This is a nonfiction book, but the story reads like a fictional action adventure; you can't believe some of the things that happened, and some of themThis is a nonfiction book, but the story reads like a fictional action adventure; you can't believe some of the things that happened, and some of them are laugh-out-loud crazy. It's the story of younger sons of the 19th century British aristocracy - young men that have too much money and not enough to do. At that time in history, the most exciting place they know of is the Wild West of America, and they chase out there in search of adventure. The antics they get up to, and the way they burn through their money, is hilarous. They have no understanding of or respect for local cultures; they just think that flashing the cash will solve all their problems. But out in the wilderness, their wealth and status are absolutely useless. I loved the book so much, I used it as the basis for my novella 'Prairie Gold'. I highly recommend this book - you'll wish the West was still wild, and you could join in the adventure!...more
I loved these short vignettes, many deeply moving, describing the absolute power of Romanov Tsars, who themselves were flawed. We see Peter the Great I loved these short vignettes, many deeply moving, describing the absolute power of Romanov Tsars, who themselves were flawed. We see Peter the Great and how his traumatic childhood influenced his harsh rule, as well as Catherine the Great and how she pushed her way into power with Potemkin's help. Yet they were also people, and Anolic brings out their humanity. You feel Peter the Great's passion in his love for his horse "an Arabian whose dull grayish-brown coat hid a fiery interior and a bravery that Peter fancied matched his own."
There are equally enthralling pictures of life for the oppressed serfs, one of whom was sold into slavery along with his sister: "He gripped Anna’s hand for as long as he could. Then they were both shoved forward, into the hot stare of the adults around them. Vladimir was sure he was going to melt from the attention."
There are also stories of various attempts to wrest power from the Romanovs by revolutionaries, and stories of people trying to escape the tyranny of the empire.
The story moves through the centuries and we catch glimpses of modernisation and a foreshadowing of the end to serfdom, at the same moment when the Romanovs are celebrating 300 years of rule. There is a juxtaposition of constancy and permanence with the fragility of life and power.
I highly recommend this book for its sweeping overview of the rule of the Romanov family in Russia, told in entertaining snapshots....more
Hartley’s Christmas collection is full of holiday cheer and family get-togethers, as well as mouth-watering descriptions of festive food. Each short sHartley’s Christmas collection is full of holiday cheer and family get-togethers, as well as mouth-watering descriptions of festive food. Each short story is perfect for a coffee break. The characters are so relatable with their mishaps and misunderstandings, from Melina’s hairdressing debacle to Maria’s ruined Christmas feast. But each tale ends happily, as the protagonists are reminded of what is really important during the holiday season: family and friends. And maybe it’s a good reminder for us all....more
Evocative description of the true story of Mary Ingles, a homesteader in 1755 Virginia who escaped from captivity by Shawnees and trekked close to 1,0Evocative description of the true story of Mary Ingles, a homesteader in 1755 Virginia who escaped from captivity by Shawnees and trekked close to 1,000 miles across the wilderness to get home. I enjoyed every page. Sometimes I raced too quickly through the wonderful prose as I was desperate to see what happened next. Sometimes I reread a paragraph several times, soaking up the descriptions of Mary's experiences and emotions. Like this: "She was more intimate with this jagged square yard of earth and stone within reach of her tortured senses than she had ever been with Will; this climbing was a process as immediate and personal and critical as giving birth. It was like giving birth: if she could survive it there would be life beyond this cliff; if she could not, there would be nothing." A few reviews talk about the repetitiveness of the descriptions of Mary's trek. I thought that was a positive point, as it gave the sense of her ordeal: 43 days of unrelenting hardship and suffering, many days the same or worse than the day before. The author clearly did his research, and I felt immersed in the wilderness, almost equipped to survive in it myself (but only for a few days, please)! His descriptions of Mary's symptoms of starvation made me shudder. The story has a happy ending, which is no spoiler as we are shown the map of Mary's trek at the beginning of the book, but there is a bittersweet edge. It is amazing how tough the early pioneers were, and this book gives me new appreciation for their tenacity. But the author also gives a balanced picture of native American culture, pointing out how European encroachment was upsetting their way of life. As an interesting side note, the author describes how the French engagement with Indians was not as disruptive: they were trading, hunting and trapping rather than settling the land and farming, which led to them joining together to fight the British in the years before the Revolution. I highly recommend this book, but gird your loins for a tumultuous journey!...more
I really enjoyed this page-turner. It was written in the present tense, which took some getting used to, but made the action more intense.
