Confession: If you’ve followed these blog posts through the years, you may remember that 14 months ago I started reading Charles Dickens’ Bleak House following the author’s original monthly-installment schedule from 1852-3. His novels didn’t get released as a complete volume until after his readers had endured many months of three- or four-chapter installments trickling to them in magazine form.

As much as the concept of following the original schedule, and stretching out Bleak House over 20 months appealed to me, I abandoned ship about halfway through. Just as binge-watchers can’t stand the idea of weekly releases of a television series any longer (The Crown notwithstanding), I wanted to continue reading what may be Dickens’ finest work till the end.

In its 852 pages, the dense Dickens writing style – with so many remarkable characters and settings – left too much to forget from month to month. Thank goodness for The Dickens Encyclopaedia, which never left my side. Usually, just a sentence or two would refresh my memory about that character’s relation to the main players and the endless Jarndyce and Jarndyce lawsuit.

I already counted Bleak House as one of my “this I have read” books last year, so I’ll just state here it was quite an undertaking for both the author and the reader (kudos to my brother Harry, who’s read it twice!). Once again, many of the characters were relatable to modern times, much to my chagrin.

Book 1: The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

This is a re-read from long ago. Either high school, or maybe junior high.

I remember loving it back then. No doubt I identified with the teenage angst that drips from every page.

I realize the book hasn’t changed … perhaps I did.

Book 2: The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

I love the author’s confession that as a child he thought the Underground Railroad was an actual subterranean train that whisked escaping slaves to free states in pre-Civil War America.

Years later, he took that concept all the way to a well-deserved Pulitzer.

Throughout the novel, readers may well recognize some of the racist actions and attitudes that exist even now. The journey, sadly, is far from over.

Book 3: Mothers & Daughters by Madeleine L’Engle

This book was a lovely read for Mother’s Day. Madeleine and her professional photographer daughter together created this charming volume, with mother/daughter photos to illustrate Madeleine’s poems and stories.

Mom and Madeleine were dear friends, so I have the bonus of signed copies of many of her books.

Book 4: Furious Hours by Casey Cep

I had to chuckle when Gary gave me this book for Mother’s Day.

Furious Hours is about the second book – detailing a stunning true-crime story – To Kill A Mockingbird author Harper Lee hoped to publish, but never did.

The real gift was that Gary also read the book, and we’ve had several interesting conversations about it.

Book 5: The Wishing Tree by William Faulkner

On the night before your birthday, if you get into bed left foot first and turn the pillow over before you go to sleep, anything might happen.

I used to read The Wishing Tree every May 18th since I was 10 years old. It was lovely to read Faulkner’s only children’s book – a morality tale – once again.

But don’t get me started on climbing into our pedestal bed left foot first the night before my 66th birthday. I had to make do with turning my pillow over twice to make up for it.

Book 6: The Dickens Encyclopaedia by Arthur L. Hayward

As stated at the start of this post, this Folio Society resource saved my sorry soul while reading The Bleak House, which I finished in a flurry this week.

Book 7: The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle

This was the only title I recognized from Dad’s Sherlock Holmes collection, so I dug in.

All I can say is, I never want to go near a moor!

Happy Start of Summer to everyone – hope you enjoy some great summer reading during these lazy, hazy days!

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