Shakespeare’s Richard II explores the changing nature of kingship in England, and contrasts the poetic but ineffectual Richard with the Machiavellian Bolingbroke, who deposes him to become Henry IV. Join Solomon and Mary for some beautiful Shakespearian poetry about the downfall of a king.

Classics Now: Richard II - A Weak But Eloquent King

Mary and Solomon, from the Northcoast Book Discussion Group, explore literary classics and their relevance to present day.

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Balzac’s Old Goriot paints an astonishingly detailed and living portrait of life at the fringe of Paris society in the early 19th century. The very human characters are prone to all sorts of folly, and as in life, comedy and tragedy both make an appearance. Father Goriot has given all to his daughters, but they still want more; young, penniless law student Rastignac would dearly love to make his mark on Paris Society, and the criminal-in-disguise Vautrin tries to hatch a plot to escape the

Classics Now: Balzac’s Portrait of Parisian Life

Classics Now host Mary Harper discussed the clever and dark tales of Reynard the Fox. Fake news isn’t a new phenomenon. Reynard the Fox was spreading lies with aplomb back in the “beast epics” of Medieval Europe, and everybody fell for them time and time again. The sly trickster fox was so ubiquitous that the French changed their word for fox to renard.

Trickster Tales from Medieval Europe - Reynard the Fox

What drove Alexander to conquer much of the known world? Why did Pompey lack the will to overcome Caesar? Solomon and Mary review biographies of famous Greeks and Romans from Plutarch’s Lives.

Classics Now: Ancient Greeks and Romans Secrets Revealed

In his Histories, Herodotus doesn't just describe the war between Persia and Athens, he paints a vast canvas of the cultures and tribes across the Persian Empire and the Greek city-states, how they evolved, and what brought them into conflict. Join Mary and Solomon for a fascinating look at the ancient world of this entertaining work.

Classics Now: Richard II - A Weak But Eloquent King

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