Book a Week 2016 - BW19: Happy Mother's Day

[Kareni]

Well, if you ever have cause to say "bog off back to the pub" we hope to hear the story.

 

You keep on the lookout, won't you?  :laugh:

 

I will definitely keep you posted!

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Sending good thoughts to you and your mother, Stacia, and wishing for the best of all possible outcomes.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[NoseInABook]

(((Stacia))) Lifting your mama up in prayer. 

 

I made it to Fire Touched and am enjoying it so far. 

[Kareni]

mumto2 was recently reading some books by Grace Burrowes.  I see that her historical romance

Thomas (The Jaded Gentlemen Book 1) is currently available free to Kindle readers.

 

"Thomas Jennings arrives to his newly acquired estate to find that his steward has fled under a cloud of scandal, and the property has been held together by Miss Loris Tanner, the steward's daughter. Thomas knows what it's like to not fit in, and he's pragmatic enough to respect results, so he gives Loris a chance to maintain her position in a profession uniformly undertaken by men.

Thomas learns about the complexities of estate management from his unlikely tutor, despite somebody's attempts to drive him off his own land. Mishaps turn into near tragedies, while between Thomas and Loris, respect and liking grow into attraction. Who is sabotaging Thomas's estate, and what choices will Loris face when the malefactor has been revealed?"

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Lady Florida.]

I'm off on a girlfriend getaway tomorrow. One friend got comp nights at the Seminole Hard Rock in Ft. Lauderdale (about 3 hours away). Two of us don't like to gamble and plan to spend time by the pool reading. The one who does gamble won't be able to spend much so we hope to explore the resort and enjoy some good food.

 

I know we plan to play some board games in the evenings, but I also hope to get a lot of reading done. My Kindle is loaded and ready to go. :)

 

See you all Thursday or Friday.

 

 

Ian Fleming also wrote Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car.

 

 

 

 

Well yes, but I was referring to spy novels in general and based on the James Bond movies I have no interest in reading any of the Bond books.

 

 

 

[Angelaboord]

Stacia, I'm sorry to hear about your mother. I'll keep her and your family in my prayers.

 

I have been trying to follow the threads each week, but as I only get a chance to read on my iPad mini at night while nursing the baby, posting is a little challenging. I haven't been reading that much anyway. I think I have finished two real books since I posted last - Unusual Uses for Olive Oil, a humorous novel by Alexander McCall Smith, and Food, Genes, and Culture: Eating Right for Your Origins by Gary Paul Nabhan. The latter is worth a read, as he makes the point that genes affect how the body processes the food we eat, so there can never really be ONE right diet for everyone. But he fails to say how eating right for your origins might work if you are descended from different ethnicities, especially if those ethnicities have little in common diet wise (like, say, my German and Sicilian ancestors.) I found that a little frustrating.

 

I ordered a bunch of books on Mother's Day, though, so hopefully I'll be able to get out of my rut soon. I really need to start reading some books for next school year as well.

 

Speaking of which... My dd, who will be a senior next year, wants to do a year of reading the world. Any suggestions?

 

--Angela

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[idnib]

Madonna in a Fur Coat sounds very interesting. I love the photos in the article.

 

 

A romantic novel written more than half a century ago is so popular in Turkey that it has topped the country's bestseller list for the past three years. Young people today seem to relate to the author, who was repeatedly censored, jailed and ultimately shot in mysterious circumstances. Now, for the first time, Madonna in a Fur Coat is being published in English.

 

[Violet Crown]

Um...Fifty years too late, VC?

 

So you're saying I need to cancel the Amazon order for black turtleneck and beret?

[Butter]

Book #45: The Maze of the Beast by Emily Rodda.  The sixth Deltora Quest book.  Of course we loved it.  Fritz's friend at church's mom recently read the DQ books to her kids and on Sunday Fritz and his friend were talking about how wonderful those books are.

 

I haven't been reading as much as I normally do lately because I've been spending my time obsessively learning about sugar gliders.  (To be fair, I AM still reading, I've just got some really, really long books going at once so finishing is slow going.)  We've been interested in getting them for a while and on Saturday we finally brought home our little girls.

 

Filli is the bigger one (on the left) and Kree is the smaller one (on the right).  We named them after Jasmine's friends, the black bird and (likely from the descriptions in the book) sugar glider, from Deltora Quest.

 

They are just sweet as can be.  This is Filli eating an apple.  She looks like Kree in the picture because of how the flash was and the fact we were in a tent in our living room playing (Kree is darker than Filli which is why she's the one named after the black bird).

 

My 9 year old is currently eating his breakfast watching the girls play in their cage.  He just told me watching them is better than TV... and, apparently, reading, too, at the moment.  They are so funny and smart and have such distinct personalities.  For example, Kree is much braver than Filli and does everything first, but then as soon as she has made sure everything is safe, she has Filli do it before she (Kree) is quite finished and then once Filli is done Kree finishes whatever it was.  The exception is apples.  Filli loves apples so much than she will fight Kree for apples.  Kree either is okay with this or doesn't care for apples quite so much so doesn't care.  Even though Filli is the shyer one, she's the one that was first to come to us.  She likes to sniff my hand and then nibble at my fingernails.  We're totally smitten with these critters.  My husband is already talking about "when we get more."

