Essays & Musings
What We’ve Been Thinking About
Thoughts on books, reading, culture, and the literary life.
the ask@AAR: What series/book would you like to see adapted for TV?
April 1, 2022While we had varying degrees of satisfaction around the latest season of Bridgerton, I think we all agree it’s excellent to see romance novels adapted for TV. Given how wildly…
Read Article
We have to ask: What did you think about the Oscars?
March 30, 2022I didn’t watch the Oscars–I’m an NCAA basketball fan (The extraordinary event that will happen when, for the first time, Duke meets UNC in the tournament in Saturday’s Final Four…
Read Article
Bridgerton Season Two has arrived!
March 26, 2022It’s here! I’ve just watched episode one–I thought it was smashing. I love the Queen’s boredom, Kate’s chat with Lady Danbury, Penelope’s desire for Lady Whistledown to do more, Benedict’s…
Read Article
the ask@AAR: What was your first paying job?
March 25, 2022When I was 16, I wanted my own phone line–we were a family of six and my father had rules. My parents agreed that as long as I kept my…
Read Article
the ask@AAR: Are you ready to travel?
March 18, 2022Today, I, Dr. Feelgood, and our twins are going abroad. I can barely believe it. We’ve not left the country since Covid hit. But it’s our daughter’s spring break and…
Read Article
What are you watching?
March 14, 2022My mother, who’s been staying with me for a bit, is watching The Gilded Age. She’d already started it before she came, so I’m not watching it with her although…
Read Article
the ask@AAR: What do we think about all that butt stuff?
March 11, 2022OK, it’s a thing. I’ve just read my third contemporary romance in a row in which fingers find their way into what is often referred to the back door. This…
Read Article
How to support AAR via Amazon
March 9, 2022Recently we ran into yet another problem with our affiliate links at Amazon, our main source of income. In the process of solving that problem, I got ACTUAL FACTS from…
Read Article
Are people ruder?
March 7, 2022I’ve had two friends in the past week say they think people are becoming “more self-absorbed,” “ruder,” and “less empathetic.” A close family member said she feels like she needs…
Read Article
the ask@AAR: What’s your favorite love story?
March 4, 2022Have you seen Spielberg’s West Side Story? It’s good–a fairly faithful remake of the 1961 film–with gorgeous song and dance scenes and a heartbreaking finish. I grew up with the…
Read Article
An apology for today’s the ask@AAR
February 25, 2022I am so sorry for the phenomenal insensitivity and stupidity of today’s Ask. I had written it earlier in the week in a poorly thought out effort to connect romance to…
Read Article
the ask@AAR: How are you doing?
February 18, 2022Today I had one of those days that everything seemed harder than it should have. Home Depot, for the third time, didn’t show up to deliver my dishwasher so I…
Read ArticleLatest from Substack
Sometimes a name is just a name
on offense, accommodation, and the value of getting the facts right
Read on Substack
A Novel Is Not a Safe Space
Books are allowed to offend you. You are allowed to close them. Everybody survives.
Read on Substack
Prestige TV rediscovers the joy of family and friends
sappy for the win–really
Read on Substack