During my stay in England, I hope to travel to the various homes of famous English writers and other literary sites that are open to the public. Here is a list of ones I've found so far:
Charing Cross Road (84 Charing Cross Road, to be precise)
Fleet Street (Sweeney Todd!)
Poets' Corner (Westminster Abbey)
The Sherlock Holmes Museum (221B Baker Street)
The Charles Dickens Museum (48 Doughty St.)
John Keat's House in Hampstead
Samuel Johnson's House
Effigy of John Donne at Old St. Paul's Cathedral
Shakespeare's Theatres (the Globe and the Rose) and Stratford-upon-Avon
The British Library (96 Euston Rd)
Bronte Parsonage/Haworth Museum (northern England)
Wordsworth Houses (Cockermouth and Dove Cottage in Grasmere)
Beatrix Potter's Hill Top Farm (Lake District)
Home of D.H. Lawrence (Eastwood)
Byron's Home (Newstead Abbey)
Thomas Hardy's Cottage (Dorset) and Grave (Stinsford church)
Jane Austen's Home at Chawton (Hampshire)
I've also stumbled upon a listing of literary festivals in the UK: http://www.thewordtravels.com/literary-festivals.html Hopefully I can find an updated listing with 2011-2012 dates.
08 March 2011
04 March 2011
Leaving the Country
I drove home today. The freeways from Ashland, OH to Livonia, MI are lined with flat, dead farmland, "Adult" stores, antique malls (the nasty kind), and fast food. In short, it is three hours of misery. Especially when you have the Les Mis soundtrack playing. And you lose your voice midway through Eponine's "On My Own," which makes you realize you can't even belt out your troubles. Needless to say at this point, today's been rough.
In two months, I will be living for my two week trip to London, Paris, Prague, and Berlin. In six months, I'll be heading to London. I'm counting down now.
I've felt for some time now that the Midwest is the last place on earth I would choose to live - there is so little that is poetic here, so little history and culture. It is hard for me to sit down and try to write about people I've never met and places I've never been while I'm holed up in my dorm room, buried under piles of homework, watching it snow or rain or both out in the maintenance parking lot. The most interesting thing I can see from my window in Andrews Hall is the crowd of smokers outside of Buffalo Wild Wings. With such inspiration, it's hard to imagine why writing about life and death and love and adventure is difficult. I have an imagination, but even my creativity needs a muse or two now and then.
That's why I'm counting down. I need to be in places worthy of being written about. I hope London turns out to be everything I'm dreaming of and that Europe becomes a home for me.
I'm going to be continuing my Paris-themed reading agenda. I've got Zola and Dumas to tackle this break - Zola's The Fortune of the Rougons and Dumas's The Three Musketeers (finally! It's awful that I haven't read it yet).
In two months, I will be living for my two week trip to London, Paris, Prague, and Berlin. In six months, I'll be heading to London. I'm counting down now.
I've felt for some time now that the Midwest is the last place on earth I would choose to live - there is so little that is poetic here, so little history and culture. It is hard for me to sit down and try to write about people I've never met and places I've never been while I'm holed up in my dorm room, buried under piles of homework, watching it snow or rain or both out in the maintenance parking lot. The most interesting thing I can see from my window in Andrews Hall is the crowd of smokers outside of Buffalo Wild Wings. With such inspiration, it's hard to imagine why writing about life and death and love and adventure is difficult. I have an imagination, but even my creativity needs a muse or two now and then.
That's why I'm counting down. I need to be in places worthy of being written about. I hope London turns out to be everything I'm dreaming of and that Europe becomes a home for me.
I'm going to be continuing my Paris-themed reading agenda. I've got Zola and Dumas to tackle this break - Zola's The Fortune of the Rougons and Dumas's The Three Musketeers (finally! It's awful that I haven't read it yet).
28 February 2011
The details. And tea.
Phew! Turned in applications for the AU Global Education Grant as well as the Gilman International Scholarship today... hoping they will help fund my London year. I totalled up my budget... approximately $30,000 for me to study, eat, have a room, and travel. It's funny: overall it will be cheaper than Ashland, but since my grants through the AU don't transfer (DUMB) it'll be harder to pay for. Such a shame...
But one mustn't get caught up in all those technical details. I've decided happiness in poverty is infinitely better than misery in comfort. So I'll be a poor little thing upon graduating, but no matter. Perhaps I'll meet a wealthy Englishman who can cover the debt out of love for me. Or maybe I'll write a bestseller. Who knows.