 

Speaking of moms & mother's day, I'd appreciate any good thoughts or prayers for my mom. She was just diagnosed with breast cancer.

 

Thanks. :grouphug:

 

I'm so sorry.  It's so incredibly hard when a parent is diagnosed with cancer.

 

Those of you with kindles - where do you get books? Can you load books from gutenburg? The library? Are books in that form expensive? Thinking about one for a summer coop where the student is very restricted in the amount of gear he can bring with him and won,t have much in the way of internet or phone.

 

I occasionally get Kindle books from the library.  They have a ton, but I've just got some many super cheap or free books waiting to be read I don't need to.  Amazon has the classics free so Gutenberg isn't necessary.  Right now I am working my way through the Oz books (all free).  I get a lot of random books free (or, if it's something I really want, like part of a series I enjoy, super cheap) by getting the BookBub e-mails every day.  I told it the categories I like and every day it sends me a list of Kindle books that are $2.99 or less (several free) currently.  99.9% of the time I ignore the ones that cost anything just because I have so many books on my to read file already.  Some weeks I get several freebies, some none.  Some of them have been bad, some decent, and occasionally I get an amazing freebie.  Very occasionally those amazing ones lead me to read an entire series.  I've already got a pre-order set for a self-pub book that'll be #5 in a series (self-pub are often $4.99 or less).  I also get the Kindle Daily Deals e-mail.  Sometimes there has been a book on sale for $1.99 or $2.99 that was on my "want" list already so I snap them up.  Rarely I'll pay full price for a book like Michael Vey or Rick Riordan's stuff.  Though right now I am refusing to get his first Apollo book.  It's $14.99 on Kindle while the hardcover is $11.99.  That is ridiculous and I don't like his books that much.  I won't pay over $9.99 for a book I really want.  Eventually the price will come down or I'll just wait to get it from the library.

[Ausmumof3]

Happy Sunday dear hearts! This is the beginning of week 19 in our quest to read 52 books. Welcome back to all our readers, to those just joining in and all who are following our progress. Mr. Linky is all set up on the 52 Books blog to link to your reviews. The link is also below in my signature

 

52 Books Blog - Happy Mother's Day:

 

 

Courtesy of Maria Oleszkiewicz

 

 

 

 

Before I was Myself, You Made Me, Me

By

Nicholas Gordon

Before I was myself you made me, me

With love and patience, discipline and tears,

Then bit by bit stepped back to set me free,

Allowing me to sail upon my sea,

Though well within the headlands of your fears.

Before I was myself you made me, me

With dreams enough of what I was to be

And hopes that would be sculpted by the years,

Then bit by bit stepped back to set me free,

Relinquishing your powers gradually

To let me shape myself among my peers.

Before I was myself you made me, me,

And being good and wise, you gracefully

As dancers when the last sweet cadence nears

Bit by bit stepped back to set me free.

For love inspires learning naturally:

The mind assents to what the heart reveres.

And so it was through love you made me, me

By slowly stepping back to set me free.

 

Happy Mother's Day, my lovelies

:wub: :wub: :wub:

 

 

 

 

 

********************************************************************

 

 

History of the Renaissance World - Chapters 29 and 30

 

 

*********************************************************************

 

What are you reading this week?

 

 

 

 

Link to week 18

Love this, it's such an ideal for mothering.

[Jane in NC]

So you're saying I need to cancel the Amazon order for black turtleneck and beret?

 

In this hepcat's universe, berets never go out of style.  Are you telling me I live in Squaresville?

[Angel]

I'm off on a girlfriend getaway tomorrow. One friend got comp nights at the Seminole Hard Rock in Ft. Lauderdale (about 3 hours away). Two of us don't like to gamble and plan to spend time by the pool reading. The one who does gamble won't be able to spend much so we hope to explore the resort and enjoy some good food.

 

Have fun!  I love getting away with my friends!

 

 

 

Filli is the bigger one (on the left) and Kree is the smaller one (on the right).  We named them after Jasmine's friends, the black bird and (likely from the descriptions in the book) sugar glider, from Deltora Quest.

 

 

Adorable!  I will refrain from showing my animal loving older dd.  Our 2 cats and the Bunny have enough animal personality for us right now!

[Violet Crown]

In this hepcat's universe, berets never go out of style. Are you telling me I live in Squaresville?

Depends. Is your beret raspberry?

[Angel]

Does anyone want to play a game?  Ok, well not really a game, but you all are MOST knowledgeable in the book department and there is no one better to turn to in my not so humble opinion ;)  

 

If you had to pick 20 (or so) historical fiction books to "read through history" with what would they be?   This would be from Creation (or early Sumerian culture for those of you who are evolutionist in nature) all the way to present day.  The books can include any age range but I would prefer no R rated books  ;)

 

I've been trying to figure out what my picks would be, but I'm already over 20!!  :eek:

 

What would your picks be?

