Link to Episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-is-history-a-dynasty-to-die-for/id1641568639?i=1000584587895
Dan Jones begins this podcast in the year 1152. Eleanor of Aquitaine is on the run. The introduction caught my attention. After reeling me in and having me wondering why Eleanor is on the run, Jones goes back in time to outline the events that led up to her decision to run.
The podcast is relatively short, so there isn’t much time for a deep dive into all of the events covered in the podcast. It does provide an entertaining listen. While listening I would liked to have had one sentence added at some point in the story to outline what would have happened to Eleanor if she hadn’t run away. Would she have been sent to a convent, murdered, locked away in prison? I would also be curious to know how long after the marriage ended Eleanor decided to run or were they still married when she made her ride to freedom?
The episode ends on a cliffhanger making me want to continue listening to the next episode, which I will probably do right after I write this. After listening to this podcast my biggest complaint is that I wish it was about 5 minutes longer. Overall this is an entertaining podcast that I have added to my library.
Great literature should do more than entertain us. It should provide a roadmap to improving our lives.
In A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens introduced readers to Sydney Carton, one of literature's most compelling and deeply flawed characters. Dickens also gives him an unusual title: the Jackal.
His struggles raise questions that remain relevant today.
Are we defined by our past mistakes? Can we overcome our weaknesses? What separates the people we are from the people we could become?
Lessons From the Jackal is a 25-day character study exploring these questions through Sydney Carton’s life, decisions, relationships, and personal development.
This is not a traditional course on A Tale of Two Cities. Our reading assignments will focus specifically on Carton, with sufficient background provided to understand his story. No previous knowledge of the novel is necessary.
Each day will feature selected readings, historical comparisons, reflection questions, discussions, and practical challenges ...
Sydney Carton does not look the part.
Throughout the trial, he is repeatedly described as staring at the ceiling, seemingly uninterested in the proceedings. Mr. Cruncher is even willing to wager that Carton receives very little legal work based on his appearance.
Dickens describes Carton as careless, slovenly, and debauched in appearance. His manners are described as careless or “almost insolent.”
Yet despite this apparent indifference, Carton makes two important observations that others in the courtroom have overlooked.
First, when the prosecution relies upon a witness’s identification of Charles Darnay, Carton recognizes that he bears a remarkable physical resemblance to the accused. This observation raises serious questions about the reliability of the witness’s identification and helps establish reasonable doubt.
Second, while apparently paying little attention to the proceedings, Carton notices that Miss Manette is becoming faint. He alerts the court to her condition, allowing others...
