Entries by Charlotte Jones Voiklis

Madeleine’s Illustrated Christmas Cards

by Jessica Kantrowitz Dear Ones, When Madeleine was first married, she began what would be a years-long tradition of drawing, printing, and painting her own Christmas cards. This is her first after her marriage to Hugh Franklin, with her beloved French poodle, Touché.  I’ve been thinking a lot about these little cards lately. The detail, […]

All Under One Roof: Thanksgiving, Crosswicks, and Big Family Stories

by Sarah Arthur Extended family is on my mind this time of year. Not only is Thanksgiving around the corner, but also I recently helped co-direct the L’Engle Writing Retreat in Litchfield, CT, mere miles from Madeleine’s beloved farmhouse, Crosswicks.  The rambling, 250-year-old building has been the private residence for many generations of Madeleine’s family […]

Guest Blog Post: Madeleine’s biographer on telling family stories

by Abigail Santamaria “Tell me a story, Mother…” Madeleine begged many mornings of her childhood, climbing into her parents’ bed before breakfast. Goldilocks and nursery rhymes didn’t interest her—she wanted stories about the Madeleines who came before. The great-grandmother after whom she was named—Madeleine Saunders L’Engle, who died the year before her namesake was born—had […]

How IT Captured Camazotz

by Charlotte Jones Voiklis Dear Ones, As we approach election day, I remember going with my grandmother to vote for the very first time in New York City 1988. Details are vague, but the memory is tied to a conversation with her about women’s rights: my grandfather had died in 1986, and she had a […]