Nancy Pearl
@nancybooklustpearl.bsky.social
Reader, writer, and librarian. Author of George & Lizzie: A Novel; the Book Lust series, and The Writer's Library (with Jeff Schwager)
Reposted by Nancy Pearl
40 years ago today the world was introduced to a small boy and his best friend. Happy birthday Calvin & Hobbes.
November 18, 2025 at 6:37 AM
40 years ago today the world was introduced to a small boy and his best friend. Happy birthday Calvin & Hobbes.
Reposted by Nancy Pearl
Selling books is undoubtedly awesome, but there's something truly special about people borrowing your book from the library.
November 17, 2025 at 2:31 AM
Selling books is undoubtedly awesome, but there's something truly special about people borrowing your book from the library.
Reposted by Nancy Pearl
Who remembers Nancy Drew’s father’s name ? What about the name of their housekeeper?
November 16, 2025 at 4:11 AM
Who remembers Nancy Drew’s father’s name ? What about the name of their housekeeper?
Done & dusted. The painting itself was done by an unknown artist sometime in the 16th century; it depicts the “First Meeting of Rostam and his Grandfather, Sam” from the Iranian national epic, the Shanama (Book of Kings) by Firdawsi (c934-c1020.
November 16, 2025 at 3:49 AM
Done & dusted. The painting itself was done by an unknown artist sometime in the 16th century; it depicts the “First Meeting of Rostam and his Grandfather, Sam” from the Iranian national epic, the Shanama (Book of Kings) by Firdawsi (c934-c1020.
Jane Haddam's Act of Darkness-"She was a single-minded machine for the operation of triumphant narcissism, and that narcissism had a nasty edge of envy to it.(She) was one of those people who was happiest not when she won but when she could watch other people losing."
I know someone just like this
I know someone just like this
November 10, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Jane Haddam's Act of Darkness-"She was a single-minded machine for the operation of triumphant narcissism, and that narcissism had a nasty edge of envy to it.(She) was one of those people who was happiest not when she won but when she could watch other people losing."
I know someone just like this
I know someone just like this
Ross Thomas was one of the most cynical writers ever, and he was terrific in the use of similes and metaphors. My favorite novel of his is Briarpatch, but one of my favorite lines comes from The Mordida Man: "The eyes looked tired and defeated—as if they had sued for peace in 1916 and lost."
November 10, 2025 at 1:43 AM
Ross Thomas was one of the most cynical writers ever, and he was terrific in the use of similes and metaphors. My favorite novel of his is Briarpatch, but one of my favorite lines comes from The Mordida Man: "The eyes looked tired and defeated—as if they had sued for peace in 1916 and lost."
From Jane Haddam's mystery Festival of Deaths: "Café Blasé was one of those vaguely French restaurants that decorated all its food with flower petals, so that a perfectly respectable piece of fried chicken breast arrived at the table looking as if it had been drowned with Ophelia."
November 7, 2025 at 3:32 AM
From Jane Haddam's mystery Festival of Deaths: "Café Blasé was one of those vaguely French restaurants that decorated all its food with flower petals, so that a perfectly respectable piece of fried chicken breast arrived at the table looking as if it had been drowned with Ophelia."
2 quotes from Jane Haddam's mystery Glass Houses-she's such a good writer. Be sure to start w/the 1st one, Not a Creature Was Stirring.
"Hell was a place where mediocrity reigned day by day, without the relief of outright awfulness."
and
"They lived their entire lives in the passive voice."
"Hell was a place where mediocrity reigned day by day, without the relief of outright awfulness."
and
"They lived their entire lives in the passive voice."
November 5, 2025 at 11:59 PM
2 quotes from Jane Haddam's mystery Glass Houses-she's such a good writer. Be sure to start w/the 1st one, Not a Creature Was Stirring.
"Hell was a place where mediocrity reigned day by day, without the relief of outright awfulness."
and
"They lived their entire lives in the passive voice."
"Hell was a place where mediocrity reigned day by day, without the relief of outright awfulness."
and
"They lived their entire lives in the passive voice."
“And that the heart, in those days,
was small, and hard, and full of meanness.”
was small, and hard, and full of meanness.”
Mary Oliver bringing truth this morning.
@maryoliverdaily.bsky.social
@maryoliverdaily.bsky.social
November 4, 2025 at 6:14 AM
“And that the heart, in those days,
was small, and hard, and full of meanness.”
was small, and hard, and full of meanness.”
Another quotation from my notebooks, this one from Jane Haddam's Gregor Demarkian mystery Glass Houses:
"Hell was a place where mediocrity reigned day by day, without the relief of outright awfulness."
"Hell was a place where mediocrity reigned day by day, without the relief of outright awfulness."
November 4, 2025 at 5:27 AM
Another quotation from my notebooks, this one from Jane Haddam's Gregor Demarkian mystery Glass Houses:
"Hell was a place where mediocrity reigned day by day, without the relief of outright awfulness."
"Hell was a place where mediocrity reigned day by day, without the relief of outright awfulness."
