BOOKS FOR THE BIBLIOPHILES | FROM BEOWULF TO VIRGINIA WOOLF BY ROBERT MANSON MYERS

BEOWULF TO VIRGINIA WOOLF

★★★☆☆

Originally published in the 1950s as a piece in Furioso Magazine, this parody work is a fun jaunt through notable moments in classic literature. While gathering information for a PhD thesis, college-age Myers, finding himself inspired by some of the funny little historical nuggets he was hitting upon, put together this little collection of humorous stories about famous authors and imagined alternate histories accompanied by parody artwork such as:

* The famous portrait of Henry VIII identified as William Jennings Byron, while also suggesting in a footnote that Byron was a lycan! (Myers also does some interesting "re-telling of the history of Henry's daughter, Elizabeth I.)

* Mona Lisa tagged as poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning

* A country scene of the "Bucolic Plague"

* A depiction of the "Invisible Spanish Armada" (a painting of an empty sea)

* Keats, famous poet of "Ode to a Greasy Urn", later dying of tuber roses 😆

Just to name a few.

"Perpetual Emotion" LOL

In this satirical, very much tongue-in-cheek work, we also cover :

* Virginia Woolf's "Rum of One's Own"

* "Ben Johnson enjoying a chat with Mrs. Thrale over tea and strumpets"

* William the Conqueror -- "William was, according to his usual custom, killed in battle."

*This illustration is from the 1950s edition!

While certainly entertaining, the humor, for me, got a little tiresome after awhile. There is such a thing as pun overload for my brain (though the illustrations repeatedly cracked me up!). The Beowulf essay in Chapter 1 felt like it was going for the laugh a little too hard, but I did like the immediate follow-up in Chapter 2 with Big Bad Wolf: Muddle English Literature.

Again, from the 1950s edition!

Comments

CHECKMARKED CLASSICS | THE HIDING PLACE BY CORRIE TEN BOOM

THE HIDING PLACE Corrie ten Boom was a woman admired the world over for her courage, her forgiveness, and her memorable faith. In World War II, she and her family risked their lives to help Jews escape the Nazis, and their reward was a trip to Hitler's concentration camps. But she survived and was released--as a result of a clerical error--and now shares the story of how faith triumphs over evil. ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ The Hiding Place is Corrie (Cornelia) ten Boom's memoir --- as told to Guidepost Magazine editors John and Elizabeth Sherrill --- of the imprisonment of herself and several family members after they offered help to persecuted Jewish members of their community. Prior to World War II, the ten Booms, a family of skilled watchmakers, had developed quite a good business around clocksmithing in the town of Haarlem, Holland. The story opens on the day of the 100th anniversary of the family shop, when Corrie's older brother arrives to the party with an

SELF HELP | STAYING POWER:BUILDING A STRONGER MARRIAGE WHEN LIFE SENDS ITS WORST BY CAROLE & GENE KENT / CINDY & DAVID LAMBERT

STAYING POWER Too often, when a life crisis hits, a marriage suffers--even a healthy one--and all the personality profiles and couples' therapy in the world won't keep your marriage from experiencing the tough stuff. So how do you and your spouse face the stresses put on your marriage and not only stay together but come out on the other side even more loving and committed? In Staying Power , two longtime couples offer insights, skills, and clear direction so that you can respond to trials in a way that strengthens rather than weakens your marriage. They show you how to - handle anger creatively, forgive freely, and persevere together - nurture one another in powerful ways - learn new techniques for connecting both verbally and nonverbally in the midst of crisis - and much more Don't let financial trouble, infertility, health challenges, parenting cares, addiction of a loved one, or heartbreaking loss destroy your marriage. Instead, learn how through your strong relationshi

SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE (RESTORING HERITAGE #3) BY TARI FARIS

Leah Williams is back in the quaint town of Heritage, Michigan, and ready to try again to make her business a success. But blank slates are hard to come by, and a piece of her past is waiting for her there. Heir to the Heritage Fruits company, Jonathan Kensington is the guy who not only made Leah's past difficult, he also seems determined to complicate her present as well. Jon is trying to prove to the Heritage Fruits board that he, not his manipulative uncle, should be running the business. The board insists Jon find a new owner for the building that will house Leah's business. To avoid forcing a buyout of Leah's part of the building, Jon strikes a compromise with Leah, and the two go into business together. With her vision and his know-how, it might work. And Leah might realize he's loved her since high school. If only he didn't keep on shooting himself in the foot by boxing her out of important decisions. Sparks fly in this romantic story of two people who must

EFR REVIEWS

Search This Blog