Book a Week 2021 - BW3: Daughters of Mnemosyne - Kalliope

[Robin M]

Happy Sunday, dear hearts. This week we begin our journey exploring stories and books influenced by the Nine Muses of Greek mythology, the Goddesses of the arts and sciences, who loved to sing and dance.  We'll delve into mythology, fictional retellings of the myths, the science of memory, climb up to the stars, dive into history, delight in comedy, indulge in music, dip your toes in poetry, the complexity of tragedies, and the beauty of ancient love poems. Analyze, question, and explore the symbols of each muse. There are a number of ways we can go with this challenge.  Learn more about the nine muses and follow your imagination. The possibilities are unlimited.  

We start with Kalliope (Calliope) who is the muse of epic hero poetry and eloquence. Her name means beautifully voiced and her symbols are a wax writing tablet and stylus. 

We turn from the antihero of last week to the hero who plays a huge role in epic poetry, characterized by his superhuman strength and valor.  From Homer's Iliad and Odyssey to Ezra Pound's Canto's there are a wide variety of epic poems to choose from. This year also happens to be the 700th anniversary of the death of Dante Alighieri and Italy is celebrating the Father of the Italian language 2021 and even Pope Francis hopes Dante's epic Divine Comedy inspires a whole new generation to engage with the poem.

The wax writing tablet was used for writing everything from lists to homework and Ancient Roman Tablets Reveal Voices of the Earliest Londoners.  

Read about The Lives of the Muses: Nine Women and the Artists They Inspired

Read a book which includes Calliope , other Greek Mythological Names, nine muses,  or muse in the title or a character in the story.  

Read about a character with a beautiful voice or is a musician. 

And just for fun  Write A Romance Novel And We'll Tell You Which Greek Muse You Are and share the results. 

Have fun following rabbit trails! 

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

 

Link to Week Two

 

Visit  52 Books in 52 Weeks where you can find all the information on the annual, mini and perpetual challenges, as well as share your book reviews with other readers around the globe.

[Robin M]

I’m currently sipping on multiple books and making some progress in my main A to Z read, The Dragons of Dorcastle by Jack Campbell, in which there are about 100 pages left in the book and they finally mentioned dragons but have yet to see them. 

Slowly rereading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and picking up on details never noticed before.  I had forgotten about the extent Mr. Dursley went to keep Harry from receiving his Hogwarts letter and Hagrid’s anger.  

In When Christ and his Saints Slept, I really dislike Maude’s husband, Geoffrey but she’s feisty enough not to let him run all over her. 

I started listening to Christopher Paolini’s To Sleep in a Sea of Stars and the narrator makes the story come alive and I can’t wait until my buying ban is over to buy the Hard back and read it. 

Nonfiction wise, In Light the Dark, Billy Collins talks about he fell in love with W.B. Yeats poem, the Lake Isle of Innisfree.

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,

And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;

Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,

And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

 

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,

Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;

There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,

And evening full of the linnet’s wings.

 

I will arise and go now, for always night and day

I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;

While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,

I hear it in the deep heart’s core.

 

I wasn’t familiar with Yeats’s poem and love the imagery.  What a great poem.

Collins talks about how there’s always one poem you should memorize that inspires and sooths and, in the process,

“going from deep familiarity to complete mastery – is a challenge and a deep pleasure. In repeating different lines, your reading becomes more focused than it’s ever been before. You become more sensitive to every consonant and vowel.”  

I have yet to find a poem I want to master, but I think I will set a goal of finding that one poem that speaks to me enough to do so.  And as Collins says

“Poetry becomes an oasis or sanctuary from the forces constantly drawing us into social and public life. Poetry exerts a different kind of pull on us.  It’s a pull toward meaning and subjectivity. It’s the sound of lake water lapping by the shore.”

Which is probably why I was blown away while listening to Paolini’s story. There is a poetry about his word choices, the descriptions, although aren’t poetic, are so vivid they draw you out of yourself and into the story. 

 I took the buzzfeed quiz and I am Terpsichore: The Muse of Dance
"When it comes to romance novels, you like them intricate and unexpected. Full of twists and turns as the lovers are blown about by the winds of fate, you look for passion and grace in every line and when the perfect plot twist occurs, you cannot help but gasp aloud."

Ha, right on.  Yes I do love books full of twists and and turns and unanticipated moments. 

[mumto2]

I did the write a romance quiz ........

You got: Melpomene: The Muse of Tragedy

When it comes to romance novels, you like high drama and deep emotion. Tortured heroes, tragic backstories, and lovers reaching for one another across the wild pain of an empty world are the things you crave. The more drama, the more heartbreak, the more satisfying the eventual happy ending will be.

I will admit I do like them interesting.......tempted to take it again using my second choices or at least choices that build upon each other!

[marbel]

Fun little quiz! 

You got: Polyhymnia: The Muse of Song

When it comes to romance novels, you like them sweet and pure. The simplicity of the traditional stories, the comfort of a happy ending, and the silly but swoon-worthy tropes are what you live for.

I actually am not much of a romance reader, but I'd say this does fit.

I missed last week altogether; I have found I must check in on Sunday! Last week I finished book 2 for the year: The Fabric of Civilization: How Textiles Made the World by Virginia Postrel. It was a short overview of the history of textiles; some parts seemed a little disorganized to me, and a little too technical in some areas (I got lost reading about looms and how they evolved) but interesting and a good nonfiction for the first of the year.  

And I've started War and Peace, for maybe the third time, and for real this time. I had been agonizing over which translation, and finally decided I wouldn't decide. I randomly chose one from the library; it is the Anthony Briggs translation, and am starting with that. When that is coming due, I will request a different translation and just go on from there. I figure I will get the story either way, and maybe I will determine which translation I like best (or maybe I will find it does not matter too much). I doubt I would read it a second time, but <shrug> I could love it so much that it could happen.

I'm also still dipping into The Hive by Bee Wilson and a silly little mystery, A Case of Blackmail in Belgravia by Clara Benson.

And re: the opening post... maybe after W&P I'll dip into Dante again. It's been a long time since I've read it in entirety. (I did read some or all of Inferno to my kids back in the homeschooling days - of course that one is the most fun!) But for now, back to today's reading...

Thanks as always for the great start to the week, @Robin M!

 

[Dicentra]

I finished an audiobook!  I've long struggled with audiobooks as my brain seems wired for print reading - my memory is almost exclusively visual (my brain "takes pictures" of the pages I read) and I have a very hard time remembering something if I only hear it as opposed to seeing it.  (Except for music.  I remember song lyrics and words to pieces I've sung.  Weird.)  I chose one of the Fairacre series that wasn't available for Kindle and bought it with a free Audible credit.  I figured that I know the characters and setting well from having read almost the entire series so it would be easier for my brain to settle in to the listening.  It worked! 🙂  At least - I enjoyed it. 😄  We'll see if my brain remembers the story as well as if I had read it. 😉

I took the quiz and got the same result as you, @Robin M but I don't often read romances so I'm not sure if my answers to all the questions made sense. 😄  It was fun - thanks for the link!

I remember reading that Yeats poem in an English class at some point and it does have beautiful imagery.  Solitude is very, very appealing to me and solitude in nature feeds my soul.  I love that I live where I can't see my neighbours. 🙂

For my next audiobook, I think I'll try Stephen Fry's Mythos:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45731786-mythos

I won't get the illustrations (which, I hear, are gorgeous) but I know the stories from school and Stephen Fry is highly entertaining. 🙂

Books read in 2021

2. Miss Clare Remembers (Fairacre #4) by Miss Read  *Fiction (audiobook)

1. Changes at Fairacre (Fairacre, #18) by Miss Read   *Fiction

[Ali in OR]

So far this year I have finished Pale Rider about the 1918 flu and The Vanishing Half, and I enjoyed them both. I am now reading The Girl in the Tower, the second book in The Bear and the Nightingale trilogy, and I have the 3rd book ready to go when I finish it.

[Kareni]

5 hours ago, Robin M said:

And just for fun  Write A Romance Novel And We'll Tell You Which Greek Muse You Are and share the results. 

My result was the same as @mumto2:

"You got: Melpomene: The Muse of Tragedy

When it comes to romance novels, you like high drama and deep emotion. Tortured heroes, tragic backstories, and lovers reaching for one another across the wild pain of an empty world are the things you crave. The more drama, the more heartbreak, the more satisfying the eventual happy ending will be."

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

2 hours ago, marbel said:

And I've started War and Peace, for maybe the third time, and for real this time. I had been agonizing over which translation, and finally decided I wouldn't decide. I randomly chose one from the library; it is the Anthony Briggs translation, and am starting with that. When that is coming due, I will request a different translation and just go on from there. I figure I will get the story either way, and maybe I will determine which translation I like best (or maybe I will find it does not matter too much). I doubt I would read it a second time, but <shrug> I could love it so much that it could happen.

Since you missed last week, you may not have seen this which I posted then ~

(Language warning) A Romance Reader’s Recap of War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

If you "bought" the four book set of free mysteries I posted yesterday (now decidedly not free), you might be interested in the fifth book in the series which is currently free:

Assignment in Amsterdamby Carrie Bedford

Regards,

Kareni

[marbel]

1 hour ago, Kareni said:

Since you missed last week, you may not have seen this which I posted then ~

(Language warning) A Romance Reader’s Recap of War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

Regards,

Kareni

Ah, that was so fun! Thanks for (re) posting!

[Mothersweets]

I took the quiz and got the same as @marbel 

You got: Polyhymnia: The Muse of Song

When it comes to romance novels, you like them sweet and pure. The simplicity of the traditional stories, the comfort of a happy ending, and the silly but swoon-worthy tropes are what you live for.

I do love a happy ending! Fun quiz!

I finished The Searcher by Tana French last week. I figured out who was the mastermind in the village fairly quickly but I still enjoyed the story. 

Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman has been highly recommend by my sister so I used my Audible credit and plan to start listening tomorrow.

 

 

[Arctic Bunny]

I also got: Melpomene: The Muse of Tragedy!

I am having problems today choosing a book that is also available to read. So, since I have to be up in six hours for work, I will continue with the ones I have, and continue my search tomorrow!

[Negin]

I read The Crown: The Official Companion, Volume 1: Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill, and the Making of a Young Queen (1947-1955) - 5 Stars - 

I’ve always loved the Queen. This book is a perfect go-along for the Netflix series, “The Crown”. It covers all of Season One, the years from 1947 until 1955. The photos and layout are a delight, although I was disappointed that most of the photos are black-and-white. Every chapter, which covers each episode is chock-full of in-depth information. I appreciated that the author separated fact from fiction, pointing out the parts where the producers used artistic license. I would recommend this for fans of the show and for anyone who loves the Royal Family. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series soon. I’ve already watched all four seasons, and this is another way to get more of my fill!