I am inordinately fond of epigraphs-please share your faves with me: the author & quote, plus the book it's from. Here's a favorite of mine, from part 2 of Jane Haddam's mystery Flowering Judas: "In a football match, everything is complicated by the presence of the other team." —Jean-Paul Sartre
November 2, 2025 at 9:59 PM
I am inordinately fond of epigraphs-please share your faves with me: the author & quote, plus the book it's from. Here's a favorite of mine, from part 2 of Jane Haddam's mystery Flowering Judas: "In a football match, everything is complicated by the presence of the other team." —Jean-Paul Sartre
Done & dusted. Another winner from @galison.bsky.social - Dog Gallery is just the right amount of crazy-making 1000 pieces. While I worked on this I listened to Natasha Pulley’s Hymn to Dionysus with great pleasure
November 2, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Done & dusted. Another winner from @galison.bsky.social - Dog Gallery is just the right amount of crazy-making 1000 pieces. While I worked on this I listened to Natasha Pulley’s Hymn to Dionysus with great pleasure
Long time ago now -
Author Mary Doria Russell _ @mdoriarussell.bsky.social _ in conversation with Nancy Pearl _ @nancybooklustpearl.bsky.social on her novels "The Sparrow" and "Children Of God":
"I was 42 years old and had never written fiction _ well, grant proposals _".
😅😷
#booksky 📚
youtu.be/2qK_erPjKps?...
"I was 42 years old and had never written fiction _ well, grant proposals _".
😅😷
#booksky 📚
youtu.be/2qK_erPjKps?...
Book Lust with Nancy Pearl featuring Mary Doria Russell
YouTube video by Seattle Channel
youtu.be
October 30, 2025 at 3:02 AM
Long time ago now -
I was looking through my notebooks of quotes and found this, from The Half Life of Valery K by @natashapulley.bsky.social. It gave me chills
October 27, 2025 at 9:01 PM
I was looking through my notebooks of quotes and found this, from The Half Life of Valery K by @natashapulley.bsky.social. It gave me chills
Done & dusted. Perfect 1000-piecer, just what I always expect (and get) from @eeBoo. This one is Alchemist’s Orchard
October 25, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Done & dusted. Perfect 1000-piecer, just what I always expect (and get) from @eeBoo. This one is Alchemist’s Orchard
I’ve discovered that a whole day isn’t enough time to not do all the things I might have done
October 25, 2025 at 11:00 PM
I’ve discovered that a whole day isn’t enough time to not do all the things I might have done
I just loved doing this interview with Maggie - I've been a fan of hers since I read The Raven Boys, a dozen years ago. And as I tell her in this interview, I'd love to take a writing class from her.
From a forgotten line of history to a full-fledged novel, popular YA author @maggiestiefvater.bsky.social explores magic of mythic storytelling & the power of history in her first adult novel, "The Listeners." Don’t miss her conversation with @nancybooklustpearl.bsky.social: youtu.be/jNCU2uchaHk?...
October 21, 2025 at 8:18 PM
I just loved doing this interview with Maggie - I've been a fan of hers since I read The Raven Boys, a dozen years ago. And as I tell her in this interview, I'd love to take a writing class from her.
Overheard on the Burke-Gilman this morning- “No offense but you’re probably an afterthought”
October 20, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Overheard on the Burke-Gilman this morning- “No offense but you’re probably an afterthought”
Reposted by Nancy Pearl
This poem. Wow, just wow.
You wonder who they mean,
but then you see. Their poison hemlock? That
is you. Their brown tree snake. Their killer bee.
-Amit Majmudar, 'Invasive Species'
#everynightapoem
We flower where we flower.
but then you see. Their poison hemlock? That
is you. Their brown tree snake. Their killer bee.
-Amit Majmudar, 'Invasive Species'
#everynightapoem
We flower where we flower.
October 19, 2025 at 11:47 PM
This poem. Wow, just wow.
Reposted by Nancy Pearl
Giant copy of the Constitution being carried down Pennsylvania Avenue.
October 18, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Giant copy of the Constitution being carried down Pennsylvania Avenue.
Done & dusted. “Serenity Meow”-a terrific 1000-piecer from @galison.bsky.social. While I worked on it I listened to Patrick Ryan’s Buckeye with much enjoyment
October 13, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Done & dusted. “Serenity Meow”-a terrific 1000-piecer from @galison.bsky.social. While I worked on it I listened to Patrick Ryan’s Buckeye with much enjoyment
Absolutely loved Mimi Pond's Do Admit! The Mitford Sisters and Me. Her drawings complement the biographical details to a tee, and the bibliography is filled with other interesting titles about the family. You go, Decca!!!
October 8, 2025 at 2:23 AM
Absolutely loved Mimi Pond's Do Admit! The Mitford Sisters and Me. Her drawings complement the biographical details to a tee, and the bibliography is filled with other interesting titles about the family. You go, Decca!!!
Another favorite poem, this one by Katha Pollitt - Wisdom of the Desert Fathers:
“Before they knew it, it was too late to go back:
the farm had gone under, cancer had taken Mother,
everyone was married. Even the demons
hardly came round anymore
with their childish bribes of money and sex.”
“Before they knew it, it was too late to go back:
the farm had gone under, cancer had taken Mother,
everyone was married. Even the demons
hardly came round anymore
with their childish bribes of money and sex.”
October 7, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Another favorite poem, this one by Katha Pollitt - Wisdom of the Desert Fathers:
“Before they knew it, it was too late to go back:
the farm had gone under, cancer had taken Mother,
everyone was married. Even the demons
hardly came round anymore
with their childish bribes of money and sex.”
“Before they knew it, it was too late to go back:
the farm had gone under, cancer had taken Mother,
everyone was married. Even the demons
hardly came round anymore
with their childish bribes of money and sex.”