this right here I swear will end too soon

not so long ago I was enjoying holidays at the seaside and now fall is on our doorstep. there is something quite special about smelling new season in the air. golden sunlight that lost its summer harshness, cool mornings, apple and pear tarts, snuggling up in a blanket out on the terrace with a mug of strong tea, misty evening that bring the hint of winter cold, big cozy sweaters, bright colours fading away, replaced by dark greens and warm copper hues.

+ a long overdue book recommendation - nicholas & alexandra by robert k. massie. a must for any Romanov-obsessed bona fide russophile, enchanted with the opulent splendour of the tsarist court (like yours truly) and a truly compelling read for everyone else. it is an amazing account of what led to the revolution, rich with details of the daily life of the Imperial family, breathing life into empty-sounding names. a fascinating, if rather disturbing reminder that one person or an unfortunate coincidence can shape the future of the whole world. books like that make me want to never bother with fiction again.

my grand scheme of translating it into Polish went a little pear-shaped after I found out that it was translated some 15 years ago, but had a misfortune of attracting a shabby publisher and getting an even shabbier cover that makes it look like a cheap harlequin story. right now it is nearly impossible to find a copy and knowing the quality of most of the translations I'd recommend going for the original anyway.

weheartit