:bigear:

[Jane in NC]

Depends. Is your beret raspberry?

 

Should I admit this?  I own berets.  Plural.  Black, turquoise and olive green with black flowers. 

 

The beret has been my signature hat has long as I can remember.  Of course, the season for beret wearing is limited in my Carolina world.  I bring out the wide brimmed sunhats much of the time.

 

I also have a secret fantasy of becoming a milliner.

 

You get the feeling I like hats?

 

[Violet Crown]

Possibly the best literary historical fiction I've read is John Barth's The Sot-Weed Factor, set in colonial Maryland. But while it's not R-rated, that's only because it verges on X-rated. It is hilarious though.

 

Does anyone want to play a game? Ok, well not really a game, but you all are MOST knowledgeable in the book department and there is no one better to turn to in my not so humble opinion ;)

 

If you had to pick 20 (or so) historical fiction books to "read through history" with what would they be? This would be from Creation (or early Sumerian culture for those of you who are evolutionist in nature) all the way to present day. The books can include any age range but I would prefer no R rated books ;)

 

I've been trying to figure out what my picks would be, but I'm already over 20!! :eek:

 

What would your picks be?

:bigear:

[marbel]

Does anyone want to play a game?  Ok, well not really a game, but you all are MOST knowledgeable in the book department and there is no one better to turn to in my not so humble opinion ;)  

 

If you had to pick 20 (or so) historical fiction books to "read through history" with what would they be?   This would be from Creation (or early Sumerian culture for those of you who are evolutionist in nature) all the way to present day.  The books can include any age range but I would prefer no R rated books  ;)

 

I've been trying to figure out what my picks would be, but I'm already over 20!!  :eek:

 

What would your picks be?

:bigear:

 

I can't think of any right now, but I'd sure like to see your list!   Lately I don't seem to find any historical fiction that is not historical romance with little history in it.

 

Though I have heard great things about Hilary Mantel's books on Thomas Cromwell:  Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies.  I couldn't handle her unconventional writing style. 

[marbel]

Stacia, :grouphug: to you and your mom.

[Onceuponatime]

Stacia, my mom is a breast cancer survivor, going on 8 years. The treatment was rough for a while, but I hope your mother's outcome will be positive as well.

 

 

 

I wanted to mention that I've been poking around on the high school boards looking for ideas for my rising senior. He just took the SAT. After practicing for a few months, it was still a semi traumatic experience for him. We do end of the year testing at home, but he is my only child who took years to navigate the tests with a high rate of success. So, of course I started questioning this homeschool journey. I've graduated three and they are doing fine. You would think I would have a little confidence that the fourth will also, but no, I started to panic. I've never placed very much weight on testing, and we do a combo of academics and interest led studies. DS declared on the ride home that he loved homeschooling, but I couldn't help comparing apples to oranges, all those kids who knew how to navigate bubble sheets like experts! Then, just today, I came across a 4 year old thread on the high school board labelled "jane's wisdom" and "Nan's wisdom." It linked an NPR article about children, stress, and what really matters for success. Hint: It's not necessarily standardized tests and tightly controlled high school experiences. I feel much calmer now. Besides, how many of those kids would have been thrilled that their mother bought them a civil war memoir and a biography of Rommel that she found in a thrift store during the testing period?

 

Added, link to thread: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/422702-for-those-of-you-who-feel-that-testing-is-overrated/?hl=%2Bcivics+%2Btoday&do=findComment&comment=4288163

Edited May 10, 2016 by Onceuponatime

[mumto2]

Does anyone want to play a game? Ok, well not really a game, but you all are MOST knowledgeable in the book department and there is no one better to turn to in my not so humble opinion ;)

 

If you had to pick 20 (or so) historical fiction books to "read through history" with what would they be? This would be from Creation (or early Sumerian culture for those of you who are evolutionist in nature) all the way to present day. The books can include any age range but I would prefer no R rated books ;)

 

I've been trying to figure out what my picks would be, but I'm already over 20!! :eek:

 

What would your picks be?

:bigear:

Not sure how fluffy or not these should be but Josephine Tey's Daughter of Timehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/77661.The_Daughter_of_Time might be a good one to add to the mix if you are planning for your co op.

 

I personally liked most of Paul Maier's Flames of Romehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/202603.The_Flames_of_Rome?ac=1&from_search=true But the scenes between Nero and his mother were eye burning for me. Truly bothered me. It was a pre read for dd at about 13 and we ended up skipping it. We substituted his Pontius Pilate. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18815644-pontius-pilate which I found fascinating.

[Angel]

Possibly the best literary historical fiction I've read is John Barth's The Sot-Weed Factor, set in colonial Maryland. But while it's not R-rated, that's only because it verges on X-rated. It is hilarious though.

 

:eek:  :lol:

 

I can't think of any right now, but I'd sure like to see your list!   Lately I don't seem to find any historical fiction that is not historical romance with little history in it.

