The Canterbury Tales- Sex and Thugs and Fol-de-rol...

Priests, peasants, the plague, poverty, pardons and puns about poop.

Sex and thugs and fol-de-rol.

I love Chaucer because he stands for something fundamentally wonderful: namely, that you can get much, much further with scholarship, wit, socio-political insight, beautifully-judged rhetorical figures and jokes about farting than you can with scholarship, wit, socio-political insight and beautifully-judged rhetorical figures alone.

Written in the 1380s, The Canterbury Tales uses a frame narrative (like Heart of Darkness- have a look at my post on that) to present a picture of a bunch of pilgrims from all walks of medieval life having a story-telling competition on their way to the tomb of Thomas Beckett in Canterbury. The pilgrims fuss, feud, fight, flirt, argue, interrupt, correct and engage in nauseating acts of social-climbing suck-uppery throughout their tales. It's rather more than a story made of stories: it's a story about why people tell stories, and the answer is that people tell stories because that's all that people ever do. It's what makes us human (well, that and having hair in odd places).

Don't be put off by the language: Chaucer wrote in Middle English and in rhyming couplets but you can get modern translations really easily- there are loads on the net (try http://www.librarius.com/cantales.htm) . And, if you're still not convinced, have a look at the accompanying video- it's Baba Brinkman, a rapper and medieval scholar, doing a version of the Pardoner's Tale, at Sawtry College as part of our Chaucer Day on October 17th. You can read more about Baba on http://www.babasword.com/or watch some of his videos here in The Library of Babble On: mouseclick the one below, which is from his visit to Sawtry, or the ones in the right sidebar.

Baba says the Pardoner reminds him of Kid Rock and his tale reminds him of Fifty Cent's first album, Get Rich Or Die Tryin'. I'm not nearly hip enough to argue, although for older readers I may as well mention that the Pardoner's Tale reminds me of The Treasure of Sierra Mardre, Reservoir Dogs and every movie Sergio Leone ever directed. The Miller's Tale, which Baba also performed for us, reminds me of the Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson TV show Bottom, but as it is ill-advised of me even to admit to awareness of such pop-culture vulgarity on an intellectual blog such as this I should probably just recommend that you read a bit of Chaucer and leave a comment if you liked his wonderfuly witty and sophisticated gags about blowing off in people's faces...

lovereading4schools

BUY SOME BOOKS!

See the link below? If you click on it, you get to the Sawtry Community College pages for lovereading4schools. It's an online book-shop like Amazon but better- you get to read extracts first (try before you buy- always a good idea) and some of the money goes back to us at school.

Here's how you use the site:

Go to http://www.lovereading4schools.co.uk/

Go to the red ‘for parents’ registration column on the right. Click on the box marked ‘If you are a parent, register here’

Fill in the details on the registration screen- first name, surname, email and a password.
Lovereading4schools will then send you an email with a link in it to verify your account. Follow the instructions in the email.

You’re now a member of Lovereading4schools. However, there are a couple more steps to take if you want to take advantage of the Sawtry Community College part of the site, which gives you bespoke reading lists created by the English department and means 5% all your purchases will be donated to the school in the form of book vouchers.

In the blackboard box titled ‘Search’ on the left on the lovereading4schools screen, enter ‘Sawtry’ and click ‘search’. This will take you to a list of schools. Find and click ‘Sawtry Community College PE28 5TQ’ You will then betaken Sawtry’s own page. There is a password to enter these pages as an extra layer of security. The password is ‘readallaboutit’

You are now ready to browse the lists, download reviews and extracts and purchase titles at reduced prices, with the added satisfaction of knowing you are benefiting the school. You will also find a link here where you can contact me directly at school should you wish to have a personal consultation about the suitable books for your child.

Buy your books from us- cheap as Amazon, and you're supporting education!


http://www.lovereading4schools.co.uk

Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn

Tomasau is a small and shy child that belongs to a religious group called the Hidden. They are a completely war free race and devote their time to their god. But the tribe's tranquil existance is shattered when the evil warlord, Iida Sadamu, massacres everyone in Tomasau's villiage. Everyone except Tomasau, who is saved by the mysterious Lord Otori Shigeru. Tomasau is told to change his name and becomes Takeo.

His quest for revenge takes him to places he has only thought of in his wildist dreams. He learns of magic powers he swore couldn't exist. Also he discovers more about his unique abilities such as: preternatural hearing, invisibility, and the ability to be in two places at once. Ultimately, though, it is a journey that will lead Takeo to true love, revenge in Sadamu's Black Castle and his destiny witin the walls of Inuyama.

