British Mystery Stories and Novels: A Misjudge of Character
Have you ever misjudged someone? Have you ever started out thinking someone was one type of person and they eventually turned out to be entirely different than you first thought—sometimes for the better, and sometimes for the worse? For that matter, what makes us humans behave the way we do? What makes some people choose destructive behaviors that destroys their own lives and the lives of everyone around them? Finally what causes some people to commit a crime or even to do something so sinister as to take another human life?
These are the questions explored in the pages of mystery novels, with the very best writers causing us to ponder the mystery of human nature itself. They challenge us as readers to look at our own biases, where oftentimes the person most liable to commit a crime turns out innocent and the person least likely has been deceptively guilty all along.
The British Mystery Novels summer book club will be tackling these questions by diving into four classic texts of the genre—all of them different books from the first time we held this club two years ago. Using the works of renowned mystery writers (Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Dorothy L Sayers, and Ellis Peters) we will explore our tendency to misjudge people and assess how skilled writers are able to shape a compelling and believable mystery plot. Come join us this summer and help us solve each case!
- The Sign of Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
- Unnatural Death (Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries #3) by Dorothy L. Sayers
- A Morbid Taste For Bones (The Cadfael Chronicles #1) by Ellis Peters
Chris Marchand (pronounced mar-shan) is a music pastor and priest within the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), serving in Peoria, Illinois. He holds a Master of Theological Studies and a Master of Arts in Music Ministry from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary, and was trained as a hospital chaplain in a residency program at Saint Francis Hospital. A former headmaster and teacher at Aletheia Classical Christian School, he has taught humanities, history, science, and government courses. He is married to Elisa and they have four children. The author of Celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas: a guide for churches and families, he also produces podcasts, composes music, and loves to discuss anything related the arts and his favorite sport tennis.cmarch34@gmail.com
Computer: You will need a stable, reliable computer, running with a processor with a speed of 1 GHz or better on one of the following operating systems: Mac OS X with Mac OS 10.7 or later; Windows 8, 7, Vista (with SP1 or later), or XP (with SP3 or later). We do not recommend using an iPad or other tablet for joining classes. An inexpensive laptop or netbook would be much better solutions, as they enable you to plug an Ethernet cable directly into your computer. Please note that Chromebooks are allowed but not preferred, as they do not support certain features of the Zoom video conference software such as breakout sessions and annotation, which may be used by our teachers for class activities.
High-Speed Internet Connection: You will also need access to high-speed Internet, preferably accessible via Ethernet cable right into your computer. Using Wi-Fi may work, but will not guarantee you the optimal use of your bandwidth. The faster your Internet, the better. We recommend using a connection with a download/upload speed of 5/1 Mbps or better. You can test your Internet connection here.
Webcam: You may use an external webcam or one that is built in to the computer. Webcam Recommendations: Good (PC only) | Best (Mac and PC)
Headset: We recommend using a headset rather than a built-in microphone and speakers. Using a headset reduces the level of background noise heard by the entire class. Headset Recommendations: USB | 3.5mm
Zoom: We use a web conferencing software called Zoom for our classes, which enables students and teachers to gather from around the globe face to face in real time. Zoom is free to download and easy to use.
To download Zoom:
- Visit zoom.us/download.
- Click to download the first option listed, Zoom Client for Meetings.
- Open and run the installer on your computer.
- In August, students will be provided with instructions and a link for joining their particular class.
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