TOP TEN TUESDAY: Love/Valentine's Freebie

Ten Books My Valentine Could Gift Me on Valentine's Day

There are numerous books on my Amazon wishlist, and on special occasions my husband has chosen some as gifts. For example, for Christmas, he picked out four books. However, the list keeps growing. So here are ten books from my wishlist that I am wishing for...

1. That Hideous Strength by C. S. Lewis One of Lewis' books I have yet to read.

2. Wonderland Avenue by Danny Sugerman I read this in the 90s. I had checked it out of the library and kept it for ten years and finally returned it when I grew a conscience. I need to get a copy of this. It is about the author and his time with Jim Morrison and the Doors, and it was wild. 

3. Alone by Richard Evelyn Byrd This is a story about the author and his time alone at the South Pole, in the 1930s. It is a difficult book to find.

4. Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah Someone recommended this book, and I was compelled to put it on my wishlist. 

5. A Namesake for Nathan by F. N. Monjo Another difficult book to find, but it's out there. I read this to my kids and then I gave it away, regretfully. It is an historical fiction about Nathan Hale. 

6.  I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Trevino Not difficult to find, but another historical fiction that I gave away. It is the story about the Spanish artist Diego Velazquez, told through the experience of his assistant Juan. Very well written. 

Speaking of artists, I have been craving excellent art since we moved away from California to Florida. Central Florida does not specialize in good art. Everything is modern, and I loathe modern/contemporary art because it is ugly and pointless. I miss going to the Getty and the Huntington to see the Masters. So lately I have been looking to own collections of my favorite artists that I may pursue their works whenever I need good art. 

7. Bruegel The Complete Paintings by Jurgen Muller 

8. Vermeer The Complete Works by Karl Schultz

Sidenote: My family and I got to see this painting, Girl with a Pearl Earring, at a museum in San Francisco. It was on loan. Much smaller than I had expected, with onlookers huddled about it, discussing it like a life or death decision.

Obviously, not the actual painting.
I wish we were able to get this close.

9. Van Gogh The Complete Paintings by Ingo F. Walther 

        OR Vincent Van Gogh His Arts and Words by S. J. Seferi

10. Monet The Triumph of Impressionism by Daniel Wildenstein

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