To accompany the Oscar Wilde exhibition now on at the Petit Palais in Paris, the Sorbonne is offering a free MOOC about Oscar Wilde, in French, from October 26. The online course is taught by English Literature professor Pascal Aquien. It will consist of six sessions, each with six 10-minute parts. They will start out … Continue reading “Oscar Wilde: Online Learning”
Every year, the BBC National Short Story Award contains some real gems of short fiction — and you can download the audio versions to listen to at leisure. Previous awards have been given to both unknown authors and well-established ones. This year, all five authors on the shortlist are women. Their stories have protagonists ranging … Continue reading “National Short Story Award to Listen to and Keep”
William Shakespeare died 400 years ago, on 23 April 1616, at the age of 52, in his native Stratford-upon-Avon. Yet his 37 plays are still played constantly around the world, and have provided the basis for more than 1000 films. Britain had had grandiose plans for celebrating the tercentenary of Shakespeare’s death in 1916 before … Continue reading “Shakespeare 400”
Take the real attempted assassination of Bob Marley and a vast cast of fiction characters. Mix together and you get the 2015 winner of the Man Booker, Britain’s most prestigious prize for fiction, by Marlon James, who will be a star guest at the 2016 Festival America in Vincennes from 8 to 11 September. Marlon … Continue reading “Marlon James Man Booker Winner at America Festival”
The 2015 winner of the Man Booker prize for fiction, Marlon James, is a star guest at the 2016 America festival in Vincennes from 8 to 11 September. These resources about his prizewinning book about Bob Marley, A Brief History of Seven Killings, would be a good topic for lycée classes. Both the theme of … Continue reading “Marlon James Webpicks”
For its eighth edition (8-11 September), Festival America offers a plethora of activities around literature in the Americas. There is a day for school groups on Friday 9th. This year’s Festival America has something for everyone. Readings, talks, workshops, beautiful exhibitions and translation “jousts” are all part of the programme. Look out for several events … Continue reading “Festival America Literary Celebration in Vincennes”
Irish poet, playwright, novelist, editor, dandy and wit Oscar Wilde was a major figure of the nineteenth century literary scene, and his work is still widely read and performed today. A major exhibition at the Petit Palais presents his life and work – both as an immensely popular writer and as an object of scandal … Continue reading “Oscar Wilde”
Shakespeare’s birth and death are both celebrated on 23 April, St George’s Day (the English national day). And this year is a special celebration, 400 years after his death in 1616. There are lots of Shakespeare events on all year and lots of online resources, such as an online exhibition at the British Library, an … Continue reading “Shakespeare Online Resources”
A new exhibition in Paris shines a spotlight on a man who never shied away from one: Oscar Wilde. The author of The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest lived a life as witty and provocative as his work. Oscar Wilde had an affinity and long connection with France, so the … Continue reading “Oscar Wilde: Impertinent Portrait”
As part of the celebrations of the centenary of Roald Dahl’s birth, Steven Spielberg has helmed an adaptation of his book The BFG. Pupils generally recognise Dahl’s work from books or films, so it is a rich subject for class work. Don’t miss our articles on the The BFG film and Dream Jar Trail (see … Continue reading “The BFG Webpicks”