Twelfth Night

Last night some friends and I saw Jupiter Theater Company’s production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. It was a bit nostalgic for me as I first saw them perform Love’s Labour’s Lost back in March of 2021. Since then I have come to know most of their cast and crew as friends and acquaintances.

While everyone gave a strong performance, the actress who played Feste (The Fool) stole the show. Her expressions and delivery were spot on and she brought life to the often boring B plot.

The loser of the play was the male garb worn by Viola (and then later Sebastian.) I don’t know who thought green pants and a light blue shirt with a multi-colored, floral waistcoat was a good idea, but I struggled to take either of those characters seriously.

Scrooge the Musical

Yesterday I pulled together friends to see a local theater group’s rendition of Scrooge: The Musical.

I am familiar with A Christmas Story but was unaware that anyone had turned it into a musical. I suppose by this point I should just assume everything has been turned into a musical.

And it was indeed…musical!

I would say that if I didn’t super enjoy this musical, it had as much to do with the writing and songs as the production itself. For example, at the beginning when you’re supposed to realize what a Christmas-hating miser Scrooge is, I kept thinking that maybe he had a point as he went around trying to collect rent and every single one of his tenants said they couldn’t pay because it was Christmas. Talk about irresponsible villagers. Or Bob Cratchit spending his entire paycheck on Christmas merriment? Not a good plan.

Some songs were fun. I Like Life will be one I return to and I enjoyed the macabre nature of Thank You Very Much. But too many others left me surreptitiously glancing at my program to figure out how much longer till the end.

I went to support the friend playing the Ghost of Christmas Past and I think she did a wonderful job, especially with the somewhat bizarre twist the musical throws in there. I didn’t realize how well she could sing! What a treat to listen to her.

Since I’ve never seen the musical version of A Christmas Carol before, I don’t know how much was script and how much was theatrical choice, but most scenes in Scrooge felt abrupt and choppy. There were some cool props to facilitate transitions but I didn’t get why some of the transitions needed to be there at all.

The biggest win of this musical is finally got me excited for the other Christmas Carol-related play I’m seeing this season, Fezziwig’s Ball. And I better be excited because my housemate and my assistant are in it. We’ll see.

Love’s Labour’s Lost

Today I went and saw Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost performed by a local theater company. And because it was Shakespeare, I understand maybe one word in ten.

But at least I was not alone, as the friend who went with me kept turning to me and audibly whispering: “WHAT IS GOING ONNN???”

So, you know, at least there were two of us who foolishly didn’t read up on the play before showing up. But who wants spoilers?!

Truly, though, the cast did a great job. They were very expressive and entertaining. They did a particularly impressive job engaging with the audience considering the constraints of social distancing. And the costuming was delightful. They set it in the Regency era and ended with a cameo from Beatrice and Hero–the stars of their next production, Much Ado About Nothing.

I’m pretty sure my friend has sworn off Shakespeare after this experience (every time she grasped the implications of a dirty joke she would turn to me with a shocked, betrayed expression) but I for one plan to come back.

2020 Reading Challenge: My 5 Star Reads (Part 1!)

I previously shared my favorite reads of 2020. But after reading 400 books, you better believe quite a few made the 5 star mark! I have a habit of sharing my 5-star reads from the year before. Because I read so many this year, it will take a few days. Worth it though…because I recommend adding all of these to your to-read list! Enjoy.

Intellectuals and Race by Thomas Sowell

I sometimes forget how much I enjoy reading Thomas Sowell. He approaches his topics academically and professionally but isn’t afraid to take on the perspective of the day. And he does so in a manner that, whether you end up agreeing with him or not, truly makes you think. This book approaches the way academics treat race issues. I found it particularly helpful as a counter, or at least alternative perspective, to my criminal procedure class.

The Quest for Cosmic Justice by Thomas Sowell

The Quest for Cosmic Justice shows how confused conceptions of justice end up promoting injustice, how confused conceptions of equality end up promoting inequality, and how the tyranny of social visions prevents many people from confronting the actual consequences of their own beliefs and policies. A short but powerful read.

Wren to the Rescue by Sherwood Smith

My favorite middle school read of 2020! When a princess gets kidnapped by the evil magician, her best friend sets out to save the day, accompanied by a prince and an apprentice wizard. It is a familiar storyline but fun. A book full of magic, friendship, and strong female characters.

Danse de la Folie by Sherwood Smith

Looking for your high schooler, not your middle schooler? Then I recommend Smith’s delightful Regency romance. The story follows two heroines: the mature and steady Miss Clarissa Harlowe and her guest, vivacious wannabe-novelist Lady Kitty. Two charming gentleman, a host of delightful side characters, and some villainous villains later, and you’ve got one great story. Of course, the path of true love never did run smooth, so plenty of impediments keep our couples apart. (But none of those impediments include stupid misunderstandings or miscommunication. I just love this book.)

Reflections on the Psalms by C.S. Lewis

C.S. Lewis begins this work by comparing it to two school boys studying together because they have the same sort of questions that have long since ceased to puzzle–and in fact, have long since become incomprehensible to–their schoolmaster. The analogy works beautifully for this book. It is one non-theologian expressing his understanding of the Psalms, and in doing so, making it that much more understandable for the rest of us.

The Voluntaryist Creed: Being The Herbert Spencer Lecture, 1906, And A Plea For Voluntaryism (1908) by Auberon Herbert

Good luck finding a copy of this one–but if you can, you are in for a treat! To steal from a friend’s review, “Even though its a little over 100 years old it could’ve easily been written today. Herbert describes the dangers involved when politicians believe they can rationally decide as to how a society should develop.” A powerful, concise argument for the free market with lots of great quotes.

The Press and Abortion: 1838-1988 by Marvin Olasky

Despite the dry-sounding title, The Press and Abortion: 1838-1988 weaves a tale almost worthy of Erik Larson. It delves into the melodramatic headlines, sensational advertisements, and chilling murders that molded the early narrative of abortion in the media and how the language slowly became more sanitized and normalized in the 1900s. I now want a volume 2 tracing the last 30+ years!

Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett

Being an audible learner, it probably helped that I listened to this play as an audio book. But even so, I was shocked by how much I liked it. My sister lists it as one of the worst books she has ever read and my Goodreads friends seem pretty split down the middle on its merit. But I loved it. The very pointlessness. The frustration and angst and resignation. The characters. I get why people don’t like it, especially if forced to read it in high school. But man. It resonated.

Oedipus Rex and Antigone by Sophocles

Who needs Romeo and Juliet? Give me Haemon and Antigone any day for the dramatic and unnecessary deaths of romantic youths! In all seriousness, I thoroughly enjoyed these ancient plays and was reminded of what skill the Greek playwrights had that however many years later, I was still left chuckling and slightly heartbroken by the end.

Miss Buncle’s Book and Miss Buncle Married by by D.E. Stevenson

These books feel exactly like the literary version of a giant cup of tea on a rainy day: cozy, soothing, and absolutely delicious. The story follows Barbara Buncle, an English spinster in desperate need of some cash. So, she writes a book. A book based on the people in her small, English village. After all, what are the odds they will ever see it? As it turns out, very high, as Miss Buncle’s book becomes an overnight sensation and causes all sorts of chaos in the village as people recognize their literary counterparts…The title of the sequel gives away what happens next, but the delightful hijinks and village life continues in book 2. I highly recommend checking out.

My Favorite Books of 2020

400 books read in 2020. Here are my top 10:

10. The Closing of the American Mind by Allan Bloom

Published in 1988, this classic critique of higher education and intellectual thought was a surprisingly rambling read. Bloom jumps from the evils of Walkmans to the importance of Plato without blinking an eye. But if you stick around for the ride, he weaves an important and intriguing argument about educational philosophy. The crisp style and philosophical bend reminded me of Thomas Sowell, but instead of getting at ideas in politics, Bloom gets at ideas in philosophy and higher education, with an emphasis on the dangers of relativism.

9. Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs

Short stories are an art form and Patricia Briggs proves herself more than a master in this collection. I don’t necessarily recommend reading this one unless you have read her other books, but I felt it deserved a shout-out considering I devoured everything I could get my hands on by Briggs this past year. Keep an eye out for a longer post by me breaking down why I fell and fell hard for her books. (Despite…werewolves.)

