Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

I wish Stephen Fry was my BFF

Heroes: Mortals and Monsters , Quests and Adventures by Stephen Fry

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Mythos was always going to be a tough act to follow. Not just because it was great, but because I also had the pleasure of reading it from a sunlounger on a Greek island as opposed to from a sofa in dark and rainy Devon. But Stephen Fry is fabulous and naturally pulled it off while making it look easy. While Mythos looked at the creation and then shenanigans of the gods, Heroes is more down to earth – while the gods are still meddling, […]

“A whale’s graveyard on the whole is not a good place to stomp around on”

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

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I know, I know. Where have I been and how did I not get around to this earlier! To answer that easy question: I have been here, on earth, and I did read this approximately one million years ago. My memory of this volume was corrupted greatly by the 2005 movie adaptation (another issue, I know), and I figured that a new decade was as good a time as any to try out this classic again. Also, I wanted to listen to more audio books […]

“The Greeks created gods that were in their image”

Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold by Stephen Fry

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I enjoyed the hell out of this book, which I listened to on audio narrated by Fry himself. It was a fun, interesting read and a great way to end my year! “The Greeks created gods that were in their image; warlike but creative, wise but ferocious, loving but jealous, tender but brutal, compassionate, but vengeful.” If you liked Neil Gaiman’s Norse Mythology, you should definitely check this out. Fry starts with the very earliest Greek gods, and recounts their stories leading up to the age […]

“Gaia listened carefully to this wise counsel and – as we all do, whether mortal or immortal – ignored it.”

Mythos by Stephen Fry

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I’ve loved Greek mythology since I was a kid (I blame Harryhausen for kickstarting this) and I can’t think of a more delightful way to spend my time than reading their tales as told by Stephen Fry whilst lounging in the sun in Rhodes, gazing at the Aegean Sea as someone brings me drinks and calamari from the taverna mere steps away. This has hands down been my most lovely reading experience of the year and if you ever get the chance to do the […]

“How did I escape? With difficulty. How did I plan this moment? With pleasure.” (Remix) (OH, and double bingo)

Revenge by Stephen Fry

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(DOUBLE BINGO – corners and center, top left to bottom right I think the reason that this reworking of The Count of Monte Cristo works so well is because (at least per the afterword) Stephen Fry didn’t realize he was adapting the book until midway through writing it, thinking he was only writing a tale of the utter devastation of an innocent man and his revenge against those who had wronged him once he recovered from rock bottom.  I tend to believe this as I’ve […]

In the Style of the Greeks

Mythos by Stephen Fry

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I think the title of this book and the name of the author tell you a lot about this book right from the start. It’s Stephen Fry telling you the Greek myths. And it does feel like he’s telling them to you. His tone is very Stephen-Fry-y and his style is direct, dryly witty, and interested. His love of alliteration does show up. “Her lines were sweepingly, swoopingly, swooningly smooth, supple, and sensuous.”— Galatea and Pygmalion If you’re very familiar with Greek Mythology, If you’re […]



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