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Friday, October 7, 2016

Lord Peter Wimsey marries Harriet Vale (October 8, 1937)



After an interesting courtship, the gentleman-detective in Dorothy Sayer’s mystery novels marries mystery-writer Harriet Vane in the novel Busman’s Honeymoon.  Sayers was a member of the Inklings right beside Tolkien and Lewis, but instead of fantasy (and some sci-fi from Lewis) she created mysteries. I often liken her to Agatha Christie in her style and setting, and I find her characters to be well-rounded and her mysteries challenging.  For more on Sayers and Wimsey, try here.

How to Commemorate

  • Start the Wimsey series with Whose Body?
  • Plan out a murder-mystery story.
  • Meet with writers and buy them a drink.


Works Cited    
Busman’s Honeymoon
Amazon         Barnes & Noble        Public Libraries

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Other World Wednesday: Narnia



This month we’ll feature some places that don’t fit onto a normal calendar, or atlas for that matter. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis are a classic set of books about the adventures that a number of kids have traveling from England to Narnia, where animals can speak and magic is all over the place. These books are so pivotal to a number of our childhoods (or adulthoods in one case) that we’re not entirely sure what to say, so here is a list of things we would do in Narnia if/when we get there.


    Image result for narnia map
  • Participate in the snow dance that dwarves and dryads have on the night of the first snowfall of the season (and not get hit by a snowball).
  • Listen to the crashing waterfall at Cauldron Pool.
  • Walk the southern pass from Narnia into bordering Archenland.
  • Stop by the lamppost in Lantern Waste.
  • Sail out to Ramandu's Island (if there's time).


How to Commemorate:

  • Make/Eat Turkish Delight.
  • Play hide and seek.
  • Talk to your pets.  You know, just so they have the chance to say something back if they can speak.


Works Cited    
The Chronicles of Narnia
Amazon         Barnes & Noble        Public Libraries

*A small rant about formats.  The books are amazing.  The audiobooks (especially the ones narrated by the likes of Patrick Stewart, Lynn Redgrave, Derek Jacobi, and Kenneth Branagh) are also amazing. The BBC movies are not bad (think 1970’s Doctor Who special effects). The first movie from Disney is great.  The second is okay.  The third is sort of an abomination.  I say this out of love for the stories.

Monday, October 3, 2016

Mean Girls Day (Oct 3)

This is the day when we celebrate the mean girl! (Or at least the ones in the movie Mean Girls.) The date occurs when Lindsey Lohan's crush turns around in class and asks her the day's date. Feels ensue!

Image result for mean girls gifHow to Commemorate
  • Wear pink (even if it's not a Wednesday).
  • Say "fetch" instead of cool. It will totally catch on!
  • Go shopping (loser!).

Works Cited    
Mean Girls
Amazon         Barnes & Noble        Public Libraries


Sunday, October 2, 2016

Phileas Fogg wagers that he can travel around the world in 80 days. (Oct 2, 1872)



Image result for around the world in 80 days
It was an eventful day for the rigidly scheduled Mr. Fogg. I mean, it’s a wonder he was able to get on with his day after that excitement about hiring his new servant Jean Passepartout at 11:29 AM, but then he went and bet the gentlemen at the Reform Club that he could circle the earth and return by 8:45 PM on December 21.

How to Commemorate

  • Plan a trip.
  • Make a bet that you can do something.
  • Keep to a schedule for once in your life!


Works Cited    
Around the World in 80 Days
Amazon         Barnes & Noble        Public Libraries