Maureen, so grateful to have you here and I appreciate all your contributions to the discussions. You make me feel seen and heard. Thank you for your service in the healthcare industry. That is a true vocation. All the best!
Congrats Matthew! Happy retirement, congrats on the 1000 subscribers, and I hope you have an amazing holiday in Italy. I like the mix of music and ideas of what to watch, thanks. Ciao
Hi, Matthew! We're new subscribers, so we're catching up on all your posts. Congratulations on your upcoming retirement. What a milestone! Love that you're celebrating in Italy.
I've been banging on about the novel 'Still Life' by Sarah Winman for a while now. (Apologies if you've read it already.) It's set in Florence, and it's one of those books that makes me happy to be alive. Found family, vivid descriptions of Florence, characters that feel like real people, and a story that made me breathless, hoping for a particular outcome. Might be a nice read before your trip?
We just watched 'A Gentleman in Moscow,' too (one of our all-time favorite books), and thought it was really good. And/but I realized I don't remember specifics from the book — it's more that I remember how it made me feel. So now I want to re-read and see how it intersects with the series. It was fun to see that world come to life on the screen.
Looking forward to following along on your reading adventures! —Mel
Mel, first off, thank you for subscribing and reading. It means a great deal to me. I look forward to checking out your publication as well when I have a few spare moments!
I have never read "Still Life" but it is going to the top of my pile. I love historical fiction and your description is intriguing. Thanks for the recommendation.
I thought they were pretty true to the book for "A Gentleman in Moscow." However, like you, I was less concerned with details than the emotions I had read this book. While it is packed with historical detail and descriptive scenes, the feelings and relationships are what make this story.
All the best and I am so glad to have "met' you here.
Lovely to 'meet' you, too! If you're a podcast person, you might like our Italy episode. Lots of book recommendations, history, culture, and Two Truths and Lie. https://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2022-09-26-italy/ We're going to Trieste and Venice this summer, and I can't wait!
I read and loved Still Life last year! I'm so excited for the new season of your podcast, I've been in a huge Paris reading mood so will be listening to your France episode asap
People have realised several things. It's sometimes good to have an actual THING,you don't need to power it up to read it,it can't be edited remotely,you can go back and read pages again or find quotes and no digital spy is clocking that you're reading whatever it is + then sending you "appropriate adverts" so annoying .
Congratulations on 1,000 Subscribers! I am impressed, truly, but not surprised.
Did you know that there are 2 seasons of a Joe Pickett series on Paramount +? I really like the characters. Sounds like I might need to check out the books, especially if the series isn’t renewed.
Have a wonderful time in Italy! What a nice way to ease into your retirement.
Teri, thank you very much for those generous words. I appreciate you.
I was aware of the Joe Pickett series but haven't watched any of it yet. I might have to check it out soon. I really like the books. I often listen to the audio book version on my commute and I think the narrator is good.
Thank you so much for including me here, Matthew! And congratulations on your retirement, and for hitting 1,000 subscribers! I'm happy to be one of them.
Huge congratulations on reaching 1000 well deserved subscribers Matthew - I wish you a fabulous and exciting retirement and here’s to your next 1000 subscribers to keep you busy..!
Thank you for all your wonderful posts so far - I don’t get time to read them all but those I do I love..!
Susie, thanks for everything. I know what you mean about not having enough time for reading everything. It is difficult with everthing going on but I consider myself fortunate to have such an amazing buffet of writers to choose from. I get to keep going back and sampling a little bit from each here and there. Your words always inspire and encourage me so keep writing and I will keep reading.
Sounds like you have a busy couple of months coming up, Matthew! Hope you enjoy the retirement celebrations, and Italy (Rome is one of my favourite places 💕) and congrats 👏 on hitting the big 1000 subscribers! Such an achievement in under a year of writing. Looking forward to more 😀
Kate, it is a very busy time for certain! We are so excited about Italy and the opportunity to spend time together as family. It should be a great adventure. Thanks for being such a wonderful friend to me here.
