March 29 - April 4

Shakespeare saved my life: ten years in solitary with the Bard by Dr. Laura Bates

I saw this book offered as an eBook through sobering called the global book club. I had no idea what that was, but it sounded like an interesting book anyway! A college professor works with prisoners to study Shakespeare, including most notably one man who had life without the possibility of speak for parole. Larry Newton had been in prisons since he was ten and went to juvi several times. Escape attempts, stabbing officers... It got pretty bad. So he had to go to solitary confinement... For a decade or more.

The story focuses mainly on them working together to create a workbook for other insured who would benefit. They make some pretty amazing insights into Shakespeare's work, and in that way I was even able to learn about some of his works that I wasn't familiar with (such as many of the historical plays that tend to get passed over in traditional education... and in my interests). It was pretty solid. Interesting to see how prisoners view Macbeth and his hallucinations after looking Duncan, his holding onto the daggers... seeing those scenes from the mind of people who have murdered was incredibly revealing. I can't believe no one had acted on that idea before. What a great payout!

Wicked by Gregory Maguire
This book has been sitting on my shelf for SO long, and during this break I finally had some time and got randomly intrigued by it once again. I picked it up and didn't stop reading until I had to stop for family events and returning to school! This is such an interesting take on a pretty well-known tale. I love the imaginative back story for Elphaba, Galinda-turned-Glinda, and Nessarose. I find myself totally drawn in to their world, with the Animals and their compelling push for equal rights! Go Doctor Dillamond! I'm constantly wondering how and IF it will line up with the version of the story I know. When will those worlds collide? When will this rebellious and strong girl colored green turn into the Wicked Witch of the West? Do I really trust Glinda all that much? And really, what the heck happened at the Philosophy Club?! That was such an unexpected scene! So not what I would associate with little Munchinklanders and Animals that are aware! How bizzarre!

The progression in this book is done extremely well. We go back to Elphaba's mother and learn about them, as well as Elphaba as a very colorful (ha!) infant. We meet Glinda, a rich girl, heading off to a ritzy boarding school in the big city. There are adulterers and places of sexual deviancy and thinly veiled insults and blatant insults and sorcery and brain washing and corruption and exploitation and poverty and starvation and bloodthirst and secret rebel societies, and, and, and...! There is SO much going on here, and I love it!! I cannot wait to finish it up, although unfortunately it's going to be a bit on hold for now because I have so many Big Things coming up!