Book a Week 2018 - BW24: 52 Books Bingo - exploring the 17th Century

[Robin M]

Happy Sunday and welcome to week twenty-four in our Open Roads Reading Adventure. Greetings to all our readers and everyone following our progress. Mister Linky is available weekly on 52 Books in 52 Weeks  to share a link to your book reviews.

One of our 52 Book's Bingo categories is the 17th Century. You may read a book written by an author or about the era or in which the story took place during the 17th Century. Dive into 17th Century Belgium, the Dutch Golden Age or Luxembourg,  or take a look at Stuff You Missed in History Class as well as go back in time to England.  Our Brit Trip is taking us to Essex this week, so dip into Wellcome Library's Local History: East Anglia and Essex for local family and individuals to read about.  Also check out Goodread's Essex, England,  Essex Life's Literary Inspirations and the Author who put Colchester on the Crime Writing Map

The 17th Century began with the Jacobean era in England and led into the Caroline,  Interregnum, and Restoration periods.  We had the emergence of John Milton, John Dryen, and John Bunyan as well as Daniel Defoe plus metaphysical poets such as Englishmen John Donne, John Cleveland,  Andrew Marvel, and Abraham Crowley.  The female writers of the time were Anne Bradstreet, Aphra Behn,  Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, Mary Astell,  and  Madame de La Fayette.

 While you are meandering through the 17th century, explore History of the Rise of the Novel in the 17th Century, Historical Survey of Children's literature, English Literature's reflection of 17th Century Society, as well as Goodread's Best Books of the 17th Century, and Popular Historical Fiction 17th Century.  

Essex is located between London and the North Sea and when it united with the other Anglian and Saxon Kingdoms it created the single country that is now England. It is home to the oldest recorded town in England, Colchester (Camulodunum).

Rabbit trails: Hedingham Castle  Audley End House  Hylands House  Chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall

Have fun armchair traveling as you travel through the 17th Century or follow rabbit trails on the Rebels bus or explore Essex on the Detective Bus.

What are you reading?

Link to week 23

Edited June 10, 2018 by Robin M
correction bean to behn

[Robin M]

I'm about half way through Crossroads of Twilight in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. It's complexity and character machinations are making it a slow read. Also reading Pietr the Latvian by Georges Simenon and Ashes Reborn which is #4 in Keri Arthur's Fire series.  My 17th century and Tulip find is Rosalind Laker's The Golden Tulip set in Amsterdam.  

"Francesca’s father is a well-known painter in the bustling port city of Amsterdam; he is also a gambler. Though their household is in economic chaos, thankfully the lessons she learned in his studio have prepared her to study with Johannes Vermeer, the master of Delft. 

When she arrives to begin her apprenticeship, Francesca is stunned to find rules, written in her father’s hand, insisting that she give up the freedoms she once enjoyed at home- including her friendship with Pieter van Doorne, a tulip merchant. Unaware of a terrible bargain her father has made against her future, Francesca pursues her growing affection for Pieter even as she learns to paint like Vermeer, in layers of light. As her talent blooms, “tulip mania” sweeps the land, and fortunes are being made on a single bulb. What seems like a boon for Pieter instead reveals the extent of the betrayal of Francesca’s father. And as the two learn the true nature of the obstacles in their path, a patron of Francesca’s father determines to do anything in his power to ensure she stays within the limits that have been set for her."

[mumto2]

I suspect I will be saying this next Sunday too.......my current audiobook is Woman in White.  It’s actually really good but also 25 hours long. I just haven’t had the listening time!

I needed a light read so started Murder atBrightwell by Ashley Weaver.  It’s one of those books that I have seen and passed over dozens of times.  It’s actually pretty good at the 25% mark   ? if you are looking for a nice easy cozy......  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19561924-murder-at-the-brightwell

For Essex I am planning to read Death at Bishop’s Keep by Robin Paige.  This is another series that I have planned to try for awhile and I hope to like this series because of other county potential.   It will also put me back on the bus!  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/538396.Death_at_Bishop_s_Keep

Technically I have already read two books for Brit Tripping set in Essex that happen to be the first books for a couple of really famous and prolific mystery authors.  I believe both Cover Her Face by PD James and The Mysterious Affair at Styles are both set in Essex.

[Kareni]

I recently finished the sixth book in the Merchant Princes series which I enjoyed.  I won't post the blurb as it gives away too many details.  This is a series that is best read in order.

The Trade of Queens: Book Six of the Merchant Princes   by Charles Stross
**

I also re-read Lucy Parker's contemporary romance Act Like It: A Slow-Burn Romance (London Celebrities)  which I enjoyed once again. (Some adult content)

"This just in: romance takes center stage as West End theatre's Richard Troy steps out with none other than castmate Elaine Graham

Richard Troy used to be the hottest actor in London, but the only thing firing up lately is his temper. We all love to love a bad boy, but Richard's antics have made him Enemy Number One, breaking the hearts of fans across the city.

Have the tides turned? Has English rose Lainie Graham made him into a new man?

Sources say the mismatched pair has been spotted at multiple events, arm in arm and hip to hip. From fits of jealousy to longing looks and heated whispers, onlookers are stunned by this blooming romance.

Could the rumors be right? Could this unlikely romance be the real thing? Or are these gifted stage actors playing us all?"

Regards,
Kareni

[marbel]

Robin, what a treasure trove of links this week! Going to be spending some time exploring those.

I was surprised to see that the Goodreads Essex list did not include The Essex Serpent.  That's my read for the county but I'm finding it slow going at first.  It got great reviews when it came out, but I am not captivated so far. :-)    I will stick with it, but will keep Death at Bishop's Keep in mind in case I have to bail.  :-)

My 20-year-old son - a booklover since infancy - has been in a reading slump for a while - during the school year he was overwhelmed with studies, and he jumped into full-time work for the first time once school was out. But I picked up Conn Iggulden's Birth of an Empire, the first in his Genghis Khan series, and the boy ate it up, then went to the library today to check out the next two books. This has nothing to do with Brit-tripping or my own reading, just feeling happy that he has been captivated by a book series again. And, to set up a question...

does anyone have any recommendations for good historical fiction for a young man, low on romance and sexual content, high on historical accuracy?  His birthday is coming up and we are short of ideas.   He is particularly interested in Ancients, the Mongols, and World War II.  Nonfiction would be good too!  

[Loesje22000]

Nothing finished but found at a National Trust secondhand bookshop a lot of Rebbecca Shaws 1£ / book (against 8€ per ebook)

So I can read some fun this summer ?

I almost finished ‘Landlopers’ and started a book about Iona, about Celtic-Christian Spirituality.

[Negin]

I read Beyond the Pasta - 5 Stars - I read this lovely read shortly before our recent trip to Italy, but I didn’t want to review it until I had tried out at least one of the recipes. This is my new rule when reviewing cookbooks. I can’t believe that I have reviewed cookbooks in the past without trying out a single recipe. What was I thinking? Anyway, now that we have returned from Italy, I started skimming the book once more and I’ve decided that I would love to reread it very soon, to relive the memories of our fabulous time there. 

The author spent a month living with an Italian family, learning the language, learning to cook, and simply immersing himself in Italian culture. This delightful book is part travel log and part cookbook. It was set up in a daily journal format, each day ending with a recipe. I love books like that! My only complaint is that I do wish that the book had more illustrations, and color ones at that. How can one publish a book on Italy with grainy, drab-looking black and white pictures? 

I’ve tried out five of the recipes so far and will be trying out more. Four out of the five recipes have been absolute hits and the other one was still pretty good. 

The Yogurt Cake was wonderful. I made some slight tweaks, as I sometimes do when cooking. Rather than using regular flour, I substituted with cake flour, to make the cake as light and spongy as possible.

The Zucchini and Onion Frittata was absolutely delicious. The family couldn’t get enough of it and I will be doubling the recipe from now on. 

We loved the Spaghetti with Garlic and Anchovies. These recipes all reminded us of Italy!

And don’t even get me started on the Bean and Onion Bruschetta!

The Chicken with Tomatoes and Olives was packed with flavor and good, but not the best. I made a few mistakes, which I can remedy next time. 

I wasn’t sure if I should give this book four or five stars. At one point I was even going to give it 3.5. Yet the more that I’ve re-read some of the parts, the fact that the recipes are so good, and finally, there’s simply nothing like reliving all the memories of Italy that he shares so beautifully, well, I just had to give it 5 stars. 

Some of my favorite quotes:
“La dolce vita celebrates the fact that life is not only about a paycheck ... Life is about savoring the sunset, taking a rejuvenating nap in the middle go the day, pausing to appreciate the beauty of a rose on the side of the road, having your children's laughter fill your soul - letting those moments inspire your life. That might be more of a romantic perception than the exact truth of the situation, but it is certainly the truth I have come to witness, embrace and appreciate while living in Viterbo.”

“For me, the ‘Sweet Life’ is going into the kitchen, preparing food and serving it to the people I love and cherish. La Dolce Vita is found in those moments of life around a table where stories are told - old memories are relived and new memories are given life. It is where food ultimately unites us through the juxtaposition of laughter, tears, joy, sorrow, happiness, pain, and ecstasy.”

“Walking along the bank of the Tiber, I headed into Trastevere, the original Jewish ghetto of ancient Rome. Trastevere means “to traverse or to cross over” and it is still very much a working class neighborhood. The streets are very narrow and the well-worn and aged buildings are very close to each other, providing a time-forgotten atmosphere. This is not the prettiest part of Rome, but it feels the most authentic and that makes it beautiful.” 

Here's a picture that we took when we visited the beautiful Trastevere neighborhood in Rome. 

If you're interested in dystopia, you may be interested in this Kindle book that's on sale today. 

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.

 

 

[Violet Crown]

This week I finished Heinrich von Kleist's The Marquise of O and Other Stories (my plane book), and Sir Compton Mackenzie's Monarch of the Glen. Kleist was an early 19th-century German writer who wrote very odd short stories and plays for about a decade and then killed himself. Compton Mackenzie was one of the founders of the Scottish National Party, and Monarch of the Glen, a farce set on a modern Highland chief's estate, features a little group of young men who bear a striking resemblance to his fellow founders of the SNP, one being an especially endearing caricature of the modern Scots poet Hugh MacDiarmid. There's a charming scene where a young Canadian-American, whose great-grandfather was cleared out of the Highlands and who is sure she has a psychic affinity to her ancestral cottage, is trying to speak Gaelic to the Scottish Nationalist poet, who is gamely trying to answer her in Gaelic out of nationalist principle, and they only make any progress because they both have the same Guide to Gaelic.

Also have read a chunk of Chaucer -- my Kentish Middle English is better than my medieval Scots, I can tell you that -- and have read the General Prologue and Group A (the Knight's, Miller's, Reeve's, and Cook's Tales). But mostly I've hopped off the Sassenach routes of the BritTrip bus and am tooling around Caledonia for the next few weeks with Iain Crichton Smith, Elspeth Davie, Susan Edmonstone Ferrier, John Buchan, J. M. Barrie, David Lyndsay, Muriel Spark, Robert Henryson, and whoever else I can find lurking in the crevices of the Edinburgh bookshops.

Psst to Robin: Aphra Behn, not Bean. I think Aphra Bean was Rowan Atkinson's sister.

[Kareni]

27 minutes ago, marbel said:

He is particularly interested in ... World War II.  Nonfiction would be good too!  

Some favorites of my father (who died some years ago) who enjoyed reading about WWII~

Upton Sinclair's  Lanny Budd series; this is fiction.  The first book is World's End.

Here's the Kindle link: World's End (The Lanny Budd Novels Book 1)
 

Winston Churchill's six volume non-fiction series The Second World War (book series)

Here's the Kindle link: The Gathering Storm: The Second World War, Volume 1 (Winston Churchill World War II Collection)

Regards,
Kareni

[Kareni]

One more thought, @marbel:

Perhaps your son might enjoy some of the collected columns of war correspondent Ernie Pyle.

This book is on sale for 99 cents ~  Last Chapter

as is this one ~ Ernie Pyle in England

 

These others are more costly:

 

$15.01  Here Is Your War: Story of G.I. Joe

 

$10.99  Brave Men

 

Regards,
Kareni

[Mothersweets]

46 minutes ago, marbel said:

Robin, what a treasure trove of links this week! Going to be spending some time exploring those.

I was surprised to see that the Goodreads Essex list did not include The Essex Serpent.  That's my read for the county but I'm finding it slow going at first.  It got great reviews when it came out, but I am not captivated so far. ?   I will stick with it, but will keep Death at Bishop's Keep in mind in case I have to bail.  ?

