I used to live here once

 

This was a pretty good biography of the writer's life. It talks about her Caribbean childhood which inspired Wide Sargasso Sea then goes about her relationship with Ford Madox Ford who discovered her and also used Jean. I think it's cool, that Jean wrote her masterpiece in her old age and then her old books were rediscovered. The only problem that I had with the book is that I felt like the writer was making fun of the squabbles Jean had with her neighbors when she was elderly. I felt like it could have been done with more compassion. 

Philosophers

 

This book which has the biographies of several philosophers has mixed opinions on goodreads but I liked it. People wanted more to know more about the philosophers' ideas. I liked just getting the gist and reading about their biographies. There's a lot of people who got exiled here and some eccentrics too. I was also surprised at the number of mathematicians and scientists among the thinkers.  I was pleased with the contribution of female thinkers. I especially found the story of Heloise and Peter Abelard intriguing. There's also plenty of paragraphs written about minor philosophers. I enjoyed reading this.  

The Tempest

 

I tried reading this a few years ago but got confused. Then I tried again this week. It's good but I wouldn't say this was one of Shakespeare's best. This was one of the last plays that Shakespeare wrote himself. I've heard rumors that Francis Bacon wrote his plays. But something tells me the guy was a genius and people are reluctant to give him all the credit. This play concerns a magician who raises a tempest and leaves a group of people shipwrecked on an island. There are many themes within the play like family for example Miranda, Prospero's daughter and Prospero's own family. Another theme is revenge with Prospero wanting to get revenge on his brother Antonio for taking over his position. It's too bad the movie with Helen Mirren is supposed to be bad.