I’m starting a series within a series! I’m going to start exploring some of Shakespeare’s contemporaries, both in drama and poetry, and I’m kicking off this series with Ben Jonson. Ben Jonson, born in 1572, was one of the most famous playwrights of his time. Unlike Shakespeare, who Jonson said had ‘small Latin and less… Continue reading Shakespeare Saturdays: Ben Jonson (Shakespeare’s Contemporaries #1)
Today is the Autumn equinox (at 2.30pm BST) and Autumn is, by far, my favourite season. I have ten books on my Autumn TBR (to be read before the Winter solstice) and this is just a quick list of those books… Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne du Maurier Bored and restless in London’s Restoration Court, Lady Dona… Continue reading Autumn 2020 TBR
I looked at some of Shakespeare’s collaborations last week but I’m going back to the sonnets this week. I’m exploring sonnet 21 this week and I’ll try to be brief but I’m not sure I know the meaning of the word. Sonnet 21 So is it not with me as with that Muse, Stirr’d by… Continue reading Shakespeare Saturdays: Sonnet 21
Title: The Narrow Road to the Deep North and Other Travel Sketches Author: Matsuo Bashō Translator: Nobuyuki Yuasa Publisher: Penguin Classics Date: 1966 (1702) Genre: Classics / Poetry Summary: In his perfectly crafted haiku poems, Basho described the natural world with great simplicity and delicacy of feeling. When he composed “The Narrow Road to the Deep North” he was… Continue reading Mini Book Review: The Narrow Road to the Deep North and Other Travel Sketches by Matsuo Bashō
This week’s Shakespeare Saturday is all about Shakespeare’s collaborations with other playwrights! Collaborations were a major part of early modern play-writing so it’s no surprise that Shakespeare participated in a few. I’ve picked two collabs to focus on, both of which are accepted by scholars as collabs, but I may talk about the more dubious… Continue reading Shakespeare Saturdays: Collaborations
Title: Mary & The Wrongs of Woman Author: Mary Wollstonecraft Publisher: Oxford University Press Date: 2009 (1788) Genre: Classics / Fiction / Philosophy Summary: Mary Wollstonecraft is best known for her pioneering views on the rights of women to share equal rights and opportunities with men. Expressed most forcefully in her Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792), her forthright opinions… Continue reading Book Review: Mary & The Wrongs of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft
Once again, I’m combining two months of reading stats into one big post because I’m too lazy to make separate posts. Enjoy… Number of Books: 6 Number of Pages: 1753 Average Number of Pages: 292 Longest Book: Tipping the Velvet Shortest Book: A Study in Scarlet I still didn’t manage to read a book over… Continue reading July and August 2020 Reading Stats
Lo! a ripe sheaf of many golden days Gleaned by the year in autumn’s harvest ways, With here and there, blood-tinted as an ember, Some crimson poppy of a late deligt Atoning in its splendor for the flight Of summer blooms and joys This is September. – September, Lucy Maud… Continue reading September 2020 TBR
August was… odd. I mainly read short books this month because I couldn’t really concentrate on anything longer than 300 pages but I get a lot of work done on my thesis! I finished a second draft of my final chapter and I think it’s in a good place now so I can send it… Continue reading #MonthlyWrapUp: August 2020
I’m back with another Shakespeare Saturday and this time I’m looking at Othello! Othello, written around 1603, is a Shakespearean tragedy based on the story Un Capitano Moro (“A Moorish Captain”) by Cinthio which was first published in 1565. It was never translated into English but scholars suggest that Shakespeare would have read the French translation.… Continue reading Shakespeare Saturdays: Othello