My 20-year-old son - a booklover since infancy - has been in a reading slump for a while - during the school year he was overwhelmed with studies, and he jumped into full-time work for the first time once school was out. But I picked up Conn Iggulden's Birth of an Empire, the first in his Genghis Khan series, and the boy ate it up, then went to the library today to check out the next two books. This has nothing to do with Brit-tripping or my own reading, just feeling happy that he has been captivated by a book series again. And, to set up a question...

does anyone have any recommendations for good historical fiction for a young man, low on romance and sexual content, high on historical accuracy?  His birthday is coming up and we are short of ideas.   He is particularly interested in Ancients, the Mongols, and World War II.  Nonfiction would be good too!  

Master and Commander (Aubrey & Maturin series #1) by Patrick O'Brian - I know it isn't quite the era you asked for but just had to recommend it! Here are a couple of articles that can explain the wonderfulness of it better than I can! You Must Read This:Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander  and Why Patrick O'Brian is Jane Austen at Sea

[Mothersweets]

Last week I read What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarity. I liked this a lot. The author pulled me right into the story and I cared about the characters from the start. 

I also ended up setting aside Camp Austen: My Life as an Accidental Jane Austen Superfan by Ted Scheinman. The author is the son of an Austen scholar who was asked to fill in for his mother at one of the big Austen conventions when she was unable to attend. He was also asked to dress the part and I thought this was going to be a fun romp through Austenland with someone who had a different perspective on things but sadly, no. This felt self-important and the author seemed to be writing to impress his scholarly friends. I was bored and had to set it aside (but I did try!). 

The Many Reflections of Miss Jane Deming by J.Anderson Coats. Loved this YA novel about a girl traveling by steamboat from the east coast to Washington Territory back in the years directly after the American Civil War. Eleven year old Jane is charming and you root for her as she has to learn to cope with the hardships along the way. 

[Robin M]

2 hours ago, Violet Crown said:

Psst to Robin: Aphra Behn, not Bean. I think Aphra Bean was Rowan Atkinson's sister.

Ha ha ha and ack!  I'm totally blaming that on the spell checker.  I remember typing it correctly.  Thanks for catching my typo. 

[Robin M]

3 hours ago, marbel said:

Robin, what a treasure trove of links this week! Going to be spending some time exploring those.

I was surprised to see that the Goodreads Essex list did not include The Essex Serpent.  That's my read for the county but I'm finding it slow going at first.  It got great reviews when it came out, but I am not captivated so far. ?   I will stick with it, but will keep Death at Bishop's Keep in mind in case I have to bail.  ?

My 20-year-old son - a booklover since infancy - has been in a reading slump for a while - during the school year he was overwhelmed with studies, and he jumped into full-time work for the first time once school was out. But I picked up Conn Iggulden's Birth of an Empire, the first in his Genghis Khan series, and the boy ate it up, then went to the library today to check out the next two books. This has nothing to do with Brit-tripping or my own reading, just feeling happy that he has been captivated by a book series again. And, to set up a question...

does anyone have any recommendations for good historical fiction for a young man, low on romance and sexual content, high on historical accuracy?  His birthday is coming up and we are short of ideas.   He is particularly interested in Ancients, the Mongols, and World War II.  Nonfiction would be good too!  

My pleasure!  For WWII James and I read the nonfiction book  Inside Hitler's Bunker and watched the movie as well.  Monuments Men as  well as The Boy on the Wooden Box were also excellent.  If you don't mind too much violence check out Ben Kane's historical fiction set back in the roman empire. I've read the majority of them and very well done. For both biblical (set in early bc/ad) and historical fiction set during the 40's, check out Brock and Bodie Thoene's books. I devoured most of them.  James and I also enjoyed Rick Riordan's mythology fiction Percy Jackson and the Olympians and the Kane Chronicles.  

 

[Mothersweets]

3 hours ago, marbel said:

Robin, what a treasure trove of links this week! Going to be spending some time exploring those.

I was surprised to see that the Goodreads Essex list did not include The Essex Serpent.  That's my read for the county but I'm finding it slow going at first.  It got great reviews when it came out, but I am not captivated so far. ?   I will stick with it, but will keep Death at Bishop's Keep in mind in case I have to bail.  ?

My 20-year-old son - a booklover since infancy - has been in a reading slump for a while - during the school year he was overwhelmed with studies, and he jumped into full-time work for the first time once school was out. But I picked up Conn Iggulden's Birth of an Empire, the first in his Genghis Khan series, and the boy ate it up, then went to the library today to check out the next two books. This has nothing to do with Brit-tripping or my own reading, just feeling happy that he has been captivated by a book series again. And, to set up a question...

does anyone have any recommendations for good historical fiction for a young man, low on romance and sexual content, high on historical accuracy?  His birthday is coming up and we are short of ideas.   He is particularly interested in Ancients, the Mongols, and World War II.  Nonfiction would be good too!  

Just thought of another one: Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Reslience and Redemption

[Ali in OR]

Finished Everybody Lies this week and enjoyed it. I am now reading Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan for our June book club pick. It is about the love and life of Robert Louis Stevenson and his American wife Fanny.

[Matryoshka]

Only finished one book this week:

48. Ring of Swords by Eleanor Arnason.  - I really liked this one; it's sci-fi about negotiations between humans and the first space-faring race either have encountered.  The aliens have a very gender-divided society, to the point where heterosexuality is considered deviant (children are born by artificial insemination only).  They are a very war-like race, at least the males, who are all raised as warriors and sent to the 'perimeter' to get them out of the women's hair - but they've been at peace now for ages and are itching for a new enemy.  Humans may (or may not) fit the bill.  In spite of the gender-segregation, the main character is a human female biologist who specializes in alien intelligence (she had been studying giant alien jellyfish things that communicated but may or may not have been intelligent as we'd think of it - she'd like to think so, though).  There's also a lot more to it.  Intro by Ursula K. LeGuin. ?  4 stars.

Currently reading:

- The Golden Palace by Nadeem Aslam (ebook) - set in Pakistan in recent times.  I'm really liking the characters in this one.

- The Unwomanly Face of War by Svetlana Alexeivich (audiobook) - oral histories of Russian women who served in WWII.

