The official class Twitter feed of Dr Robert G. May, Associate Professor, Department of English, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada.
Kingston, Ontario
Joined August 2011
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Welcome, fall and winter #ENGL100 and #ENGL200 students, and fall #CWRI 273 students! Best wishes for a successful term and course! queensu.ca/academia/drrgmay/
#ENGL100 students: William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night was adapted to film in 1996, starring Helena Bonham Carter as Olivia and Ben Kingsley as Feste. Watch the trailer here: youtube.com/watch?v=R39jE4SU…
You Are Invited: Double Book Launch, featuring poetry by Cynthia French and fiction by Frances Boyle. Tues. 27 Oct. 2026, 7.00 p.m. - 8.30 p.m., Novel Idea (156 Princess St.).
What is "close reading"? The definition is contentious, but it involves subjecting a work to an analysis to reveal what Edward Said calls "a whole library of meanings." How do you do it? Also contentious, but here's a great resource to get you started!: closereadingarchive.org/teac…
Doc Friday: Every Friday, Dr May shares a reading or writing document from his Web site. How do you structure an essay with its three components of introduction (with thesis), analytical paragraphs, and conclusion? Find out in "Essay Writing Notes": queensu.ca/academia/drrgmay/…
Call for Submissions: Paracelsus Publications invites submissions to its October 2026 issue devoted to decay and delusions. Submissions: 500 - 3,000 words. Due date: 25 Oct. 2026. More information and submission hub: forms.gle/ZQ81jWESYBGJTrQo8
I asked #CWRI273 students for examples of "overused expressions," phrases that have lost their effectiveness through repeated use over time. Make your writing more dynamic and compelling by replacing "overused expressions" with fresher, more original alternatives!
You Are Invited: The Graduate English Society presents its annual Used Book Sale. 28-29 Oct. 2026, 10.00 a.m. - 4.00 p.m., Room 115, John Watson Hall. Books from 25 cents!
#CWRI273 students: Wayne Grady has a great Web site, where you can read about his fiction, non-fiction, and translations, including his recent book Pandexicon, a collection of essays about how the COVID-19 pandemic shaped and changed the English language: waynegrady.ca/books/nonficti…
#ENGL200 students: The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC has an excellent Web site devoted to Shakespeare’s life and works. There’s an abundance of information on his sonnets, too, including full texts, analyses, Blogs, Podcasts, and more!: folger.edu/explore/shakespea…
#ENGL100 students: If you enjoyed Haruki Murakami’s short story “On Seeing the 100% Perfect Girl One Beautiful April Morning,” be sure to check out his excellent novels. Here’s a guide: bookoblivion.com/2015/05/13/…
You Are Invited: The Lamp Graduate Literary Journal 2026 Launch Party. Complimentary wine, snacks, and live readings from Lamp authors! Wed. 21 Oct. 2026, 7.00 p.m. - 9.00 p.m., Novel Idea (156 Princess St).
Happy Homecoming! Have a great Homecoming weekend (16-18 Oct. 2026)! Find out how Queen's is celebrating HOCO100 on the Homecoming Web site: queensu.ca/alumni/homecoming
You Are Invited: The Department of English presents the Page Lecture 2026, featuring Elamin Abdelmahmoud, who will deliver a lecture entitled "The Best of Our Possible Lives." Tues. 27 Oct. 2026, 2.30 p.m., The George Teves Room, University Club. Register: eventbrite.ca/e/2026-page-le…
Doc Friday: Every Friday, Dr May shares a reading or writing document from his Web site. Did you know that all direct quotations must be properly integrated into your essay? Find out how to integrate quotations effectively in "Integrating Quotations": queensu.ca/academia/drrgmay/…
Project Bookmark (projectbookmarkcanada.ca) just unveiled a tribute to Canadian author Robertson Davies in his home town of Thamesville, where his Deptford trilogy is set. Davies studied English at Queen's (1932-35) and based his Salterton Trilogy here. Photos by Isaac Meriano.
I asked #ENGL200 students which of Chaucer's Canterbury pilgrims resonated with them most. In a shocking upset, the Prioress came out on top! Respondents were fascinated by her obsession with worldly concerns such as "refinement" and "manners" despite her supposed higher calling.
I asked #ENGL100 students how they would complete Laura's sentence "Isn't life--" at the end of Mansfield's "The Garden Party." The most popular responses were "strange" and "fragile." Other people created a double negative (green words): Laura only knows life by what it is not!
#CWRI273 students: are you interviewing someone as part of a writing immersion experience? Here are some tips for conducting a successful interview: dailywritingtips.com/10-inte…
You Are Invited: The Department of English presents "Climate Fiction Across Borders," featuring Discussion Forum lectures by Adeline Johns-Putra (Queen's), Hongri Wang (Ghent ), and Giulia Bernuzzi (Cork). Fri 23 Oct 2026, 2.30 p.m. - 4.00 p.m., via Zoom: queensu.zoom.us/j/9209315664…
