What I Read and Watched in July 2026

My reading was limited, but rich, this month. I finished Volume 8 of John Wesley's Works (mostly correspondence), which I enjoyed. One of my goals this year is to read the Iliad, the Odyssey and the Aeneid. I read the Aeneid last month so this month I listened to Elizabeth Vandiver's lectures on Homer's Odyssey and then listened to the audiobook (narrated by the marvelous Dan Stevens.) I did not know that there was a new Odyssey film coming out till I finished the book, but it definitely made it easier to understand what all the criticisms of the film were about. 

To round out the month, I read two delightful shorter books: My Dear Charlotte by Hazel Holt and Lassie, Come-Home by Eric Knight.

I watched two patriotic movies in July. The Wings of Eagles starred John Wayne playing naval aviator Frank Wead (1895-1947). He and Maureen O'Hara have great rapport, but it was hard to believe her as a hard drinking American wife. The film was directed by film-genius John Ford so I was surprised at how much slapstick was included. And it actually pained my heart to see Wayne, someone who always plays "bigger-than-life" characters, limping along with canes. 

A Bell for Adano (based on John Hersey's Pulitzer Prize winning book) was my second film. It is about a small Italian town ravaged by World War II and the American major who comes to restore order. John Hodiak's wooden acting was grating, but William Bendix shone as his underling. It could have been heartwarming if it hadn't been so depressing. 

The highlight of the month was Project Hail Mary, which I enjoyed so much that I'm going to write a separate blog post about it. 

What about you? Did you read or watch anything related to American Independence Day?

Blessings,

My Dear Charlotte by Hazel Holt

I've been in a reading slump. This is partly due to my heavy schedule that hasn't allowed for the mental leisure to "get lost in a book." But it is also due to the non-fiction books I'm reading for some personal projects. They are feeding my mind, but not necessarily my heart. I've started and abandoned a dozen books in the last month, desperate to find the right one to meet that need.

On a whim I began reading My Dear Charlotte because it was described as 1) a mystery, 2) a "must" for Austen-lovers, and 3) an epistolary novel, which checked off a lot of my "biblio-boxes."

It was balm to my soul. 

For those who are unfamiliar with Austen's books this "novel in letters" might seem rather dull. Not much goes on beyond gossip about neighbors and small talk about the price of fabric. Yes, there is a mysterious death, but it won't have you hanging on the edge of your seat. And if you love a good romance, this one will seem pretty mild. 

So what's so great about My Dear Charlotte? It would have to be its nod to all of Austen's novels. Holt gives names to her characters that fans will readily recognize (Elinor, Frederick, Bates, Ferrell, Willoughby, etc.) There are familiar place names (Lyme, Bath, Church Street) and even phrases (Mary's headaches "being worse than anyone else's") that are taken straight out of Austen's novels. AND there are secret engagements, sudden proposals, and handsome young men who turn out to be dastardly. 

Hazel Holt is the author of cozy mysteries, but in this book she interweaves her story with actual letters written by Jane Austen. Some reviewers say that it is very clear where one author starts and the other ends because of the changes in subject matter. They may have a point, but I found no dissonance between Austen's tone and Holt's. Holt mimics Austen very well and I thoroughly enjoyed Elinor's ladylike snarkiness. 

Her description of Mr Russell: He is as accomplished at dancing as he is at flirting, and makes a very agreeable parnter on both accounts. Later she writes, Our mother said that Mr. Russell looked remarkably well - legacies are a very wholesome diet. 

As I said before, the romance and the mystery are not front and center. The book is about Elinor's witty take on every day life as expressed in her letters to her sister. It is pure literary comfort food.

P.S. As a lover of Methodist history, I loved all the little jabs at the "evangelicalism" of Mr. Wilmot. And I enjoyed the frequent references to books and plays that were popular during Jane Austen's lifetime.  

Blessings,