culture. education. literary studies.
As the winter quickly comes to its end here in the northern hemisphere, itโs time to get some inspiration for new gardening projects. Even if you donโt have a garden, perhaps you have some indoor plants and would like to know how to take better care of them. Either way, in this instalment of my …
Over the years Iโve given my students different pieces of advice on how they can improve their vocabulary and listening skills. Some of the more conventional ones Iโve already posted here on the blog, but in this post Iโll share another - somewhat unusual - idea on that subject: listen to opera! Before you roll your …
Continue reading "Learning English through opera: Purcell’s ‘Dido and Aeneas’"
Eowyn Iveyโs debut novel The Snow Child, first published in 2012, is a genre-bending tale of longing, conflict and struggle, set in the majestic wilderness of Alaska. An interesting wintertime read, but probably not for everyone. Having lost their first and only baby, Jack and Mabel - already middle-aged - move from Pennsylvania all the …
Continue reading "Book review: ‘The Snow Child’ by Eowyn Ivey"
The poem presented in this post is unlikely to chase your winter blues, to be honest, but it's an excellent one! Penned by Edgar Allan Poe, โAloneโ is a deeply personal and intimate reflection on what is now commonly described as chronic depression. This mental health condition was the troubled poetโs lifelong companion, as attested …
grammaticus 