Happy 200th Birthday to Charles Dickens! Once again, it was Google who brought this to my attention, as it made him the subject of today's Google Doodle:
If you are looking for a short video on Dicken's life, here is a lovely little cartoon version from the BBC:
Enjoy!
Showing posts with label England. Show all posts
Showing posts with label England. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Christmas 2011 Blog: Have A Very Bryson Christmas
One of our favorite activities around the Christmas break is reading, either new books that we got as presents or the multitude of books we've been meaning to get around to but haven't had time. So we often spend time this week between Christmas and New Years lounging about, reading good books as we much on our Christmas leftovers or goodies from stockings or other presents.
This year, we are doing that as we all read the same author, if not the same book. This Christmas, we all received different books by Bill Bryson, the delightful essayist whose most famous book is A Walk in the Woods, but who has produced about fifteen other books as well on subjects ranging from travel to explaining the universe.
My husband received Bryson's latest book, which is called At Home: A Short History of Private Life, in which Bryson investigates a variety of items commonly found in a home to discover where they came from and why they developed as they did. You can get a sense of the book from this video:
My son got a older book, but another of the most famous ones of Bryson's collection: The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way. As the title implies, this is Bryson's attempt to explain the many peculiarities of the English language by tracing its development over time. I read it and really enjoyed it, although it is hardly a definite exposition of all the quirks of our native language. But my son is always asking me about why things are spelled in strange ways, and why we say this instead of that, so I think this is a great book for him. He has been laughing aloud as he reads it, so I think he is finding it amusing as well as educational.
My gift was a follow-on to my son's book. It is Made in America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States. It extends Bryson's Mother Tongue analysis to the ways the language grew in the United States over time. I've only begun it, but have found it interesting so far, although the first few chapters seem to be as devoted to dismissing myths about early American History as it is about the language of our Founding Fathers and Mothers. However, The Independent, an English newspaper, had what I thought was an excellent review of the book from the British perspective, which you can read here.
It is a cold, grey, and rainy day here in North Carolina--a perfect day for staying home and curling up with a good book. And we've got three good ones from Bryson. The exciting thing is that we can switch amongst each other when we get tired or done with the one we're reading now.
This year, we are doing that as we all read the same author, if not the same book. This Christmas, we all received different books by Bill Bryson, the delightful essayist whose most famous book is A Walk in the Woods, but who has produced about fifteen other books as well on subjects ranging from travel to explaining the universe.
My husband received Bryson's latest book, which is called At Home: A Short History of Private Life, in which Bryson investigates a variety of items commonly found in a home to discover where they came from and why they developed as they did. You can get a sense of the book from this video:
My son got a older book, but another of the most famous ones of Bryson's collection: The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way. As the title implies, this is Bryson's attempt to explain the many peculiarities of the English language by tracing its development over time. I read it and really enjoyed it, although it is hardly a definite exposition of all the quirks of our native language. But my son is always asking me about why things are spelled in strange ways, and why we say this instead of that, so I think this is a great book for him. He has been laughing aloud as he reads it, so I think he is finding it amusing as well as educational.
My gift was a follow-on to my son's book. It is Made in America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States. It extends Bryson's Mother Tongue analysis to the ways the language grew in the United States over time. I've only begun it, but have found it interesting so far, although the first few chapters seem to be as devoted to dismissing myths about early American History as it is about the language of our Founding Fathers and Mothers. However, The Independent, an English newspaper, had what I thought was an excellent review of the book from the British perspective, which you can read here.
It is a cold, grey, and rainy day here in North Carolina--a perfect day for staying home and curling up with a good book. And we've got three good ones from Bryson. The exciting thing is that we can switch amongst each other when we get tired or done with the one we're reading now.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Christmas 2011 Blog: Happy Boxing Day
When it comes to the day after Christmas, we prefer the English tradition of Boxing Day to the American tradition of going out and spending more money on after-Christmas sales. We like to lounge around, enjoying our gifts, and then cooking and eating a British Christmas meal of roast beef and Yorkshire Pudding and such. This year, one of my sister-in-laws gave us a mincemeat pie she made, and we made some English shortbread, so we're set for desserts!