Katalin's faI really enjoyed this page-turner. It was written in the present tense, which took some getting used to, but made the action more intense.
Katalin's father is arrested in Budapest by the Secret Police although he hasn't done anything wrong. His time in prison shapes the family's outlook against the regime as students start agitating for reform.
We know from history that the uprising in 1956 against Soviet control of Hungary was squashed, but Morris makes the atrocity more personal by showing us the wide variety of motivations of the dissidents, and the different outcomes for better or worse.
Katalin and those she loves are caught up in the horrors, but do they escape in the end? You'll have to read the book to find out! ...more
I read Tracey Chevalier's 'At the Edge of the Orchard' a few years ago, and enjoyed it, so I thought I'd try another one by this author. It was a diffI read Tracey Chevalier's 'At the Edge of the Orchard' a few years ago, and enjoyed it, so I thought I'd try another one by this author. It was a different feel, but very satisfying.
Honor Bright is a quiet, self-possessed young Quaker from England, who finds herself alone and friendless in the Ohio prairies of 1850. She tries to fit into the American Quaker community, but keeps bumping up against the differences: the vast space, the ruggedness of homesteading life, the lack of education, the unspoken acceptance of American slavery (although the Quaker community were 'against' slavery, there were degrees of accommodation).
Quilting is what Honor does best, and how she finds her place - in her new American family, and with outspoken Belle, and eventually as a connection to the runaway slave underground community. I love that Chevalier uses the 'quilt' as the connecting thread through the narrative. I was fascinated by the detailed descriptions of quilt-making.
I also learned a lot about Quaker life at that time, and about the tensions facing American society over slavery, which of course erupted into a civil war a decade later. It wasn't as clear-cut as we would think, with our benefit of hindsight and our distance from the harsh realities of settler life.
Honor wrote a lot of letters back to her best friend in England, and I enjoyed the depth of analysis provided by them. The storyline plays out in the limited borders of Honor's life - the tiny community in Ohio - and feels as restricted as her existence. Nonetheless, Honor faces personal dilemmas as she tries to live out her Quaker ethics by helping a runaway slave, and comes into conflict to different degrees with her family, and with the so-nasty-you-can't-help-loving-him slavecatcher.
I recommend this book if you want to learn more about Quakers, the last days of slavery in America, quilting, or just want a warm story to wrap around yourself for hours of quiet delight. ...more
Hmmm. It was a Victorian gothic thriller, for sure, complete with sprawling manor houses in the bleak northern England countryside, twisty corridors, Hmmm. It was a Victorian gothic thriller, for sure, complete with sprawling manor houses in the bleak northern England countryside, twisty corridors, unexplained visitors, creaking carriage wheels just out of sight, abductions, evil governesses, and fainting heroines. It was full of lengthy, heavy-going description and odd, pointless conversation. The ending was exciting but at the same time left quite a few loose ends. Nonetheless, I gradually warmed to Maud, the slight, fragile, gormless heiress, and her quacky cousin Milly. And some of the deep, psychological delvings into the workings of the human mind were intriguing. If you like long descriptions of gothic England, I recommend this novel of its time. If you want a fast-paced, action-filled airport paperback, look elsewhere....more
The cattlemen and sheep herders of early 20th century Oregon had their disputes, mostly over grazing rights, and this is the fabric onto which StinsonThe cattlemen and sheep herders of early 20th century Oregon had their disputes, mostly over grazing rights, and this is the fabric onto which Stinson weaves her story. Molly is very young when her life is caught up in this dispute. She witnesses a murder, but dares not speak about it out of fear of reprisals. This secret affects her and her loved ones for the rest of her life.
