Hello, and welcome to Books of Interest! I am so glad you are here. This blog aims to create timely and informative content from various genres, including novels, short stories, essays, poetry, historical fiction, nonfiction, literary criticism, and culture and education.
Books and reading have been my passion since I was a little girl. We didn’t have many books at home, but I read everything I could find. I remember that an old copy of John Bunyon’s Christian allegory, The Pilgrim’s Progress, turned up from somewhere, perhaps through divine intervention, because books like that did not just show up at our house. It was first published in 1678, is said to be the first novel published in English, and has never been out of print! Reading that book was magical for me, and I do believe it launched my love for literature.
If I read something that moves me deeply in some way, I want to share it, and the best way for me to do that is to write about it. I start this blog with no greater expectation than to share my thoughts and recommendations with my friends and family. My intention is not to be an “influencer” or break the internet. If a dozen people find this blog of interest, I will have fulfilled my purpose in creating it.
Like everyone, I have opinions. Those are reflected, of course, in my book reviews. Also, from time to time, I will be posting articles on culture and education that reflect my own beliefs, and I understand that not everyone will agree with my point of view. My intent is to contribute to the conversation, not to divide or sow discontent. All civil discourse is most welcome in the Comment section.
To add some credibility to what I am attempting to do here, I have a Master’s degree in English from Columbia University and a year of post-graduate work at the University of South Carolina in U.S. History, my second passion.
During my career, books have always played a part. I have been fortunate to own a bookstore specializing in Southern Literature and Civil War History, work as an assistant to Deliverance author and poet James Dickey, and later as an editor for a literary publisher. In between, other jobs unrelated to books came and went as necessity dictated. But, I never stopped reading, never stopped learning.
I will do my best to inspire and inform you each week and hope you will join me here.
The Best thing for being sad,” replied Merlin, beginning to puff and blow, “is to learn something. That’s the only thing that never fails.” T.H. White, The Once and Future King
Carol Fairman