For this episode we read both Maria Headley’s translation of the Old English epic poem "Beowulf" and “The Mere Wife,” Headley's 2015 retelling of Beowulf, which is set in present-day New York. 

Reminder: this is a spoiler-filled podcast. So if you’re not into that kind of thing, read the texts first and come back later.

Episode Links

• "Beowulf: a New Translation” by Maria Headley
• “The Mere Wife” by Maria Headley
• Beowulf wikipedia page
• Some of the many translations of Beowulf in the Library catalog

Reading

• Jennie – “Amongst Our Weapons” by Ben Aaronovitch  and “In a New York Minute,” by Kate Spencer

• Pete – “How to Watch Basketball Like a Genius” by Nick Greene

Tell us what YOU think about this book, or anything else you’re reading, in our GoodReads or Facebook groups, or talk to us on twitter using the #BigBookPodcast hashtag.

If you’d like to make a suggestion for future reading send us your recommendations on the Big Book Club Podcast page on the Arlington Public Library website.

Up Next

• “A Study in Scarlet,” by Arthur Conan Doyle
• “A Study in Scarlet Women” by Sherry Thomas
• “Mycroft Holmes” by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar