Monthly Archives: May 2016

A Real Pagan-Turner

Posted on May 30, 2016 by Nathan

Pagans: The End of Traditional Religion and the Rise of Christianity, by James J. O’Donnell – This book basically covers the switch from polytheistic religion to Christianity in the Roman Empire, largely looking at it from the point of view … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Christianity, History, Judaism, Politics, Religion, Roman Empire | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Slavic Star Sisters

Posted on May 29, 2016 by Nathan

I recently wrote about the Greco-Roman personifications of the Morning and Evening Stars, which they didn’t realize at the time were both the planet Venus. They were the children of Eos, goddess of the dawn. While looking for information on … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, Greek Mythology, Mythology, Neil Gaiman, Norse, Slavic | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Everybody Gets a Crown

Posted on May 26, 2016 by Nathan

Someone recently asked me whether Betsy Bobbin and Trot were ever made princesses within the Oz series. L. Frank Baum never gives them this title, and neither does Ruth Plumly Thompson in her earlier books, but she does in later … Continue reading →

Posted in Characters, Eloise Jarvis McGraw, John R. Neill, L. Frank Baum, Melody Grandy, Oz, Oz Authors, Ruth Plumly Thompson, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

How Fast Those Queens Can Run!

Posted on May 25, 2016 by Nathan

Birth of the Chess Queen: A History, by Marilyn Yalom – The author links the development of the queen in the game of chess to events and personages in history. In the earliest Indian and Arabian sets, the piece next … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, Board Games, Book Reviews, Chess, Games, History, Lewis Carroll | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Riddle Me This

Posted on May 24, 2016 by Nathan

When I first came across the term “riddles,” it was most likely referring to what you find in kids’ joke books, specifically puns or other simple jokes presented in question-and-answer format. You know, the “When is a door not a … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, Beatrix Potter, Cartoons, Games, Greek Mythology, Humor, J.R.R. Tolkien, Language, Mythology, Nursery Rhymes, Poetry, Sesame Street, Television | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Everybody Poops Genius Pieces

Posted on May 20, 2016 by Nathan

Little People, by Tom Holt – This fantasy story, rather less epic than many of Holt’s works, is narrated by a boy who sees elves in his garden. After being sent away to boarding school by his stepfather, he falls … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, Book Reviews, Greek Mythology, Greek Philosophy, History, Humor, Mythology, Oz, Philosophy, Tom Holt | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Baum vs. the Bible

Posted on May 19, 2016 by Nathan

When we discussed John R. Neill’s Lucky Bucky in Oz on the old Nonestica mailing list, J.L. Bell mentioned how Bucky recalled the story of Jonah and the Whale when riding inside Davy Jones. Biblical allusions are uncommon in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, John R. Neill, L. Frank Baum, Oz, Oz Authors, Religion, Ruth Plumly Thompson, Theosophy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Good Gods and Bad Gods

Posted on May 17, 2016 by Nathan

I don’t think people typically worship gods they think of as evil. That’s not to say it doesn’t happen, just that it doesn’t seem to be the basis of any major religion. What does happen is that societies will demonize … Continue reading →

Posted in Babylonian, Christianity, Egyptian, Gender, Greek Mythology, Judaism, Monsters, Mythology, Norse, Persian, Religion, Roman, Satanism, Semitic, Zoroastrianism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

She’s a Hair Hopper, That’s What She Is

Posted on May 15, 2016 by Nathan

The 1988 film Hairspray was John Waters’ most mainstream film, and the first to receive a PG rating. It lacks the blatantly shocking humor and much of the cynical viewpoint of his earlier movies, and instead is a quite positive … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Music, Prejudice, VoVat Goes to the Movies | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Peri the Wind High, Low

Posted on May 14, 2016 by Nathan

I had heard of peris as basically Persian fairies, which is more or less true, but there’s a little more to it than that. In Persian mythology, including but apparently not limited to Zoroastrian beliefs, the peris seem to have … Continue reading →

Posted in Fairy Tales, Islam, Mythology, Persian, Religion, Zoroastrianism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment