What a wonderful selection! Your mentions of The Odyssey always make me want to reread it. Stephen Fry's cover is particularly enticing. Back in school, I performed in an Odyssey play as Calypso—the nymph who held Odysseus captive on her island. That's basically all I more or less remember from his journey.
I'm eager to read Inanna, which is new to me. I've added The Year of Rice and Salt to my reading list, and the fantasy murder mystery interests me too—it would be perfect for a refreshing change of genre.
Calypso's a great character, second perhaps only to Circe. I have Madeline Miller's Cerci title to read at some point, but for now I'm slowly going through The Iliad. I also have Fry's other two books, Mythos and Heroes, and I look forward to reading them.
Great list! I can't wait to try some of these. 'Tess' is beautiful, but heartbreaking. After "Jude the Obscure" I was done with Thomas Hardy, though. It's breathtaking and quintessentially Victorian but it is also the most heart-rending, depressingly sad book I've ever read. I would check out "Far From the Madding Crowd" before 'Jude' - if you haven't read it already.
I am also keeping up with Ted Gioia's humanities course (loosely) so I'll have to check out that Stephen Fry book. I recently heard an interview with him about it and it sounds fun.
Wow—so many good recommendations. You are re-awakening my dormant Russia obsession. Bookmarking this so I can return later.
Ooh, a dormant Russia obsession! Let me poke that beast! Thanks Cheryl!
What a wonderful selection! Your mentions of The Odyssey always make me want to reread it. Stephen Fry's cover is particularly enticing. Back in school, I performed in an Odyssey play as Calypso—the nymph who held Odysseus captive on her island. That's basically all I more or less remember from his journey.
I'm eager to read Inanna, which is new to me. I've added The Year of Rice and Salt to my reading list, and the fantasy murder mystery interests me too—it would be perfect for a refreshing change of genre.
Calypso's a great character, second perhaps only to Circe. I have Madeline Miller's Cerci title to read at some point, but for now I'm slowly going through The Iliad. I also have Fry's other two books, Mythos and Heroes, and I look forward to reading them.
Great list! I can't wait to try some of these. 'Tess' is beautiful, but heartbreaking. After "Jude the Obscure" I was done with Thomas Hardy, though. It's breathtaking and quintessentially Victorian but it is also the most heart-rending, depressingly sad book I've ever read. I would check out "Far From the Madding Crowd" before 'Jude' - if you haven't read it already.
I am also keeping up with Ted Gioia's humanities course (loosely) so I'll have to check out that Stephen Fry book. I recently heard an interview with him about it and it sounds fun.