Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction discussion
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I agree about not forcing anyone to read a book that they're not ready for. Especially now. There are so many options out there to use to teach existentialism, form, function, social stratas etc... that only pulling from the classics seems misguided (to me). I still can't read Austen. Her characters seem so superficial, as though they're there to impose moralistic views rather than shake them. I know a lot of people enjoy them, but I just get the dry heaves. ;)
Every time I tried to read Pride & Prejudice I ended up just wanting to bang Eliza Bennett & Mr Darcy's heads together.
I've only ever read the zombie one of that story, but I share your sentiments with the myriad of films about them.
Darcy wrote: "... I still can't read Austen. Her characters seem so superficial, as though they're there to impose moralistic views rather than shake them. I know a lot of people enjoy them, but I just get the dry heaves. ..."Me too. Those bloody Austen women make me ill also.
Terri wrote: "I think being forced to read Classics in school is one of the reasons I avoid Classics now. I was always a reader and was doing just fine reading the books I wanted to read. Being forced to read bo..."Terri -- no snark, honest question -- how are you with Shakespeare? I would think The Taming of the Shrew and The Merchant of Venice would make you crazy. I've seen Al Pacino's Shylock on stage, directed by Daniel Sullivan, and the entire production was sublime, especially the expression on Portia's (played by Lily Rabe) face when she realized what she had to live with, but Shrew is still a hard swallow for me.
I don't know about Terri, but you've named two of my favourite Shakespeare plays. :)
You gave good taste, Margaret, but I am curious as to how Shakespeare's political in correctness goes down for Terri.
Full disclosure: I do enjoy Shakespeare , I had a major crush on Henry V when I was in college. Now I can't take my eyes off Richard III in his carpark ( or on the stage ) :-)
Portia wrote: "Full disclosure: I do enjoy Shakespeare , I had a major crush on Henry V when I was in college. Now I can't take my eyes off Richard III in his carpark ( or on the stage ) :-)"I adore Shakespeare. Maybe we should take this discussion to the theatre thread. :)
Hi Portia,I'm not much for Shakespeare either. Not from a political correctness stand point, but a poetry/plays standpoint. I don't do theatre or plays.
I was also forced to do Shakespeare in highschool and, like with Classics, this may be why I don't care for Shakespeare now.
I didn't like Shakespeare when I was younger, but as I've grown older and maybe wiser:), I've come to like him more and more. I still don't like to read him, but as I've said here a couple of times, my wife and I and sometimes the daughters take in at least 1 and sometimes 2 of the USF offerings each year. For their history this year they are doing Henry IV part 1 and I am really looking forward to it.
We are seeing Henry IV, 1 and 2 next month. Must be a trend:)
Portia wrote: "AND, because my beloved is a techno/nerd, we have WiFi.So, as they say in the Southern US, "Y'all come!.""
Right on Portia. I am in the South, so ya'll come on. I have coffee, expresso, multiple tea's & no cats. My comfy couches are perfect for deep discussion. I enjoy Shakespeare, but in serious moderation. Pride n Prejudice was my mother's favorite growing up so I had read most of Jane Austen before middle school.
happy wrote: "I didn't like Shakespeare when I was younger, but as I've grown older and maybe wiser:), I've come to like him more and more. I still don't like to read him, but as I've said here a couple of time..."Terri wrote: "Hi Portia,
I'm not much for Shakespeare either. Not from a political correctness stand point, but a poetry/plays standpoint. I don't do theatre or plays.
I was also forced to do Shakespeare in hig..."
Shakespeare is best in the original Klingon form I have found. ;D
Yay!!!! I have a working charger again!!!! I've missed all of you and would like to be invited to this coffee/tea/comfy couch/reading shindig :)I love the classics. English literature is like my thang.