The dialogue of the story is raw, and really gives you a sense of the roughness of the era. I love the way Stinson keeps the tension of the secret going. At each point in her life, Molly weighs up the pros and cons of telling, and her decisions have consequences. The screen door of her family home echoes the theme as it is banged open and shut.
I enjoyed learning about this period of history, and Stinson gives us lots of interesting tidbits, such as the way sheep dogs are trained. I recommend this book for lovers of the West, of historical fiction, and of good, home-spun tales. ...more
At first I was disappointed. Unlike Rutherfurd's other historical novels, this one deals with only a short section of the history of ChinIt grew on me
At first I was disappointed. Unlike Rutherfurd's other historical novels, this one deals with only a short section of the history of China, the mid to late nineteenth century. I was hoping for his usual broad sweep through the millennia, especially with a country like China, whose written history goes back further than most. However, this novel goes in depth into the psyche of China, presented through the eyes of several main characters from a wide spectrum of Chinese society, as well as from the viewpoint of several Westerners. It took a while to get into the book; the Chinese characters were more relatable than the Englishman, John Trader, whose story forms the first section. But in the end I gave it 5 stars as Rutherfurd's research is meticulous and well-rounded. I feel I understand China better now....more
First-person romantic time-travel back to medieval Wales
Meg is struggling to come to terms with her abusive husband's untimely death when she and her First-person romantic time-travel back to medieval Wales
Meg is struggling to come to terms with her abusive husband's untimely death when she and her infant daughter are pulled back in time to 13th century Wales. The only explanation given for this supernatural shift is Meg's heritage. Her family came to the US from Wales generations ago, and she can speak a bit of Welsh, luckily.
She is picked up by Llewelyn, heroic Prince of Wales, who turns out to be dashing, charming, and a military genius. Meg finds herself in the middle of the Welsh struggle to hold onto their independence from England, which Meg knows from her history lessons is doomed.
The book is filled with details about the daily lives of people in those times, such as their belt knives, which served as defensive weapons, as well as their only eating utensils. It also describes the skirmishes in the 'Marches', the disputed territory between England and Wales, and the vacillating loyalties of the nobility who held lands in that area.
I really enjoyed the story and the descriptions. The characters of Meg and Llewelyn are interesting and believable. I learned a lot about Welsh history.
The one shortcoming was the description of time-travelling itself, which was too abrupt. We don't get any clues as to why or how it happened. Of course, it can't happen in reality, so any explanation would be fictitious, but you do want some sort of pseudo-scientific theory, or mythology, behind it in a time-slip book.
Other than that small point, I recommend this book if you enjoy historical fiction with a gentle romance, spiced up with a bit of swash and buckle.
Ken Follett plots a great novel, that's for sure. Although we're pretty sure the hero will win in the end, the story has numerous unexpected twists anKen Follett plots a great novel, that's for sure. Although we're pretty sure the hero will win in the end, the story has numerous unexpected twists and turns, making it a joy to read, and difficult to put down. Edgar is a ship-builder in 10th century England who suffers a number of setbacks and tragedies. However, he is resourceful enough to put his hand to whichever trade comes his way. Ragna is a noblewoman from Normandy who marries an English aristocrat. She is a clever strategist in a man's world, a trait that helps as well as hinders her. These two characters are drawn together and pulled apart as English society tumbles through power struggles and Viking raids. I love the detailed descriptions of life in the dark ages: farming, clothing, food, building methods, religious and social structures. Also intriguing was the cast of characters that Follett constructed, with their interweaving aspirations and flaws. The only reservation I have is the slightly clunky way Follett describes emotions, particularly in the romantic scenes. Having said that, this was also true of the Kingsbridge Trilogy (the books of which this one is the prequel), and I still enjoyed the books enough to purchase this one as well. Definitely recommended for Dark Ages/Medieval fans....more
A precious collection of stories from Sicily, full of comedy and tenderness.
