5/13/2023 0 Comments Antigone oedipus rex![]() ![]() The chorus is used extensively as both a voice of reason and to convey emotions to the audience. When he eventually learns the truth, he knows he must face the grim consequences. That is how the story goes.’ ‘The place? Where did the mishap fall?’”(Sophocles 41). Eventually he begins to realize that the man he killed may have been his father: “‘Laius was killed – I thought I caught the words – where three highways meet?’ ‘So they said. None but a prideful man would kill over a simple insult. He unknowingly kills Laius, his father, for insulting him as he made his passage into Thebes. His flaw of pride not only suppresses his acceptance of the truth, but also leads him to fulfill the prophecy. Through this dialogue, one can tell that Oedipus is suppressing the knowledge that the prophecy is slowly unraveling and proving itself true. Referring to a slave that he wants to question, he tells Jocasta: “There may be things, my wife, that I have said best left unsaid, which makes me want him here” (Sophocles 43). As more and more evidence is presented to him in favor of the prophecy, he tries to find a way around it and calls another witness. He refuses to recognize the signs of the prophecy that foretold he would kill his father and marry his mother at the same time, he is eager to uncover the truth. ![]() Oedipus’ pride is the first example of the flawed hero. ![]()
0 Comments
5/13/2023 0 Comments Days of Love by Elisa Rolle![]() In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve been on the lucky receiving end of that honour. I’m willing to bet that if you’re an LGBT reader and you think you don’t know who Elisa Rolle is, you actually do – chances are someone in the LGBT world has linked to one of her reviews about their work. That said, nonfiction can also bring joys.ĭays of Love: Celebrating LGBT History One Story at a Time, by Elisa Rolle So, if you wonder why I rarely talk nonfiction, that’s the answer. It’s not that I don’t find nonfiction enthralling, it’s actually quite the opposite – the reality of nonfiction makes it hit me all the harder.Ĭase in point, I purchased The Up Stairs Lounge Arson by Clayton Delery-Edwards and I am inching my way through it because it disturbs me so. When I do, I generally read biographies, and try to read biographies about people whose lives follow lines very different from my own (and I try doubly hard to find biographies about people whose voices aren’t as often heard). It’s pretty rare I step into the world of nonfiction. ![]() ![]() ![]() When Europe was divided between east and west, ‘Central Europe fell from use as a term’. ![]() Rady’s masterful overview seeks to change this by looking at 2,000 years of history, from ancient Roman times to the present. One problem lies in defining what and where Central Europe is, since it is often characterised by what it is not. Conflicts arising in the region have changed the world, from the Thirty Years’ War, which ‘engulfed almost the entire continent, with sideshows in Africa, the Caribbean and even distant Taiwan’, to the two world wars (both of which started in Central Europe), to say nothing of the present invasion of Ukraine, which is already the ‘most destructive war waged in Europe for more than 70 years’. Take a step back, and Central Europe takes centre stage. ![]() For others, it is an exotic world of ‘small nations’ east of Germany, where one has to wait for the end of the sentence to learn the operative verb: a place of ‘baffling’ languages ‘written with an abundance of consonants, odd diacritical marks and, in places, even a different alphabet’. For some modern writers the region is best typified by similarities, or differences, over postboxes, popular preferences for spirits over wine or ‘the heavy smell of boiled cabbage, state beer and a soapy whiff of overripe watermelons’. It is easy to overlook the importance of Central Europe, writes Martyn Rady at the start of this fascinating book. ![]() 5/13/2023 0 Comments After Cooling by Eric Dean Wilson![]() ![]() ![]() Wilson is at heart an essayist, looking far and wide to tease out what particular forces in American culture – in capitalism, in systemic racism, in our values – combined to lead us into the Freon crisis and then out. ![]() ![]() As he traces the refrigerant's life span from its invention in the 1920s – when it was hailed as a miracle of scientific progress – to efforts in the 1980s to ban the chemical (and the resulting political backlash), Wilson finds himself on a journey through the American heartland, trailing a man who buys up old tanks of Freon stockpiled in attics and basements to destroy what remains of the chemical before it can do further harm. In After Cooling, Eric Dean Wilson braids together air-conditioning history, climate science, road trips, and philosophy to tell the story of the birth, life, and afterlife of Freon, the refrigerant that ripped a hole larger than the continental United States in the ozone layer. This "ambitious delightful" ( The New York Times) work of literary nonfiction interweaves the science and history of the powerful refrigerant (and dangerous greenhouse gas) Freon with a haunting meditation on how to live meaningfully and morally in a rapidly heating world. ![]() ![]() An art dealer acquires a painting that rearranges itself every few hours to tell him a dreadful story. ![]() A man on holiday near the sea finds a whistle he blows into it one night and finds himself with an unwanted roommate. In this collection you will find a dolls’ house come to life at precisely 1 a.m. Lovecraft and John Bellairs to Stephen King and Paul Theroux. First published at the turn of the twentieth century, he has left a lasting legacy acknowledged not only by readers, but also by many later writers-from H. James is widely considered to be one of the greatest practitioners of the art of the ghost story. ![]() Yet it is indubitable that Mr Dillet was started out of a very pleasant slumber by a bell tolling One… There was no striking clock within earshot-none on the staircase, none in the stable, none in the distant church tower. ![]() 5/13/2023 0 Comments Jla avengers book![]() ![]() George Pérez is a founding member of Hero Initiative’s board of directors and has served as chair of its Disbursement Committee. Originally published from 2003-2004 and written by Kurt Busiek, JLA/Avengers featured fights between Superman