The concert musical Six recasts the women who married Henry VIII as pop divas, each queen getting at least one number telling her side of the story. It deliberately aims to decenter Henry, asserting that each of these women meant more than her marital status to a king. Reformulating the story matters because it pushes … Continue reading The Force is Strong With This One: Decentering the Powerful in Mantel’s ‘The Mirror and the Light’
Hilary Mantel
Mantel’s “Wolf Hall” Trilogy, + Mini-Notions Because We Need the Little Things Now
I am somewhat loathe to recommend Hilary Mantel's "Wolf Hall" trilogy since I know that, fundamentally, it will not be everyone's cup of mead. To start, these are big books. Wolf Hall clocks in at 559 pages, Bring up the Bodies 434, and the just-released conclusion, The Mirror and the Light, an easy, breezy 764 … Continue reading Mantel’s “Wolf Hall” Trilogy, + Mini-Notions Because We Need the Little Things Now
Introducing “Here Today” + New Books
A couple of quick items. First, meet "Here Today," a Medium site devoted to reflecting on daily life during the novel coronavirus pandemic and related social distancing. It features several writers, including myself. Second, if you have the means, throw some love to your favorite local indie bookstore (as opposed to that decidedly not indie … Continue reading Introducing “Here Today” + New Books
Dogs, Coffee, & Books 