8. The Gabriel Hounds by Mary Stewart

When rich and spoiled Christy Mansel decides to visit Damascus, she little imagines running into a long lost relative. But she can’t resist when she learns her eccentric Great-Aunt Harriet (long believed dead) lives nearby in a crumbling palace attended only by a doctor and handful of native servants. Except not all is as it appears…Your enjoyment of this novel will likely depend on whether you get the American or British version. The love interest is a first-cousin in the British version and more distant relation in the American. (Did you know you can still marry your cousin in most of the world?) I read the British version and despite not being totally behind the romance, I loved the characters and the writing–of course, it is Mary Stewart. I love just about everything by her.

7. Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen

I read Ibsen’s more famous play, A Doll’s House, this year and while I liked it, I loved his play Ghosts. Which feels a little twisted as this story centers on a widow who is haunted by the many mistresses of her deceased husband and her son who has inherited syphilis from his philandering father. Charming, right? But for a play written in 1881, the emotions still come across so strongly I can only imagine how shocking it was when it was published. It certainly strikes a cord today.

6. On the Incarnation by Athanasius of Alexandria

Published in the fourth century, this tiny volume lays out the meaning of the incarnation. It is marvelous. If possible, I highly recommend getting a copy with the introduction written by C.S. Lewis. His 7-pages are worth the price of the volume alone, but the whole thing is wonderful. Eye-opening even if you’ve been a Christian for a while.

5. Return of the Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

The 6th and final book in the Queen’s Thief series, Return of the Thief somehow lived up to my impossibly high expectations, just not at all in the way I expected. Any plot synopsis would be a major spoiler so I’ll just echo my usual plea: give the series a try! The first book is unbelievably slow but if you keep going, you will be richly rewarded for the effort. Easily my favorite fantasy series.

4. Justice on Trial: The Kavanaugh Confirmation and the Future of the Supreme Court by Mollie Hemingway and Carrie Severino

What really happened during the Kavanaugh confirmation? Who made what accusations…and when? Who knew what…and when? This book lays out the history of what happened during the hearings and includes an overview of previous confirmations (and why Republicans historically are terrible at choosing Supreme Court justices.) This was a really intriguing look at the history and tradition of the court, as well as everything the Kavanaugh family had to go through upon his nomination. And it doesn’t take a law degree to read!

3. Dorothy and Jack: The Transforming Friendship of Dorothy L. Sayers and C. S. Lewis by Gina Dalfonzo

Love C.S. Lewis? Love Dorothy L. Sayers? Look no farther than this marvelous (and short!) biography about their friendship! Both went to Oxford University, both loved reading G.K. Chesterton, and both made names for themselves as popular writers of theology for the general public. But it wasn’t until Sayers wrote Lewis a fan-letter that their friendship took off. While on the one hand this book describes their friendship, the very act of describing means delving into the philosophical debates the two shared about art, gender, faith, literature, and so much more. It also provides an intriguing glimpse into their mutual friendships with people like J.R.R. Tolkien. It is honestly a great look at what platonic friendship can look like.

2. Greensleeves by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

Set in the 1960s, 18-year-old Shannon Lightley wants nothing more than a place to belong after a lifetime spent bouncing between her divorced parents in Europe and her extended family in the United States. When a family friend offers her a temporary gig investigating a mysterious will, she jumps at the chance to avoid making a decision about her future. Using an assumed name and working as a waitress in a diner, Shannon finds herself entirely on her own for the first time in her life; and as the long summer days go by, she tries to sort out who she really is and what her future holds. This is one of the best coming-of-age stories I have ever read. I think every teenager can relate to Shannon’s feeling of displacement, and it makes her character growth that much more powerful. Highly recommend.

1. The Mutual Admiration Society: How Dorothy L. Sayers and her Oxford Circle Remade the World for Women by Mo Moulton

This biography follows four of the first female graduates from Oxford University: Dorothy L. Sayers, Dorothy Rowe, Charis Frankenburg, and Muriel St. Clare Byrne. Close friends, they were among the first women to receive college degrees and over their varied careers held almost every role available to women at the time as nurses, school teachers, playwrights, advertisers, speakers, directors, mothers, maiden aunts, and most of all, writers. Their friendship survived two world wars, loss of spouses and children, fame, scandal, and more, lasting from the 1910s to the 1980s. It is truly an impressive, inspiring story.