Here are some of my favorite quotes:

Queen Mary speaking to her granddaughter, the Queen:

“It is exactly right…” replies the elder woman, drawing on all the experience of her 43 years as Queen. “To do nothing is the hardest job of all, and it will take every ounce of energy that you have. To be impartial is not natural, not human. People will always want you to smile or agree or frown, and the moment you do, you will have declared a position, a point of view — and that is the one thing as Sovereign that you are not entitled to do. The less you do, the less you say, or agree, or smile…”

“Queen Mary taught her granddaughter the value of an upright posture; the helpfulness of high heels and fancy hats for a lady of limited stature; and the overarching importance of putting Crown before self. She also passed on a special Windsor trick for dealing with over-intimate remarks and presumptuous questions: to keep smiling levelly at the perpetrator as if you are hearing absolutely nothing – then move on smartly.”

--

“We're all dying. That's what defines the condition of living."

-Winston S. Churchill”

On Princess Margaret:

“In 1937, for example, while trying on their robes for their father’s coronation, the six-year-old Margaret was said to have thrown a fit when she discovered that the purple velvet train edged with ermine behind her ceremonial outfit was cut slightly shorter than that of her elder sister. It wasn’t fair, she complained, and she flung herself to the floor in a tantrum. Only when it was explained to her that the two sisters’ trains had been designed in direct proportion to their height – and that Lilibet was nearly four inches taller – was the Princess placated, and then only grudgingly so. ‘What a good thing,’ courtiers would murmur, ‘that Margaret is the younger one.’

In adult life, according to Lord Snowdon’s biographer Anne de Courcy, Margaret’s inferiority complex showed itself in her lack of consideration towards that staff that she shared with her mother in Clarence House. If there was a Christmas party ‘down the road’ at Buckingham Palace to which the staff at Clarence House were invited, the Queen Mother would arrange to dine out that evening, or eat something light so that her servants could get to the party – while Princess Margaret, to the contrary, would make a point of arranging a full-scale dinner party for that very night.”

[tuesdayschild]

I get distracted reading each new BaW thread (this year) and then run out of time to post.  Posting tonight, coming back to thread read  another day.

My reading ideas for this year:  Read 52 in 52 (12 physical books and 40 new-to-me audiobooks), and have a try at completing an A-Z challenge. 

I'll continue reading Christian based/ faith based books that will hopefully inspire, and, challenge me –it’s easy to read books/authors that I know I will agree with: it stretches me to read books where I know the authors beliefs and mine will vary.  Please just ignore the titles in  I’m reading that aren’t for you.   🙂   

I'm aiming to include a good mix of other non-fiction in my reading pile, chip away at a few more of the classic titles, have retro titles and vintage whodunits once again featuring in the mix; and, I’d really like to read from my TBR pile. 

New-to-me fiction audiobooks I've enjoyed so far this month:

04 - 08/01  Prophet: A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller: The Goliath Code Series, Bk2 ~ Suzanne Leonhard (audiobook)  (4/5)    While this is still a really interesting portion to the Goliath Code story I actually enjoyed the first book in the series much more and was a bit disappointed that the viewpoint switched to a male character, Micah from the first book .   The abrupt ending is the kind I intensely dislike in a book, regardless of whether it’s part of a series or not.   Despite those two factors, for others that appreciate a biblically based take on a post-apocalyptic story this one is worth listening to.  (Just make sure you’ve heard the first book in the series first).

Extra for others that like to know in advance too: domestic abuse (!), violence & bullying, discusses adults/ a child that had been harvested for ‘protein’, cursing and the occasional swear word (no f-bombs).  Some churched followings feature (a prosperity doctrine scammer, spotlights faith based v works based beliefs).

06 - 12/01   The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories ~ Susanna Clarke (audiobook)  (4/5)  I saw @Mothersweets or @mumto2  (?) review this a while back and was keen to pull it out of my TBR pile.    While I'll probably never go back and relisten to this collection of short stories I did enjoy getting to revisit characters Susanna Clarke wrote about at length in Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell.  I know if I hadn't read J.S & Mr. N first I wouldn't have liked this book as much as I did.

 ETA:  Has anyone read Piranesi by Susanna Clarke?   

 

Edited January 18, 2021 by tuesdayschild
added a question

[Mothersweets]

@tuesdayschild I borrowed Piranesi from the library... and then it sat on my bookshelf until it was due back.  🙂

[mumto2]

@tuesdayschildI read the first 30 pages of Piranesi and decided to return it.  I just couldn’t keep track of what was happening.

[Lori D.]

Coincidence! Robin's focus this week on Calliope, the muse of epic hero poetry, fits right in with TWO books I read this past week, both by Madeline Miller: The Song of Achilles, and, Circe, and both involve re-imaginings of Ancient Greek epic hero poetry! The first is a re-telling of the events of the Ancient Greek epic the Illiad from the first-person point of Patroclus, close companion/lover of Achilles, while the second is a first-person weaving together of many of the myths about Circe, and includes her encounter with Odysseus from the Ancient Greek epic, the Odyssey. 

First, may I say that the images of the covers at Amazon do NOT do the real book covers justice! For both covers, the main image is actually slightly raised, AND is printed with a metallic ink. The image of Achilles' helmet is done in bronze, and not only is slightly raised, but also has a hammered texture, while the face of Circe on the cover of her book is raised, but smooth and in the orange-copper color on black that mimics the Ancient Greek vases. Both are SOOOOO gorgeous! 💕 A reason to hold the real-deal in your hands rather than use an e-reader for either of these books... 😉

Both are beautifully written with imaginative, creative descriptive language -- very poetic prose. It is that same poetry of word choice that @Robin M mentions above, about the Paollini book she is reading, and that she quoted Billy Collins on his thoughts about the Yeats poem.

