This short (115 page) treatise comprises two lectures which noted Cambridge academic and classicist Mary Beard delivered in 2014 and 2017. In these lectures, “The Public Voice of Women” and “Women in Power,” Beard examines the classical roots of the silencing of women’s voices and its effect on women in the modern Western world. Ultimately, in considering how women might truly become “voices of authority,” Beard suggests a reconsideration of “power” itself. In the first essay, Beard takes the reader back 3,000 years to demonstrate […]
Stay Gold Ponyboy
[There are some spoilers to The Outsiders, so be forewarned. I’d definitely recommend reading this book as it is an enjoyable and quick read] I never read The Outsiders in middle school or high school, even though I know many people who had to, and quite frankly, knowing how rarely I actually read or digested my assignments during that time, I’m glad I did not. The Outsiders to a younger me would’ve been a great bore, even though now it is an easy and gripping read. […]
Time was a face on the water, and like the great river before them, it did nothing but flow.
I’ve been in the car a lot lately, driving around for work. And while I love my satellite radio, I love my audible account even more. I’m listening to all of my favorite books, and it totally makes the time spent in the car seem less like work. This morning, I finished The Wind Through the Keyhole (and started The Wolves of the Calla!), and I must say, I enjoyed it much more this time (my second time reading and reviewing…the first was for CBR4!). […]
Where the falling angel meets the rising ape
He’s had a near-death experience! We all have. It’s called ‘living’…. Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather was a Cannonball Read book exchange gift to me from Malin. On my wish list, I had indicated that I hadn’t read anything by Pratchett, and Hogfather is a delightful introduction to his world, aka Discworld. It’s a twisted and sometimes demented place, which means it’s quite a lot like the world we inhabit, except for the magic, gnomes, talking animals, etc. The action here is set on Hogswatchnight, which is […]
The Dalai Lama, the Archbishop of Cape Town, and an Author Walk Into a Room
The Book of Joy takes two of the most beloved spiritual leaders in the world, the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and gives us their funny, heartwarming, and thought-provoking discussion on joy. Over the five day conversation in Dharamsala, which is home to many Tibetan refugees including the Dalai Lama, the two talk about their definition of joy, the obstacles to joy, and the 8 pillars that will help bring joy to the world. The main focus of the book is the discussion that […]
What would you do if you knew who was responsible for the death of your child?
Translated from the Japanese by Stephen Snyder A little girl is dead. Her mom knows who killed her. She wants revenge. It sounds like a simple enough plot, what could be more straightforward and relatable than a broken-hearted mother wanting to punish those responsible for the death of her child? But this is not a simple story. As the story starts, Moriguchi, a middle school teacher, is telling her students that she is retiring from teaching. Moriguchi has recently lost her 4-year-old daughter, Manami. She […]