- La aventura de Miguel Littín clandestino en Chile by Gabriel García Márquez - someone suggested a while ago that I check out García Márquez' nonfiction, so I am.  Certainly a much easier, straightforward read than his fiction!

[Kareni]

This series of free books looks quite intriguing ~

The Yesteryear Gazette: Volume One: Amazing Stories From the Pages of Vintage American Newspapers  by Douglas DeLong

"Buried deep within the pages of America's newspapers from a century ago are an untold number of amazing stories waiting to be discovered.

The Library of Congress has painstakingly digitized millions of pages from American newspapers published between 1789 and 1924 in a remarkable online collection called Chronicling America. In this first volume of The Yesteryear Gazette, we have collected twenty of the most compelling, moving, humorous and quirky stories from this treasure trove of American newspapers.

Highlights include...

- The first newspaper accounts of the 1865 Lincoln assassination.

- The riveting newspaper accounts of the 1893 Lizzie Borden trial.

- The story of the first woman to ride a bicycle around the world.

- Susan B. Anthony's fascinating and final 1905 in-depth interview.

- The horrifying accounts of the 1903 Chicago theatre fire that killed over 600 people.

- The tragic newspaper accounts of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

- A deeply moving firsthand account of a Titanic survivor.

All of these stories have been carefully transcribed directly from the original newspaper stories. Some have been edited for length or clarity. Each story includes a link to the original newspaper story, as well as links for additional information. Most stories also include a link to a related video. Each story, as well, includes an introduction in order to provide some background and context.

So step into the past and discover what Americans were reading at the breakfast table a hundred years or more ago."
 

There are two additional free volumes:

The Yesteryear Gazette: Volume Two

The Yesteryear Gazette: Volume Three

Regards,
Kareni

[Kareni]

And I just finished a re-read Lucy Parker's contemporary romance Pretty Face (London Celebrities)  which I enjoyed once again.

"The play's the fling 

It's not actress Lily Lamprey's fault that she's all curves and has the kind of voice that can fog up a camera lens. She wants to prove where her real talents lie—and that's not on a casting couch, thank you. When she hears esteemed director Luc Savage is renovating a legendary West End theater for a lofty new production, she knows it could be her chance—if only Luc wasn't so dictatorial, so bad-tempered and so incredibly sexy. 

Luc Savage has respect, integrity and experience. He also has it bad for Lily. He'd be willing to dismiss it as a midlife crisis, but this exasperating, irresistible woman is actually a very talented actress. Unfortunately, their romance is not only raising questions about Lily's suddenly rising career, it's threatening Luc's professional reputation. The course of true love never did run smooth. But if they're not careful, it could bring down the curtain on both their careers… "

 

Regards,
Kareni

[mumto2]

16 hours ago, loesje22000 said:

Nothing finished but found at a National Trust secondhand bookshop a lot of Rebbecca Shaws 1£ / book (against 8€ per ebook)

So I can read some fun this summer ?

I almost finished ‘Landlopers’ and started a book about Iona, about Celtic-Christian Spirituality.

Just making sure you know that most charity shops have a book section too.  There may be clothes in the window but there is normally a shelf with cheap books too!

16 hours ago, marbel said:

Robin, what a treasure trove of links this week! Going to be spending some time exploring those.

I was surprised to see that the Goodreads Essex list did not include The Essex Serpent.  That's my read for the county but I'm finding it slow going at first.  It got great reviews when it came out, but I am not captivated so far. ?   I will stick with it, but will keep Death at Bishop's Keep in mind in case I have to bail.  ?

My 20-year-old son - a booklover since infancy - has been in a reading slump for a while - during the school year he was overwhelmed with studies, and he jumped into full-time work for the first time once school was out. But I picked up Conn Iggulden's Birth of an Empire, the first in his Genghis Khan series, and the boy ate it up, then went to the library today to check out the next two books. This has nothing to do with Brit-tripping or my own reading, just feeling happy that he has been captivated by a book series again. And, to set up a question...

does anyone have any recommendations for good historical fiction for a young man, low on romance and sexual content, high on historical accuracy?  His birthday is coming up and we are short of ideas.   He is particularly interested in Ancients, the Mongols, and World War II.  Nonfiction would be good too!  

I read Essex Serpent when it first came out after listening to the bookseller in Waterstones rave about how it was her favorite that year.  I remember that it had several different stories to tell.  I enjoyed two of the four and could tolerate the other two.  Not the best book of the year but the portions I enjoyed were good and worth reading.  One thing the book has is the most wonderful cover art ever.  I loved looking at it and carrying a book that beautiful was fun, I actually abandoned my Kindle for that book.https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32075861-the-essex-serpent

[Negin]

Kindle book on sale today.

 

[marbel]

2 hours ago, mumto2 said:

Just making sure you know that most charity shops have a book section too.  There may be clothes in the window but there is normally a shelf with cheap books too!

I read Essex Serpent when it first came out after listening to the bookseller in Waterstones rave about how it was her favorite that year.  I remember that it had several different stories to tell.  I enjoyed two of the four and could tolerate the other two.  Not the best book of the year but the portions I enjoyed were good and worth reading.  One thing the book has is the most wonderful cover art ever.  I loved looking at it and carrying a book that beautiful was fun, I actually abandoned my Kindle for that book.https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32075861-the-essex-serpent

 

Yes, the cover is gorgeous. That's one of the attractions.  I almost bought a copy a few weeks ago just based on the cover art, but now I'm glad I didn't. Because... based on my dislike of the main character, and some reviews, I skipped ahead a little bit, and quit it.  It's just not what I want out of a book I read for pleasure. I can't remember how to do spoilers here but I did put up some comments (masked by spoiler alert) on Goodreads if anyone is interested.  

I think I will go ahead with my Suffolk book (22 Britannia Road by Amanda Hodgkinson) as I already have it from the library.  I'm also listening to Barchester Towers which I can  use for a wild card!  (I'm going to need a few more of those... :-) )

[Matryoshka]

16 minutes ago, marbel said:

Yes, the cover is gorgeous. That's one of the attractions.  I almost bought a copy a few weeks ago just based on the cover art, but now I'm glad I didn't. Because... based on my dislike of the main character, and some reviews, I skipped ahead a little bit, and quit it.  It's just not what I want out of a book I read for pleasure. I can't remember how to do spoilers here but I did put up some comments (masked by spoiler alert) on Goodreads if anyone is interested.  

I listened to it on audio, although I will agree the cover is gorgeous, I have to say I thoroughly disliked The Essex Serpent.  I finished the audio, which was mostly in the car, but I can't remember another audio I've listened to where I kept thinking "this book is going on and on, will it just be over already?".  I was also annoyed by most of the characters, and I felt like the plot was wandering around in a swamp, going nowhere.

[Matryoshka]

18 hours ago, marbel said:

does anyone have any recommendations for good historical fiction for a young man, low on romance and sexual content, high on historical accuracy?  His birthday is coming up and we are short of ideas.   He is particularly interested in Ancients, the Mongols, and World War II.  Nonfiction would be good too!  

Okay, this is a non-fiction, not historical fiction, suggestion, but I really loved the book Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford.  If he likes the Mongols, this is a must-read, imho. :)

[marbel]

7 minutes ago, Matryoshka said:

Okay, this is a non-fiction, not historical fiction, suggestion, but I really loved the book Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford.  If he likes the Mongols, this is a must-read, imho. :)

Yes, I agree - we gave him that book a couple of  years ago and he loved it!  I think that is one of the things that got him so interested.

Thanks to all for the suggestions. I am checking them out.  I do remember that he did not like the Master and Commander books (nor Horatio Hornblower) for some reason though he generally likes nautical fiction.   Though as I type this I can't remember any titles, seems like those are the Big Two of the genre.  

[Kareni]

1 hour ago, marbel said:

I do remember that he did not like the Master and Commander books (nor Horatio Hornblower) for some reason though he generally likes nautical fiction.   Though as I type this I can't remember any titles, seems like those are the Big Two of the genre.  

I'll toss out another choice which my husband read and enjoyed: Jay Worrall's Sails on the Horizon: A Novel of the Napoleonic Wars.   It has two follow up books.   The series features a trio of characters as opposed to O'Brian's focus on two major characters. 

"The year is 1797. Napoleon Buonaparte is racking up impressive wins in the field against the enemies of revolutionary France. On the seas, England is putting up a staunch resistance.

When a modest fleet of British ships off the coast of Portugal encounters a larger force of Spanish vessels on their way to rendezvous with the French, the English are quick to seize the opportunity for a victory even at the risk of a calamitous defeat.

Twenty-five-year-old Charles Edgemont is second lieutenant aboard the HMS Argonaut, the smallest ship in the British line of battle. When orders come for the Argonaut to engage in an all-but-suicidal maneuver to cut off the escape of the Spanish ships, he leads his gun crews bravely until the death of the captain and the first lieutenant elevates him to command of the stricken vessel. In the chaos that follows, his defiant refusal to yield under enemy fire earns him a permanent promotion.

Thanks to the purse awarded him by the Admiralty after the fight, Charles is wealthy beyond his wildest dreams. But there are challenges when he returns home after years at sea. His newfound riches will prove no help when it comes to winning the heart of Penelope Brown, the feisty Quaker with whom Charles falls in love. Even more of a hindrance is his profession, for Penelope regards war as sinful and soldiers as little better than murderers.

Changing Penelope's mind may just be the hardest battle Charles has ever fought at least until fresh orders send him back to sea, where he faces a more traditional and equally formidable adversary in a series of stirring battles of will and might."

Regards,
Kareni

[Kareni]

Currently free for Kindle readers ~

today only by the author of Phantom of the Opera: The Perfume of the Lady in Black  by Gaston Leroux

romance:  One Night to Fall (Kinney Brothers Book 1)  by Kelsey Kingsley

inspirational romance, both by Grace Livingston Hill:

The Street of the City
Tomorrow About This Time

Regards,
Kareni

[Kareni]

Some bookish posts ~

I think some here might enjoy the book reviewed here:  Eighty Days by Matthew Goodman by Carrie S
**

From Tor.com ~

Five Books About Magical Apocalypses  by Peng Shepherd

5 Books Set on Fantastical Islands  by Simon Sylvester 

Into the Woods: Five Books About the Peril and Wonder of Nature  by Callie Bates

**

I liked this article which is several years old:  When You Give a Tree an Email Address  by Adrienne LaFrance

Regards,
Kareni

[mumto2]

Yesterday was our 30th anniversary and Dh’s birthday so four of us celebrated with an afternoon at the beach and dinner out.  I did manage to finish the first Amory Ames Mystery in the car while the kids read their textbooks.   Murder at the Brightwell (Kent and Sussex)was good enough to put the next book in the series on hold but not great. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19561924-murder-at-the-brightwell

 I liked the main character, Amory, whose husband is probably not what he is being portrayed as, a high society philanderer.  The curiosity about her husband’s secretive and convenient appearances is what will make me keep reading these books.....I think he might be a spy ?. Lol.  Her marriage is not good, with her husband just home from a solo trip to the Riviera, when Amory’s exfiance asks her to go with him on a holiday to convince his sister not to make an unhappy marriage like her own.  She goes......Murders happen.  Definitely a cozy mystery.

Another cozy series that I have been dipping into the year is Catherine Lloyd’s Kurland St. Mary’s which starts with Death in a Village.  The village is apparently on the Suffolk and Essex border so could count for either,  imo.  I am mentioning this partly out of excitement because my overdrive just added the rest of the series.  Once again I simply really like a couple of the characters.......https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16073004-death-comes-to-the-village

 

 

[Kareni]

2 hours ago, mumto2 said:

Yesterday was our 30th anniversary and Dh’s birthday ...

What a happy day!  Best wishes to you both.

Regards,
Kareni

[Kareni]

A limited time offer from Tor.com for those in the US and Canada.  See below.

Regards,
Kareni

Download a Free Ebook of A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab Before June 16, 2018!

"Each month, the Tor.com eBook Club gives away a free sci-fi/fantasy ebook to club subscribers. We’re happy to announce that the pick for June 2018 is A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC by New York Times bestselling author V.E. Schwab, the first installment of her world-hopping “Shades of Magic” trilogy!

 

Kell is one of the last Antari—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black.

Kell was raised in Arnes—Red London—and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see. Grey London. Our London.

That’s where Kell runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations.

She robs him.

Then she saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure."

A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC is available from June 12, 12:01 AM ET to June 15, 11:59 PM ET.

Download before 11:59 PM ET June 15, 2018.

 

 

[Mom-ninja.]