I was always super excited when we were assigned reading in school but we really didn't get that much. My education system failed me. I discovered Dickens, Austen, Hardy, Forester, Tolstoy, Poe, Balzac (the list goes on) all on my own. All we ever read was Hemingway, some Shakespeare, one Bronte (Emily - the worst one) and To Kill A Mockingbird (which due to my excessive old movie watching, I already loved and knew by heart). Oh, and I'm a huge Austenite and not afraid to admit it!! :P
Mark wrote: "happy wrote: "I didn't like Shakespeare when I was younger, but as I've grown older and maybe wiser:), I've come to like him more and more. I still don't like to read him, but as I've said here a ..."Point goes to Mark.
Portia wrote: "Mark wrote: "happy wrote: "I didn't like Shakespeare when I was younger, but as I've grown older and maybe wiser:), I've come to like him more and more. I still don't like to read him, but as I've..."sorry i couldnt resist.
Allie wrote: "Oh, and I'm a huge Austenite and not afraid to admit it!! :P..."You and me both Allie! Love them all and have watched every movie based on them no matter how frivolous. :)
You are defintiely welcome to the (never gonna happen) coffee/tea/reading shindig!
I suppose spending all my time online isn't a good way to find friends who really can do this with me. *sigh*
I can totally do trips to Seattle people, so if you all just move closer...... ;D
That is why we were already best friends, Dawn :D
Matching avitars, love of Jane Austen/classics and we love the cold!! Best friends forever! :D
Tru dat :D
Jesse wrote: "Right on Portia. I am in the South, so ya'll come on. I have coffee, e..."
I think I'll go to Jesse's and Skype to anybody who has gone to Portia's. I am a dog person. I prefer cat free environments. :)
Not that I am mean to cats, it is only that I see cats as an environmental menace. Mass murderers of native wildlife. :D
Allie wrote: "Yay!!!! I have a working charger again!!!! I've missed all of you and would like to be invited to this coffee/tea/comfy couch/reading shindig :)I love the classics. English literature is like my ..."
woohoo. Allie is back in the land of the living..or the land of book talk..or some land of something...*scratches head*
Dawn wrote: "You are defintiely welcome to the (never gonna happen) coffee/tea/reading shindig! ..."Oh I don't know. It is possible that I am going to Hawaii next year. (my husband may be going for work and they may pay for me to go too)
We could have an A&M Conference in Hawaii. :D lol
Terri wrote: "Allie wrote: "Yay!!!! I have a working charger again!!!! I've missed all of you and would like to be invited to this coffee/tea/comfy couch/reading shindig :)I love the classics. English literatu..."
Oh man, am I dead? If I died, I'm gonna be pissed!
Terri wrote: "Dawn wrote: "You are defintiely welcome to the (never gonna happen) coffee/tea/reading shindig! ..."Oh I don't know. It is possible that I am going to Hawaii next year. (my husband may be going..."
I'd be ok with an A&M conference in Hawaii ;)
A trip for Terri.....I hope you get to go!! :)
If it looks like happening I'll have a lot of work to do on my fear of flying. I'll only go if I think Hawaii is worth possibly dying for. :-)I'M not convinced it is. I live in a land of beautiful tropical beaches and lovely blue oceans. I can't see Hawaii offering me anything more than I can see here at home..from the safety of the ground.
Terri, you are statistically more likely to die in a car accident than in a plane one. :)
I love flying. Heading off to London next year for 3 weeks. 24 hours of flying each way. :)
Yes, but somebody needs to be that statistic. Someone needs to be on those planes that rarely go down. :-) There were four people from my state, only 2hours drive away, on that Malaysian air plane last month. I bet they were always told "there's more chance of being in a car crash". *shudder*
Besides, I'd take car crash over air disaster anyday. At least in a car there is a chance of surviving....
I'm with Terri. I don't care what the statistics are, flying scares the hell out of me. I'd love to visit Hawaii, but I'd need several valiums & cocktails to get on that plane....or maybe a severe concussion.
Yeah, I'd need some hard core knockout drugs if I was to get on a long flight. I may be able to beat my fear on an hour or two hour flight, but those big ones...phew...I'd start screaming about "we're all going to die!" at maybe three hours in.
Terri wrote: "Yes, but somebody needs to be that statistic. Someone needs to be on those planes that rarely go down. :-) There were four people from my state, only 2hours drive away, on that Malaysian air plane..."I love flying. It's a very zen experience. I am always relaxed and chilled out by the time I reach my destination. Nothing to do but read, eat, sleep, listen to music and meditate. :)
..and see your fiery death coming...
I agree with Margaret - I enjoy flying, if I can get a window seat
Terri wrote: "..and see your fiery death coming..."Nope. No fiery death on the agenda. Just reasonable food, good service and relaxation.
happy wrote: "I agree with Margaret - I enjoy flying, if I can get a window seat"I prefer an aisle seat. I usually want to go to the loo just after everyone else is asleep. :p
I enjoy looking down at the clouds and the sunset/sunrise from 35000 ft
Terri - I hope it's OK putting this here...Like to win a genuine Roman coin, worth over £200 / $300?
It's just over two weeks until we start marching in Italy, and I am suffering a recurrence of a large blister on one heel. Cursed Roman boots. Aesculapius be good to me!
On another note: I'm still raising money for Combat Stress and Medecins Sans Frontieres, two worthy charities, and I wondered if any of you good people would be interested in the latest auction I've got going.
You could win a genuine quinarius of Mark Antony & Octavian, dated to 40/39 BC! It's worth over £200, and is a little slice of history, esp. when you consider M. Antony went on to lose at Actium, allowing Octavian to claim the 'throne' as it were.
YOU CAN ENTER THIS FROM ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. I WILL POST THE COIN ANYWHERE TOO.
To enter, you have to donate £10 to the charity page for our walk. £20 = two entries and so on. In your comment box, put something like 'coin auction'. I get notified about every donation, so I'll have your details. This auction will run for about a week, and then I'll pick the winner's name out at random.
I've placed a reserve of £300 on the coin, and if there's a shortfall, I'll make up the difference.
The giving page is at uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/RomaniWalk - thanks, and get donating! Ben.
I once flew over the Balkans during their civil war. We could see flashes and were told it was explosions below but we were ok as we were civil aircraft. I commented to my wife that we were probably on a thousand radar screens. We couldn't wait to get to Greece, our destination. Not a nice feeling. Especially after what happened to the Iranian and Korean airplanes about that period. I don't mind flying but don't like night flying as I can't get my bearings.Going to the Caribbean later this year, so hope it's not a night flight.
Ben wrote: "Terri - I hope it's OK putting this here...Like to win a genuine Roman coin, worth over £200 / $300?
It's just over two weeks until we start marching in Italy, and I am suffering a recurrence of..."
Perfectly okay to promote charity events here. :-)
Sceadugenga wrote: "I had a friend in jump school whose very first plane ride also coincided with his very first jump out of it, needless to say he was a bit nervous. We were also on the same commercial flight going b..."Mate, are you American even though you are in Italy now? I was never sure what your nationality is. Paratrooper? You weren't a Screaming Eagle perchance?
Well there you go. I'm impressed. And yes I know something of the Rakkasans and your history. :-) You guys rock.
Sceadugenga wrote: "Yes Terri, I am a yank. I moved to Italy after college to marry my then girlfriend who is Italian and have been living here ever since. I was in fact a Screaming Eagle - 1st Bn - 187th infantry oth..."Another Dope on a Rope :)
We also got to wear jump boots with our Class A's - another Airborne tradition
I was assigned to the 3/187th back in the mid 80's - my name is etched on the Westmoreland silver.
In fact was there when they activated the 1 and 2nd bns of the 187th or rather renamed the 1/503rd to 1/187th and the 2/503rd to 2/187th
If I ever ride in another Helo it will be too soon :)
I was in HHC 3/187 from 83-85 then moved to the 501st Sig for my last 18 mthsIIRC When the activated 1st and 2nd bn's they also renamed the bn's in Panama the 4/5/6 of the 187th respectively
25A - tac comm officer
Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction
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I read a few in my twenties...when I could relate to books like Austen. But now, I find the antiquated notions and political incorrectness in Classics are just a constant reminder of how annoying humans in these eras would be to me if I could go back in time.