Speak Flowers and Fans by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Speak Flowers and Fans – a Dictionary of Floriography and Fanology by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Every once in a while, a book arrives that feels less like reading and more like being invited into a conversation with imagination itself. Teagan Riordain Geneviene’s Speak Flowers and Fans: A Dictionary of Floriography and Fanology is just that kind of book — one that enchants, teaches, and lingers.

Teagan has always had a gift for creating worlds where the whimsical and the profound walk hand in hand. In Speak Flowers and Fans, she takes us back to the lost languages of floriography and fanology, where a flower or a gesture with a fan could communicate what words dared not. It is both playful and deeply human — a reminder that creativity finds its way into the smallest details of our lives, even into the silent messages of petals and silk.

As I turned the pages, I felt as though I were gathering secret notes from another time, yet the messages still feel relevant today. Flowers, fans, and symbolism become bridges, connecting us to emotion, memory, and possibility. Teagan’s imagination makes these connections vivid and irresistible.

This is not just a book to read once and shelve. It is a book to return to, to dip into when you want to be inspired, or when you need to remember that creativity is not bound by words alone. It can be carried by colour, shape, gesture, or even silence.

For me, Speak Flowers and Fans was a reminder of why we read: not only to escape, but to rediscover how extraordinary the ordinary can be when we look closely.

My Takeaway:

Teagan’s work embodies the joy of creation — bold, imaginative, and life-affirming. This book is a celebration of how symbols carry meaning, and how creativity opens up new languages to us.

Thank you, Teagan, for sharing this imaginative treasury. I know I’ll return to it often.

Rebecca

#Communication #Fanology #Floriography #InTheCompanyOfBooks #OnTheRoadBookClub #SpeakFlowersAndFans #TeaganRíordáinGeneviene

Gathering September, Welcoming October

The month of September carried with it a sense of nostalgia, a reminder of harvest and gathering. Our conversations gathered words, ideas, and memories into a rich tapestry. What strikes me most is that whether we were speaking of books, trees, history, or blogging, the underlying thread was the same: the search for meaning, connection, and hope.

We explored how novels balance sadness and joy, how imagination sometimes falters and leaps of faith carry us forward, and how stories connect us to the people we’ve loved and lost. Books like Elizabeth Is Missing and A Woman of Substance became touchstones for reflecting on memory, resilience, and the enduring impact of stories in our lives. From Isambard Kingdom Brunel to Michael Faraday, we celebrated visionaries whose work continues to shape our present. Their creativity, humility, and moral courage raised questions about how we, too, will be remembered.

September was a month of poetry and prose, of friendships renewed and new connections made. It reminded us that even in solitude, we are never alone when we gather around stories, whether in books, paintings, or the words we share here.

And now, October arrives with the promise of new beginnings. We celebrate the launch of Liz’s, The Weight of Snow and Regret, Teagan’s Dead of Winter omnibus, and Darlene’s Amanda in Ireland: The Body in the Bog. I’ve also downloaded Alex Gunn’s Soft as Nails and Diana’s The Bone Wall, and pre-ordered Shey’s Wryson’s Eternity (Cornish Rogues Book 2). A season of new stories is unfolding, reminding us that the circle of reading and reflection is ever-turning.

Here’s to carrying these reflections forward into October, with gratitude for all who share their voices.

Rebecca

#InTheCompanyOfBooks #October #September

In the Company of Books: July Reflections and August Glimpses

Introducing the Monthly Review

This post marks the beginning of a new tradition in Rebecca’s Reading Room—a monthly reflection on the books, poems, and ideas we’ve explored together. It’s a moment to look back on the stories that shaped the past few weeks and offer a glimpse of what’s to come. I hope it becomes a place of pause, connection, and literary companionship.

“Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.”

Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

Each month in Rebecca’s Reading Room is a quiet celebration—not just of what I’ve read, but of how far I’ve come in my reading journey. As I turn the page from July into August, I pause to ask: What did these stories mean to me? Did they shift the way I see the world, my community, or myself?

Perhaps a poem softened my gaze. A novel stirred empathy. A work of non-fiction sparked outrage—or understanding. Have I become more compassionate? More strategic in my thinking? More alive to nuance, complexity, and beauty?

This is the gift of reading: it doesn’t end with the final page. It lingers. It questions. It transforms.

Here’s what July brought into my shared space:

July 2 – Book Review: Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe. A compelling exposé of the Sackler family and the opioid crisis, this review reflected on power, accountability, and the ripple effects of silence.

July 5 – Morning Reflection: Change Endures. A brief meditation on the nature of change—how it unsettles us, shapes us, and reminds us that nothing living stays the same.

July 7 – Poetry Reflection: Benediction by Georgia Douglas Johnson. This lyrical blessing from mother to son offered a quiet prayer for strength, hope, and dignity in the face of a turbulent world.

July 10 – Essay: The Serendipitous Benefits of Reading for Healing. Books as balm. I explored how reading restores, soothes, and brings clarity during times of emotional fatigue.

July 11 – Milestone Post: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Marking its 64th anniversary, I reflected on this literary touchstone and the enduring questions it poses about empathy and justice.

July 20 – Reflection: A Garden at the Threshold. The truest reflection happens when we let the world move through us without words. Just music. Just petals in the breeze. Just the soft companionship of being alive to the moment.

July 23 – Book Review: Book Review: The Square of Sevens: A Journey Through Cards. Inspired by a rare 1897 text on cartomancy, this post began an artistic and symbolic journey into the visual language of tarot, chance, and cultural storytelling.

Looking Ahead to August…

As summer deepens, the Reading Room turns toward myth, memory, and poetic resonance. Here’s what’s coming soon:

August 4 – It Was Summer When I Found You: A Reflection on Sappho: A lyrical meditation on love, longing, and the voice of one of antiquity’s most enigmatic poets.

August 18 – The Bard’s Corner: Finding Ourselves in Shakespeare’s Sonnets. How do we meet ourselves in Shakespeare’s words? This new entry in The Bard’s Corner explores timeless sonnets and the emotions they continue to stir.

August 25 – Gardens of Memory: Rediscovering Julia Kelly’s The Last Garden in England
A novel that spans generations and landscapes, inviting us to reflect on what we plant—and what remains.

My Takeaways

As I look back on July, I’m struck by how each piece—whether poem, novel, or essay—revealed a different facet of human complexity. Empire of Pain challenged me to consider the ethical dimensions of silence and legacy. To Kill a Mockingbird returned me to the fundamental importance of compassion and justice. Georgia Douglas Johnson offered strength in blessing. Even the mysterious imagery of The Square of Sevens reminded me that symbols endure because we keep finding ourselves in them.

What stays with me most is the reminder that reading is not escape—it is encounter. With history. With grief. With joy. With ambiguity. It invites me to become a better listener, to see beyond the obvious, and to hold complexity without rushing to resolution.

In every reflection I shared, I also discovered something new in myself.

“The reading of all good books is like a conversation with the finest minds of past centuries.”

René Descartes

A Note to My Readers

Many posts in August will have comments closed as I’ll be travelling through Norway—seeking stories, inspiration, and quiet moments among fjords and midsummer skies. I look forward to reconnecting in September with new reflections and perhaps a photo or two from the journey.

Until then, may the books beside your chair continue to whisper wisdom and wonder.

Rebecca

#Glimpses #InTheCompanyOfBooks #Reflections