Rite of Fancy

A short summary of the book The Catcher in the Rye: Holden's awkward search for something more than the superficial. My favorite J.D. Salinger quote from the book: "Make sure you marry someone who laughs at the same things you do." Questions to ponder while reading The Catcher in the Rye: Is individuality important? Can you be too honest? My thoughts on The Catcher in the Rye: Adolescence is such a challenge. It is particularly challenging if you're awkward. Holden was a difficult character to like. **Often challenged book - Be a rebel and read it** **************************************** a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to the travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.ta...

A short summary of the play All's Well That Ends Well: Helena's quest for a proposal. My favorite William Shakespeare quote from the play: "Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none." Questions to ponder while reading All's Well That Ends Well: What would you do for a guy? Should marriage always be the end game? My Thoughts on All's Well That Ends Well: Helena was much too obsessed. Bertram was too much an ass. Despite them both, I thought it was funny. **************************************** a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to the travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by visiting my sponsors, my...

A short summary of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time: An autistic mystery of lies, murder, and betrayal. My favorite Mark Haddon quote from the book: "I want my name to mean me." Questions to ponder while reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time: Is it ever ok to lie? What do you think about Ed? My review of the book: An easy book to get invested in. I have almost no sympathy for Ed. Roger is also a pretty horrid person. We need more people like Sioban. *Regularly challenged, be a rebel and read it* **************************************** a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to the travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoa...

A short summary of Suite Francaise: The stories of occupied France. My favorite Irene Nemirovsky quote from the book: "Genius cannot simply float in the clouds, it must also operate down on earth." Questions to ponder while reading Suite Francaise: Would you have helped or hindered? Does everyone become cruel during hardship? My review of Suite Francaise: I wish the book had been finished. I wish WWII had never happened. I wish for world peace. **************************************** a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to the travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by visiting my sponsors, my  webs...

A short summary of the book A Room With a View: Lucy's "lovely" Italian tour. My favorite E.M. Forester quote from the book: " Anyone can find places, but the finding of people is a gift from God." Questions to ponder while reading A Room With a View: What would you do with a chaperone? What would you do for love? My thoughts about A Room With a View: I am such a romantic sap, I loved it. I would curse the day I ended up with a chaperone. I am so glad I don't have to wear a corset. **************************************** a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to the travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by ...

A short summary of Siddhartha: Walking the Path of Enlightenment. My favorite quote from the book: " Knowledge can be communicated, but not wisdom. One can find it, live it, do wonders through it, but one cannot communicate and teach it." Questions to ponder while reading Siddhartha: Do you have a path to follow? How do you find inner peace? My thoughts about Siddhartha: A beautiful book about Buddhism. Always keep seeking. Always keep striving. **************************************** a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to the travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by visiting my sponsors, my  w...

A short summary of 2BR02B: The United States of 40 Million. My favorite Kurt Vonnegut quote from the book: "The world could do with a good deal more mess, if you ask me."  Questions to Ponder while reading 2BR02B: Would you want to live a perfect life? Can you live too long? My review of 2BR02B: To be or not to be is always the question. I don't want to live forever. I don't want to decide who is the most important life. **************************************** a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to the travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by visiting my sponsors, my  webshop , or by buying ...

A short summary of In the Sea There are Crocodiles: Enaiat's escape from Afghanistan. My favorite Fabio Geda quote from the book: "Yes, I thought, there really are some very strange and very kind people in the world." Questions to ponder while reading In the Sea There are Crocodiles: What would you do to save your child? How can we (as a world) do better for displaced children? My review of In the Sea There are Crocodiles: Very readable. Very matter of fact. Very heartbreaking. **************************************** a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to the travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work b...

A short summary of The Last Unicorn: Feeling alone in the search for others. My favorite Peter S. Beagle quote from the book: "We are not always what we seem, and hardly ever what we dream." Questions to ponder while reading The Last Unicorn: How far would you go to protect something special? Did you cry? (it's ok I did) My review of The Last Unicorn: There is always something beautiful in the mystic. The Red Bull gave me nightmares (not wings). A re-readable fairy tale forever. **************************************** a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to the travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by...

A short summary of Pierced by the Sun: Rebuilding a life by embracing a culture. My favorite Laura Esquivel quote from the book: " One is never truly alone, even when our only company is our thoughts, because what are thoughts if not the memory of interactions with others?" Questions to ponder while reading Pierced by the Sun: What are your demons? Does simplicity heal? My thoughts about Pierced by the Sun: I love the thought "Just for Today". I grieve Mexico in their fight with the Narcos. It is ok to be afraid, and it is ok to have setbacks. **************************************** a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to the travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #Take...

A short summary of the book Who We Were Before: Life after a child's death. My favorite Leah Mercer quote from the book: " You can’t control the other person, you can’t control emotions, and you can’t control the future." Questions to ponder while reading Who We Were Before: Is it possible to rebuild yourself? Do you blame yourself unnecessarily? My review of  Who We Were Before: Easy to empathize. Broke my heart. Little resentments can tear a marriage apart. **************************************** a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to the travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by visiting my spon...

A short summary of the play Love's Labour Lost: A love affair of wit. My favorite William Shakespeare quote from the play: "A jest's popularity lies in the ear of him that hears it, never in the tongue of him that makes it." Questions to ponder while reading the play: How do you feel about chastity? Have you ever made a promise you couldn't keep? My review of  Love's Labour Lost: Once again, I wish I had Sir William's wit. Puns are always fun. Why are love and study considered incompatible? **************************************** a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to the travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider support...

A short summary of Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage: How the castaways survived on the ice. My favorite quote from Sir Ernest Shackleton: "Difficulties are just things to overcome, after all." Questions to ponder while reading Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage: Could you have kept your spirits up? Can you live on grit alone? My review of the book: I can't believe they lived. I got frostbite reading this. One of the best survival stories out there. **************************************** a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to the travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by visiting my ...

A short summary of Uncle Tom's Cabin: The story of Tom, an enslaved man. My favorite Harriet Beecher Stowe quote from the book: "What man has nerve to do, man has not nerve to hear." Questions to ponder while reading the book: Do you always stick to your principles? Does this book change your perceptions about slavery? My review of Uncle Tom's Cabin: Engaging. Engrossing. Enraging. **************************************** a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to the travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by visiting my sponsors, my  webshop , or by buying me a cup of coffee!

A short summary of the play Julius Caesar: Murder and mayhem on the Ides of March destroy a monarch. ( that is March 15th) My favorite William Shakespeare quote from the play: "The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones." Questions to ponder while reading Julius Caesar: Would you betray a friend for politics? Have you done something that has altered the course of your life? My thoughts about Julius Caesar: Power grabbing is dangerous. Violence rarely solves anything. Ultimately, it is the people who rule. **************************************** a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to the travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com ...

A short summary of Far From The Tree: An adoption tale of several siblings. My favorite Robin Benway quote from the book: "Secrets always get out" Questions to ponder while reading: Shouldn't adoption be forever? If you were Adam's parents, what would you have done? My review of the book Far From The Tree: So real. So mushy. So much fun. **************************************** a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to the travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by visiting my sponsors, my  webshop , or by buying me a cup of coffee!

A short summary of The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland: Confronting the crazy at summer camp. My favorite Rebekah Crane quote from the book: "Glass can break, but that doesn't mean it's weak." Questions to ponder while reading The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland: Do you think you're crazy? Are you afraid of going insane? My thoughts about The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland: Easy to engage in. Life damages a lot of people. Someone's understanding is often the best therapy. **************************************** a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to the travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by vi...