I always thought the name came from the boxes of leftovers that English aristocracy gave their servants for their day off to celebrate Christmas with their own families a day late, but according to this article from Time, there is disagreement about where the term boxing day came from. But it is a nice description of both the history and present-day permutations of Boxing Day around the world, so click here to read more.
I hope you are enjoying however it is that you spend the day. Here in the Cary/Raleigh area, it looks like it is going to be a sunny, cool day, perfect for walking off some of those Christmas calories.
I always thought the name came from the boxes of leftovers that English aristocracy gave their servants for their day off to celebrate Christmas with their own families a day late, but according to this article from Time, there is disagreement about where the term boxing day came from. But it is a nice description of both the history and present-day permutations of Boxing Day around the world, so click here to read more.
I hope you are enjoying however it is that you spend the day. Here in the Cary/Raleigh area, it looks like it is going to be a sunny, cool day, perfect for walking off some of those Christmas calories.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Curriculum Resource: The History of English in Ten Minutes
We seem to be doing even more educational activities than I had planned for the summer. However, they tend to be the more fun and laid-back investigations of various topics. One resource that we've stumbled onto recently and have really enjoyed is The History of English in Ten Minutes.
This is a serious of one-minute cartoons on the different ethnic or writing contributions to the English language. The cartoons are quick and funny, although they don't have a lot of depth. But they help to depict the wide variety of places that English expressions came from, which helps to explain why spelling can be SO CRAZY!
Don't take my word for it--watch it yourself. All ten short videos are embedded below. My son enjoyed them so much that he watched all of them without my even having to ask him to do so.
This is a serious of one-minute cartoons on the different ethnic or writing contributions to the English language. The cartoons are quick and funny, although they don't have a lot of depth. But they help to depict the wide variety of places that English expressions came from, which helps to explain why spelling can be SO CRAZY!
Don't take my word for it--watch it yourself. All ten short videos are embedded below. My son enjoyed them so much that he watched all of them without my even having to ask him to do so.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Book Review: Larklight by Philip Reeve
Therefore, the story is told by two main protagonists: a young boy and his older sister, who are trying to grow up as proper Victorian citizens, but while living in a mechanical house in space where their father conducts scientific research. They are attacked by giant space spiders, which sets off a chain of events that ends up with Victorian England facing the biggest challenge imaginable.
However, the books are more comical than horrific, so they are suitable for middle schoolers who don't like stories that are too dark, gory, or intense. And this book has something for everyone--monsters, a plot to take over the universe, space ships, pirates, spies, all sorts of creatures--some adorable, some not so much--plus, of course, plucky adolescent leaders who save the day!
The book is written as a kind of diary, with the two siblings taking turns writing their version of what is happening in their separate voices (with sister Myrtle still trying to be a proper Victorian lady, even when fighting off space aliens, while brother Arthur prefers telling a ripping adventure). Their language is not too obscure, but tries to evoke the Victorian style. For example, here are some chapter titles:
- Chapter Three: In Which We Make Good Our Escape, but Find Ourselves Cast Adrift upon the Uncaring Aether
- Chapter Five: In Which We Find Ourselves Imprisoned on the Plain of Jars and Contemplate a Ghastly Fate (Again!)
- Chapter Fourteen: Another Dip into My Sister's Diaries, Which May be Welcomed by Readers of a Sensitive Disposition as a Sort of Break or Breathing Space from My Own Almost Unbearably Exciting Adventures
(And just FYI, Reeves wrote Larklight several years before Riordan used a similar storytelling technique in his Kane Chronicle books.)
There are a lot of little touches like that--subtle ways that Reeves incorporates information about Victorian culture--that I think lifts this series above the generic space adventure books that have proliferated for this age group. The book is also enhanced by the delightful illustrations by David Wyatt, which also have a Victorian flare to them, whether they show a steampunky 19th century space ship, one of the imaginative denizens of other planets, or a faux advertisement for a Victorian-era space product. Finally, there is some actual historical content incorporated into the story. For example, one climactic scene takes place at the opening of the Great Exhibition in the Crystal Palace in London!
