I’m trying to come up with a reading list for 2013 and need some suggestions. I have a wonderfully diverse group of followers (I love you all!) and I’m hoping to get some interesting suggestions for the new year. I want to read at least a book a month, which worked for me this year, so I’m looking for 12 titles.

I’ll start out by telling you what I won’t be interested in: anything gory or explicit. I like suspense and even some horror, but not the kind that uses three page descriptions of a headless corpse. I also like romance, but I don’t need all of the juicy details (was that a pun? I think that was a pun.) or a lot of foul language. If it has a number in the title, I don’t want to read it.

Having established that, I’m open to suggestions from any genre, really. I enjoy reading mostly classic literature, historical fiction, steampunk and fantasy, but I’ll try any genre this year, as long as it is a well written book by an author who actually knows how to use words.

So… help a girl out, huh? You can give me suggestions by replying to this post or by sending me a message. You can also tweet me at @Daily_Victorian.

Thank you!!!!

Sheet music cover for “La Gitana Waltzes” by E. Bugalossi, circa 1880

Sheet music cover for “I Could Learn to Love You, If Only You Would Let Me Try,” circa 1906, by Harry Armstrong. 

Coming home with me?

lostsplendor:

Ceylonese Silver-Mounted Piha-Kaetta, 1850 (via Peter Finer)

I

gaporter:

John “I-perfected-smoulder-before-it-was-cool” Thornton

Advance Happy Thornsday girls!

“Why yes, Mr. Thronton, please do ring for some tea…”

Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel was written in the 12th Century. The lyricist and composer are unknown, but the original Latin was translated to English by John Mason Neal in 1851.

O come, O come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan’s tyranny

From depths of Hell Thy people save

And give them victory o’er the grave

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night

And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,

And open wide our heavenly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,

Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height,

In ancient times did’st give the Law,

In cloud, and majesty and awe.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel. 

treselegant:

The Illustrated London News Christmas Number, 1887.

The view from my apartment. Proof I live in Narnia.

Merry Christmas!

thinkfurnacewithwings:

And then Thranduil rides away on the Irish Elk of Hilarity.

soistoleatimelordandranaway:

Just watch.

helloimagentj:

1. Galadriel is Batman.

2. Radagast is the Middle Earth equivalent of a stoner. I also desperately want to have one of his giant rabbits.

3. Thorin is the only one that can say “frying pan” and still be majestic.

4. They wouldn’t have gotten anywhere without Gandalf.

5. Thranduil on his elk…

thatismahogan-y:

If you watched The Hobbit and you’re not attracted to Richard Armitage you are doing it wrong.