We’re resurrecting our faculty spotlight series! Below is an interview with new faculty member, Mr. Thomas Roe.
Q: What classes are you teaching?
A: I am currently teaching Latin for 8B, 9G, and 10B as well as Lit/Comp for 7B.
Q: What books are you reading?
A: Recently I’ve been reading Ronald Syme’s The Roman Revolution on the atmosphere of the late Roman Republic and the tangle of political and familial connections among the Roman aristocracy that led, ultimately, to Caesar Augustus’ consolidation of power after the assassination of Julius Caesar. I love how Syme delves deeply into the narrative, weaving together an absurdly vast number of historical figures (the name dropping feels a bit like reading Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables) and loading the footnotes with quotation after quotation from the ancients (given in Latin and Greek, of course, just to keep you on your toes). It has been deliciously slow and will probably last me throughout the school year. On the lighter side, earlier this week I revisited Mark Helprin’s collection of short stories, The Pacific. Contemporary literature is not my strong suit, but Helprin evokes beauty, all the more persuasive through the way he tinges it with sadness.
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: Leisure in our home gathers around books, music, and being outside. Current favorites in the Roe household include Dorothy Sayers’ Lord Peter Wimsey books (my wife, Brooke), Winnie the Pooh and St. George and the Dragon (Ethan, age 3), Madeline (Esmeralda, age 2), and Brown Bear, Brown Bear (Malachi, age 1 –the title, for the record is ‘buh-buh, buh-buh’). As a side note, many thanks to Mr. Scripter and Mr. Wheeler who helped us unload our library: you know you are among kindred spirits when folks help you move forty boxes of books and are more interested in talking about them than about how much the boxes weigh. After eight years in the southwest, we are delighted to return to a place with four seasons, especially now that it is autumn (I have romantic memories of winter which may or may not change over the next few months) and we can spend afternoons outside with scooters, bikes, etc. Hopefully soon we will do some hiking. Music abounds in singing, a piano graciously left by our landlady, and two guitars badly in need of restringing.
