Who Was Patricia St. John?
While reading about “Treasures of the Snow” and “The Tanglewoods’ Secret” (and now also “Star of Light” and “Three Go Searching”), I […]
“JustPearlyThings”: Pearl Davis and the Problem of the “Modern Woman”
People love to hate Pearl Davis. Like Nara Smith and Hilaria Baldwin, Pearl attracts no end of ire on the internet but […]
Making Cozy Spaces (and Stories!) When the Weather is Bad
After writing about the coziness of British storybooks, a friend remarked that British architecture seems designed for coziness. Most of us (Americans, […]
Arthur Ransome’s “Swallows and Amazons” and the Power of Natural Consequences
Beginning Arthur Ransome’s “Swallows and Amazons” with little to no context, one might wonder where it takes place. The names are not […]
The Very British Childhood of Anglophiles Everywhere
There can be a real thrill in testing out an idea you’ve read about. Is it true? Does it hold up to […]
B.B.’s “The Little Grey Men”: Delight in Nature and in Story
Years ago, I read in a clipping from a magazine that Julie Andrews’ favorite book in childhood was B.B.’s “The Little Grey […]