 

Though I have heard great things about Hilary Mantel's books on Thomas Cromwell:  Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies.  I couldn't handle her unconventional writing style. 

Bring Up the Bodies sounds familiar.  I'll have to check those out.  I will definitely share my list as soon as I whittle it down some!

 

Not sure how fluffy or not these should be but Josephine Tey's Daughter of Timehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/77661.The_Daughter_of_Time might be a good one to add to the mix if you are planning for your co op.

 

I personally liked most of Paul Maier's Flames of Romehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/202603.The_Flames_of_Rome?ac=1&from_search=true But the scenes between Nero and his mother were eye burning for me. Truly bothered me. It was a pre read for dd at about 13 and we ended up skipping it. We substituted his Pontius Pilate. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18815644-pontius-pilate which I found fascinating.

This is more for me and Aly, though what I'm planning could go on the co-op options list come to think of it.  That's not a bad idea!  Aly will be 16 at the start of the school year, and she definitely is not as sensitive as my older dd.  But you know I'm fairly conservative, lol, so definitely no eye-burning moments  :lol:

[Violet Crown]

I just finished Hamlet for the zillionth time--we're doing it for English--and I am so counting it, because it was the Arden edition and I read through all those long notes that increased the length times three. Also I took Middle Girl and her friend to see Big State U.'s special Shakespeare exhibit, and learned an interesting factoid: Did you know that in the Nineteenth Century, it was standard in performing the tragedies to cut all the lines after the lead's death? So for instance Hamlet would end with "The rest is silence"--curtain.

[HRAAB]

I haven't read any historical fiction for quite a long time (can't seem to find anything I care for), but there were a few I remember that I liked.  None of them are very recent books, and I can't say that I loved all of them.  In no particular order

 

The Good Earth

The Far Pavillions

The Greenlanders

Daughter of Time

Crown in Candlelight (can't remember how much romance in this one)

Chesapeake

I Claudius

Wild Swans 

The Historian

Death Comes as the End

The Red Tent

The Killer Angels

Death Comes for the Archbishop

The First Man in Rome

The Greek Treasure

The Plantagenet Series by Thomas Costain

 

My sister gave me a couple books by Philippa Gregory, which I couldn't get into, and The Name of the Rose, which I haven't attempted yet.  In high school I remember loving Dear and Glorious Physician, Great Lion of God, Glory and the Lightning and A Pillar of Iron by Taylor Caldwell.  I just gave those to my dd who was asking for some historical fiction but without all the sex.

 

 

[Negin]

Speaking of moms & mother's day, I'd appreciate any good thoughts or prayers for my mom. She was just diagnosed with breast cancer.

 

Thanks. :grouphug:

Stacia, I'm so very sorry. 

[Negin]

I read All Things Bright and Beautiful - 5 Stars - What can I say? I simply love James Herriot. He was an absolute natural with story-telling. This book, just like his first, is heartwarming and puts the reader through an entire gamut of emotions. 

 

 

MY RATING SYSTEM

5 Stars

Fantastic, couldn't put it down

4 Stars

Really Good

3 Stars

Enjoyable

2 Stars

Just Okay – nothing to write home about

1 Star

Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

[Onceuponatime]

Historical fiction:

 

My history nut loves The Tale of two Cities by Dickens. He's currently into books by Bernard Cornwell.

 

I like my history with a side of time travel:

Doomsday- Connie Willis (the Black Plague)

Timeline- Michael Crichton

Time and Again- Jack Finney

From Time To Time- sequel ^

Lincoln's Dreams- Connie Willis (The title is misleading, it is mostly about Robert E. Lee with ties to Lincoln.)

 

And Twain's masterpiece, Joan of Arc.

[mumto2]

Angel, I just found thishttp://www.historicalnovels.info/ webstite for historical fiction seems to be really good. Ability to separate out mystery novels. This might be really good for planning. I could blow may whole day playing with this website and make my stack really huge.

[Mom-ninja.]

Negin, I know you said to read Hirsi Ali's other books first, but Heretic was the one available at the library. I read it. Everyone should read the book. I don't care what one's religion or lack thereof happens to be, this book is for everyone. Her main point is that freedom of speech and press should never be moderated in favor of protecting the sensitivities of others. There is a difference between debate, discussion, and disagreement and hate speech. We need to stop tolerating the violation of human rights under the protection of religion. Religious rights to do not and should not trump human rights. This includes the ability to have discussions without being shut down as "racist" or "offensive" thereby shutting down any chance of change.     

[Chrysalis Academy]

Hmm, I like historical fiction. Sometimes, especially when I'm thinking about what to read with a kid, it's hard for me to differentiate historical fiction from classics which really capture the spirit of their age, but aren't actually, historical fiction.  So Hemingway and Gatsby would fall into the first category, but The Grapes of Wrath into the second, I think.  Anyway, things that I'd call historical fiction, worth reading with a high schooler:

 

Ransom - David Malouf (not really historical fiction, but fleshes out a scene from The Iliad. amazing!)

The Songs of the Kings (retelling of the Iphigenia story)

The Red Tent (It's been awhile since I read this, can't remember if it is R-rated)

The Secret Chord (King David)

The Agony & the Ecstasy (haven't read this since high school, but it had a big impact on me at the time - Michelangelo)

Bring Up the Bodies/Wolf Hall - Hilary Mantel (Henry VII/Anne Boleyn)

The Three Musketeers

The Scarlet Pimpernel

A Tale of Two Cities

The Friendly Persuasion

My Antonia

The Grapes of Wrath

The Daughter of Time

Things Fall Apart

Cry The Beloved Country

Night

The Joy Luck Club

People of the Book

 

 

[Chrysalis Academy]

I haven't had much reading time lately, but I did finish listening to a book last night: Vivian Apple at the End of the World.  It was the first offering from the free Sync Summer Audiobook program (still available today, if you want to grab it!). I never would have picked this book up on my own, but I really liked it.  It was a step up from the typical YA books that have been coming out this decade - well written, and  a really good message about finding your courage, finding your voice, and learning to be the architect of your own life.  I'll definitely recommend it to dd.  It's PG-13, but not R, although there are some 4-letter words and a little bit of kissing and some disturbing situations.  Great for teens, especially teen girls who struggle with being good vs. being themselves.  I personally found the love interest angle a bit distracting, and the weakest part of the book, but I can see how it would be appealing to a young teen, and it was a really positive relationship.  Maybe the distraction was the cringe factor! It's been years since I've felt that way about a boy . . . one of the perks of getting older.  ;)

Edited May 11, 2016 by Chrysalis Academy

[aggieamy]

Stacia -  Lots and lots of hugs.  I'm sorry you have such a stressful life right now.

 

Not sure how fluffy or not these should be but Josephine Tey's Daughter of Timehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/77661.The_Daughter_of_Time might be a good one to add to the mix if you are planning for your co op.
 

 

I second this suggestion!

 

I read All Things Bright and Beautiful - 5 Stars - What can I say? I simply love James Herriot. He was an absolute natural with story-telling. This book, just like his first, is heartwarming and puts the reader through an entire gamut of emotions. 

 

 

MY RATING SYSTEM

5 Stars

Fantastic, couldn't put it down

4 Stars

Really Good

3 Stars

Enjoyable

2 Stars

Just Okay – nothing to write home about

1 Star

Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

 

This review makes me so happy. 

 

So you're saying I need to cancel the Amazon order for black turtleneck and beret?

 

In this hepcat's universe, berets never go out of style.  Are you telling me I live in Squaresville?

 

VC and Jane are two of the coolest ladies I know ... complete with berets and books older than my grandmother. 

[HRAAB]

Hmm, I like historical fiction. Sometimes, especially when I'm thinking about what to read with a kid, it's hard for me to differentiate historical fiction from classics which really capture the spirit of their age, but aren't actually, historical fiction.  So Hemingway and Gatsby would fall into the first category, but The Grapes of Wrath into the second, I think.  Anyway, things that I'd call historical fiction, worth reading with a high schooler:

 

Ransom - David Malouf (not really historical fiction, but fleshes out a scene from The Iliad. amazing!)

The Songs of the Kings (retelling of the Iphigenia story)

The Red Tent (It's been awhile since I read this, can't remember if it is R-rated)

The Secret Chord (King David)

The Agony & the Ecstasy (haven't read this since high school, but it had a big impact on me at the time - Michelangelo)

Bring Up the Bodies/Wolf Hall - Hilary Mantel (Henry VII/Anne Boleyn)

The Three Musketeers

The Scarlet Pimpernel

A Tale of Two Cities

The Friendly Persuasion

My Antonia

The Grapes of Wrath

The Daughter of Time

Things Fall Apart

Cry The Beloved Country

Night

The Joy Luck Club

People of the Book

 

I was wondering what makes a book a work of historical fiction and wondered about The Grapes of Wrath, A Tale of Two Cities, My Antonia and such.  That would have made my list much longer.

[Chrysalis Academy]

I was wondering what makes a book a work of historical fiction and wondered about The Grapes of Wrath, A Tale of Two Cities, My Antonia and such.  That would have made my list much longer.

 

Right.  There are definitely some on my list you could quibble with, but since it wasn't a graded assignment, I just went with my gut!  ;)  :D

[Jane in NC]

Angel,

 

As a reader of historic fiction, I have thought about your request and have decided that I can't even begin such a list limited to 20 books.  So many cultures over this broad swath of time. 

 

And of course there are fourteen Dorothy Dunnett books I'd want on the list.  Even though they only cover a hundred years or so of European/Middle Eastern history, they do it so well that no list of good historical fiction is complete without them.

 

Sigh.

[HRAAB]

Right.  There are definitely some on my list you could quibble with, but since it wasn't a graded assignment, I just went with my gut!  ;)  :D

 

Oh, I wasn't quibbling with you; I was quibbling with myself.  :001_smile:

[Onceuponatime]

I tend to think of historical fiction as taking place in a time period in which the author did not live. Would a story written and taking place in this time period be considered historical fiction? If so, most fiction, except fantasy and science fiction, would fit the category. I may be wrong.