First, we meet Tanino and Melina, an older couple who clearly care for eacA precious collection of stories from Sicily, full of comedy and tenderness.
First, we meet Tanino and Melina, an older couple who clearly care for each other, but suffer from frequent misunderstandings. The results are as hilarious as their reconciliations are heart-warming. At one point, Hartley hits the nail on the head when Melina is found to be at fault for a misunderstanding: ' "in the wrong” was a place she hated as much as the dentist’s.'
Several of the stories introduce other characters of Sicily - a parish priest, a love-struck youth, an older lady suffering from insomnia - characters that we recognise from our own lives. Each tale is perfect for a coffee break, or any time you need a lift and a reminder of the goodness that there is in the world....more
Serena gets involved with men at the drop of a hat, but they aren't always what they seem. Roberto, a handsome volunteer at the children's charity? EnSerena gets involved with men at the drop of a hat, but they aren't always what they seem. Roberto, a handsome volunteer at the children's charity? Enrico, a laid-back colleague, also dedicated to marine biology? Fernando, a consulate official there to help in her moment of need?
Her quest is to protect the marine environment around Sicily, but she's subconsciously seeking security in that one special relationship as well. Both goals are just out of her grasp. The story races around Sicily, filled with juicy descriptions of the beautiful island, and heart-warming, as well as heart-throbbing, encounters.
I love these evocative, humorous tidbits: "She could be the poster girl for the human body after the resurrection;" "The ailanthus’ fronds swished a windy melody counterpointed by that of the cicadas;" "Used to weaving through Palermo’s traffic in her Vespa, driving even the smallest car felt like running a marathon in an eighteenth-century hoop skirt." And insert the name of the winning male (no spoilers here!): "----had always picked up the bits of her that she had dropped along the way."
I highly recommend this wonderful, entertaining book to lift your spirits and put a smile on your face. ...more
Fascinating journey through India, Canada and Crimea in the 1850s
This is a multi-pronged book, told from three different perspectives: a hero of the IFascinating journey through India, Canada and Crimea in the 1850s
This is a multi-pronged book, told from three different perspectives: a hero of the Indian independence movement in the mid-19th century, a female doctor from North America struggling for recognition in the same time period, and a doctor from 'modern' (1960s) USA, researching their stories. There is a lot of historical detail, which I enjoyed, and the connecting thread - Dr Margaret's sea chest - holds the vast tale together. There is also a bit of intrigue and mystery, which keeps you guessing to the end. The author did a good job of portraying the different characters and their motivations. At times, there is almost too much detail about their every action and contemplation, but the storyline kept me engaged to the end. Recommended. ...more
As usual for the Amelia Peabody books, a real romp through ancient and early 20th century Egypt. The characterisations are priceless, and Amelia's darAs usual for the Amelia Peabody books, a real romp through ancient and early 20th century Egypt. The characterisations are priceless, and Amelia's dare-devil spirit always shines through. A real who-dunit. I loved coming up with my own theories, which were all wrong in the end. Could be quite heavy on detail, but if you keep at it, the story is worth the read....more
A light-hearted romantic romp through Sicily. Great fun to read, and makes me want to get on the first flight to Sicily! Maybe I'll meet a warm-hearteA light-hearted romantic romp through Sicily. Great fun to read, and makes me want to get on the first flight to Sicily! Maybe I'll meet a warm-hearted, sparkly-eyed hunk like Brad Wilson; or make friends with a feisty, curly-haired beauty like Sonia Alletti. The story deals honestly with some of the big issues of life, too, without being heavy. A real page-turner. I highly recommend it for your next beach holiday, or staycation, accompanied by a glass of limoncello!...more
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