Best wishes to all for a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.

If you’re like me, the vague prosperity resolutions you make for 2020 will include enriching your mind. Reading outside your comfort zone will certainly contribute to this decision. I’ve expanded my brainpower in the last several weeks by reading some really old works and the best part – the books are absolutely free!

While rereading “Educated: A Memoir” by Tara Westover, I came across some titles she mentioned she had read during her studies at Trinity College. I tracked a few of them down because they related to women issues and being a woman, I was intrigued.

I’m on page 120 of “The Subjection of Women” by John Stuart Mill and it’s brilliant. What’s the brilliant part, you might ask? The book was printed in 1869! Modern-thinking Mill was way ahead of his time coming to his conclusions about the unfair and often criminal treatment of women. I’m surprised he wasn’t ostracized for his beliefs (or maybe he was, I haven’t actually looked into his history just yet).

Also on my list is “An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals” by David Hume – A 1912 Reprint Of The Edition Of 1777. Say what? 1777? Hume was lightyears ahead of his time and I’m totally surprised the guy wasn’t burned at the stake (again, maybe he was – have to look into that, too).

If you have an interest in women’s studies or are seeking what I assume would be very old public domain titles on whatever interests you, check out Project Gutenberg at http://www.gutenberg.org/ and find some mind-blowing books. You have the option of downloading epubs, reading them online as an HTML, or even adding them to your Kindle library. If you’ve made a resolution to be more frugal this year, you have no excuse. Like I mentioned before, it’s free, free, free!

As for me, life (which is writing) goes on. Perhaps 2020 will be better for this author.

May the coming year be your best year yet!