 

I finished The Confidential Agent and am moving on to something more fluffy, Death in an Ivory Tower by Maria Hudgins. It was picked solely because it refers to King Arthur, in order to satisfy my Arthurian bingo square. I perused a bunch of choices and it caught my interest. It is a murder mystery that takes place in Oxford at a conference on " The lingering effects of King Arthur tales on life in Elizabethan England."

[Stacia]

Re: Angel's list of historical fiction....

 

I see both I, Claudius and People of the Book were mentioned already. I was also going to mention them.

 

I'm not sure I could come up with a seamless list of 20 through history. So, I'll just make some random suggestions (way too many of them are modern-day, I know) & maybe a few of them will slot into places or times you want:

Madame Tussaud [Revolutionary France]

The Fan-Maker's Inquisition (same time period as Madame Tussaud & prob. wouldn't meet your rating criteria, but it's so, so good) [Revolutionary France]

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress [China; Mao's Cultural Revolution in the 1970s]

Sunjata (more epic history than historical fiction) [Ghana & Mali; 1200s]

Good Morning Comrades [Angola; 1990s]

My Name is Red (this is a dense read, though; I'm sure I missed a ton of cultural references while reading it) [Turkey, 1500s]

The Distant Marvels [Cuba; 1900s]

The Nun [italy; 1800s]

The Book of Embraces (not historical fiction; I don't even know what it is exactly, but I had to put something South American on my list & this, to me, epitomizes much modern South American writing) [uruguay; 1900s]

The Wandering Falcon [iran/Afghanistan/Pakistan; 1900s]

[Stacia]

Thanks, everyone, for your kind words, wishes, & prayers. They are much appreciated.

 

:grouphug: :grouphug:

[Stacia]

I finished Harp of Burma by Michio Takeyama last night.

 

It was originally written in 1946 & it shows its age just a little bit in some of its stereotypes. And, he's teaching a moral lesson in the book, so it gets a bit heavy/didactic in a few parts. I think it was originally written for teens, so it's a bit more overt in the message too, rather than being more subtle. Even so, I'm glad I read it as I can imagine it was probably revolutionary in Japan for the time it was written (being more open-minded about the Burmese people & those from other nations too; some examination of what was wrong with Japan's thinking/moral code during WWII). Quick & interesting read that gives a different WWII perspective. Would be a great addition to any collection or assignment of WWII reading.

[idnib]

VC and Jane are two of the coolest ladies I know ... complete with berets and books older than my grandmother. 

 

 

Hear! Hear!

[JennW in SoCal]

Thanks, everyone, for your kind words, wishes, & prayers. They are much appreciated.

 

:grouphug: :grouphug:

 

You've been on my mind, my dear.  You've had more than your fair share of challenges recently, I know we'd each love to bring you chocolate, baked goods, tea and something alcoholic and just sit with you a while.  

 

 

 

Thought I should let all the BaW aunties know that one of "your kids" who has been responsible for a few books discussed here over the years is graduating college this weekend.  Get the tissues ready!!  The whole nuclear family will be there for commencement, followed by a celebratory trip to ride extreme roller coasters.  Dh and I think our extreme roller coaster days are long gone, but we'll certainly ride a few! 

[Jane in NC]

You've been on my mind, my dear.  You've had more than your fair share of challenges recently, I know we'd each love to bring you chocolate, baked goods, tea and something alcoholic and just sit with you a while.  

 

 

 

Thought I should let all the BaW aunties know that one of "your kids" who has been responsible for a few books discussed here over the years is graduating college this weekend.  Get the tissues ready!!  The whole nuclear family will be there for commencement, followed by a celebratory trip to ride extreme roller coasters.  Dh and I think our extreme roller coaster days are long gone, but we'll certainly ride a few! 

 

Bring out the handkerchiefs!  I feel as though I have been a part of this almost college grad's life for quite a while now!

 

Tell him that a fellow Alum Mum congrats him and wishes him well on his future endeavors.

 

[Lady Florida.]

Does anyone want to play a game?  Ok, well not really a game, but you all are MOST knowledgeable in the book department and there is no one better to turn to in my not so humble opinion ;)  

 

If you had to pick 20 (or so) historical fiction books to "read through history" with what would they be?   This would be from Creation (or early Sumerian culture for those of you who are evolutionist in nature) all the way to present day.  The books can include any age range but I would prefer no R rated books  ;)

 

How about a Brother Cadfael mystery? They only cover Wales and England in the early 12th century but are historically accurate (aside from the mystery in each one of course). I'm on my tablet or I'd link for you. It's easy to find in a search though.

 

 

Negin, I know you said to read Hirsi Ali's other books first, but Heretic was the one available at the library. I read it. Everyone should read the book. I don't care what one's religion or lack thereof happens to be, this book is for everyone. Her main point is that freedom of speech and press should never be moderated in favor of protecting the sensitivities of others. There is a difference between debate, discussion, and disagreement and hate speech. We need to stop tolerating the violation of human rights under the protection of religion. Religious rights to do not and should not trump human rights. This includes the ability to have discussions without being shut down as "racist" or "offensive" thereby shutting down any chance of change.

 

 

I completely agree with you about discussion and censorship. I have Infidel on my Kindle and plan to read it soon, but will add this one to my list.

[Minerva]

Stacia  :grouphug: for you and your mama. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Catherine]

Haven't posted in awhile but I have to update about some really good books : )

 

Personal History by Katherine Graham, former publisher of the Washington Post, was fascinating.  She was a pioneer, the first woman in the Fortune 500 (and the only, for many years), and saw the post through publishing the Pentagon Papers, through Watergate, and through a huge, potentially devastating pressmen's strike.  I was particularly interested because I once met her, very late in her life, and very briefly!  

 

The listened to Sonia Sotomayor's memoir, (on a memoir\biography kick apparently), My Beloved World.  I was so captivated by her repeated success at figuring out how to succeed, like when, as a fifth grader, she decided she wanted to be a better student, so befriended the best student in her class and asked her how.  And learned!  She did this many times-the definition of resilience-growth from failures.  What an interesting life she has had.

 

Also reading Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything-I put it down 4 years ago and now picked  it up again.  He's so funny and engaging.  

[mumto2]

Angel...I am still thinking about your historical list. I second several of Rose's suggestions, especially People of the Book.

 

Now for some more general ideas. I really enjoyed Simon Winchester's Proffessor and the Madman. While that probably shouldn't be a top 20 read through history you might want to consider one of his others, maybe The Map that changed the World. I am pretty sure Jenn has read it recently. It is one of those on my list.

 

Now for the Tudors, I love that time period but most (probably all) of the books I can remember reading have explicit scenes. Two books that I am planning to try soon are Bess of Hardwick by Mary S. Lovell https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/306403.Bess_of_Hardwick?ac=1&from_search=true and Antonia Fraser's The Wives of Henry the Eighth https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/530793.The_Wives_of_Henry_VIII?.

 

Bess is sitting on my nightstand because it is going to be my Dusty for bingo. A museum shop purchase which was inspired because Bess was an incredible woman. Her start in lfe was relatively humble but some consider her to have been Elizabeth I's best friend. She married four times well. She was Mary's jailer but also a close friend as evidenced by beautiful gifts from Mary at Hardwick Hall. She eventually married one of the wealthiest men in England and built Chatsworth. Her children married incredibly well. She created a dynasty......

 

Antonia Fraser is an author I just discovered. I am currently reading her Jemima Shore mystery series (too modern for this project) but she is also the author of several historical biographies which look incredible. I hope to read some of those in the fall. If the Henry one doesn't appeal maybe one of the others will.

 

 

For one last time period which I know you would enjoy you might like a local(for me) series about the Scrooby Pilgrims (Mayflower).http://www.mayflowermaid.com/home....couldn't find any good reviews so I linked her website. I haven't read these either but I did just put the first one, The Mayflower Maid on hold. I promise to read it in the next couple of months. One of my friends loved these. They are sold in the gift shop at Gainsborough Hall which was visited by Henry VIII. You can veiw his and Catherine Howard's bedrooms when you visit. ;)

[Kareni]

...

The Red Tent (It's been awhile since I read this, can't remember if it is R-rated)

 

It's been years since I read the book but I can recall at least one scene that some would find troubling.

 

***

 

Congratulations to your son on his college graduation, Jenn.

 

 

 

Tell him that a fellow Alum Mum congrats him and wishes him well on his future endeavors.

 

Jane, my chemistry background pops up at odd times.  So, you're a hydrated potassium aluminium sulfate Mum?!

 

Having a fun time on the family wedding trip -- the rehearsal dinner is tonight and the wedding tomorrow.  My husband and I have been helping my mother sort through stuff so not too much time for reading.  I'll post the list sometime after returning home.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Chrysalis Academy]

I finished a Shakespeare retelling last night - The Madness of Love. This was on a list posted recently - by Kareni, I think? It was very timely, because the girls and I just saw Twelfth Night last Sunday. I really enjoyed the book, that's a tricky story to update in a believable way but the author did a lovely job.  Actually, maybe it's easier to update a gender-bending story these days, when the idea of someone being in love with someone of the same gender is not unthinkable? In any event, the characters were great - the Shakespearean counterparts were recognizable, but the characters and situations were unique. I like when a modernizing version pays homage to the play but the author makes it her own.  I'm going to give this one to Shannon to try, it has way less sex in it than the other Shakespeare reboots I've read recently - just one sort of icky scene with the Malvolio character, but she might not even get it.  Nothing explicit. I think she'll like the book.

[Violet Crown]

Bookstore find!

