About
I’m Eva, an amateur reader and full-time library aficionado. Books allow me to transcend my chronic illnesses, and I love to read diversely, in every sense. My taste ranges across fiction and nonfiction, from the just-published to classics, includes a variety of genres, and I can name a favourite author from every (inhabited) continent. My perfect afternoon is spent in my armchair with a fat book, my rescue mutt Thistle curled up in my lap, and huge mug of tea nearby.
I began blogging on January 2, 2007, when I was 20. I’m now 28, and my life and views on life have changed, more or less dramatically, over the passing years. Some of those years saw a lot of blogging, some barely any. But my love for reading, and for this passionate community of readers, has stayed strong.
A Striped Armchair 
I really enjoy reading your blog and check it regularly every evening. But I’m wondering if anyone has asked about the font colors that you are using. These old eyes are finding it extremely difficult to read your content because there doesn’t seem to be much contrast.
I use Firefox as my browser and it may look entirely different via Explorer. I’ll have to check that.
Just wondering…and thanks.
Ask and ye shall receive! :) I was thinking about redoing it for winter anyway. Blue and white have always been my favourite winter colours.
Bless you…this works so much better for me. There’s just something about that other color combination that made it difficult for me to read your stuff. Thanks for having such great “customer service.” :-)
No problem! I use IE, so I think the colours probably looked a little different, but I like the new blue scheme anyway. :)
Very impressive blog. I’m posting a link to it on my blog, which is not as impressive as yours is.
Thanks.
Tracy, I’ve e-mailed you.
C.B. James, thanks so much! I’ll definitely check out your blog soon-I’m sure it’s impressive. :)
Dear Eva:
I can see that you are an active reader who enjoys discussing the books you read. I am writing to invite you to join (at no cost) an exciting community of readers: http://www.dustjacketreview.com.
At Dust Jacket Review, you can post reviews, favorite excerpts, and comments about the books you read, as well as join or start book clubs to interact with other passionate readers. If you join, not only will you have the opportunity to connect with other readers, you could promote your blog on your own personalized profile page.
We are eager to grow and feel that connecting with active readers and bloggers like yourself is crucial to the success of Dust Jacket Review.
Please check out the site and consider sharing some of your terrific book reviews with our community of readers.
Best,
Brenda
Brenda Nicholas
Administrator, Dust Jacket Review
http://dustjacketreview.com
brenicholas@hotmail.com
Brenda, I’ll come check you out. :)
Do you really truly read that many books a year? I can’t seem to close my dropjaw! :)
LK, yep. It’s a pretty recent thing though; my freshman and sophomore years of college I probably only read around 50. Maybe less. But then I stopped drinking/partying, and that freed up some nights and mornings lol.
Hi Eva–
Thanks for visiting Exuberant Reader. I do love your blog and it’s wide variety of material. I’m sure I’ll learn a lot from you.
We like the same mystery writers. Wondering if you have tried the new Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear? I’m so spoiled by Sayers, Christie, P.D. James that I’ve had a hard time taking to more recent writers. The Maisie Dobbs mysteries are set just after WWI, an historical and literary period that I enjoy very much.
What is it you like about Hermione Lee?
Hi Deborah! I read the first Maisie Dobbs, and although I expected to love it I didn’t. I think maybe I went in w/ too many expectations, though, so I’m going to try out at least the second one as well. Have you read Laurie King’s Mary Russell series? I love it! As far as Hermione Lee, I just adored her biography of Virginia Woolf, and I can’t wait to read her new one of Edith Wharton. I know it seems silly to put her as a favourite after reading just one book, but it was so good I couldn’t help it. I felt like I was a fly on the wall in Bloomsbury!
Eva, I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve made my way over here from Litlove’s blog and your comment about starting grad school and being worried about wanting to hang out with new friends and knowing what that’s going to do to your vital routine. To start with, I know where you’re coming from because I’m a fellow sufferer. I produce adrenaline at a rate of knots and became so ill two years ago that I had to take early retirement. But, the point of my writing is this. Before I retired I was a University Lecturer and six years ago we had a girl join the class who put everyone’s backs up immediately. She would never agree to join a group that had to meet outside class time unless they chose the time that she suggested, even then she would often fail to show and when she did she often hadn’t completed the work that she should have done. If anyone challenged her about these issues she flew off the handle. She told everyone that she had a job and a boyfriend who were far more important than her work was. And yet she clearly had a good brain and seemed to want to do well. What I eventually discovered (after having had the entire class up in arms in my office about this) was that she had such severe ME that her doctor had advised her to use a wheelchair and yet she refused to do so and was struggling in for class when at times she could hardly stand. My problem here was that this information was confidential and I couldn’t tell the other students. Telling them had to be her decision and she wouldn’t/couldn’t do that. She lost so much because that crowd were really good kids and if they had known they would have done everything they could to make it possible for her to be part of the group without putting any extra pressure on her, but they needed to know. Eventually she came out with a reasonable degree, but her time at Uni was so miserable and it could have been one of the most supportive experiences of her life.
So, if you don’t mind a bit of advice from someone who knows this from both sides, be absolutely open with your fellow students about your condition and the needs that it imposes on you. I’m not suggesting you make a song and dance about it, I’m sure you wouldn’t want to be provoking pity, I know I wouldn’t, but most students are really great and kindly people and if they know what the score is they will help you get the best out of the experience without feeling that you’ve missed out on too much. If they don’t know they can’t do that.
