Sword Dance 6: Thy Dear and Only Son

April 13, 2015

This week’s chapter contains a hint about the mysterious past of Jonathan Sebelius. We learn something about Jennet’s background too. …

Sword Dance 5: Airy Tongues That Syllable Men’s Names

April 6, 2015

If you’re like me, anything to do with ancient Egypt grabs your attention. And when the charms of Egypt and Greece are …

March 30, 2015

In which we are introduced to the first of Joseph Swetnam’s Seven Laws of Fencing, which serve Sebelius as a …

March 23, 2015

The relationship between a scholar’s subject matter and his or her personal life interests me. Some of my colleagues in grad …

March 16, 2015

The chapter titles in Sword Dance are taken from the poetry of John Milton. I hope he’s not spinning in …

March 9, 2015

There is a long and hallowed tradition of novels set in universities. My favorites are by David Lodge, whose witty, intricate …