The first-person narrators of each are strong and believable, and she creates complex characters and a world where the Greek gods feel both very real and alien -- as they should. 😄 Both books were like getting to savor a gourmet meal of many rich and original dishes. The very last paragraph of Circe is absolutely perfect and so satisfying.

In a short personal essay at the end of The Song of Achilles, Miller writes the following:

"Around 29 BCE the Roman poet Vergil began his answer to the Iliad and the Odyssey—the Aeneid. As pieces of the new work become public, he was accused not of alluding to Homer, but of plagiarizing him. He answered, 'Int is as easy to steal the club from Hercules as a line from Homer.' ... From the time I [Madeline Miller] was a small child, I have been deeply moved by Homer's exquisite attention to the human condition, the beauty and power of his tragic characters. .. I wanted to understand further: their past before the Iliad begins, and their future, beyond it... And this is Homer's final gift to us, of so many: his expansive, magnanimous ability to inspire... No, you can't steal Hercules' club, but it turns out the generous man is always willing to let you borrow it. Hold the same might wood that fit so well in Vergil's hand. Give it a swing or two. Then give it back and make your own."

She has done exactly that in these two books: honored the original epics and myths, and added depth and made them her own, while using language and imagery that seamless blends her books in with the ancient originals.

 

Note: 
The Song of Achilles contains several explicit s*x scenes, between the two male main characters, and another between a man and a woman. Also: done in a very similar way as to The Illiad, the book also contains explicit descriptions of the battle violence and the fatal wounds. In Circe, there is a r*pe scene. Not graphic, and not very long, but it may be a trigger for some.

 

 

Edited January 18, 2021 by Lori D.

[Lori D.]

 I was giving random answers to the quiz, and I accidentally got this week's Muse!

You got: Calliope: The Muse of Epic Poetry

When it comes to romance novels, you like drama and intensity. Mad schemes, dark secrets, plot twists, and moments of high emotion are your personal taste.

[Miss Tick]

33 minutes ago, Lori D. said:

The first is a re-telling of the events of the Ancient Greek epic the Illiad from the first-person point of Patroclus, close companion/lover of Achilles, while the second is a first-person weaving together of many of the myths about Circe, and includes her encounter with Odysseus from the Ancient Greek epic, the Odyssey. 

I read those in the last two years and also enjoyed them. We were studying ancients that year and these retellings made the originals and the surrounding history easier for me to internalize.

I'm currently reading the Wolf Hall trilogy and although there is a lot to read, the characters feel similarly realistic and relatable.

Do you ever read historical fiction and find yourself rooting for a different outcome? Like maybe this time Achilles will decide not to lend Patroclus his armor.....but, no.

[Lori D.]

Just now, SusanC said:

I read those in the last two years and also enjoyed them. We were studying ancients that year and these retellings made the originals and the surrounding history easier for me to internalize.

I'm currently reading the Wolf Hall trilogy and although there is a lot to read, the characters feel similarly realistic and relatable.

Do you ever read historical fiction and find yourself rooting for a different outcome? Like maybe this time Achilles will decide not to lend Patroclus his armor.....but, no.

lol. Yes! It was hard reading the end of The Sunne in Splendor (Sharon Penman) because King Richard III had been portrayed sympathetically, and I hated to see him die in battle and hated by the opposition when he had been trying to hold things together for the nation. Plus, I already felt like he had been given a bad revisionist re-make by his successors, after reading Josephine Tey's fantastic book, The Daughter of Time, in which she restores his character, and clears him of the crime of murdering his young nephews.

I thought I was going to feel that way about the end of The Song of Achilles, but Miller did such a beautiful twist at the end, that I really liked it. It made the prophecy of the tragic end for the epic hero of Achilles have more meaning somehow.

[Kareni]

3 hours ago, Mothersweets said:

@tuesdayschild I borrowed Piranesi from the library... and then it sat on my bookshelf until it was due back.  🙂

Same here!

I do intend to try again.

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

13 hours ago, AnneGG said:

There was a push notification on my kindle app to sign up for a reading challenge.  They have different “quests” to follow and earn book credits. There is a daily reading quest for January to unlock $5. 

Bringing this over from last week's thread.

Thank you, AnneGG. I did some investigating; evidently the program is by invitation only. You should feel honored!

Regards,

Kareni

[Carol in Cal.]

It’s funny, I read so much but I have not been finishing books this year.  I keep dipping briefly into ones I have already read, not entirely rereading them, and then moving on.  

However, I realized that this week, sort of inadvertently, I finished one that I have been going through slowly for quite a long time.  “God of All Comfort” by Donna Pyle.  This book is in a genre that I often find very annoying—women’s Bible studies.  Many of them tend to assume a middle class housewife lifestyle, or are very fluffy.  I do not want to spend my Bible study time on a book that analogizes truths with chocolate treats, or that requires harrowing personal disclosures to other study members.  I want to learn about God, for me and for us.  I want meat.  Anyway, this book is by someone who tilts into the meaty Bible study direction within that genre, and I enjoyed but did not love it.  It got kind of unfocused during the last few chapters, I thought, but the first 2/3 of the book was pretty good.  Anyway, I finished it, although I did not ‘copy out’ the Bible verses as instructed (I find that kind of instruction fairly annoying.  Have always hated busy work, and am quite capable of copying something and not absorbing it at all so it’s not a useful enterprise for me.). I guess I am damning this book with faint praise.  I liked it fine but did not love it.

The books I actually love in that genre are both by Elizabeth Ahlman.  One is about Ruth, and the other is about the Proverbs 31 woman.  They are both extremely meaty, well-researched and documented, and go in directions and to lengths that I found stretched and challenged me.  But alas, I did not finish them this year, LOL.  

