Author Archives: forstegrupp

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About forstegrupp

Currently I am an English teacher at an independent school outside of Philadelphia. To arrive at this way point, I spent many years in graduate school researching, reading, learning, and studying and finally earned a doctorate in comparative literature from Harvard University. I specialized in medieval orality and literacy. My private interests include baking, knitting, spinning, and gardening.

Marooned on an Island in the16th Century

Posted on August 31, 2025 by forstegrupp

Isola by Allegra Goodman. Narrated in the first person, this novel tells the story of Marguerite de la Rocque de Roberval who was a real person who was marooned on an island for defiance. She lived there for 2 years … Continue reading →

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3 more books

Posted on August 8, 2025 by forstegrupp

The Cloisters by Katy Hays A murder mystery set in the 21st century. Narrated in the first person by an ambitious art historian of the Renaissance. Quite a twist at the end. Reminds me of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca. Trouble … Continue reading →

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Svalbard — a world onto itself

Posted on June 3, 2025 by forstegrupp

Today sitting in the sunshine with my dog curled up beside me, I finished Cecilia Blomdahl’s book Life on Svalbard, in which she documents with photography and words her experience living in the northernmost human town. Svalbard belongs to Norway, … Continue reading →

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Another Greek Mythology Fanbook

Posted on May 23, 2025 by forstegrupp

Atalanta is told from the point of view of the woman in Greek mythology famed for her fleetness of foot and her archery prowess. Jennifer Saint wrote this one in 2023. A fast, enjoyable read which sneers at the overly … Continue reading →

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2 more modern novels based on Greeek Myths

Posted on April 7, 2025 by forstegrupp

Stone Blind (2022) by Natalie Haynes: tells the story of Medusa, the human Gorgon whom Perseus slays to save his mother. Multiple voices and cynical feminism. Medusa and her two immortal Gorgon sisters live apart from all human and divine … Continue reading →

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How much does lanolin weigh?

Posted on March 31, 2025 by forstegrupp

Last year at Maryland Sheep and Wool festival I bought a 5 pound Marino fleece. I scoured the fleece last spring and only just now got around to weighing it. That 5 pound fleece is now 3 pounds. I can’t … Continue reading →

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Hellebore blooming now

Posted on March 20, 2025 by forstegrupp
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Carding Merino Wool

Posted on March 16, 2025 by forstegrupp

I have carded almost 1 pound of a 5 pound merino fleece, which I bought at the 2024 Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. Probably when my SH reads this blog (and he reads my posts almost as soon as I … Continue reading →

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14th Century France and Ancient Greece

Posted on March 14, 2025 by forstegrupp

I checked out two books from the library and will be returning them today. The Palace of Eros by Caro De Robertis. It is a post-feminist, LGBTQ+ retelling of the Eros and Psyche store. The narration alternates between Psyche’s first … Continue reading →

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Wool Play with a Blending Board

Posted on January 16, 2025 by forstegrupp

For Christmas, I was gifted with a blending board. This is a tool that fiber folks use to mix wool roving to create unique rolags. There is a term only for fiber artists. A rolag is a cigar of wool … Continue reading →

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