A hundred years ago, when I was in university, critical theory was beginning to influence the English curriculum. A professor introduced us to Roland Barthes’ essay on the death of the author with the memorable addition that we were welcome to attempt to argue that Milton’s Paradise Lost was about scrambled eggs, if we chose. … Continue reading Dead to me
All of the books on this list share a leaning toward magic realism. In some the realism is to the fore, and in others, it’s the magic, but in every case, the author makes effective use of either or both to illuminate their story in beautiful and devastating ways. What I love about Stardust is … Continue reading If you liked Stardust, by Neil Gaiman…
Three elements make up a great book, for me; A clever, compelling, or congenial plot: characters I enjoy spending time with; and beautiful writing. Now, I’ve been known to read books with less - I’ve been known to enjoy books with only two out of three of these. But a great book has all three. … Continue reading A Reader’s Dilemma
Elizabeth Knighton Brown 