So we've really enjoyed all three of these books. They aren't fine literature, and may seem too light for those who prefer some of the more intense series for this age (which my son and I tend to find too dark for pre-teenagers). But if your children are fans of the Percy Jackson or Kane Chronicle books, they would probably like Larklight, if you can convince then to give Victorian England a try as a break from ancient mythology.
UPDATE: Oh, and I forgot to mention that they are making a movie of the book. The director is critically-acclaimed Shekhar Kapur, who led such films as Four Feathers, Elizabeth (the one with Cate Blanchett), and Elizabeth: The Golden Age....which bodes well for the quality of this cinematic adaptation.
UPDATE: Oh, and I forgot to mention that they are making a movie of the book. The director is critically-acclaimed Shekhar Kapur, who led such films as Four Feathers, Elizabeth (the one with Cate Blanchett), and Elizabeth: The Golden Age....which bodes well for the quality of this cinematic adaptation.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Book Review: Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman? by Eleanor Updale
We are moving into studying Victorian England, and I was looking for a historical fiction set in those times that would be appropriate for my son to read. However, at least our library system's holdings had quite a few Young Adult novels set in that period, but most of them had a female protagonist and seemed to revolve more around domestic and/or romantic situation, which are not the kind of books that grab my 12-year-old son's attention. The one title I found that I thought might capture his attention was Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman? by Eleanor Updale. I actually read it before I gave it to him, and I can recommend it as a good fictional novel that describes a lot of the culture of the time but still has a plot that can appeal to both boys and girls.
The story begins in 1875 with a career criminal in jail whose live was saved when the grievous injuries he suffered when trying to flee from police during a burglary were stitched together by a brilliant new surgeon using state-of-the-art techniques (like washing his hands frequently). The trade-off, however, is that the highly-scarred prisoner is often trotted out to various scientific and academic meetings and put on exhibition to display the success of these new medical procedures. But at one of these meetings, the thief gets an idea that will transform his life forever. He comes up with a plan to turn himself from an impoverished common criminal to a posh member of Victorian society, thanks to another of the new innovations of late 19th century London.
The novel is really great, I think, because it has some of that Upstairs/Downstairs approach to it. Parts of the book describe what it like to be poor in the London of that times--the perspective of Eliza Doolittle, say (although she actually comes later), or Fagin, Nancy, and the Artful Dodger from Oliver Twist (although they actually come earlier). The other part describes the lives of rich and aristocratic, who were flowering since England's power in the world was at its height. So it raises issues about the class consciousness that existed in that time in England (the remnants of which we've seen this weekend when such a fuss is made about the Prince marrying a "commoner"-- but whose parents' Internet-based party business is valued over $50 million and who spent an estimated $500,000 on her private schooling and bought her an apartment in one of the best parts of London that is supposed to be worth $1.5 - 2 million).
It introduces other new technologies of the times and the indulgences of the rich, some very proper (such as attending the opera) and others less so (such as the popularity of Turkish opium). There is theft and there are veiled references to prostitution, but no explicit sexual scenes. There is also a spy plot and a little bit of political content. Finally, as a couple of the school reviews remark, it is that rare phenomenon of a teen novel that doesn't contain any teens at all; all the characters are adults.
So it is definitely for the strong middle school reader and up. But it really fits the bill for what I was looking for--a Victorian England young adult novel with a plot that is adventure-oriented-enough to interest our young men, but with a good bit of content that helps capture the feel of that era.
The story begins in 1875 with a career criminal in jail whose live was saved when the grievous injuries he suffered when trying to flee from police during a burglary were stitched together by a brilliant new surgeon using state-of-the-art techniques (like washing his hands frequently). The trade-off, however, is that the highly-scarred prisoner is often trotted out to various scientific and academic meetings and put on exhibition to display the success of these new medical procedures. But at one of these meetings, the thief gets an idea that will transform his life forever. He comes up with a plan to turn himself from an impoverished common criminal to a posh member of Victorian society, thanks to another of the new innovations of late 19th century London.