A fantastic piece of Japanese influenced literature with an exquisite story and relatable characters. Be warned though, as it is also filled with adult laanguage, gore and, shall we say, rather raunchy scenes!!! A brilliant book by Lian Hearn.

Question: What is your view on war/adventure stories like this one and how does it compare?

Next time: I do a review on Grass for His Pillow, the second book in the Otori chronicles.

Indie Kidd by Karen McCombie

http://www.karenmccombie.com/Default.aspx?tabid=101

Have a little look at Karen McCombie's blog!

This is a great book about tree frogs, missing eyebrows and being a grown up! Suddenly Indie doesn't want to be a grown up any more, its much more fun being 10 and being able to do what you want most of the time!!!!!! Tell me waht you think.

Love Tillyxx

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett - A review by Joe C. ; a Y12 Eng. Lit. Student at Sawtry

Terry Pratchett has long been my favourite author since 'Guards! Guards!' was loaned to me by my year 8 English teacher. I could ramble on about the Discworld series for hours but instead I have chosen to review 'Good Omens', the collaborative work of Mr Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.

It's the end of the world... or at least, it will be. Doomsday is near, the Plan has been carried out and the antichrist walks the earth... he's a really nice kid though. The demon Crowley (Architect of the M25 no less) is disenchanted with his job and is depressed with the inevitability of the Earth's destruction, as contrary to Lucifer's will he actually rather likes it in one piece. Another that shares Crowley's interest is the angel Aziraphale, a long time friend of the demon; after all, if you're going to exist for all eternity it's good to have someone to talk to. The four horsemen are gathering (though one's not a man and they don't exactly go for horses anymore) and preparing for their ride.

The book is written with the twisted intellectual humour of Pratchett and tempered with Gaiman's more serious, darker style. There are many brilliant touches such as Pestilence's retirement from the four horsemen upon the invention of penicillin, his position taken up by the 'new boy' Pollution. The entire story is held together by 'The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch' (that's 'nice' as in precise) a book of prophecy so accurate it's almost useless. Once it's introduced you feel the inevitability of the world's occurrences bearing down on all of the characters involved, preparing you for the closing chapters.

The book thrives on dark humour throughout; I particularly recommend the part with Crowley's lead-lined safe as a piece of shining narrative brilliance, showing what two authors working together can achieve. As the plot is split between several characters it weaves the story though the minds of both human and divine characters giving the reader an inescapable view of the emerging apocalypse from different perspectives.

Personally I love Aziraphale as a character; as an angel he feels duty-bound to perform the acts required of him by his superiors but chooses the side of humanity through logical thinking and his own preference of the comforts that the Earth offers: tea being a major factor seeing as heaven doesn't do it ("Why does the earth man like dried leaves in boiled water?" ... quote from the wrong book entirely but it seemed appropriate).

Good Omens is a beautiful piece of work taking the Bible's text and translating it into a modern day narrative. I suspect I would have understood more of the jokes and references if I had more than the vague understanding of the Bible than I currently possess. If you're a fan of slightly black, intellectual humour or have read and enjoyed any Pratchett books before I cannot recommend this book enough.

My question: Do the Biblical references used in the book hamper the comedic effect of Good Omens in any way?

Second Chance by Jane Green- a review by Hollie W., a Y8 from Sawtry

Holly Macintosh has two children, Daisy and Oliver. Her husband Marcus is hardly ever there. He is a divorce lawyer and doesn't really bond with his children.

It is all a big shock when Holly's best friend from school, Tom, dies during a train bombing. The tragic event brings the friends to reunite from school. On the surface all the friends are happy, but dig a little deeper and it's not so straightforward. Will Saffron survive the press? Will Holly and Marcus stay together? Will Paul and Anna have a baby? Will will get it together?

I think this is quite a mature read- there is often a bit of swearing. I would recommend it to young adults.

BEWARE- once you pick it up you will not want to put it down!!

Life Swap by Jane Green- review by Jess L. of Sawtry

This is a story about real life and how our own personal paradise may be someone else's version of hell, or indeed vice versa.

Vicky Townsley is a single 35-year-old woman who's dying for a family with a loving husband, a couple of well-behaved kids and maybe even a dog.

Amber Winslow is a rich wife, mother and boss. Her life is hell with Richard always at work, the children constantly whining and Lavinia doing nothing but clean. She dreams of being single again and not having to care about anyone but herself.

Finally, both Vicky and Amber's dreams come true. I like this book because adult life interests me as I want to understand it before I become an adult!