On 6/9/2018 at 3:03 PM, mumto2 said:

Thanks for all the compliments on the Hedgehogs.....I played with a pattern for what is known as a Hazel the Hedgehog quilt.  Machine quilting again today, a bookcase quilt that I am figuring out as I sew.  I have one more gift I need for the fall (this one will be going to conservatory with a different friend’s dd) then I can go back to my hand piecing and listening to audiobooks.

1

Pretty soon we may be placing orders for quilts. I know I would pay you to make me a bookcase quilt.

 

On 6/11/2018 at 10:25 AM, Matryoshka said:

Okay, this is a non-fiction, not historical fiction, suggestion, but I really loved the book Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford.  If he likes the Mongols, this is a must-read, imho. :)

Isn't there a book about the Khan queens as well? 

 

I am still listening to I Contain Multitudes to satisfy my inner science nerd. I'm rereading Menschen im Hotel for German practice. I also started True Grit  and am hooked. I am surprised as I really would not be reading this if Kareni had not sent it to me. I find myself sacrificing my children's education to sneak off to read it throughout the day. 

[Maus]

50.  "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett.  Really enjoyed this.

49.   "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly.  A history of the whole program, NOT the story of the women in the film, but it's really fascinating. 

Just returned from a road trip, and we got some audio books in.

48. "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" by Roald Dahl.  (Audio)

47. "Frindle" by Andrew Clements.  (Audio)  DD13 loved it; DD8, not so much.

46.  "Poppy" by Avi.  (Audio)

45.  "The Tale of Despereaux" by Kate DiCamillo.  (Audio)

44.  "Bud, Not Buddy" by Christopher Paul Curtis.  (Audio)  DD8 must have liked it more than she seemed, as she asked me if there was a book 2.

• 43.  "Candy Bomber" by Michael O. Tunnell.  (Jr)  and "Christmas From Heaven" by David T. Warner
• 42.  "After the Train" by Gloria Whelan.  (Jr)  
• 41.  "Nora Ryan's Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff.  (Jr) 
• 40.  "Breaking Stalin's Nose" by Eugene Velchin.  (Jr)  
• 39.  "The Book Whisperer" by Donalyn Miller. 
• 38.  "The Man in the Brown Suit" by Agatha Christie.
• 37.  "How to Speak Dragonese" by Cressida Cowell.
• 36.  "Reading Magic" by Mem Fox. 
• 35.  "Murder on the Links" by Agatha Christie. (France, London, Warwickshire)
• 34. "The Grave's a Fine and Private Place" by Alan Bradley.  (Fictional England)
• 33. "The Read-Aloud Family" by Sarah Mackenzie. 
• 32. "Poirot Investigates" by Agatha Christie.  (London, Northamptonshire, Derbyshire, Lancashire, Sussex, Kent, Devonshire) 
• 31.  "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" by J.K. Rowling.  (London and Surrey) .
• 30.  "The Skull Beneath the Skin" by P.D. James. (Dorset, London)  
• 29. "How to Be a Pirate" by Cressida Cowell.
• 28.  "Simply Classical" by Cheryl Swope
• 27. "Partners in Crime" by Agatha Christie. (London, Surrey, Sussex, Berkshire, Suffolk, Devon)
• 26. "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" by J.K. Rowling. (London, Surrey, and Devon)
• 25. "Give Your Child the World" by Jamie C. Martin.
• 24. "Vanishing Girl" by Shane Peacock. (London, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Bedforshire, and Hampshire! --  I'll have my choice, and I've finally left London on my Brit trip!)
• 23. "Honey for a Child's Heart" by Gladys Hunt.
• 22. "How to Train Your Dragon" by Cressida Cowell.
• 21. "Death in the Air" by Shane Peacock. (London) 
• 20. "Her Royal Spyness" by Rhys Bowen. (London)
• 19. "Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire" by Rafe Esquith.
• 18. "Every Falling Star" by Sungju Lee. 
• 17. "The Nature Fix" by Florence Williams.
• 16. "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" by J,K. Rowling. (London and Surrey)
• 15. "Why Don't Students Like School?" by Daniel T. Willingham.
• 14. "Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd" by Alan Bradley. (London and fictional Bishop's Lacy)
• 13. "Eye of the Crow" by Shane Peacock. (London)
• 12.  "Secret Adversary" by Agatha Christie.  (London, Dorset, Kent,  and fictional England, and WWI at the beginning -- The opening scene is set on the sinking Lusitania.)
• 11.  "Mysterious Affair at Styles" by Agatha Christie.   (London, Essex,  and fictional England, and WWI -- Hastings is home from the war for convalescence.  So to go with it, I read the poem, "In Flanders Field" by John McRae, and several of the other poems on the same site.)
• 10.  "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" by J.K. Rowling. (London or Surrey)
• 9.  "An Unsuitable Job For a Woman" by P.D. James. (Mainly Cambridge, some London)
• 8. "Creative Schools" by Ken Robinson and Lou Aronica.
• 7.  "CopShock: Surviving Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)" by Allen R. Kates.
• 6. "Rethinking School: How to Take Charge of Your Child's Education" by Susan Wise Bauer.
• 5. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling.  (London or Surrey)
• 4. "Guerrilla Learning: How to give your kids a real education with or without school" by Grace Llewellyn and Amy Silver.
• 3. "Monkey Mind: A Memoir of Anxiety" by Daniel Smith.
• 2. "Mother had a Secret: Learning to love My Mother & Her Multiple Personalities" by Tiffany Fletcher.
• 1. "Life's lessons Learned" by Dallin H. Oaks. (LDS)

Agatha Christies's settings in Everyman's Guide to the Mysteries of Agatha Christie.

•  

 

•  

[mumto2]

1 hour ago, Kareni said:

A limited time offer from Tor.com for those in the US and Canada.  See below.

Regards,
Kareni

Download a Free Ebook of A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab Before June 16, 2018!

"Each month, the Tor.com eBook Club gives away a free sci-fi/fantasy ebook to club subscribers. We’re happy to announce that the pick for June 2018 is A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC by New York Times bestselling author V.E. Schwab, the first installment of her world-hopping “Shades of Magic” trilogy!

 

Kell is one of the last Antari—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black.

Kell was raised in Arnes—Red London—and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see. Grey London. Our London.

That’s where Kell runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations.