Please excuse me if I’ve been presumptuous, but every time I think of that girl I weep inside and I would hate to see it happen to anyone else needlessly.
Hi, is it okay if I steal these questions for my own blog? I’m too lazy to think up my own =]
Never met another Charles DeLint fan! I haven’t read anything of his in a long time, but one of his books is on my newest Challenge list. I’m L! You have a nifty little corner of the web here, and I look forward to reading it. Let’s be friends.
Why haven’t you ever joined any discussions at Shelfari? So glad I have found my way to your blog.
Don’t forget to pick up the award i gave you at http://www.bookbirddog.blogspot.com
my website.
hey i’ve been following your blog since the last few months and thanks to your blog could find new books to explore. Delighted to note that you love Jane Austen!!
And your blog is very interesting with all the notes and also the wide variety of book reviews that you put up here. I’m new to blogging and my fav topic ofcourse is books…but I haven’t covered as many as you have et all.
Hi Eva
Just wanted to say I’m really enjoying your blog. Keep up the good work.
I enjoyed previewing your site and look forward to possibly working with you in the new year. Happy reading
Hello, Eva. I’ve only recently discovered your blog and I’ve been rummaging around in it and enjoying your reviews and comments on your reading. Your interests and my own overlap at a number of points and I always find it interesting to see what other readers think of books I’ve either loved or hated.
I’ve been a very eclectic “professional reader” most of my life and I’ve been posting online reviews of my own for about a decade (though I’ve been writing them for forty years). I recently switched over to blog format at WordPress myself, and you’ll find my stuff under the name of “BookSmith” at http://reviewsmith.wordpress.com . Come and browse through the archives; you may find some titles that interest you.
Michael K. Smith (native of San Antonio, late of Dallas, actually)
Incidentally, you’re now in the Networked Blogs section at Facebook, at http://apps.facebook.com/blognetworks/blog/a_striped_armchair/. A very minor sort of celebrity, but hey — it’s a way to pick up readers!
Hey Eva,
I just discovered you treasury-like blog and I’m greatly enjoying it. One remark though: you list Kazuo Ishiguro among your favorite international writers. I thought he’s a British citizen nowadays. And doesn’t he write his works in English?
Just a bit of nitpicking. Keep up the great work. :)
Yep. Ishiguro is British. Remember he wrote Remains of the Day, about that British institution of old – the butler.
This is an EXCELLENT blog ! I am adding you to my “Cool Blogs” collection of links on my blog ASAP.
Great selection of books !
Keep up the good work !
What a find!!! I absolutely love your blog. I’m an obsessive reader and even listen to audiobooks at work. Also, love to read critical reviews of books.
I see that Sherman Alexi is one of your favourite writers. Have you read anything my Thomas King? He has a similar sensibility: wry, dry humour that packs a punch. I recommend Truth and Bright Water highly.
Oops. Alexie.
Eva, Sherman Alexie won the PEN/Faulkner!
Hi Eva,
Loved your blog and your reviews are wonderful too! Though am from India I have friends in San Antonio and was mighty glad that you too are from there :) Also, I like the way you are coping with fibro, so positively. Keep writing and reviewing and count me in as a regular henceforth!
Birdy from Lifewordsmith
Hi Eva,
Loved your blog and your reviews are wonderful too! Though am from India I have friends in San Antonio and was mighty glad that you too are from there :) Also, I admire the way you are coping with fibro, so positively. Keep writing and reviewing and count me in as a regular henceforth!
Birdy from Lifewordsmith
Eek! I just discovered that WordPress doesn’t e-mail me about comments on pages instead of posts. So I apologise to the lovely people who commented here and didn’t receive a timely reply. That’s so embarrassing to me; I value every reader and their comments. :)
What a wonderful blog – and what a warm, intelligent person you come across as! I’ll definitely be visiting here regularly (thereby adding to my ever-growing, poverty-inducing list of books I must read and will never find the time to – not even if the cat finally makes good on her promise to do more around the house so I can have more reading time. ) I love the list of short stories – I’m definitely going to have to track some of these down.
Hi, nice to meet you !
Your blog is awesome!!! I can’t believe you broke 400too cool. :-D
Sorry, my keyboard sticks. That should say: ‘That’s too cool.’ :D
Hi Eva,
Just wanted to say i loved your new hair color!!
Have a nice day,
Choti
Thanks Choti! :)
Hi Eva!
I just discovered your blog and I love it! You keep me inspired to keep my fledgling one going. I am also excited to find a fellow Wilkie Collins lover :) I’d love to get your feedback on my blog: http://booksdownsouth.wordpress.com/. Take care and keep up the awesome work!
Hi Marie! Sorry this took me so long to reply; WP wasn’t notifying me that I had comments on my pages! Anyway, thanks for the comment and compliment. I’m always happy to find other Wilkie fans, and I’ll pop over to your blog!
Wow, an absolutely fantastic blog. I can’t wait to find some more time and really dive into your reviews.
Thanks Adam!
Hi I have just discovered this blog and am really enjoying reading the reviews. Keep up the good work!!!
Thanks other Adam!
I stopped over here from Unfinished Person’s blog. Love your favorite authors list! I look forward to sitting in my green armchair and reading your reviews!
Thank you! :)