On a more important note, I've decided I must learn to enjoy tea in order to fully embrace British culture.
"The British have an umbilical cord which has never been cut and through which tea flows constantly. It is curious to watch them in times of sudden horror, tragedy or disaster. The pulse stops apparently, and nothing can be done, and no move made, until "a nice cup of tea" is quickly made. There is no question that it brings solace and does steady the mind. What a pity all countries are not so tea-conscious. World-peace conferences would run more smoothly if "a nice cup of tea", or indeed, a samovar were available at the proper time." - Marlene Dietrich
This tea thing could be more difficult than paying off my monstrous debt.
But one mustn't get caught up in all those technical details. I've decided happiness in poverty is infinitely better than misery in comfort. So I'll be a poor little thing upon graduating, but no matter. Perhaps I'll meet a wealthy Englishman who can cover the debt out of love for me. Or maybe I'll write a bestseller. Who knows.
On a more important note, I've decided I must learn to enjoy tea in order to fully embrace British culture.
"The British have an umbilical cord which has never been cut and through which tea flows constantly. It is curious to watch them in times of sudden horror, tragedy or disaster. The pulse stops apparently, and nothing can be done, and no move made, until "a nice cup of tea" is quickly made. There is no question that it brings solace and does steady the mind. What a pity all countries are not so tea-conscious. World-peace conferences would run more smoothly if "a nice cup of tea", or indeed, a samovar were available at the proper time." - Marlene Dietrich
This tea thing could be more difficult than paying off my monstrous debt.
25 February 2011
Parisians
I'm currently reading (at a snail's pace due to having required reading for classes) Parisians: An Adventure History of Paris by Graham Robb and absolutely love it. He gives a history of the city by looking at incidents in the life of famous Parisians (Marie Antoinette, Napoleon, Zola) as well as less-famous ones (Francois Picaud/Joseph Lucher - the man whose life inspired the character of Edmond Dantes in The Count of Monte Cristo, Henry Murger - whose short stories inspired "La Boheme", Marville - the photographer who preserved old Paris before Napoleon III reorganized the city). It's a fascinating collection of stories and I highly recommend it.
Reading Parisians has expanded my list of places to visit in Paris (if they exist and are open to the public still). So far, I'll be adding the Palais Royale, the Saint-Mande cemetery, the Catacombs (I was surprised I didn't know about this place!), the Latin Quarter, the home of Dumas, and the home of Zola.
I've also decided to add Emile Zola's Nana to my pre-Europe reading list. I shall post the first installment of "The List" shortly.
Robb's history of Paris is so engaging and different from any history work I've read before. I love the concept of using short stories from various moments in time, written in changing styles, to give a fuller portrait of a place. I wonder if I could do the same for London while I'm there... hmmm... THESIS IDEA???
Reading Parisians has expanded my list of places to visit in Paris (if they exist and are open to the public still). So far, I'll be adding the Palais Royale, the Saint-Mande cemetery, the Catacombs (I was surprised I didn't know about this place!), the Latin Quarter, the home of Dumas, and the home of Zola.
I've also decided to add Emile Zola's Nana to my pre-Europe reading list. I shall post the first installment of "The List" shortly.
Robb's history of Paris is so engaging and different from any history work I've read before. I love the concept of using short stories from various moments in time, written in changing styles, to give a fuller portrait of a place. I wonder if I could do the same for London while I'm there... hmmm... THESIS IDEA???
22 February 2011
"Moby-Duck"?
I came across a review of a book on the NY Times book page that sounds absolutely crazy. (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/21/books/21book.html?ref=books)
The book's full title is: The True Story of 28,800 Bath Toys Lost at Sea and of the Beachcombers, Oceanographers, Environmentalists, and Fools, Including the Author, Who Went in Search of Them.
How awesome is that?!
Apparently, this guy travelled all over the world hunting down these missing bath toys as well as the truth behind the bath toy manufacturing industry. He also investigated other aspects of the incident, such as environmental pollution and clean-up, the shipping industry, and more. It amazes me that this story, will seemingly silly, can bring up so many deep, controversial issues.
I'll let you know if it's worth the read... if I ever get around to reading it.
