Classical Music Stories

Classical Music Stories: Romeo, Juliet, and Grieg

Adventure, drama, despair, irony…this music has it all! (And speaking of having it all, check out this photo where Grieg is rocking a truly SPECTACULAR hat and mustache…)

But anyways.

Classical Music Stories is a series that connects music to your favorite books and characters. Since listening to classical music can be like hearing a story, imagining specific stories that match the music can make it that much more fun and accessible! Continue reading “Classical Music Stories: Romeo, Juliet, and Grieg”

Books

Top 10 Books I’m Thankful For

All too often we’ll get to the end of a book and think “eh.” That was enjoyable enough I suppose, but another story would have passed the time equally well.

But sometimes we read a story that stays with us, that changes us in some way. These are the ones that keep us coming back to reading over and over again.

Now today is Saturday, the day after Thanksgiving, and while the holiday may be over I’m still thankful for a number of books that have really impacted my life. In celebration, then, here is a list of the most impactful, in no particular order:

1) The Catcher in the Rye

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For its gift of catharsis Continue reading “Top 10 Books I’m Thankful For”

Books

Recasting Mulan with Classic Literary Characters

Mulan DVD books

We’re about a year and a half out from Disney’s live action remake of Mulan, and the excitement is real. But I started wondering…if there were to be a sort of literary recasting of the movie, which literary characters would have the most in common with the movie characters? Continue reading “Recasting Mulan with Classic Literary Characters”

Classical Music Stories

Classical Music Stories: Mozart and Sydney Carton (A Tale of Two Cities)

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Classical Music Stories is a series that connects music to your favorite books and characters. Since listening to classical music can be like hearing a story, imagining specific stories that match the music can make it that much more fun and accessible!

Spoilers ahead for Charles Dickens’ novel, A Tale of Two Cities! Continue reading “Classical Music Stories: Mozart and Sydney Carton (A Tale of Two Cities)”

Books

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Most “Lit” Halloween Costume Party (Rochester vs. Holmes)

A genie shows up to your Halloween party and grants you a wish to attend any *lit* Halloween costume party of your choosing. (And by lit of course I mean literary.)

But which party should you choose?

For the first time in the history of the entire universe, this post outlines the key information you will need to make this incredibly difficult decision. It will not be easy choosing between the parties of Mr. Rochester and Sherlock Holmes (since after multiple years of extensive and careful research it is clear that the best Halloween costume party must be hosted by one of them), but we are now ready to present our preliminary findings. Without further ado, here is what our highest-level academic researchers have brought to the table:  Continue reading “The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Most “Lit” Halloween Costume Party (Rochester vs. Holmes)”

Books

If Literary Characters were Fall Clichés

From fuzzy socks to pumpkin spice, literary characters have a lot in common with some of our favorite fall clichés:

1. Candy corn = Mr. Rochester from Jane Eyre

Candy corn is one of those things people seem to either love or hate. In a similar way, some people hate Mr. Rochester for being this grumpy, controlling, and demeaning guy, but others love him for being Jane’s other half and for loving her unconditionally.  Continue reading “If Literary Characters were Fall Clichés”

Classical Music Stories

Classical Music Stories: Bilbo Baggins and His Search for Adventure

Hobbit Bilbo Baggins J.R.R. Tolkien

It’s Hobbit Day! I stumbled upon this fact thanks to Holly’s blog over at The Nut Free Nerd, so I thought what better way to celebrate than with our beloved Bilbo Baggins and some short but hobbit-y classical music?

Classical Music Stories is a series that connects music to your favorite books and characters. Since listening to classical music can be like hearing a story, imagining specific stories that match the music can make it that much more fun and accessible! Continue reading “Classical Music Stories: Bilbo Baggins and His Search for Adventure”

Songs For Every Book

Songs for Every Book: Rubblebucket and Catherine Earnshaw from Wuthering Heights

Rubblebucket is an alternative rock group who recently came out with a song with major Catherine Earnshaw vibes. “If U C My Enemies” has a lot in common with her frenzied, mentally unstable state just before her death in Emily Brontë’s classic novel, Wuthering Heights.

Continue reading “Songs for Every Book: Rubblebucket and Catherine Earnshaw from Wuthering Heights”

Books

If Shakespeare’s Characters Were High School Stereotypes

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“I want the throne AND your lunch money…” –Lady Macbeth

While stereotypes are harmful and incorrect in the way that they oversimplify people, they’re everywhere in books, movies, and TV–especially when the setting is high school! If the characters in some of Shakespeare’s most famous plays were to be recast in this format, then, which high school stereotypes would we find?

1. The jock

Romeo from Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare: We’re always hearing about how Romeo and his friends are getting into fights with the Capulet boys, which surely keeps you in great shape. Sword fighting itself can be a sport, in a way (albeit a bloody one…). Plus, Romeo manages to kill both Tybalt and Paris, so he’s got to be pretty swol.

2. The loner

Continue reading “If Shakespeare’s Characters Were High School Stereotypes”

Books

Who Would Win an Escape Room Faster: Moira or Katniss Everdeen?

escape room Moira Katniss 2.jpg

Both fictional characters are spunky, determined, and creative, but when it comes to logic puzzles who would really be faster? Would they even make it out?

Escape rooms have become really popular recently, and it’s not hard to see why. The idea is that you and your group have to solve a certain number of interconnected puzzles in order to shut off, for example, a device that will cause the world to get sucked into a black hole if not disabled in 60 minutes (no pressure). The puzzles you have to solve include Continue reading “Who Would Win an Escape Room Faster: Moira or Katniss Everdeen?”