Medieval

[close] Welcome to the Land of Valoria! This is the history of the land: A long time ago, the land of Valoria was peaceful and all of the species were getting along very well. However this changed once the Demons attacked, and the demons brought monsters with them that terrorized all of the different species. Everything was dying to the onslaught of Demons and monsters until the Angels descended from the Heavens and tried to push them back into the pit in which they came from. The ensuing war lasted hundreds of years and was called the Great War of Angels and Demons. In the end, the Angels won the war and most of the Demons retreated back to where they came from. Then the Angels helped to build a city that would help them keep an eye on the world so they can react quicker if the demons decide to attack again. Most of the Angels then went back into the Heavens but a few stayed behind in the city that they helped to build. Most of the different species decided to build their own cities where they could but the world wasn't the same since the Great War. And now, we are here. (This group is a work in progress if you have any ideas tell the mods)

[close] Inspired by the Ph.D. Qualifying 50-Book Exam administered to second-year Ph.D. students in the English Department at the University of Pennsylvania, I have created my own version of that daunting task - meaningfully read 50 books across a diverse range of historical periods; generic and formal categories; national and geographic origins; and personal and societal identifications - all from a catalogue of texts spanning more than 1000 years. In the spirit of the exam, I encourage participants to organize their selected 50 works into three broad rubrics according to Genre; Historical Period; and Theme or Theory. Each topic should provide a framework to structure their reading with works that speak to one another. Each of the three rubrics should also include one or two critical, theoretical, or historical works. Keeping with their guidance, all or most of the works from the period chosen should be included in the Historical Period list (i.e., not in the Genre or Theme/Theory lists) to prevent that period's overrepresentation in the challenge as a whole; no more than 20 works from that period should appear on the full list. In other words, at least 30 of the 50 works should be outside of one's designated period of specialization. I want to use this group to make this challenge dynamic. Whether it's weekly discussion posts on specific themes or genres, a support group for those who jumped head-first into the Medieval period, or a deep-dive into the oddities of a specific literary movement or author, an ongoing dialogue is encouraged. The Reading List: https://www.english.upenn.edu/sites/default/files/Ph.D.%20Qualifying%20%252250-Book%2522%20Exam%20Book%20List.pdf For further insights on how to think about Genre, Historical Period, and Theme/Theory when building our your list and rubrics: https://www.english.upenn.edu/graduate/requirements-rules-procedures/first-year-oral-exam

[close] A welcoming community for French literature enthusiasts from around the world. Whether you're passionate about French classics, contemporary novels, francophone authors, or learning French through reading, this is your space to discover, discuss, and share recommendations. From medieval tales to modern masterpieces, let's explore the rich world of French literature together.

[close] *Romance Readers who love Happily Ever Afters* If this describes you, then you've come to the right place. We love to chat about romance novels, humorous book passages (whether intentional or cringe-worthy purple prose), steamy love scenes, available freebie and cheapie novels, crazy cover art, questions about possible TBR books, and anything and everything in between. We give and receive tons of great recommendations and hope you'll share your favorites here, too. All subgenres and heat levels are welcome, but HEAs are pretty much mandatory. ;) Please note that our group is for readers of romance. Active users who are also authors who want to promote their books may post their promo in the specific author thread only. We aim for our refuge to be a drama-free zone, so please respect the group rules and play well with others. We look forward to chatting about romance with you! P.S. Please remember to confirm your understanding that there are promo rules at the time of your request. Detailed rules will be visible in the group upon approval of the request. Thanks!