The Reading Room is temporarily unavailable because we’re moving
to a new home in the village of Killaloe. We’ll post details here later.
The Reading Room is a unique treasure bestowed upon us by the late George Finney Linn, III.
Nestled in the hills of the Ottawa Valley in Old Killaloe, the Reading Room is home to George’s lifelong book collection and covers a vast array of topics—all of which called out to him in one way or another throughout his lifetime.
George loved and cared deeply for everyone and it is through the generosity of his spirit that we are now the recipients of this lovely offering.
He felt that books were his friends, and now, his dream has come true — to be able to share his friends with you.
How to use the Reading Room
Love’s Healing Reading Room is a place open to anyone who loves all things books. The lower level is delightfully decorated with original artwork and features a writing desk, comfortable chairs, wood-burning stove and tea-making facilities.
It is the perfect place for quiet contemplation, writing and reading. The upper level features over a thousand books shelved by category.
Please note that this is a reading room, not a lending library. All books must remain on the property.
Visitors: Visitors are always welcome at Love’s Healing Reading Room. Pleaseemail usin advance to ensure the space is available. We will then be able to prepare the space for you — make a fire and fill the kettle.
Pond and garden: The Starlight Chalet Garden Society maintains a beautiful perennial and vegetable garden, which Reading Room guests are welcome to enjoy. You may find yourself wandering through the garden, book in hand, to find a peaceful reading spot near the pond on the edge of the property, or you might find yourself on the hill overlooking the gardens.
House-keeping considerations: The Reading Room offers a clean and charming outhouse, located just a few feet away.
Food: Please only consume food and beverages in the lower level of the Reading Room or outside. Please leave the reading room clean and ready for the next visitor.
Woodstove: In the cooler seasons, the Reading Room is heated with a wood-burning stove. If you are experienced with using air tight wood stoves, please keep the fire going and replace the wood that you have burned during your visit from the nearby woodpile stored in the car port.
Privacy: The Reading Room, gardens and pond are all available to visitors. Please note that the main house is private property.
2060 Mountain View Road, near Hwy 512 and Mountain View Road, south of Killaloe.
About
Welcome to Love’s Healing Reading Room—a home for poets, storytellers and bookworms.
The reading room is a unique treasure bestowed upon us by the late George Finney Linn, III.
Nestled in the hills of the Ottawa Valley in Old Killaloe, the reading room is home to George’s lifelong book collection and covers a vast array of topics—all of which called out to him in one way or another throughout his lifetime.
“A wonderful place to think, being already so full of the thoughts of others.”Wayne Grady, July 2017
“Books, words, ideas, love — all palpable here — thank you.”Merilyn Simonds, July 2017
“What a wonderful place and book collection. I will be back.”Sandra Gulland, July 2017
An Ode to Love’s Healing Reading Room
A compilation and remix of words and phrases from launch participants, as well as published authors and poets. Assembled by Andy Trull. For Love’s Healing Reading Room, Sept 22, 2018
Yet love, mere love, is beautiful indeed —Elizabeth Barrett Browning
A life lived like a story
under the umbrella sky elm and maple canopy
a holy man leaves blank pages
garden flowers for the soul
where weeds and groves in solemn grandeur rise
simple beauty the relation of all loves and all love’s relations
for passion is the job
threading time and space like words in a perfect sentence
an angel pulls the pencil from behind your ear alighting goosebumps on your temples
temples of goosebumps and gooseberries
there is so much beauty everywhere some much to drink in drunk with peace drunk with truth
the sacred joyous grief of dissembling
for our skin is our frontier our life’s a border a round path of strawberry fields
assembling and dissembling the interests of all relations in this garden of love and light
lest you forget you are a californian a cauliflowerian a leapfrogging legend oob-a-dupe
for we are all from some place
lest we forget ohio, kingston, kilalloe turtle island pangea gondwana mercury subatomic sitting rooms
rooms to sit and read be still until you are ready to rise
click your heels three times and sing
there is no place like home there is no place like home there is no place like home