Posts by Andy Strauss
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Douglas Adams’s The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy challenges the norms of typical science fiction. It combines the elements of a classic space travel novel with the unapologetic imagination of an excited child and the nonsensical brilliance of Lewis Carrol. Adams finds plenty of Wonderland in the stars. From the practical, English, Arthur to the…
Read MoreWolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk
Lauren Wolk’s Wolf Hollow is a beautiful tale set in the aftermath of the 2nd World War about a little girl named Annabelle caught up in a web of mystery and suspicion. The very first chapter of the book begins with “The year I turned twelve, I learned how to lie.” This powerful line sets…
Read MoreThe Old Man and the Sea by Earnest Hemingway
I have come to really appreciate sources that give me background on the author and time period that help draw out the author’s vision for their work and not merely my own reaction to the piece. That’s exactly what Apologia has done for high schoolers with their latest American Literature curriculum. It is well written, thought provoking, and masterfully curated. I’m excited to have a guide that will help my daughter explore American literature from a biblical worldview.
Read MoreA Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
I love Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time. The story is a stunning adventure of two children journeying through space to rescue their missing father from the terrifying IT. Difficult themes in A Wrinkle in Time The beauty of L’Engle’s storytelling, however, is that she presents difficult themes and asks challenging questions of her readers.…
Read MoreThe Annotated Alice by Lewis Carroll
I’m currently reading Lewis Carrol’s Alice in Wonderland, and it is a treasure trove of plays with language. One of my favorite moments comes from the third chapter, in which Alice finds herself among a group of very political animals washed up on an island. Cold and wet, the Mouse tries to solve the problem by…
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