Baytown Library's Blog

As someone who grew up reading Greek myths for fun, I find it a bit sad that so few people actually know any myths, and frustrated when I see Greek figures like Hades misrepresented in movies. I understand that this happens because the ancient Greek myths are often perceived as having no value or relevance to our modern society, however, I think that this line of thinking is incorrect because the themes of many myths are still relevant and many of the stories and figures can be recontextualized in such a way that they become relevant to our current struggles.  To begin, let’s talk about Icarus and his wax wings. For the uninitiated, the myth of Icarus tells the story of how the young, Icarus, and his father, Daedalus, used wings made of bird feathers held together by wax to escape their prison. As they flew, Daedalus warned his son not to fly too close to the water because it would make the wings soggy and unable to fly. He then warned his son not to fly too close to the sun for it...

Recently, I have had the opportunity to read one of the greatest classics of all time: Pride and Prejudice . I was guilty of the unspeakable crime of watching the movie before reading the book. Now, understand: I had been in possession of Jane Austen's complete collection of books for over a year. Me being me, I opened Sense and Sensibility , read half the book, then moved on to a "more thrilling" novel. Oh, the woes of childhood. It could be said that I have very mixed feelings about classical literature. It's more of a love/hate relationship. In this blog, I will be stating the pros and cons of reading a classic. Hopefully, it will help you know a little bit more about what styles of writing you would be interested in reading. If you know me, then you know I am a "pro" reader. When I read a book, I try to just focus on the good stuff about them. (Though I am, hands-down, a biased Harry Potter fan.) In reading Pride and Prejudice , The Maiden's Bequest ...

#1. Sherlock Holmes Most of you know of or have heard of the infamous Sherlock Holmes, and for a good reason. Many would call Mr. Holmes the world's finest detective; his methods of observation and detecting are phenomenal. If you were to meet him on the street, you would think he was a magician or, in this day and age, a psychic. Sherlock Holmes could look at you and give a full account of your daily schedule, what you ate for lunch, etc. Many of his accomplices, such as the Dr. John Watson, were astounded at his level of ascertainment. With his career as the world's only Consulting Detective, he has deciphered and solved some of the most challenging and perplexing mysteries in existence.