I feel compelled to weigh in on the Stephenie Meyer phenomenon, with apologies in advance to those who love the series. I got introduced to it by Amanda, who knew that I was looking for things to pass the time until Nathan’s born. I’ve consumed all of Twilight and New Moon and about half of [...]

As I’m working on my article (which, no, I will not be able to finish today, sigh), I sometimes mistype the Cmd+I to begin italicization on titles, such that I end up just hitting “i.” This leads to titles like iDictionary and iJourney, which are theoretically plausible neologisms in our modern world of iPods and [...]

I was, as usual, doing reading for class over the weekend, and, as is not unusual, I was out in public doing so. I often go to places like Panera or Starbucks to read, but every time I do so, I feel a little self-conscious about my reading methods.
See, until graduate school, I never wrote [...]

I can’t tell you how excited I am to have stumbled on the Canongate Myth Series. I was looking for information on Margaret Atwood, because I love her, and one of the most recent books she’s written was a book in this series.
Basically the idea is that various authors revisit myths and retell them. Think [...]

I’ve fallen in love with Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. I realize that I’m at least a year or more behind the curve, but there you have it. I had it on my shelf for probably 18 months, and I was daunted that whole time by its size. Having flights and bus rides [...]

Erin conveniently provided me with a ready-made Skeletor deflector: purse-sized books. She’s recently loaned me a couple, and one of them accompanied me to Chipotle at lunch today — stowed away inside my purse — with nary a comment from any staff. Thanks, Erin!

Skeletor’s been absent from Chipotle the last several times I’ve been in there, and I ventured back today without Dan. Not only was he back, but he’s grown a goatee. Maybe he’s seen me too often with Dan and thinks that’s what it’ll take …
He also picked up my book (Lost by Gregory Maguire) and [...]

It’s time for me to come out of the closet: I am a secret English major. I have harbored a passion for Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, and H. G. Wells quietly for too long. I have lusted in my heart for Dickensian prose.
You probably know that I was not a real English major in [...]

Who knew that 18th-century British literature could be used as a pick-up line?
So, I’ve been carrying around Tom Jones for the last several weeks, making my way slowly through Fielding’s tortured prose. On several occasions, I’ve taken it with me to Chipotle, where I have lunch maybe once a week. And apparently the Fielding is [...]

Now that Lord of the Rings has swept the Oscars, it’s well and truly over. Until they make The Hobbit, but that’s another story. I feel now the same sadness that I feel at the conclusion of the books every time I read LOTR. There’s something enveloping about walking in the Tolkien’s world that I [...]