2019 Reading Challenge: My 5 Star Reviews, Part 5 (Greeks and Romans)

Welcome to my favorite reads of 2019…Part 5! I TAed this past semester for a class on early Western political thought which means I finally knocked off a lot of Greek writers from my to-read list! However, I will be the first to say that I only understood most of these books because I was taking a class while I read them. Accordingly, while these hit five stars and were favorites of the year, I don’t necessarily recommend just picking them up for fun.

The Histories by Herodotus

Basically, the book where we get the story of 300. Full of facts and legends, it really was an interesting read and fascinating as the first “history book” as we know the term today. I found it surprisingly fun as well as historically significant. 

Clouds, Frogs, Assemblywomen, Wealth by Aristophanes 

Arisotphanes was an Athenian playwright who lampooned the Iliad-like honor culture of Greek society. I read 4 of his plays. They are extraordinarily vulgar, extremely astute, and quite funny. And considering 2,000 years have passed since he wrote this stuff, it is incredible that his poop jokes are still funny. I think Wealth was my favorite. 

Phaedo by Plato

 Plato’s account of Socrates last hours before his death. It is a final look at his philosophy towards life and the philosopher’s call. Brief but impactful. 

The Republic by Plato

An incredibly important book for Western thought and the more I study it, the more I realize how much it impacted the world we know today. I kept pausing to exclaim, “But that’s something C.S. Lewis says!” or “That’s straight out of Saul Alinsky!” or “This is foundational to a G.K. Chesterton arguments!” But of course, it isn’t a book a book that depends on Lewis or Alinsky or Chesterton, but rather the common background for all them. That said, definitely a philosopher’s book. It begs for debate, discussion, further analysis but it doesn’t entirely satisfy because it leaves much unanswered. 

Ethics by Aristotle

I actually read this one twice: first at the beginning of the year while in Thailand then for my class. It definitely made way more sense the second time through. Context does amazing things for your understanding. I particularly liked the section on Friendship. Quite thought provoking. 

The Aeneid by Virgil

I did not like The Aeneid as much as The Iliad, but it certainly deserves credit for historical significance. The Aeneid follows the fall of Troy through the founding of Rome. Tons of hilariously bad passages foreshadowing the glory of Rome and Caesar and whatnot. But also tons of familiar scenes that are part of our modern mythos. So, worth a read. 

2019 Reading Challenge: My 5 Star Reviews, Part 4

#IMomSoHard by Kristin Hensley & Jen Smedley

Be prepared to learn and laugh about all the intimate, awkward parts of being a mom that no one talks about. I am definitely not the intended audience for this book, not being a mom  and all. However, it still made me laugh really hard and gave me insights to relate better to my friends who are moms. I highly recommend this one as an irreverent and upbeat look at the challenge of motherhood and how to support the moms in your life. 

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Hamlet is that guy you know everything about but somehow haven’t met. You have all the same friends and maybe work in the same field but your paths never cross. And everyone says, “Oh my gosh, how do you not know Hamlet?” and all you can do is shrug and be like “IDK, dude. IDK.” Anyway, I’ve finally met Hamlet. And he’s awesome. Wonderfully ambiguous and funny. This is officially my favorite Shakespeare play.

The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life Better (and Other People’s Lives Better, Too) by Gretchen Rubin

The Four Tendencies focuses on how people respond to expectations and how those expectation motivates them. Gretchen Rubin claims four types exist: Upholders, Questioners, Obligers, and Rebels. Upholders are motivated by internal and external expectations. Questioners only by internal expectation. Obligers only by external expectations. Rebels are motivated by neither. It sounds pretty simple and in a way it is.The book is not particularly mind blowing once you understand the initial framework. But I actually don’t think the author intends it to be. Perhaps it is just her legal style, but she cuts through a lot of the fluff one would typically expect. It made the whole thing a straightforward and fast read. Quite insightful and practical. 