She robs him.

Then she saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure."

A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC is available from June 12, 12:01 AM ET to June 15, 11:59 PM ET.

Download before 11:59 PM ET June 15, 2018.

 

 

This is the first book in one of my favorite series from last year.  They are so good!  ?  Multiple layers of London and each has a special messenger who can travel between the very different London kingdoms.   I actually put it on the Brit Trip list for Spooky London........Amy your Dh would like these I think.  The author has the first book in a new series coming out soon.

[Matryoshka]

1 hour ago, Mom-ninja. said:

Isn't there a book about the Khan queens as well? 

There is; I read it last year.  It's good, but not the you-must-read-this kind of book the other one is.  It recaps some of the stuff in the other book for quite a bit, and honestly I think there just wasn't enough material to spin as fascinating a story.  My bar was really high after the other book, so I think I'd hoped for more! 

[JennyD]

This week I read the first half of Educated, by Tara Westover, a harrowing memoir by a woman who grew up with minimal education in an abusive household.  I think it's been discussed elsewhere on the boards.  She certainly has a story to tell but I just couldn't handle the violence and gave it up halfway through.

I normally don't "count" cookbooks but I am going to count Kenji Lopez-Alt's The Food Lab, which clocks in at 900+ pages and is more cooking science than cookbook.  Utterly fascinating and very well done.

Violet Crown, years ago I watched part of an entertaining BBC series called Monarch of the Glen -- is that based on the book?

[Robin M]

8 hours ago, mumto2 said:

Yesterday was our 30th anniversary and Dh’s birthday so four of us celebrated with an afternoon at the beach and dinner out.  I did manage to finish the first Amory Ames Mystery in the car while the kids read their textbooks.   Murder at the Brightwell (Kent and Sussex)was good enough to put the next book in the series on hold but not great. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19561924-murder-at-the-brightwell

Happy Anniversary and Happy Birthday to your hubby! 

[Teaching3bears]

I read Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy.  I loved the writing but hated the ending!

I read Felix Mendelssohn by Herbert Kupferberg.  I was very impressed by this man's life but it made me feel like I am not doing anything with my life.  I liked the book and I made me interested in listening to his usic more and learning about the lives of other classical composers.

 

[aggieamy]

On 6/8/2018 at 9:23 PM, Mom-ninja. said:

 

Amy, what a great idea with the coloring map. I'm doing the Wooster challenge though so even if I had printed a map, I would have lost it. 

 

I meant to be keeping track of your Wooster challenge ... How many times have you been engaged this year? Have you been falsely arrested while drunk or arrested after having nicked anything of a policeman's as a joke? Have your aunts been overly critical of you this year?

On 6/10/2018 at 2:24 PM, marbel said:

does anyone have any recommendations for good historical fiction for a young man, low on romance and sexual content, high on historical accuracy?  His birthday is coming up and we are short of ideas.   He is particularly interested in Ancients, the Mongols, and World War II.  Nonfiction would be good too!  

Check out the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik. It's not (obviously!) true but it's a fun series for a history/war loving young man. It's Napoleonic wars plus dragons. Very well written.

11 hours ago, mumto2 said:

Yesterday was our 30th anniversary and Dh’s birthday so four of us celebrated with an afternoon at the beach and dinner out.  I did manage to finish the first Amory Ames Mystery in the car while the kids read their textbooks.   Murder at the Brightwell (Kent and Sussex)was good enough to put the next book in the series on hold but not great. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19561924-murder-at-the-brightwell

 I liked the main character, Amory, whose husband is probably not what he is being portrayed as, a high society philanderer.  The curiosity about her husband’s secretive and convenient appearances is what will make me keep reading these books.....I think he might be a spy ?. Lol.  Her marriage is not good, with her husband just home from a solo trip to the Riviera, when Amory’s exfiance asks her to go with him on a holiday to convince his sister not to make an unhappy marriage like her own.  She goes......Murders happen.  Definitely a cozy mystery.

Another cozy series that I have been dipping into the year is Catherine Lloyd’s Kurland St. Mary’s which starts with Death in a Village.  The village is apparently on the Suffolk and Essex border so could count for either,  imo.  I am mentioning this partly out of excitement because my overdrive just added the rest of the series.  Once again I simply really like a couple of the characters.......https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16073004-death-comes-to-the-village

 

This has been on my to-read list forever. Please hurry up and read the next two or three so I know if I want to get started with the series or not. ?

[aggieamy]

Finished:

The Case of William Smith (Miss Silver #13) by Patricia Wentworth - These are hard to rate for me because none of them are really five star mysteries but some are better than others if you're looking for something English and cozy set during the 40's. I'm going to start rating them as recommended and not recommended. So if you are the type that enjoys a stay in Flufferton Abbey then I recommend this one. (London)

[Loesje22000]

For kindle app on tablet readers? How can I read without internet connection?

I can read KOBO books, on my kobo app off line, but why does the kindle app not work??

[mumto2]

Loesje, I have never used Kobo so I have no idea how it works. This may not be the problem but this is how I download with my kindle app..........  For my library kindle books when I borrow them I have two choices after they move to my “loans” section at the library which are “read with kindle” or “read in browser”.  The “read in browser” requires WiFi and the “read with Kindle” choice does not after I download.  To download I pick the “read with Kindle” which takes me to my Amazon account where I select the device I wish to read on......that selection means it downloads automatically on the one device I select but I can still read on other devices.....I always send to my Kindle reader because that is the hardest to download on.  

This leaves me with my iPad with the Kindle app.  I go to the section in the kindle app with the book covers and the new book cover should be there.  I think there may be a little x in the lower right corner signifying that it is available to download but not sure but I touch my cover and a horizontal line should appear that fills as the book downloads,  when it is downloaded a check mark ✅ will appear in the bottom right corner and you can read anytime without WiFi.

Good luck! 

[Violet Crown]

13 hours ago, JennyD said:

Violet Crown, years ago I watched part of an entertaining BBC series called Monarch of the Glen -- is that based on the book?

So I’m told; haven’t watched it myself though.

