Well hello again, and happy holidays....to any readers who may still be out there, that is! I have to admit that over the past several months I've been guilty of two of my biggest blogging pet peeves: 1) repeated apologies and excuses during slow periods of blogging; and 2) a long, unexplained stretch of radio silence (in my case it was mostly due to a lack of blogging inspiration). I'm feeling ready to start posting more regularly around here, though, Maybe that will happen in the new year, maybe earlier. I don't want to commit to anything definite, but I did want to briefly pop in with a recommendation for a perfect seasonal read: Christmas Pudding and Pigeon Pie by Nancy Mitford.
Coupled together in a recently reissued volume, these are two of Mitford's earliest novels. Like her more famous works, these are frothy and witty reads. With influences from Mitford's own life, they simultaneously offer a glimpse into and poke fun at the British aristocracy of a certain time period. Unlike her later novels, though, these two have more hi-jinx going on in their plots, with mistaken identities and characters who are not what they seem. In Christmas Pudding, a writer poses as a tutor to gain access to a country house and the biographical papers of its family. In Pigeon Pie, the outbreak of World War II sees a flighty heiress get drawn into a German spy plot that's unfolding right under her nose. Both are thoroughly enjoyable reads, particularly for anyone who's already a Mitford fan. And although only one of the two stories unfolds during the holiday season, either one would be a great read for this time of year--perfect light reading for when you're curled up on the coach with Christmas music playing in the background.
Have you read any Christmas themed books lately? Or are there any non-holiday books you're planning to read this season? I know that I'm looking forward to diving into at least a few more during my upcoming holiday break.