Mike and Psmith by P.G. Wodehouse

A sporting story about cricket and the friendship of two, unlikely schoolboys at the turn of the century. Wodehouse’s distinctive comedic style mixes with the boarding school vibe to give a lovely, old fashioned flavor. Psmith is one of the most delightful characters I’ve met in a long time. You don’t even have to know anything about cricket to enjoy this story! 

The Enchiridion by St. Augustine

In The Enchiridion–Latin for “the handbook”–St. Augustine summarizes Christian doctrine in under 144 pages. It is brief, profound, and definitely worth chewing over. He expounds on the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love in a way that was new to me. If you are at all interested in reading more by the early church fathers generally or St. Augustine in particular, this is a good place to start. 

Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions by Mario Giordano

The only cozy mystery to make it on my 5-star list, Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions is actually a German novel semi-recently translated into English and set in Sicily. The author does a great job conveying life in Sicily through quirky characters, beautiful descriptions, and odd jokes. For being a light-hearted murder mystery, it also tackles many heavy topics. The heroine of the piece, Auntie Poldi, is a depressed, alcoholic divorcee/widow who moves to Sicily with the intent of drinking herself to death. But her family won’t let her. Her sisters-in-law drop in regularly to make sure she is doing okay. Her nephew–the narrator of book–comes regularly to stay with her. The book has some genuinely brilliant quotes, funny scenes, and great characterizations. Oh, and murder. I cannot wait to read more in the series. 

2019 Reading Challenge: My Favorite Books

With 76 5-star reads this year, you better believe it was hard to choose favorites. I narrowed it down to 46 by dropping all my re-reads. Then I removed any Mary Stewart novels and Greek/Roman classics because–per my scheduling post–those will get separate posts later. But still. This was hard!

However, without much ado, I give you my favoritest favorite books of 2019 (in no particular order.) 

Sanditon: Jane Austen’s Last Novel by Jane Austen & Anne Telscombe (aka Marie Dobbs)

Jane Austen wrote the first 11 chapters of Sanditon before dying at age 41. And they are brilliant. Chapter 3 begins, “Every neighborhood should have a great lady.” Genius. But alas, never completed. Instead, in 1975, Anne Telscombe finished the story. And her conclusion feels way more like Georgette Heyer than Jane Austen. It is a completely different tone and suffers horrendously from hindsight, with characters enthusing about gaslights and other inventions just about to make it big. But you know what? It does not matter. This was still one of my favorite reads from 2019 because it was genuinely entertaining. Unfortunately, or perhaps fittingly, the mini-series based on the story and released this past year did not take well and will not be completed with a second season. 

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer 

Beauty and the Beast…with an epic twist. You know the story. An enchantress curses a prince to live as a beast until he finds true love. But did you know the first girl failed to break the curse? And the second. And the third. And so on. Each time he fails, Beast goes crazy and destroys all he loves. But it resets. New girl. New chance. All the memories. Except now he has only one reset left. Meet Harper. She lives in the bad part of town and has cerebral palsy. Then she saves an unconscious girl from a sword-swinging weirdo and gets dragged to a fantasy kingdom to break a curse. But she’s not sticking around.
I’ve read loads of Beauty and the Beast retellings and this is hands-down my favorite. It is dark, gritty, and hopeful with very memorable characters. That said, I have no interest in reading the rest of the series. YA authors really need to quit it with the cliff-hangers.

The Trial by Franz Kafka

It took me several tries to get into The Trial but once I did, I devoured it. It tells the story Josef K., a respectable bank officer suddenly and inexplicably arrested and tried but never told what for. It illustrates the falseness of a “justice” system without the rule of law and the character’s own false optimism that it will all get cleared up. I loved it. But then again, I also loved The Metamorphosis which some people do not so consider yourself warned. 

Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose

Speaking of courtrooms…Twelve Angry Men is a classic American play (and movie, actually) about the meaning of “innocent until proven guilty” and how one man’s conviction can change the hearts of a whole group. Some plays you need to see performed to really feel the pathos. This is not  one. The words jump off the pages even with just a casual read. It is a rallying cry for the American justice system. I found it moving and inspiring. Definitely an instant favorite and as relevant for 2020 as 1954 when first written. 