[Loesje22000]

56 minutes ago, mumto2 said:

Loesje, I have never used Kobo so I have no idea how it works. This may not be the problem but this is how I download with my kindle app..........  For my library kindle books when I borrow them I have two choices after they move to my “loans” section at the library which are “read with kindle” or “read in browser”.  The “read in browser” requires WiFi and the “read with Kindle” choice does not after I download.  To download I pick the “read with Kindle” which takes me to my Amazon account where I select the device I wish to read on......that selection means it downloads automatically on the one device I select but I can still read on other devices.....I always send to my Kindle reader because that is the hardest to download on.  

This leaves me with my iPad with the Kindle app.  I go to the section in the kindle app with the book covers and the new book cover should be there.  I think there may be a little x in the lower right corner signifying that it is available to download but not sure but I touch my cover and a horizontal line should appear that fills as the book downloads,  when it is downloaded a check mark ✅ will appear in the bottom right corner and you can read anytime without WiFi.

Good luck! 

 

So that is not the same as this? (See photo)

we can’t borrow ebooks at the library.

dd has a real kindle, and I have an I pad. And I use the family library function to seperate our books

My kobo app is linked to www.bol.com and frequently English ebooks are cheaper there... (it is a dutch eshop though)

but I hoped to continue ‘the Choir’ on the ferry, but now I started a lady darby mystery. She was on my kobo app and my kindle app failed again to popup my downloaded books ?

 

[mumto2]

Loesje,  

Hugs,  My screen is different.

If it’s any consolation I really love the Lady Darby mystery series.  Which one are you reading?

[Loesje22000]

1 hour ago, mumto2 said:

Loesje,  

Hugs,  My screen is different.

If it’s any consolation I really love the Lady Darby mystery series.  Which one are you reading?

 

It is the cloud thing, not the app - i think -.

I read the cheapest one ? , S     tudy in Death

[Kareni]

Currently free for Kindle readers ~

literary fiction:  The INN: Twists and Turns in a Desert Oasis  by Arye Dreyfus

fantasy:  The Saint's Rise (Ignifer Cycle Book 1)  by Michael John Grist 

 

small town romance:   BLINDED: A second chance love story (Elkridge Series Book 1)  by Lyz Kelley

 

LGBT:  Conduct Unbecoming  by L.A. Witt

 

Regards,
Kareni

[tuesdayschild]

On 6/11/2018 at 6:49 AM, mumto2 said:

my current audiobook is Woman in White.  It’s actually really good but also 25 hours long.

Your recommendation has now landed this on my TBR list. The length is rather daunting though ?

On 6/13/2018 at 2:00 AM, mumto2 said:

Yesterday was our 30th anniversary and Dh’s birthday so four of us celebrated with an afternoon at the beach and dinner out.

Sincere congratulations on your 30th wedding anniversary ♥ , and happy birthday to your DH !!  Your day together sounded lovely!!    (We celebrated our 30th anniversary in March with lovely sunset watching picnic.)  

On 6/12/2018 at 3:31 PM, Kareni said:

I liked this article which is several years old:  When You Give a Tree an Email Address  by Adrienne LaFrance

Thanks for sharing this Kareni, I really enjoyed re-reading!!

On 6/13/2018 at 6:37 AM, Mom-ninja. said:

Pretty soon we may be placing orders for quilts. I know I would pay you to make me a bookcase quilt.

Oh, yes!  The quilt last week was a lovely work of art.

On 6/11/2018 at 7:43 AM, Negin said:

a picture that we took when we visited the beautiful Trastevere neighborhood in Rome.

Sigh.  That is beautiful.  Rome is one of my wishlist places to visit.

[tuesdayschild]

I'm a little late getting to read the thread this week, and am still on the Rebel Bus ....

My current reads:

• A Matter of Justice: Ian Rutledge Bk 11 ~ Charles Todd,  narrated by Simon Prebble     Somerset
• All Roads Lead to Austen ~ Amy Smith    N/F   (this is actually a Latin American adventure with Austen’s books on board)  still trying to decide if I’ll keep reading or not, it’s interesting enough but not gripping – I’m in the mood for a gripping biography/memoir.

Completed (incs Brit Trip rebel bus):

• The Watersplash: Miss Silver Bk21 ~ Patricia Wentworth  (audio) (3.5) (Faux English Village) I can’t read too many of these in close succession as they are all rather similar in tone; missing wills, country homes, a pretty ‘longsuffering’ girl, and, a moody young man.  (Amy, you're right, they are hard to rate - I like your idea - so I've just been trying to compare each Wentworth book against the ones previously read.)    It took another Goodreads reviewer to remind me that Wentworth was born in 1877.  This book reflects much of the era she lived, and her own worldview at 77 years of age.      Extra: drunken, domestic violence is included in this story.
• The Wonderful Mr Willughby:  The First True Ornithologist  ~ Tim Birkhead  (ranks a 2, abandoned read)   N/F Biography    (Warwickshire/ Cambridge A book whinge……I ended up ditching this, at around chapter 5, as my initial interest in this book was gradually snuffed out by a run of pretty dry fact sharing.  I was hanging in there until the author turned, what I thought was going to be a biography about Willughby into a one-sided debate concerning natural selection.  I wanted to read an interesting biography, not this.
• Proof of Guilt: Ian Rutledge Bk15 ~ Charles Todd  (audio) (2.5)   Essex/ Norfolk/ Surrey/ London   I didn’t check before I started this book but others reviews on Goodreads showcase the ‘faults’ I also got to navigate through in this Ian Rutledge story; confusing collection of characters all starting with “B”, the anticipated location of one of bodies was referred to in passing, and, so many loose ends made for an unsatisfactory read.
• Evelina ~ Francis Burney  (pub. anon 1778) (4) Classic      Dorset/ London/ Bristol    (audio 16 & ½  hours)   http://tuesdaysviews.blogspot.com/2018/06/evelina-francis-burney.html

[marbel]

2 hours ago, tuesdayschild said:

<snip?

• The Wonderful Mr Willughby:  The First True Ornithologist  ~ Tim Birkhead  (ranks a 2, abandoned read)   N/F Biography    (Warwickshire/ Cambridge A book whinge……I ended up ditching this, at around chapter 5, as my initial interest in this book was gradually snuffed out by a run of pretty dry fact sharing.  I was hanging in there until the author turned, what I thought was going to be a biography about Willughby into a one-sided debate concerning natural selection.  I wanted to read an interesting biography, not this.

<snip>

I had started a book on eggs by this author, and ended up abandoning it.  It seemed really promising but got boring/annoying to me very quickly.  He has a lot of books that look interesting!