The Spring Archive, part 2

Spring is about beginning again, and beginning again can be so much harder than staying in the winter of your life. (Jeanette Winterson)

Welcome to the second installment of the Spring Archive! We’re officially in full bloom and I hope the warmer weather and cherry blossoms are bringing you peace. If not, here’s a collection of books, magazines, music, podcasts, and movies to help you feel more relaxed. Hopefully, they’ll help you embrace that flowery vibe and find serenity in the world around you.

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Happy April, and, as always, happy reading!

— Ella.

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reading — april books

Just like in part 1, I’ve matched the overall essence of these books with a charming and spring themed painting.

• Agnes Grey written by Anne Brontë.

A tale of female bravery in the face of isolation and subjugation, Agnes Grey is a masterpiece claimed by Irish writer, George Moore, to be possessed of all the qualities and style of a Jane Austen title. Its simple prosaic style propels the narrative forward in a gentle yet rhythmic manner which continuously leaves the listener wanting to know more.

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• The Enchanted April written by Elizabeth von Arnim.

Elizabeth Von Arnim's classic novel, The Enchanted April , is a delightful tale of four women who find themselves on an idyllic Italian vacation in the spring.

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• The Mill on the Floss written by George Eliot.

Brought up at Dorlcote Mill, Maggie Tulliver worships her brother Tom and is desperate to win the approval of her parents, but her passionate, wayward nature and her fierce intelligence bring her into constant conflict with her family. As she reaches adulthood, the clash between their expectations and her desires is painfully played out as she finds herself torn between her relationships with three very different men: her proud and stubborn brother, a close friend who is also the son of her family's worst enemy, and a charismatic but dangerous suitor. With its poignant portrayal of sibling relationships, The Mill on the Floss is considered George Eliot's most autobiographical novel; it is also one of her most powerful and moving.

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• La Libreria sulla Collina written by Alba Donati.

Alba Donati was used to her hectic life working as a book publicist in Italy—a life that made her happy and allowed her to meet prominent international authors—but she was ready to make a change. One day she decided to return to Lucignana, the small village in the Tuscan hills where she was born. There she opened a tiny but enchanting bookshop in a lovely little cottage on a hill, surrounded by gardens filled with roses and peonies.

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• Anne of Green Gables written by L.M. Montgomery.

This heartwarming story has beckoned generations of readers into the special world of Green Gables, an old-fashioned farm outside a town called Avonlea. Anne Shirley, an eleven-year-old orphan, has arrived in this verdant corner of Prince Edward Island only to discover that the Cuthberts—elderly Matthew and his stern sister, Marilla—want to adopt a boy, not a feisty redheaded girl. But before they can send her back, Anne—who simply must have more scope for her imagination and a real home—wins them over completely. A much-loved classic that explores all the vulnerability, expectations, and dreams of a child growing up, Anne of Green Gables is also a wonderful portrait of a time, a place, a family… and, most of all, love.

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(more reading — magazine corner)

• Apartamento Magazine

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listening — april albums

No personal playlist this month, but here are six albums — both new and old — to enjoy with a cup of sweet lavender tea.

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more listening — podcasts and playlists