The Weight of Glory by C.S. Lewis

Do you ever hear so much about a book that you feel like you’ve read it already? That’d be me with The Weight of Glory. I’ve heard so much about the sermons and essays inside this volume that a part of me was surprised to discover it still unread. It was marvelous. I read through the titular piece three times before moving on. I highly recommend this collection of sermons and essays as thought-provoking reading you can take all at once or slowly and one at a time. (And if you understand the essay on Transposition, do tell me, because I did not.)

The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Speaking of books to take slowly…it took me 2 years to complete The Cost of Discipleship. I could not rush it. Everything I read needed to be chewed over and sifted. I found it thought-provoking. Challenging. Encouraging. Motivating. Most of all, I relished reading doctrine. The book was a breath of fresh air. The downside of taking such a long time to read it, however, is that I’m not sure I can pin-point what all impacted me or which quotes I liked best. It impacted me gradually and I fell in love with all the quotes. Guess I need to add it to my to re-read list for 2020. 

Letters to a Diminished Church: Passionate Arguments for the Relevance of Christian Doctrine by Dorothy L Sayers

I love C.S. Lewis and appreciate the emphasis on his writings displayed by many Christian writers and academics today. But if I may be so bold, Christians really need to start paying more attention to Dorothy L. Sayers. Letters to a Diminished Church is a collection of essays on what it means to be made in the image of God the Creator. And it is so good. Sayers writes with biting wit and clear truths and reveals profound ideas. She touches on ancient history, Medieval allegory, and modern psychology. She unhesitatingly jumps from author to author in fleshing out her ideas, including references to Lewis’s Space Trilogy. While I love her book The Mind of the Maker, I strongly recommend starting with Letters to a Diminished Church. Like with The Weight of Glory, the essay format means you can take it as slow or fast as you want without losing the ‘thread’ of the thought. 

Edge of His Ways by Amy Carmichael 

“Thank God courage is as ‘infectious’ as discouragement.” Edge of His Ways is a daily devotional with a different writing of Amy Carmichael–usually a letter or journal entry–highlighted each day. Amy is one of my personal heroines and if you are not familiar with her story, I recommend checking her out. This devotional is encouraging, inspiring, and challenging. The copy I read had a very feminine, floral cover which is a pity because I think it is an equally excellent devotional for men and women. If looking for a short, encouraging daily read, I highly recommend. 

Thailand: The Solo Girl’s Travel Guide by Alexa West

Last, but never least, Alexa West’s amazing Thailand: The Solo Girl’s Travel Guide. If you are traveling to Thailand, you should get this book. If you are traveling anywhere in Southeast Asia, you should see if she has a book about that country. (She probably does.) This goes double if you are a solo traveler and triple if you are a solo girl traveler. Reading Alexa’s book feels like getting advice from a trusted friend and it never once steered me wrong. Some of my favorite experiences last year while living in Thailand came from her suggestions. 

Audio Shakespeare

Today I tried listening to The Tempest on audio book with limited success. I’m fairly familiar with the play and I’ve seen it performed, so it wasn’t hard to follow along. However, I’m still not sure I was really ‘following.’ If I knew nothing about The Tempest, would I be able keep track of the plot the first time hearing it? Or is it just because I know what happens next and who should be talking that it makes sense? 

I started listening to King Lear, which I know nothing about, to test my ‘can I follow Shakespeare when it is unfamiliar to me’ question but by that point my attention span was gone and other things distracted me. 40 minutes in, though, and I was following quite well. However, it still felt like cheating. I was only skimming the richness of the play by listening to it. 

I had higher hopes for this foray into Shakespeare. Imagine how quickly I could get through his plays if I could just listen to them in the car! Yet plays aren’t designed to simply be heard and I think that is why it feels so off. I might finish King Lear. I’m battling with my desire to really grasp the story and gain from its wisdom, and an equally strong desire to knock it off my to-read shelf once and for all. I might get a hard copy and see how that goes.

Any Shakespeare recommendations? Is there a certain audio that is really good and makes it worth it or is he better in print?