Happy February, friends!! 💕
How as your first month of 2023?
Mine was super eventful – work and my business had a big surge this month, fingers crossed it continues in this fashion…🤞🏼
Towards the end of the busy month my brother and I took a mini (& busy😁) trip to Miami, Florida.
We road tripped from Miami to Key West and back, and one of my favorite things we did on the trip was visit the Hemingway Home and Museum in Key West. 🌴
Shameful Confession: I’ve never read anything by Hemingway! And even though I’m not a devotee or fan of his writing, I wanted to tour his home. 🏡
My brother was maybe more there for the cats… 🐈
Hemingway’s home is famous for polydactyl cats. The museum takes care of them and they number around 57 cats on the property at the moment – each named after a historical or literary figure. 🫶🏼
The guided tour and home was amazing. He lead a very interesting life – 4 wives, travels all over the world, lots of adventures… 🥃 And I believe he had favorable thoughts towards our girl, Jane Austen. Several copies of her works have been found in his homes, including a copy of P&P in his writing room in Key West. ⬇️
I’m very tempted to read something by him now…the only question is where should I start? 📚
I’m open to suggestions… 😉
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Want to know what Austenesque fun I’m getting into this month?
…here is what’s on this month’s
Austenesque Agenda:
~ TO READ AND REVIEW ~
perhaps I am a bit ambitious for such a short month!
~ FEATURED AUTHORS VISITING THIS MONTH ~
J. Marie Croft – February 1st
Heather Moll – February 8th
Susan Andrews – February 15th
M.J. Stratton – February 22nd
This month is going to be amazing! I can’t wait!
What are you looking forward to this month?
If you want to read Hemingway, I would suggest A Farewell To Arms.
Excellent! Thank you!
I don’t remember reading anything by Heminway either. Lovely photos. Our one granddaughter turns 10 this month so celebrating her birthday in on my calendar. Our son-in-law celebrates his retirement from the US Air Force with a ceremony on Sunday, so we will be attending. He has been in the Reserves for about 30 years.
Thank you, Sheila! Happy Birthday to your granddaughter! And that is exciting about your son-in-law’s retirement!
I hope you enjoy a wonderful time with your family.
Lol…I think I’ve read one Hemingway. I think it was way way before joining Goodreads…BGR.. before Goodreads. Delightful looking Feb plans! Looking forward to shedding my Jan cold!
Isn’t great that we have GR to help us keep track?
Thank you! I hope your cold goes away!
I don’t recall reading any Hemingway books! Surprising really as I used to work my way round the different sections of the library.
An amazing line up this month! Good luck with it all! I look forward to your thoughts on these books, I’ve read some of them.
I think my only fixed plan for this month is a visit to the hospital to check on my op site and hopefully nothing else will be found. I’m also slowly decluttering my house (I keep random stuff which ‘might come in handy’, no doubt after I get rid of it all I will think of a use for it!)
I’m glad I’m not the only one!
I hope your check up goes well! And I love decluttering. I’ve been wanting to do the same.
How wonderful a trip!! I have done it several years agwhen on holiday in Miami! Sadly we had arrived in Key West rather late and the house was closed. I was just telling my husband two days ago that I meant to go back and do the same road again…
I have read four of Hemingway’s novels – For Whom the Bell Tolls is my favourite (set during the Spanish Civil War).
Looking forward to your posts in February!
It was my favorite part of Key West, I highly recommend!
Thanks so much for sharing. I hope you get to return to Key West soon!
The Old Man and the Sea was required reading in junior high in my Canadian school, and it’s not long and fairly interesting. Of course, literature is always better in a class with teacher. Have fun with all your reading and reviewing this month!
Thank you, Suzan! I wish it was required reading in one of my classes of high school – however we did read some great ones like – The Scarlet Letter, Of Mice and Men, lots of Shakespeare, and my favorite – Jane Eyre.
I loathe Hemingway as a writer and person, but used to make an exception (till I reread it a few years ago) for A Moveable Feast, a memoir of his life in Paris.
Thank you for sharing, Abigail. I’m sorry to hear such strong feelings against him.
What a wonderful reading list for February. It certainly looked like you and your brother had a delightful time. I always enjoyed spending time with my brother. You are always so kind to share your photos with us. I don’t travel and it makes me feel like I was there with you. Blessings and have a wonderful new month.
We did! Even though we live close by to each other, we both are so busy that we don’t always get to hang out, so taking trips together is a great way to ensure some quality time.
I appreciate you checking out my post and sharing your thoughts!
The old man and the sea is a quick read. It is heartbreaking, but beautiful. I love a good book at sea!!!
Ooh! I feel the same way. It is becoming one of my favorite settings.
What a great trip!
Thank you!
I read some Hemingway in college and didn’t care for it, but maybe I should try again. Wow, fun road trip and his house would be a great stop.
Nice line up of guests for February, too.
Hi Sophia! So lovely to hear your thoughts! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Meredith,
When my son was in middle school, he was required to read the Old Man and the Sea by Hemmingway. He was never a big reader, so we read it aloud together. I had never read it before but knew it to be a classic. I really enjoyed it. It is a novella, so it won’t take you long to read and have an idea if you like his writing. Your pictures were wonderful. I’m glad you shared your trip. –Leslie
Thanks so much for sharing, Leslie. This is more and more like a good place for me to start.
I appreciate you checking out my trip and sharing your thoughts.
February looks so exciting, blog-wise. The reviews and guests. Love hearing about your travels and seeing your photos.
I’ve always wished to see Hemmingway’s house and his cats. I appreciated his writing when I was much much younger and read a lot of literature from the writers of his time period and his peers. I don’t know which to suggest reading, but I do agree with others’ advice on The Old Man in the Sea. All of them are sad.
Yes!! It is a wonderful line-up!
I hope you get visit Hemingway’s House one day.
I’ve read my fair share of Hemingway in high school and college (I really like his short stories The Snows of Kiliminjaro and Hills Like White Elephants) and did enjoy To Have and Have Not (my favorite Bogart & Bacall movie) and Death in the Afternoon (which I wanted to read prior a trip to Spain). But one book about Hemingway that I REALLY enjoyed was The Paris Wife by Paula McLain, a novel about Hemingway and his wife first wife, Paula, as well as her trials being married to the great Hemingway. That one I would definitely recommend. Happy reading!
Ooh! Thanks for sharing! I really appreciating your recommendations. They alll sound like ones I would enjoy.
Looking forward to seeing what these authors have to say and reading some new books!
Same here! It should be an exciting month.