“Gift from the Sea,” Grace, and a Woman at Peace with Herself
The source of our agitation is rarely external. We want badly to believe that someone else bears the blame for our sour […]
Noel Streatfeild’s “Ballet Shoes”: The Rhythms and Routines of Life and the People Who Make them Happen
Summer is the time in between, a time for reimagining the patterns of ordinary life. Once September is underway with a crush […]
The Pattern of a Beautiful Summer in Wallace Stegner’s “Crossing to Safety”
Wallace Stegner, the legendary author of the American West, also spent time teaching in New England. A keen observer, he recreates the […]
In Praise of Soft Girl Summer
There’s something irresistibly whimsical about the exhortation to “heal your feminine energy.” That is the invitation of “Soft Girl Summer,” some kind […]
Summer and Keeping the Big Picture in Mind
It’s easy to wax poetic about summer: endless open time, seemingly endless hours of evening light. The reality can involve more children […]