[Dicentra]

3 hours ago, Lori D. said:

Coincidence! Robin's focus this week on Calliope, the muse of epic hero poetry, fits right in with TWO books I read this past week, both by Madeline Miller: The Song of Achilles, and, Circe, and both involve re-imaginings of Ancient Greek epic hero poetry! The first is a re-telling of the events of the Ancient Greek epic the Illiad from the first-person point of Patroclus, close companion/lover of Achilles, while the second is a first-person weaving together of many of the myths about Circe, and includes her encounter with Odysseus from the Ancient Greek epic, the Odyssey. 

First, may I say that the images of the covers at Amazon do NOT do the real book covers justice! For both covers, the main image is actually slightly raised, AND is printed with a metallic ink. The image of Achilles' helmet is done in bronze, and not only is slightly raised, but also has a hammered texture, while the face of Circe on the cover of her book is raised, but smooth and in the orange-copper color on black that mimics the Ancient Greek vases. Both are SOOOOO gorgeous! 💕 A reason to hold the real-deal in your hands rather than use an e-reader for either of these books... 😉

Both are beautifully written with imaginative, creative descriptive language -- very poetic prose. It is that same poetry of word choice that @Robin M mentions above, about the Paollini book she is reading, and that she quoted Billy Collins on his thoughts about the Yeats poem.

The first-person narrators of each are strong and believable, and she creates complex characters and a world where the Greek gods feel both very real and alien -- as they should. 😄 Both books were like getting to savor a gourmet meal of many rich and original dishes. The very last paragraph of Circe is absolutely perfect and so satisfying.

In a short personal essay at the end of The Song of Achilles, Miller writes the following:

"Around 29 BCE the Roman poet Vergil began his answer to the Iliad and the Odyssey—the Aeneid. As pieces of the new work become public, he was accused not of alluding to Homer, but of plagiarizing him. He answered, 'Int is as easy to steal the club from Hercules as a line from Homer.' ... From the time I [Madeline Miller] was a small child, I have been deeply moved by Homer's exquisite attention to the human condition, the beauty and power of his tragic characters. .. I wanted to understand further: their past before the Iliad begins, and their future, beyond it... And this is Homer's final gift to us, of so many: his expansive, magnanimous ability to inspire... No, you can't steal Hercules' club, but it turns out the generous man is always willing to let you borrow it. Hold the same might wood that fit so well in Vergil's hand. Give it a swing or two. Then give it back and make your own."

She has done exactly that in these two books: honored the original epics and myths, and added depth and made them her own, while using language and imagery that seamless blends her books in with the ancient originals.

 

Note: 
The Song of Achilles contains several explicit s*x scenes, between the two male main characters, and another between a man and a woman. Also: done in a very similar way as to The Illiad, the book also contains explicit descriptions of the battle violence and the fatal wounds. In Circe, there is a r*pe scene. Not graphic, and not very long, but it may be a trigger for some.

 

 

I have both of these in "real" format and you're absolutely right, Lori - they're gorgeous!  They are on my TBR pile so I have the pleasure of digging into them in future!

3 hours ago, SusanC said:

Do you ever read historical fiction and find yourself rooting for a different outcome? Like maybe this time Achilles will decide not to lend Patroclus his armor.....but, no.

Yes.  All the time. 😄  Maybe this time, Henry will have a moment of non-megalomanic clarity and let Thomas Cromwell live...

[Miss Tick]

34 minutes ago, Dicentra said:

Yes.  All the time. 😄  Maybe this time, Henry will have a moment of non-megalomanic clarity and let Thomas Cromwell live...

😂😂😂 Ahhh! Spoiler alert! It is the curse of recently (re-)studying history. Next up on my possible read-aloud list, after we finish Jane Eyre, is The Jane Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. I expect that will explore some alternate endings? I'm trying to preskim, though, anyone know if it has adult content that will be surprising and embarrassing and awkward?

[Dicentra]

4 minutes ago, SusanC said:

😂😂😂 Ahhh! Spoiler alert! It is the curse of recently (re-)studying history. Next up on my possible read-aloud list, after we finish Jane Eyre, is The Jane Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. I expect that will explore some alternate endings? I'm trying to preskim, though, anyone know if it has adult content that will be surprising and embarrassing and awkward?

Ack!  Maybe I should "white out" my statement - I'm sorry if I spoiled it for anyone! 😉 🙂

[Miss Tick]

Just now, Dicentra said:

Ack!  Maybe I should "white out" my statement - I'm sorry if I spoiled it for anyone! 😉 🙂

No, no, I'm likely the only person who hasn't finished the trilogy AND was surprised to learn in the first chapter that we were talking about *Thomas* Cromwell, not Oliver Cromwell. I'm pretty sure dh went out into the garage so as to avoid hurting my feelings as he laughed and laughed. Plus, it is a historical event! That would be like asking you please to not tell me what happens at the end of "Abraham Lincoln: a life" by Thomas Kenneally. I'm just feeling a bit out of the loop today. I keep waiting for the mail and then remembering it is a postal holiday (here in the US), and then waiting for the mail.... See, even when I should know how it will end it doesn't stop me from believing.

[Lori D.]

31 minutes ago, SusanC said:

😂😂😂 Ahhh! Spoiler alert! It is the curse of recently (re-)studying history. Next up on my possible read-aloud list, after we finish Jane Eyre, is The Jane Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. I expect that will explore some alternate endings? I'm trying to preskim, though, anyone know if it has adult content that will be surprising and embarrassing and awkward?