Congratulations on your milestones, Matt! 1,000 subscribers is only the beginning. You’ve contributed so much in your career as an officer that you are not leaving the Navy; you are leaving a legacy. Your trip to Italy will be one more gift to your family and to your readers, as you continue to bring your thoughtful and informed insights to the page. Thank you for your recommendations. Much gratitude for the mention. Best of luck to you in this next phase of your journey.
Mary, you are such a beautiful person and your words always make me feel special. Thanks so much. I am excited for the future and I believe that this summer of family, friends, and travel will rejuvenate me for this next season of my life. Looking forward to what comes next!
Grazie amico mio! It is always my pleasure to recommend great writers to others. Grateful to have found you here and have the pleasure of experiencing your words. Keep impacting lives!
Sarah, grateful to have read your work and I look forward to more. My wife and kids took me out for a steak dinner to celebrate. It was a lot of fun spending the evening together.
Great read list Mathew. Try Kerouac's Big Sur next. It will blow your mind. Hey where are you finding guest posters? And if you need another I'll do one. I'm serious. And I promise to behave : )
Richard, sounds good. I will add Big Sur to the list.
As for guest writers, I pretty much find them just like this :) Either I reach out to them or they reach out to me. Are you sure behaving would be in character for you? :) I will shoot you a private message with some details and we will go from there. Thanks for the interest.
Maureen, so grateful to have you here and I appreciate all your contributions to the discussions. You make me feel seen and heard. Thank you for your service in the healthcare industry. That is a true vocation. All the best!
Congrats Matthew! Happy retirement, congrats on the 1000 subscribers, and I hope you have an amazing holiday in Italy. I like the mix of music and ideas of what to watch, thanks. Ciao
Victoria, thank you! We are looking forward to our European vacation. Hope you enjoy the recommendations.
Hi, Matthew! We're new subscribers, so we're catching up on all your posts. Congratulations on your upcoming retirement. What a milestone! Love that you're celebrating in Italy.
I've been banging on about the novel 'Still Life' by Sarah Winman for a while now. (Apologies if you've read it already.) It's set in Florence, and it's one of those books that makes me happy to be alive. Found family, vivid descriptions of Florence, characters that feel like real people, and a story that made me breathless, hoping for a particular outcome. Might be a nice read before your trip?
We just watched 'A Gentleman in Moscow,' too (one of our all-time favorite books), and thought it was really good. And/but I realized I don't remember specifics from the book — it's more that I remember how it made me feel. So now I want to re-read and see how it intersects with the series. It was fun to see that world come to life on the screen.
Looking forward to following along on your reading adventures! —Mel
Mel, first off, thank you for subscribing and reading. It means a great deal to me. I look forward to checking out your publication as well when I have a few spare moments!
I have never read "Still Life" but it is going to the top of my pile. I love historical fiction and your description is intriguing. Thanks for the recommendation.
I thought they were pretty true to the book for "A Gentleman in Moscow." However, like you, I was less concerned with details than the emotions I had read this book. While it is packed with historical detail and descriptive scenes, the feelings and relationships are what make this story.
All the best and I am so glad to have "met' you here.
Lovely to 'meet' you, too! If you're a podcast person, you might like our Italy episode. Lots of book recommendations, history, culture, and Two Truths and Lie. https://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2022-09-26-italy/ We're going to Trieste and Venice this summer, and I can't wait!
I will definitely check that out. I tend to alternate between audiobooks and podcasts on my commute and dog walks!
Also, I just found you on Spotify so that works perfect!
Fantastic! I hope you enjoy it!
I read and loved Still Life last year! I'm so excited for the new season of your podcast, I've been in a huge Paris reading mood so will be listening to your France episode asap
We have an episode specifically about Paris, too!
https://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2020-08-24-paris/
Enjoy!
Oh great, will definitely listen to this thank you for the link!
Thanks so much for the mention, Matthew. And congrats on 1,000 subscribers! And beyond! Off to read several of the articles you recommended :).
Dana, you are welcome. You place here is well deserved. I am grateful to have discovered your writing. All the best!
Congrats. Proper reading is back in fashion. Real books.
Jane, I believe you are correct. It is amazing how things come full circle isn't it!
