Reading in the Garden

Warring Wives The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives is a snapshot of an unforgettable Nigerian polygamist family with surprising photobombs from the past. Baba Segi is a succesful Nigerian business owner. He lives comfortably; he has a nice home and a personal driver. He has three wives and seven children, the pride of his existence. He should be content with such a sweet life, but maybe he gets just a little bit too greedy. The day he decides to acquire a new bride is the day that upsets the balance of the household. The other wives aren’t thrilled with the fresh arrival, a woman whose education threatens to overshadow them.   They consider her “the wicked wind that upturned the tranqulity of their home.” [1]   Is it a case of too many cooks spoil the broth? Things are off to a rough start for rookie Bolanle.   The seasoned wives don’t accept her outstretched offers of kindness, and worse t...

Happy Birthday, Gaston Leroux! Many people know The Phantom of the Opera as the longest running show on Broadway. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical opened in 1988 and recently celebrated its 30 th anniversary on January 26, 2018. The musical is a winner of more than 70 major theater awards and has been seen by more than 140 million people. The Phantom of the Opera continued its popularity with the 2004 movie starring Gerard Butler, Emmy Ross, and Patrick Wilson. Prior to that it appeared as a silent film, starring Lon Chaney in 1925. But did you know the book Le Fantôme de l’opéra , written by French author Gaston Leroux, was actually published over a century ago in 1910? The story about a recluse living the in underworld of the Paris Opera House who is obsessed with and kidnaps one of the singers is well-known now, but accolades of Leroux’s accomplishment weren’t rolling in—at first.   Sales of The Phantom of the Opera were mediocre, and t...