 

So our all-too-close public library discard store now and then gets a crateful of brand-new remaindered books from the University of Texas Press and sells them at a dollar each. Yesterday I scored Whitewater by Paul Horgan (there's a Horgan fan at church who's been working on me to read it); A Texan in England by J. Frank Dobie; and a collection of Texas short stories by writers from O. Henry to Katherine Anne Porter.

 

And also! One of our local branches discarded a box of large mounted posters of book covers (mostly Penguin). We really had needed to redecorate.

[Angel]

I haven't read any historical fiction for quite a long time (can't seem to find anything I care for), but there were a few I remember that I liked.  None of them are very recent books, and I can't say that I loved all of them.  In no particular order

 

The Good Earth

The Far Pavillions

The Greenlanders

Daughter of Time

Crown in Candlelight (can't remember how much romance in this one)

Chesapeake

I Claudius

Wild Swans 

The Historian

Death Comes as the End

The Red Tent

The Killer Angels

Death Comes for the Archbishop

The First Man in Rome

The Greek Treasure

The Plantagenet Series by Thomas Costain

 

My sister gave me a couple books by Philippa Gregory, which I couldn't get into, and The Name of the Rose, which I haven't attempted yet.  In high school I remember loving Dear and Glorious Physician, Great Lion of God, Glory and the Lightning and A Pillar of Iron by Taylor Caldwell.  I just gave those to my dd who was asking for some historical fiction but without all the sex.

I read The Historian last year but never considered putting it on the list!  Aly would love it, I think.  And I have Death Comes for the Archbishop in my own TBR pile.  

 

Historical fiction:

 

My history nut loves The Tale of two Cities by Dickens. He's currently into books by Bernard Cornwell.

 

I like my history with a side of time travel:

Doomsday- Connie Willis (the Black Plague)

Timeline- Michael Crichton

Time and Again- Jack Finney

From Time To Time- sequel ^

Lincoln's Dreams- Connie Willis (The title is misleading, it is mostly about Robert E. Lee with ties to Lincoln.)

 

And Twain's masterpiece, Joan of Arc.

Timeline would be a great one, though maybe with a little editing (dd is sensitive to language).  I love Crichton and I think she's seen the movie!

 

Angel, I just found thishttp://www.historicalnovels.info/ webstite for historical fiction seems to be really good. Ability to separate out mystery novels. This might be really good for planning. I could blow may whole day playing with this website and make my stack really huge.

Ooohh!  Thanks!  This is amazing and will help so much!  I'm not sure how I'm going to narrow it down!

 

Hmm, I like historical fiction. Sometimes, especially when I'm thinking about what to read with a kid, it's hard for me to differentiate historical fiction from classics which really capture the spirit of their age, but aren't actually, historical fiction.  So Hemingway and Gatsby would fall into the first category, but The Grapes of Wrath into the second, I think.  Anyway, things that I'd call historical fiction, worth reading with a high schooler:

 

Ransom - David Malouf (not really historical fiction, but fleshes out a scene from The Iliad. amazing!)

The Songs of the Kings (retelling of the Iphigenia story)

The Red Tent (It's been awhile since I read this, can't remember if it is R-rated)

The Secret Chord (King David)

The Agony & the Ecstasy (haven't read this since high school, but it had a big impact on me at the time - Michelangelo)

Bring Up the Bodies/Wolf Hall - Hilary Mantel (Henry VII/Anne Boleyn)

The Three Musketeers

The Scarlet Pimpernel

A Tale of Two Cities

The Friendly Persuasion

My Antonia

The Grapes of Wrath

The Daughter of Time

Things Fall Apart

Cry The Beloved Country

Night

The Joy Luck Club

People of the Book

I agree with the bolded!  I was thinking that The Illiad and The Odyssey would fall into a similar category.  The Daughter of Time has shown up on almost everybody's list, and I realized it is in my Amazon TBR list!

 

Angel,

 

As a reader of historic fiction, I have thought about your request and have decided that I can't even begin such a list limited to 20 books.  So many cultures over this broad swath of time. 

 

And of course there are fourteen Dorothy Dunnett books I'd want on the list.  Even though they only cover a hundred years or so of European/Middle Eastern history, they do it so well that no list of good historical fiction is complete without them.

 

Sigh.

:laugh:  I understand!  

 

You all are broadening my perspective.  On my original list I was thinking classics plus some children's/YA books that we never got to as read alouds.  I don't think I had fully considered the scope of some of the adult historical fiction.  

 

Basically Aly's school year (9th) turned out to be very heavy, not only in load but in content (Modern World History...war & atrocities :scared:  and then the Worldview curriculum).  I usually do a lighter 9th to ease into high school and a lighter 12th to give free time to really nail down their niche.  We are not super classical over-achiever homeschoolers.  Anyway, since we are finishing the cycle of history, I decided history next year would be light.  A reading trip down the timeline of the world basically.  Aly really liked this idea, and at first I was thinking only of all the cool kids books we never did as read alouds.  Then I started thinking about all the classics that would fit.  And then I had the great idea to ask here  :laugh:   So I'm trying to narrow down what could easily fit into a school year.  I think maybe it's a bigger task than I realized.