

Conquer the Classics (I'll Pay You!)
You know that book you've always wanted to read, but haven't yet gotten around to? For many of us, that book is a classic, but we shy away because we're (secretly or openly) scared we won't understand it. Fear not, my friends, for I am here to help. I've spent the past 18 months painstakingly annotating classic novels, adding definitions and explanations at the bottom of each page to make sure you can fully understand and appreciate their brilliance. So far, I've done: The I
Erica Abbett
Feb 4, 2025


2025 Goals: Annotated Classics
Having recently completed my 2024 recap , it's time to write my 2025 goals! My focus will remain on Vocabbett Classics , where I annotate classic novels to make them more accessible to modern readers. Once I have a large enough collection, I'm going to start approaching schools and school districts, suggesting that they swap their existing editions with my brilliantly-annotated alternative. At the moment, there are quite a few A-list books missing, and I don't want to waste a
Erica Abbett
Dec 20, 2024


Conquer a Classic This Christmas
Did you know it's a Christmas tradition in Iceland to exchange books for Christmas? To be specific, these books are exchanged on,...
Erica Abbett
Dec 13, 2024


The Iliad Is My Odyssey
This book has been in the making for 10+ years, if not 3,000. In a way, you could say The Iliad is my odyssey!
Erica Abbett
Nov 9, 2024


The Best Book You've Never Read (Farewell, Maggie Smith)
I can't be the only person who grew up thinking "good books" and "school books" were mutually exclusive categories. Now that I'm older and wiser, I understand the necessity of introducing students to serious literature in school--where else are they going to read it? But I also sympathize with 17-year-old Erica's persistent protestation: "If you want kids to enjoy reading, shouldn't you assign something--you know-- enjoyable ?" There are exceptions to any rule, particularly
Erica Abbett
Oct 1, 2024


Welcome Back, Jane Eyre! (And Other News)
Oh, boy am I excited to tell you about a life-changing project that I have been working on for almost TWO YEARS. To make a long story short: I'm annotating classic novels; Jane Eyre is ready; and these books are life-changing. Those who have been with me since the beginning of Vocabbett--which was founded with the publication of Ahead of Her Time in the days of yore--know that I put definitions of difficult words at the bottom of each page in my fiction books. In my opinion
Erica Abbett
Aug 13, 2024