November reading roundup #3

Spell It Out: The Curious, Enthralling and Extraordinary Story of English Spelling, David Crystal
Crystal, a linguist and scholar, explores the evolution of English spelling and its wacky rules (and multiple exceptions). I enjoyed his book The Story of English in 100 Words and this one was fascinating too. He covers Old English, loanwords, Dr. Johnson, the influence of the Internet, and more. Good fun for word geeks (and former spelling bee champs) like me.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, J.K. Rowling
I love this series SO much. This book is a wonderful introduction to Harry’s world and its denizens. I love Rowling’s wry asides and her hints of what’s to come. The characters are all so wonderfully themselves already, though they will grow and change in later books. I own the British editions, shown above (hence the title change), but the link is to the U.S. edition.

Sister Mother Husband Dog: Etc., Delia Ephron
I love the movies Delia co-wrote with her sister Nora, and also loved this collection of essays on everything from bakeries to finding love to her grief at Nora’s death to #TheHairReport. Delia’s voice is witty and wise and sometimes snarky – but the essays about Nora, and their mother, are quite poignant. A fast read, with some profound (and profoundly funny) moments.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, J.K. Rowling
Flying cars, Parseltongue, a mysterious diary and rumors of a terrifying monster…this second Harry Potter book is lots of fun. I love watching Harry keep discovering new things as Rowling builds her world. Lots of fun foreshadowing here. (And I wish I’d had some Pepperup Potion for the cold I had last week.)

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, J.K. Rowling
One of my favorites in the series, because of how the plot breaks wide open in the last section – that scene in the Shrieking Shack, and Hermione’s Time-Turner, bring about big and powerful changes. The series suddenly grows bigger and darker and deeper, though the fun stuff (Quidditch, the Marauders’ Map) is still present. Love.

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