People have realised several things. It's sometimes good to have an actual THING,you don't need to power it up to read it,it can't be edited remotely,you can go back and read pages again or find quotes and no digital spy is clocking that you're reading whatever it is + then sending you "appropriate adverts" so annoying .
Congratulations on 1,000 Subscribers! I am impressed, truly, but not surprised.
Did you know that there are 2 seasons of a Joe Pickett series on Paramount +? I really like the characters. Sounds like I might need to check out the books, especially if the series isn’t renewed.
Have a wonderful time in Italy! What a nice way to ease into your retirement.
Teri, thank you very much for those generous words. I appreciate you.
I was aware of the Joe Pickett series but haven't watched any of it yet. I might have to check it out soon. I really like the books. I often listen to the audio book version on my commute and I think the narrator is good.
Thank you so much for including me here, Matthew! And congratulations on your retirement, and for hitting 1,000 subscribers! I'm happy to be one of them.
Chris, you are welcome. Glad we found one another and connected here. I always look forward to reading your articles.
Huge congrats Matthew!
Thanks Clare!
Huge congratulations on reaching 1000 well deserved subscribers Matthew - I wish you a fabulous and exciting retirement and here’s to your next 1000 subscribers to keep you busy..!
Thank you for all your wonderful posts so far - I don’t get time to read them all but those I do I love..!
Susie, thanks for everything. I know what you mean about not having enough time for reading everything. It is difficult with everthing going on but I consider myself fortunate to have such an amazing buffet of writers to choose from. I get to keep going back and sampling a little bit from each here and there. Your words always inspire and encourage me so keep writing and I will keep reading.
Thank you Matthew, ditto! I hope your weekend is filled with wonder and words…
Thanks for all the recommendations Matthew! Lots of stuff to dive into here. Congrats again on your retirement. That trip sounds amazing!
Noreen, you are welcome and I hope you find something that interests you. All the best!
Sounds like you have a busy couple of months coming up, Matthew! Hope you enjoy the retirement celebrations, and Italy (Rome is one of my favourite places 💕) and congrats 👏 on hitting the big 1000 subscribers! Such an achievement in under a year of writing. Looking forward to more 😀
Kate, it is a very busy time for certain! We are so excited about Italy and the opportunity to spend time together as family. It should be a great adventure. Thanks for being such a wonderful friend to me here.
Congratulations on your milestones, Matt! 1,000 subscribers is only the beginning. You’ve contributed so much in your career as an officer that you are not leaving the Navy; you are leaving a legacy. Your trip to Italy will be one more gift to your family and to your readers, as you continue to bring your thoughtful and informed insights to the page. Thank you for your recommendations. Much gratitude for the mention. Best of luck to you in this next phase of your journey.
Mary, you are such a beautiful person and your words always make me feel special. Thanks so much. I am excited for the future and I believe that this summer of family, friends, and travel will rejuvenate me for this next season of my life. Looking forward to what comes next!
So much to congratulate you on. Have wonderful visits with friends and a bellissimo viaggio to Italy.
Thanks for the mention today. Appreciate you.
Grazie amico mio! It is always my pleasure to recommend great writers to others. Grateful to have found you here and have the pleasure of experiencing your words. Keep impacting lives!
What a resource you've become for your readers, Matthew! Honored to be included among the recommendations.
Thank you my friend! The books arrived yesterday so I plan to spend a little time with them this weekend.
That's good to hear! You never know with USPS. 🙏
Matthew! So happy to be included in your well-curated lists. :) And I hope you find a way to mark that 1,000 subscriber milestone.
Sarah, grateful to have read your work and I look forward to more. My wife and kids took me out for a steak dinner to celebrate. It was a lot of fun spending the evening together.
Great read list Mathew. Try Kerouac's Big Sur next. It will blow your mind. Hey where are you finding guest posters? And if you need another I'll do one. I'm serious. And I promise to behave : )
Richard, sounds good. I will add Big Sur to the list.
As for guest writers, I pretty much find them just like this :) Either I reach out to them or they reach out to me. Are you sure behaving would be in character for you? :) I will shoot you a private message with some details and we will go from there. Thanks for the interest.