I don't remember any adult content -- if there is, it's more  of the "in passing" kind of comment like in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy... 😉

 

Speaking of Jane Eyre: I just rewatched the 2011 film version -- every.single.shot so beautifully composed; the color palette; the visual symbolism of her dress; the incredible setting of manor and moor; dialogue straight out of the book; strong acting... Such a knock-out gorgeous visual version!

[marbel]

1 hour ago, Lori D. said:

I don't remember any adult content -- if there is, it's more  of the "in passing" kind of comment like in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy... 😉

 

Speaking of Jane Eyre: I just rewatched the 2011 film version -- every.single.shot so beautifully composed; the color palette; the visual symbolism of her dress; the incredible setting of manor and moor; dialogue straight out of the book; strong acting... Such a knock-out gorgeous visual version!

Oh, this reminded me that my daughter and I were talking about watching a version of Jane Eyre - this was some months ago! - and I clicked your link and wow, this looks wonderful! 

[Kareni]

I've recently finished two works.

I enjoyed Michelle Diener's Class 5 story "Dark Ambitions" which is in a 1499 page anthology, Pets in Space 5.

"Are you ready? Pets in Space® 5 is back for the fifth amazing year! Twelve of today’s top Science Fiction Romance authors have written 12 original, never-before-released stories filled with action, adventure, suspense, humor, and romance that will take you out of this world. The giving doesn’t stop there. For the fifth year, Pets in Space® will be donating a portion of the first month proceeds to Hero-Dogs.org, a non-profit charity that supports our veterans and First Responders. Pets in Space® has donated over $15,000 in the past four years." 

**

I very much enjoyed a recently published collection of works in one of my favorite series: Kensho (Claimings) by Lyn Gala.

"Liam and Ondry have a stable relationship. However, the universe continues to move on even when their unconventional romance has settled into a comfortable partnership. Humans and Rownt struggle to find a place of mutual respect and understanding. Assumptions on each side make that difficult. Even the one human who understands the Rownt best--Liam Munson--is endlessly surprised by the corners of Rownt history he can access now that he is tuk-ranked.

From egglings to the Rownt path into space to Rownt opinions on the concept of Kensho, there are more stories to tell, in and out of the nest Liam and Ondry have built together."

Regards,

Kareni

[mumto2]

@SusanC regarding the Eyre Affair .......no s#x scene type things of an adult nature but there are so many times the f bomb is dropped......that said the book is hilarious and I let 13 yo dd read it because I knew she would love it.  She actually was allowed to give a copy to her bestie back then after I had it preapproved with her mom so the girls could enjoy it together.  We are so not the f bomb type of people and it normally makes books get rejected.

[Arctic Bunny]

I looked through one of the lists in the OP, and eventually just went for the first book that was available to me through a library resource!

The Riddle of the Labyrinth  by Margalit Fox. “ In the tradition of Simon Winchester and Dava Sobel, The Riddle of the Labyrinth: The Quest to Crack an Ancient Code tells one of the most intriguing stories in the history of language, masterfully blending history, linguistics, and cryptology with an elegantly wrought narrative. When famed archaeologist Arthur Evans unearthed the ruins of a sophisticated Bronze Age civilization that flowered on Crete 1,000 years before Greece's Classical Age, he discovered a cache of ancient tablets, Europe's earliest written records. For half a century, the meaning of the inscriptions, and even the language in which they were written, would remain a mystery. Award-winning New York Times journalist Margalit Fox's riveting real-life intellectual detective story travels from the Bronze Age Aegean--the era of Odysseus, Agamemnon, and Helen--to the turn of the 20th century and the work of charismatic English archeologist Arthur Evans, to the colorful personal stories of the decipherers. These include Michael Ventris, the brilliant amateur who deciphered the script but met with a sudden, mysterious death that may have been a direct consequence of the decipherment; and Alice Kober, the unsung heroine of the story whose painstaking work allowed Ventris to crack the code.“

Right up my alley, even though I could only get it as an audiobook, so I keep missing bits when I fall asleep!

[Kareni]

Some bookish posts ~

Pioneering sci-fi author Ursula K. Le Guin gets her own US postage stamp

A post from 2012: Something Else Like… Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga

https://www.tor.com/2012/11/04/something-else-like-lois-mcmaster-bujolds-vorkosigan-saga/

Who needs happy endings? by Anne Gracie

https://wordwenches.typepad.com/word_wenches/2021/01/happy-endings.html#comment-6a00d8341c84c753ef026bdeb56fb7200c

Regards,

Kareni

[Excelsior! Academy]

I finished the book of Numbers in the Bible.  I'm doing it as part of an Old Testament challenge.  It's not particularly lengthy, but can be a challenge to read so I'm counting it toward my total.  🙂

[Kareni]

Some FREE books for Kindle readers ~

Hot Under the Collar (The Dogmothers Book 1) Roxanne St. Claire

The Dream: A Funny and Feel Good small Town Romantic Comedy (The Creek Water Series Book 4) by Whitney Dineen

The Return (Second Chance Flower Shop Book 1) by Noelle Adams

LGBT: Love Him Breathless (On The Market Book 2) by E.M. Lindsey

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

I just finished The Address: A Novel by Fiona Davis which I read for my local book group which will be meeting on Zoom on Thursday. I mostly enjoyed it (there were times of dread); however, there were a number of elements that strained credulity. I look forward to the discussion.

"From the New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue comes the compelling national bestselling novel about the thin lines between love and loss, success and ruin, passion and madness, all hidden behind the walls of The Dakota—New York City’s most famous residence.

