What is Old Soul Books?
If you hunger for something more than the average modern novel can provide, it is my sincere hope that you encounter something within these posts that sends you straight into the pages of authors past.
Old Soul Books is where readers with an appetite for old-world novels gather; no classic literature experience required.
This is a space to expand your reading capacity, glean wisdom from writers of the past, and become immersed in worlds that are truly nothing like our own.
You belong here if you’ve ever read classics and enjoyed them. You belong here if you’ve ever read classics and didn’t enjoy them. You belong here if you’ve ever read something published a generation (or more) back from your own and thought Why don’t people write like this anymore?
(You can read more about exactly how I define an “old soul book” here.)
Who’s writing Old Soul Books?
My name is April Dray and I am an avid reader and freelance writer in southern Ohio. When I’m not reading aloud to my two small, hobbit-like children, I’m (probably) weighing down the hold shelf at my local library. With a bachelor’s in journalism, I’ve worked as a news reporter and written several travel and lifestyle features for both print and online publications. I believe in the power of storytelling, mining for beauty right where you are, and cultivating both a well-lived and well-read life.
Subscribe and read along with me
For subscribers, every new post will be emailed directly to your inbox. I’ll share what I’ve been reading, feature specific authors and themes, and give you the opportunity to read a novel along with me each month. For the monthly novel we explore together, I’ll post a brief synopsis at the beginning of each month and we will read along together with no specific schedule or deadlines. At the end of the month, you’ll get my full, honest impression of that month’s pick, discussion questions, and/or suggestions for further reading. (And of course, your old soul book suggestions are highly encouraged!)
NOTE: Children’s classics, picture books, and young adult novels will not be not excluded from our exploration. In fact, they will (probably) be highly praised and frequently featured.
There will likely be the occasional widely accepted classic novel discussed here, but the purpose isn’t to analyze those—that’s what the professors are for. Think of me as a friend, handing you a book your grandmother (or great-great-great grandmother) might have seen lining the shelves, hot off the press.
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