It’s the 610th anniversary of Chaucer’s first reading of The Canterbury Tales in the court of Richard II. In honour of this occasion, I plan on reading a bit of the “Canon’s Yeoman’s Tale” to Bartholomew, and maybe even a few passages from Treatise on the Astrolabe. Also, in honour of England’s first great poet, I thought I’d write a British-themed post. I’m certain Gaurav will appreciate the gesture. For this week then,
1. He encourages my weird obsession with David Attenborough.*
2. He calls to tell me when Rafe Fiennes is on In the Actor’s Studio.
3. He procured me a book on English festivals and holidays. (Roud, Steve. The English Year. London: Penguin, 2006.)
4. He is solely responsible for my knowledge of several fine British bands, including The Decemberists and Travis.
17 April 2008 ~ St. Catharines
Glossary of Terms:
Attenborough, Sir David Frederick. n. nom. British natural scientist (specializing in geology and zoology), and the hilariously anthropomorphizing narrator of the BBC’s Blue Planet and Planet Earth. David Attenborough is British in many ways: he’s related to the British actor Richard Attenborough, attended the Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys in Leicester, and once worked with Sir Julian Huxley. He is also the member of many highly esteemed British orders including the Order of Merit, Order of the Companions of Honour, Royal Victorian Order, Order of the British Empire, the Royal Society, and the Zoological Society of London. David Attenborough IS Britain.