When a chance encounter with Theodore Camden, one of the architects of the grand New York apartment house the Dakota, leads to a job offer for Sara Smythe, her world is suddenly awash in possibility—no mean feat for a servant in 1884. The opportunity to move to America. The opportunity to be the female manager of the Dakota. And the opportunity to see more of Theo, who understands Sara like no one else...and is living in the Dakota with his wife and three young children.

One hundred years later, Bailey Camden is desperate for new opportunities: Fresh out of rehab, the former interior designer is homeless, jobless, and penniless. Bailey's grandfather was the ward of famed architect Theodore Camden, yet Bailey won't see a dime of the Camden family's substantial estate; instead, her “cousin” Melinda—Camden's biological great-granddaughter—will inherit almost everything. So when Melinda offers to let Bailey oversee the renovation of her lavish Dakota apartment, Bailey jumps at the chance, despite her dislike of Melinda's vision. The renovation will take away all the character of the apartment Theodore Camden himself lived in...and died in, after suffering multiple stab wounds by a former Dakota employee who had previously spent seven months in an insane asylum—a madwoman named Sara Smythe.

A century apart, Sara and Bailey are both tempted by and struggle against the golden excess of their respective ages--for Sara, the opulence of a world ruled by the Astors and Vanderbilts; for Bailey, the nightlife's free-flowing drinks and cocaine—and take refuge in the Upper West Side's gilded fortress. But a building with a history as rich, and often as tragic, as the Dakota's can't hold its secrets forever, and what Bailey discovers inside could turn everything she thought she knew about Theodore Camden—and the woman who killed him—on its head."

Regards,

Kareni

[Dicentra]

33 minutes ago, Kareni said:

I just finished The Address: A Novel by Fiona Davis which I read for my local book group which will be meeting on Zoom on Thursday. I mostly enjoyed it (there were times of dread); however, there were a number of elements that strained credulity. I look forward to the discussion.

 

I have this on my Kindle but haven't started it yet.  You've reminded me it's there - thank you! 🙂

[bookbard]

I know Elena Ferrente has been mentioned quite a bit, but I just picked up My Brilliant Friend yesterday and - wow. I could not put it down. It was incredible. The writing captures you from the first paragraph and the story carries you along. I suggest you don't bother reading a summary, because it makes it sound boring. I am sourcing the rest in the series but honestly, one of the best books I've read. 

[Laurel-in-CA]

I got 3 months of Kindle Unlimited with my replacement Kindle, so I am spoiled for choice, yet still trying to get my library stuff done. This week I read two of a series by Michael Mammay that were fun: Planetside and Spaceside (the 2nd one was more of a novella). Will have to wait for the third, which is Colonyside. They are detective novels dressed in military space opera uniform, although the detective is more of a plodder and "disturb things and see what comes up" than a brilliant deducer. Kind of fun.

Polyhymnia was my romance style muse...yes, I do prefer not to feel obliged to skip half the novel to avoid the steamier scenes...and I don't do horror...so I guess it was pretty accurate considering it was "just for fun." The Muse of History appears in Jodi Taylor's time travel histories, and boy, do you not want to mess with History!

DH is still in training in VA but was able to hook up with some old friends who retired to VA and do some bowling, which made him happy. Bowling is shutdown here and has been for months. Anyway, he flies home the end of this week and I think he will sleep downstairs for the first week just in case. I will be very happy to have him home.

I have ordered a book called Fierce Conversations that was recommended to me recently as a good pattern for healthy and productive confrontations. How prescient, it turns out, as youngest dd's two besties are dumping her rather dramatically, full of recriminations. I hope this emotional crisis can be turned into a learning opportunity -- let's not do it like THAT!!

[Kareni]

32 minutes ago, Laurel-in-CA said:

This week I read two of a series by Michael Mammay that were fun: Planetside and Spaceside (the 2nd one was more of a novella). Will have to wait for the third, which is Colonyside. They are detective novels dressed in military space opera uniform, although the detective is more of a plodder and "disturb things and see what comes up" than a brilliant deducer. Kind of fun.

I read Planetside in November of 2019 after seeing it recommended by SK Dunstall (author of Linesman). I enjoyed it and bought Spaceside on a trip (remember those?); it now languishes on my shelf. I saw Colonyside in the grocery store the other day; evidently it came out in December.

1 hour ago, Laurel-in-CA said:

DH is still in training in VA but was able to hook up with some old friends who retired to VA and do some bowling, which made him happy. Bowling is shutdown here and has been for months. Anyway, he flies home the end of this week and I think he will sleep downstairs for the first week just in case. I will be very happy to have him home.

Enjoy your husband's return! I hope the training has gone well.

1 hour ago, Laurel-in-CA said:

I have ordered a book called Fierce Conversations that was recommended to me recently as a good pattern for healthy and productive confrontations. How prescient, it turns out, as youngest dd's two besties are dumping her rather dramatically, full of recriminations. I hope this emotional crisis can be turned into a learning opportunity -- let's not do it like THAT!!

My sympathies for your daughter, Laurel. I'll look forward to learning what you think of the book.

Regards,

Kareni

[Robin M]

Am being industrious today. Did four loads of laundry. Cleaned out bookshelves in my bedroom, packed up two boxes of books from the shelves I know I probably won't read again, plus I finally got rid of two long plastic storage totes filled with books that have been taking up floor space all so I could replace with two boxes of Nora Roberts books. Oh, and alphabetized them as well. LOL! At least the shelves and my room looks neater. Defrosting hamburgers for dinner.