and Thor or Batman and Captain America, before the two teams ultimately reconcile. A bonus in the Hero Initiative edition is a new afterword by Kurt Busiek. This collection also features 64 pages of companion content and will reprint introductions by original Avengers writer/editor Stan Lee and Justice League of America editor Julius Schwartz. The book carries a retail price of $29.99 and is limited to 7000 copies. This 288-page full color, softbound volume features the original 2003 four-issue co-publishing venture between DC and Marvel, written by Kurt Busiek with art by George Pérez. JLA/Avengers will be available in March from participating comic book stores and will be distributed via Diamond Comic Distributors. With only 7000 copies being printed, Hero Initiative is honoring one of George Pérez seminal bodies of work and his long-time support of Hero. They do more than fight aliens and save the world. For the first time in decades, the acclaimed JLA/Avengers crossover will be reprinted by Hero Initiative, the charity dedicated to helping comic book creators in medical or financial need. The Avengers 10 Most Underrated Accomplishments By Billie Sparkle Published The Avengers are arguably Marvels greatest heroes but so much of what they do is underrated. ![]() ![]() As Kelley Armstrong is one of my favourite authors, there are many things that I liked, from the characters to the plot to the writing style itself.Īs Bitten was first published in 2001, it is obvious that Armstrong’s more recent books were better written. That out of the way, I’d like to discuss the things about the book that I really enjoyed. Hands down, the book series is much better than the TV show. ![]() Everything that I really enjoy about this book series was either watered down or gotten rid of all together. The only thing that the TV show really shares with the book is a general starting plot and the same characters (by name mostly, not actions or motivations). ![]() I choose not to say that the TV show is an adaptation of the entire book series here because the TV show diverges so much from the first book of the series that it’s practically its own thing. Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Romanceįirst of all, I would like to say that although there is a TV show adaptation of this book, I do not recommend the show even though I highly recommend the book series. ![]() 5/13/2023 0 Comments Franny and zooey review![]() ![]() ![]() I say it’s a compound, or multiple, love story, pure and complicated.” But as the narrator points out in the introduction: “I say that my current offering isn’t a mystical story, or a religiously mystifying story, at all. The novella revolves around religion and its implications in art and daily life. He relates his little sister’s mental breakdown, what triggered it and how she recovered from it. It is told by Buddy, the eldest living sibling. My inkling didn’t lead me away.ĭivided in two parts “Franny and Zooey” depicts another adventure of the Glass family, who are a common subject of Salinger’s short stories. ![]() ![]() Such a miniscule book must harbour a lot of, I thought, so as to be shelved among the paramount works of literature (I am yet to read). Salinger wedged amongst outstanding classics as “War and Peace” and “Ulysses”, I found it irresistible. Nevertheless, when I glimpsed over the minimalistic cover of “Franny and Zooey” by J. Withholding that this may precisely be the beauty and gist of a story about teen angst, it is also my reason for disliking. It was banned shortly after its publication and it even got a teacher in Tulsa, Oklahoma fired for assigning it in class, but even though I proclaimed my fascination with outlawed novels, I find no rationality and logic behind Holden Caufield’s actions and decisions. I am one of those appalling bibliophiles who just don’t comprehend the hustle and bustle around “The Catcher in the Rye” by J. ![]() 5/13/2023 0 Comments Arthur miller and the crucible![]() ![]() This is demonstrated through the character of Reverend Parris, who is deeply suspicious of anyone who is different or opposes him. ![]() Many of the characters in ‘ The Crucible‘ are ignorant and intolerant of others, especially those they view as outsiders. The play warns readers against succumbing to hysteria and shows the real danger it can pose when left unchecked this relates directly to McCarthyism in the 1950s in the United States. This leads to even more accusations and further isolation of those thought to be guilty. With the accusations of witchcraft, fear and paranoia spread like wildfire among the citizens of Salem. ‘ The Crucible‘ demonstrates how quickly hysteria can spread and affect a community. The corruption of power serves as a warning against allowing authority figures to control everyday life without consequence. They misuse their power to further their own personal agendas, leading to false accusations and wrongful executions. In the village of Salem, the court proceedings are directed by those in authority, such as Reverend Parris and Deputy Governor Danforth. In ‘ The Crucible,’ power corrupts absolutely. The play is filled with important symbols and themes that drive the narrative, many of which are highly relatable, even today. ![]() Set in the Puritan town of Salem during the 1690s, the play focuses on a series of trials that ultimately reveal the dangers of fear and ignorance. Arthur Miller’s ‘ The Crucible‘ is one of the most powerful and poignant plays ever written. ![]() 5/13/2023 0 Comments Books similar to verity![]() On her way to the literary agent’s office, she sees a man get run over by a truck and is splattered in his blood. Not only did her mother pass away a week ago, but her publisher wants her to start promoting her next book (an idea she cannot stand), due to how badly her previous ones have been doing. The novel begins by introducing us to Lowen, an author with a bit of a bad streak going. ![]() I think most of us assume that we are good people and incapable of crossing certain barriers, but as Lowen Ashleigh finds out in Verity by Colleen Hoover, life has such insidious and far-reaching vertices that one might fail to realize they’ve become absorbed in the first place. Nobody knows what they are truly capable of until they are thrust into a situation allowing all of their dormant aspects to express themselves. ![]() Colleen Hoover Drops a Mist of Frightening Ambiguity ![]() |