I sent my sister a copy of Sleeping with Schubert (2004) by Bonnie Marson for her birthday many years ago. I had just read a copy from the library, and I thoroughly enjoyed the ridiculous premise of this book, that a woman is possessed by the spirit of Franz Schubert and suddenly becomes a crack... Continue Reading →
My daughters and I have been listening to movie soundtracks in the car as we drive around town for errands or to and from swimming lessons. It all started in March, when my youngest turned four, and for her birthday, I got her the Frozen soundtrack. We listened to it over and over and over... Continue Reading →
This week’s girls’ studies blog post is about the song “He Hit Me,” originally performed by The Crystals in 1962. I also listened to versions by Hole and Grizzly Bear. It was written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King when a popular singer of the time explained why she stayed with her boyfriend despite his... Continue Reading →
Our focus in my girls’ studies class this week has been music. The assignment is to make a “mix tape” of songs that were important to my girlhood. I’m supposed to highlight and explain three of the songs, but I thought an explanation of each one was in order. I’ve linked them to YouTube videos... Continue Reading →
I was talking to one of my friends recently about the problems with being a pianist. She plays the piano like I do, and we are often asked to accompany people at our church when they sing or play another instrument. We came to the conclusion that it really is a thankless job, even though... Continue Reading →
Yes, my husband read Les Miserables (1862) before I did. Several years before I did, in fact. When we were dating in college, he had to read it for an assigned reading course as part of his master’s degree in accounting. To accomplish this, he brought the book to church with him on Sundays and... Continue Reading →
Once in a graduate class, a fellow student stormed out when the teacher asked us to think about how Christianity connects to and informs the contemporary American literature we were reading. The student later told me that he was offended because he isn’t religious and he thought it unfair that the professor was forcing religion... Continue Reading →
The Bookshelf of Emily J. 