I finished Dragons in Dorcastle and don't think I'll be reading the rest of the series. The dragon finally showed up in the last chapter, but it was an evil dragon so didn't last long and I didn't particularly like the characters. Good premises but oh well. 

[Junie]

I decided to abandon the abridged version of The Count of Monte Cristo.  Not only is it very short (in comparison, lol), but the writing is poor.  It feels like it was written for an eighth grader.

I'm not sure yet if I'm going to get another edition for the challenge beginning in a few weeks, or if I'll just plow through some of the books I already own.

Edited January 20, 2021 by Junie

[Junie]

1 hour ago, Seasider too said:

It probably *was* written for an 8th grader. 😁

Well, I have a fairly decent collection of the Barnes and Noble Classics.  This is the first one that I haven't been really pleased with.  I do wonder why they chose this translation.

Edited January 20, 2021 by Junie

[Kareni]

After finishing my book group book, I returned to the series I was reading. I just finished Caszandra (Touchstone Book 3) by Andrea K Höst  which I enjoyed. 

Because this series is written in diary form with short entries, it's dangerously easy to keep "one more chaptering" until it's nearly midnight and one still needs to take a shower. Ask me how I know!

Regards,

Kareni

[Robin M]

Web wonderings today: 

Find out more about our new president and vice president - Books written by VP Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden

I fell in like with the poet Amanda Garman today and enjoyed her inauguration poem

10 Books about Iconic Women

Paula Hawkins on Patricia Highsmith's Strangers on a Train 70 Years later

Here’s a list of everything Haruki Murakami has ever compared to writing.

Nicholas Barber pays tribute to the blissfully escapist comic novels of PG Wodehouse.

15 propulsive literary mysteries that balance plot and prose

 

😘

[Carol in Cal.]

I finished another book, one that I had been looking at off and on for quite a while.

It is "Reconciling All Things" by Emmanuel Katongole and Chris Rice.  

For the longest time, my favorite Christian book about race has been "Grace Matters", a deeply personal story of a well-intentioned white man dipping his foot (a bit condescendingly, which he repents of, but with good intentions) into the waters of racial justice and community renewal in the Deep South, and ending up gaining as much or more than he gave, staying for a very long time, spiritually growing remarkably, and changing his life forever.  I have also read a jointly written book by the same author and his best friend, an African American leader named Spencer Perkins, eldest son of famous preacher, author, and activist John Perkins.  Those are books I return to again and again.

This one was fine, but more ... detached somehow.  I felt that it did not have the strength of the other two, and was far more formal.  It was strongest toward the end, where it talked about the need to ground Christian reconciling work in the refreshment of seeking and knowing and following Christ.  One thing mentioned in that part that I had not known was how often, for instance, Mother Theresa went on spiritual retreats and sought spiritual counsel and prayed at length--something that was not obvious until her journals became a bit public after her death.  I thought that that was an excellent point, and well made in the book.  Other than that, it did not break much new ground, and I felt almost like the author was milking his story a bit and had gone too far with that.  Still, it is the first of a set of three, and perhaps is more formal because it is for a more academic setting and also introductory and laying the groundwork for the other two, which are by different authors.  I have not decided whether to read those yet.  This one has really been a slog.

 

Edited January 21, 2021 by Carol in Cal.

[Kareni]

I continued on with the Touchstone series and read Gratuitous Epilogue (Touchstone Book 4) by Andrea K Höst.

While the first three books covered one year in near daily diary entries, this book spanned one year in monthly diary entries. I enjoyed it and plan to read on.

Regards,

Kareni

[mumto2]

I think I am on a classic mystery kick! Last night I finished Raymond Chandler’s The Big Sleep on audio and really enjoyed it. It felt more dated to me than the Nero Wolfe’s but was still a great story, it was sort of like watching a black and white classic movie.😂.   https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16028047-the-big-sleep. 

I had a hold on The Big Sleep for my Bookchain challenge as it can be paired with Paolini’s To Sleep in a Sea of Stars. I am still working out which Raymond Chandler I want to read next for Bookchain connectivity ......I need a word in the title that will take me to another book I am curious about. I might skip ahead to The Lady in the Lake.

I also finished Winterkill this morning which I have been reading slowly in my browser (which I dislike) for a couple of weeks. It’s the last Ari Thor in Ragnar Jonasson’s Dark Iceland series and I am a bit sad to be done. This is my favorite series in the literary world of Nordic Noir and I have tried quite a few authors.   https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54465690-winterkill  

 

Edited January 21, 2021 by mumto2

[Kareni]

Last night I finished the fifth book in the Touchstone series. Unlike the first four books which were written in diary format, this book was written in the third person and focused on a new character. It could stand alone; however, I think it is best read after the other books.  I enjoyed it.

In Arcadia (Touchstone Book 5) by Andrea K Höst

Recall that the first book in the series is FREE for Kindle readers, Stray (Touchstone Book 1).

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Regarding The Address: A Novel by Fiona Davis

On 1/19/2021 at 1:47 PM, Seasider too said:

This sounds pretty good, actually! Let us know how your book discussion went! 

We had a good discussion.

There are ten of us in the group. One person didn't read the book so chose not to attend, one who liked the book had to work, and one who loved the book forgot (oops!) Of the seven of us who attended: one loved the book, one (the fiction writer amongst us) felt the idea was good but that the writing 'did not soar,' all of us had finished the book (which is positive and doesn't always happen), and we almost uniformly enjoyed the 1880s part of the book more than the 1980s portions. The 1880s sections seemed very well researched. My strained credulity comment above was repeated several times during the evening. All told, it was a good meeting.

Regards,

Kareni