The book's full title is: The True Story of 28,800 Bath Toys Lost at Sea and of the Beachcombers, Oceanographers, Environmentalists, and Fools, Including the Author, Who Went in Search of Them.
How awesome is that?!
Apparently, this guy travelled all over the world hunting down these missing bath toys as well as the truth behind the bath toy manufacturing industry. He also investigated other aspects of the incident, such as environmental pollution and clean-up, the shipping industry, and more. It amazes me that this story, will seemingly silly, can bring up so many deep, controversial issues.
I'll let you know if it's worth the read... if I ever get around to reading it.
21 February 2011
The Beginning
This will be my first and only blog. I hope. I have resisted the temptation to start one for quite a while now because, frankly, I hate technology. I vowed that if I ever kept a record of my thoughts, it would be on a paper journal. Well, I stand by that statement - for the most part. But certain circumstances have sparked the creation of this blog:
1. I have thoughts. Thoughts worth sharing... maybe. And I want to be a writer. I have other places to store my serious writing (notebooks, a file fittingly called "Writing" on my desktop). I need a place to just unleash all of the silliness that won't make it into my Nobel Prize-winning novels and essays.
2. This has the potential to be the most exciting year of my life thus far. I will be going to Europe for two weeks in May (YES!) and will be spending my ENTIRE junior year of college at Queen Mary, University of London (YES! YES! YES!). I will actually have JOURNEYS to share with the world. This year will be worthy of my using both a written notebook and an online blog. Plus, I can't very well mail my journal home for Mom to read while I'm gone.
3. I've been starting to research all of the places I want to go on said travels. I need someplace to post the links and my impressions of the places (before and after).
4. I intend to share my praises and complaints about the world. I have particular tastes (good ones, for the most part) that I feel other people (particularly people my age) could benefit from. You will undoubtedly read my elaborate campaign for the music of Dean Martin within the next few weeks.
5. I need someplace to keep track of all the books I want to read. I have a written list somewhere, but this way I can give and receive recommendations.
6. This will provide a solution to the boredom I will suffer from - in Ashland, Ohio this summer; in airports, train stations, etc. next year; and especially all those moments where I don't want to work on homework.
Now you know my reasons for starting this project. If you don't like them... eh.
To kick off what is sure to be a brilliant masterpiece, I will explain the title of this blog.
1. I have thoughts. Thoughts worth sharing... maybe. And I want to be a writer. I have other places to store my serious writing (notebooks, a file fittingly called "Writing" on my desktop). I need a place to just unleash all of the silliness that won't make it into my Nobel Prize-winning novels and essays.
2. This has the potential to be the most exciting year of my life thus far. I will be going to Europe for two weeks in May (YES!) and will be spending my ENTIRE junior year of college at Queen Mary, University of London (YES! YES! YES!). I will actually have JOURNEYS to share with the world. This year will be worthy of my using both a written notebook and an online blog. Plus, I can't very well mail my journal home for Mom to read while I'm gone.
3. I've been starting to research all of the places I want to go on said travels. I need someplace to post the links and my impressions of the places (before and after).
4. I intend to share my praises and complaints about the world. I have particular tastes (good ones, for the most part) that I feel other people (particularly people my age) could benefit from. You will undoubtedly read my elaborate campaign for the music of Dean Martin within the next few weeks.
5. I need someplace to keep track of all the books I want to read. I have a written list somewhere, but this way I can give and receive recommendations.
6. This will provide a solution to the boredom I will suffer from - in Ashland, Ohio this summer; in airports, train stations, etc. next year; and especially all those moments where I don't want to work on homework.
Now you know my reasons for starting this project. If you don't like them... eh.
To kick off what is sure to be a brilliant masterpiece, I will explain the title of this blog.
"She has a horror of men who wear their hats in the house."
-C.K. Dexter Haven in "The Philadelphia Story"
"The Philadelphia Story" is my favorite film. Made in the 1940s, it stars Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, and James Stewart. It has one of the most sparkling scripts ever written, in my opinion. One of the main issues the film deals with is class - both in the material and spiritual sense. There are social classes, based on wealth and standing and all that. But there is also CLASS - that characteristic so elusive to my generation. It breaks my heart to see how absolutely lazy people can be about their manners, appearance, and tastes.
This blog will be dedicated to all things classy. Classy places to go, books to read, films to watch, and more. I hope the result is wonderful.
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