKER
read a fairy tale or a book with a fairy tale element

A CHRISTMAS WEDDING
read a book with romance or features a wedding

TREE is a FREE SPACE

GIFT GIVING
read a book featuring a gift

JOLLY OLD ST. NICK
Read a book where Santa is mentioned

LETTER TO SANTA
read an epistolary novel or includes journal entries, letters, emails, etc.

RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER
watch a movie adaptation

Let’s connect:
Instagram – /mitzireadsandwrites

[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!!❤❤❤

[kimberlycasey]

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!

[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.

[ShawnBrink-xjeh]

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

[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.

[Fernie]

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.

[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!

[theresas]

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

[janetsmith]

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….

[glendaw]

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)

[marciakistner]

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!

[Angela-ittb]

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

[StormReads]

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

[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.

[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.

[deborahracette]

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

[estherjane-me]

Always looked for the Sears Wish Book😊

[eileennielsen]

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! 🤗

[joyceredman]

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.