The novel is really great, I think, because it has some of that Upstairs/Downstairs approach to it. Parts of the book describe what it like to be poor in the London of that times--the perspective of Eliza Doolittle, say (although she actually comes later), or Fagin, Nancy, and the Artful Dodger from Oliver Twist (although they actually come earlier). The other part describes the lives of rich and aristocratic, who were flowering since England's power in the world was at its height. So it raises issues about the class consciousness that existed in that time in England (the remnants of which we've seen this weekend when such a fuss is made about the Prince marrying a "commoner"-- but whose parents' Internet-based party business is valued over $50 million and who spent an estimated $500,000 on her private schooling and bought her an apartment in one of the best parts of London that is supposed to be worth $1.5 - 2 million).
It introduces other new technologies of the times and the indulgences of the rich, some very proper (such as attending the opera) and others less so (such as the popularity of Turkish opium). There is theft and there are veiled references to prostitution, but no explicit sexual scenes. There is also a spy plot and a little bit of political content. Finally, as a couple of the school reviews remark, it is that rare phenomenon of a teen novel that doesn't contain any teens at all; all the characters are adults.
So it is definitely for the strong middle school reader and up. But it really fits the bill for what I was looking for--a Victorian England young adult novel with a plot that is adventure-oriented-enough to interest our young men, but with a good bit of content that helps capture the feel of that era.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Lesson Plan: Arts of the Regency Period
In our history coop, we do an art for each area and period we study. We've been studying Regency England, and it was my turn to do the art. So the art that I selected--one that is mentioned in books by Jane Austen and other writing during that time--was quilling (also known as paper filigree).
Quilling is a design out of rolls of paper, created by rolling thin strips of paper around a feather quill. It was used to decorate cards, scrapbook pages, or picture frames. It was traditional made up of either simply decorative scrolls, or to depicts items from nature, such as flowers or animals or insects.
I created the following picture as a quasi-traditional picture of Regency quilling:
But the students took it in new and creative directions. We had two abstracts/ornamentals:
(This looks rather Fibonacci-like to me, which reminds me of my beloved book, Blockhead)
One flora:
And then, one squid:
It is a fun, pretty easy, and less familiar craft, and I think it is a great addition to a unit on Regency England.
Quilling is a design out of rolls of paper, created by rolling thin strips of paper around a feather quill. It was used to decorate cards, scrapbook pages, or picture frames. It was traditional made up of either simply decorative scrolls, or to depicts items from nature, such as flowers or animals or insects.
I created the following picture as a quasi-traditional picture of Regency quilling:
But the students took it in new and creative directions. We had two abstracts/ornamentals:
(This looks rather Fibonacci-like to me, which reminds me of my beloved book, Blockhead)
One flora:
Several birds, each beautiful and unique:
It is a fun, pretty easy, and less familiar craft, and I think it is a great addition to a unit on Regency England.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Curriculum Resource: Regency and Dickensian England
We are currently studying the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution and early 19th century England... the times of the Regency era and Charles Dickens. I found a most marvelous book to help understand life of those times.
Entitled "What Jane Austin Ate and Charles Dickens Knew: From Fox Hunting to Whist--the Facts of Daily Life in 19th-Century England" by Daniel Pool, this book is a treasure trove of information about all aspect of British life before the Victorian era really dawned. It explains all the little things you might have to muddle through if you are reading literature of that times--what the relative social ranking was of all those titles (Knights? Earls? Baronets?), the value and slang used for different currencies and weight measures, the meal and activity schedule of the royalty and upper class, the duties of different servant titles, the games they played, even the most unsavory jobs of the poor (such as Resurrection Men, who stole corpses out of the ground and sold them to medical schools for use as surgery cadavers for the students learning human anatomy). The second half of the book is a glossary of terms found in the writers of those times. While this is more of an adult level book, it is a great resource to keep by your side if you are studying that time in history and/or reading Austin, Bronte, Trollope, or Dickens.
Because I'm not as strong in English history as I am in American, I am also reading "An Elegant Madness: High Society in Regency England" by Venetia Murray. This book chronicles the adventures and mores at of the English upper class as the 19th century dawned, explaining the dandies and the courtesans, the parties and the politics of that turbulent and decadent times. This is an adult book, but a pretty easy read, and it is helping me to understand the romantic times that led to the more stable, if less colorful, Victorian era.
