Episode 278: The Literary Life of Natalia Testa

May 27, 2025

Natalia Testa, a rising homeschool junior passionate about classical languages and detective novels, shares her fascinating literary journey. She recounts her childhood reading experiences that ignited her love for ancient history and literature. Natalia's encounter with Dorothy Sayers propelled her into the world of detective fiction. The conversation touches on overcoming reading slumps and the joys of exploring obscure manuscripts. With insights from her studies at the House of Humane Letters, she exemplifies how engaging with complex texts can shape one’s literary identity.

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ANECDOTE

Early Passion for Ancient Worlds

Natalia obsessively read the Magic Treehouse series as a child, especially fascinated by books featuring ancient history and mythology.
This early passion led her to deeply appreciate ancient Greek and Roman cultures, shaping her literary interests.

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ADVICE

Embrace Challenging Books Young

Children can benefit from reading books above their level without understanding every word.
Contextual reading and using tools like Kindle's dictionary support comprehension and foster enjoyment despite difficult vocabulary.

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ANECDOTE

Early Dorothy Sayers Obsession

Natalia discovered Dorothy Sayers' detective novels at age 11, starting with Strong Poison and became deeply obsessed with them.
She loved the literary richness, humor, and order the Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries brought during a challenging time in her life.

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The owl and the pussycat

Dorothy Sayers's 'Strong Poison' introduces Harriet Vane, a crime novelist accused of murdering her former lover. Lord Peter Wimsey becomes convinced of her innocence. He sets out to prove it, becoming romantically interested in Harriet in the process. The novel is a blend of mystery, romance, and social commentary, delving into the complexities of evidence and justice. Wimsey's intellectual prowess and charm are on full display as he unravels the truth. 'Strong Poison' marks the beginning of the celebrated Wimsey-Vane series, showcasing Sayers's skill in crafting intricate plots and compelling characters.

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The Mind of the Maker

Dorothy L. Sayers

In this book, Dorothy L. Sayers uses her experiences with literary creativity to illuminate Christian doctrine about the nature of the Trinity. She argues that the laws of creative imagination are analogues of the Trinity, dividing creative activity into three stages: the idea, the implementation, and the interaction. This work examines ideas such as the image of God, free will, and evil, and it finds readers both within and beyond the religious world for its profound insights into human creativity and the divine.

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Dorothy L. Sayers

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The novel begins in 1866 when ships of various nationalities report sightings of a mysterious sea monster. Professor Pierre Aronnax, a French marine biologist, his servant Conseil, and Canadian harpooner Ned Land join an expedition to find and destroy the monster. They discover that the 'monster' is actually a futuristic submarine called the Nautilus, commanded by Captain Nemo. The story follows their year-long underwater adventures as they visit various oceanic regions, including the Antarctic ice barrier, the Red Sea, and the South Pole. The novel explores themes of technological innovation, scientific discovery, and Captain Nemo's quest for revenge against terrestrial civilization.

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The fairy queen

Edmund Spenser

Edmund Spenser's *The Faerie Queene* is an epic poem celebrating Queen Elizabeth I and exploring various virtues through allegorical characters. It's known for its complex narrative structure, rich imagery, and exploration of moral and political themes. The poem's influence on later literature is significant, and its intricate world-building continues to fascinate readers. Its blend of romance, adventure, and moral instruction makes it a landmark work of English literature.

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Lilith

George MacDonald

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A Wrinkle in Time

Madeleine L'Engle

In 'A Wrinkle in Time,' Madeleine L'Engle tells the story of 13-year-old Meg Murry, who is struggling to fit in at school and is deeply concerned about her father's mysterious disappearance. Along with her brother Charles Wallace and friend Calvin O'Keefe, Meg is guided by the enigmatic Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which on a journey through space and time to find her father. Using a process called tessering, they travel to various planets, including Uriel and Camazotz, to confront the evil force known as The Black Thing. The novel explores themes of good vs. evil, conformity, and the power of love and family bonds.

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Gaudy Night

Dorothy L. Sayers

In 'Gaudy Night', Harriet Vane returns to her alma mater, Shrewsbury College at Oxford University, for the Gaudy Night festivities. Despite her initial reluctance due to her notorious past, she is warmly welcomed back by her former professors and classmates. However, her visit is soon marred by a series of malicious incidents, including vandalism and poison-pen letters. The Dean of the college asks for Harriet's help in investigating these events, which escalate into more sinister acts. Harriet, with the eventual assistance of Lord Peter Wimsey, uncovers the identity of the perpetrator and the motives behind the crimes. The novel explores themes such as women's place in society, intellectual integrity, and the balance between duty to the truth and duty to others.

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Through the looking-glass

Lewis Carroll

In this sequel to 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland', Alice climbs through a mirror and enters a world where everything is reversed, much like a reflection. Here, she finds herself in a land laid out like a giant chessboard, where she must navigate to the eighth rank to become a queen. Along her journey, she meets a variety of bizarre characters, including the Red Queen, the White Queen, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, and Humpty Dumpty. The story is filled with Carroll's signature nonsensical logic, word play, and imaginative world-building.

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Alice in Wonderland

Lewis Carroll

On this week’s episode of The Literary Life, Angelina Stanford and Thomas Banks chat with their student Natalia Testa about her literary life. She is a rising homeschool junior living in Houston, Texas. She enjoys researching obscure manuscripts, classical languages and all things Lord Peter Wimsey. Angelina kicks off the conversation asking about Natalia’s childhood reading memories and how she became interested in ancient history and literature. They also discuss how the research bug bit Natalia, as well as her thoughts about reading books that seem “above” a child’s level. Other topics of conversation is how Natalia found Dorothy Sayers and fell in love with detective novels, how she started taking classes with House of Humane Letters, and how she deals with a reading slump.

Please visit HouseofHumaneLetters.com to check out all the past and upcoming classes, conferences, and webinars mentioned in this episode.

To view the full show notes for this episode, complete with poems, quotes, and book links, please visit https://theliterary.life/278.

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