This is exactly how I feel about Tamora Pierce’s books. Rereading them calms me down so much, it’s like a reset button.
I was in sp. ed for preschool-3rd grade because my teachers thought I couldn’t read (and also probably because I wouldn’t speak to anyone…) I wouldn’t read out loud and I couldn’t read along with a class EVER because I’d always have finished whatever we were reading, thus teachers thought I was pretending to read. Someone gave me Wolf-Speaker in second grade because in the rare instance I talked to anyone it was re: animals. TP’s books convinced teachers that not only could I read, but I was actually really good at it. I finished everything TP had written by the end of elementary school, then practically forced the town library’s librarian to preorder every new book as they came out in hardcover. The year or so between book releases gave me plenty of time to get into Harry Potter, too. I will never, ever stop loving her books and I’m psyched to give them all to my niece once she’s old enough.

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Also I’m in a Shakespeare Society, so I understand your Shakespeare feels. He really is the best ever.

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Also, I still think I might be the only person whose favorite David Sedaris book is “Barrel Fever,” and I have read all of them. It might be my one favorite book out of all the books I’ve ever read, actually. It’s just so gotdamn funny. Also “Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk” is a super funny, quick read. I kind of wish he’d write more short fiction.

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When I got back from break this week, the first thing I saw in my office was the copy of Alanna on the bookshelf. I immediately thought that maybe he had just left the book there before break because he wasn’t really interested. It turned out he had come first thing in the morning to give it back, having read the whole thing over break and he wanted to borrow the next book too. Considering Tamora Pierce’s books were some of my most formative books growing up, with Keladry as my biggest fictional role model of what it could mean to be a strong, brave woman, I could not be happier with his excitement to be digging into series. So yeah, couldn’t agree with you more, Ali, and couldn’t be more excited to be heading in to school tomorrow with In The Hand of the Goddess in my bag, ready to inculcate feminism in the next generation.

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OH MAN SHAKESPEARE IF YOU ONLY READ ONE HISTORY READ HENRY IV PART ONE. bias reveal: I just finished an eight-show run playing Falstaff so obviously I am really really biased but Henry IV Part 1 is seriously the most amazing play, it has the beautiful language and a great complex group of protagonists and just…it’s amazing. It’s my absolute favorite Shakespeare. also the first “your face” joke in recorded history. The Globe has an amazing version with Jamie Parker as Hal and Roger Allam as Falstaff; I cried multiple times when I saw it (from laughter and also from sads, but that was only at the very end).

also Cymbeline! Cymbeline reads like a Greatest Hits of Shakespeare because it has every major plot device from the famous plays.
- Guy is wrongly convinced his wife is cheating on him!
- Sleeping potion that makes people think you’re dead!
- Long-lost sons!
- Girls in drag!
- Deux ex machina! (literally, Jupiter descends at one point)
It also has the longest resolution scene in the Shakespearean canon. It’s a good one.

I just really love Shakespeare y’all okay I’ll be quiet now

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i’m not a huge musical fan but i saw a workshop performance over the summer and it was great. the story is just ugh. so good.

sidebar: totally gonna start reading tamora pierce!

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