I also have two books that are more appropriate reading for the middle school level. "Life in Charles Dicken's England" by Diane Yancey focuses more on the generally hard life of the common people, rather than the glittering social whirl of the rich and beautiful. It gives a great perspective of those times. "The Industrial Revolution" by James A. Corrick, follows the industrial technology as it moves throughout the world, transforming life as it went. This book concentrates on the equipment rather than on the people, so the two books go together well. Finally, if you are interested in Charles Dickens, Diane Stanley's picture book, "Charles Dickens: The Man Who Had Great Expectations," is great for this age. It is a lovely depiction of the ups and downs in the life of this lively and engaging man who is one of the best writers of this period.
Entitled "What Jane Austin Ate and Charles Dickens Knew: From Fox Hunting to Whist--the Facts of Daily Life in 19th-Century England" by Daniel Pool, this book is a treasure trove of information about all aspect of British life before the Victorian era really dawned. It explains all the little things you might have to muddle through if you are reading literature of that times--what the relative social ranking was of all those titles (Knights? Earls? Baronets?), the value and slang used for different currencies and weight measures, the meal and activity schedule of the royalty and upper class, the duties of different servant titles, the games they played, even the most unsavory jobs of the poor (such as Resurrection Men, who stole corpses out of the ground and sold them to medical schools for use as surgery cadavers for the students learning human anatomy). The second half of the book is a glossary of terms found in the writers of those times. While this is more of an adult level book, it is a great resource to keep by your side if you are studying that time in history and/or reading Austin, Bronte, Trollope, or Dickens.
Because I'm not as strong in English history as I am in American, I am also reading "An Elegant Madness: High Society in Regency England" by Venetia Murray. This book chronicles the adventures and mores at of the English upper class as the 19th century dawned, explaining the dandies and the courtesans, the parties and the politics of that turbulent and decadent times. This is an adult book, but a pretty easy read, and it is helping me to understand the romantic times that led to the more stable, if less colorful, Victorian era.
I also have two books that are more appropriate reading for the middle school level. "Life in Charles Dicken's England" by Diane Yancey focuses more on the generally hard life of the common people, rather than the glittering social whirl of the rich and beautiful. It gives a great perspective of those times. "The Industrial Revolution" by James A. Corrick, follows the industrial technology as it moves throughout the world, transforming life as it went. This book concentrates on the equipment rather than on the people, so the two books go together well. Finally, if you are interested in Charles Dickens, Diane Stanley's picture book, "Charles Dickens: The Man Who Had Great Expectations," is great for this age. It is a lovely depiction of the ups and downs in the life of this lively and engaging man who is one of the best writers of this period.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
The History of Boxing Day
For those who are still seeking some educational aspects to sneak into the holidays...
Here is a short quiz on the English tradition of Boxing Day, which began in the Middle Ages. After answering all the questions, there is a little bit of material on the history of this day, which is an official holiday in England and some of the British territories.
It fits in well for us, because we had a British-inspired Christmas dinner last night of Prime Rib, Yorkshire Pudding, Baked Potatoes, and Roasted Vegetables (but without the Christmas Pudding, which no one here really likes). And just like the British upper crust had to fend for themselves as their servants took off Boxing Day to have their own family celebrations, my family is going to have to get along without my cooking services for the day.
Here in Raleigh, we actually had our first White Christmas (during the night, at least) since 1966 (according to WRAL weather). All the more reason for taking the day off and enjoying the beauty and serenity of the snow after all the build-up to Christmas.
Here is a short quiz on the English tradition of Boxing Day, which began in the Middle Ages. After answering all the questions, there is a little bit of material on the history of this day, which is an official holiday in England and some of the British territories.
It fits in well for us, because we had a British-inspired Christmas dinner last night of Prime Rib, Yorkshire Pudding, Baked Potatoes, and Roasted Vegetables (but without the Christmas Pudding, which no one here really likes). And just like the British upper crust had to fend for themselves as their servants took off Boxing Day to have their own family celebrations, my family is going to have to get along without my cooking services for the day.
Here in Raleigh, we actually had our first White Christmas (during the night, at least) since 1966 (according to WRAL weather). All the more reason for taking the day off and enjoying the beauty and serenity of the snow after all the build-up to Christmas.
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