What have you read lately? Showing 501-550 of 1,703

[Barbara]

Nona - I loved the long quote from Tudor Vampire ( the cock's wattle/cherrylips one) That is as bad a piece of writing as I have ever seen I think! LOL stuff. Maybe we should start a "Purple Prose" section and quote our favourite terrible pieces

[Barbara]

Nancy Mitford is a very entertaining read too, on Madame Pompadour and on Louis 14th. Her research is formidable- but she is also perfectly capable of passing personal opinions on facets of the court that have to be speculation But it's always damn funny anyway

[Sara W]

Barbara wrote: "Nona - I loved the long quote from Tudor Vampire ( the cock's wattle/cherrylips one) That is as bad a piece of writing as I have ever seen I think! LOL stuff. Maybe we should start a "Purple Pros..."

Ha ha ha, that's not a bad idea!

[Misfit]

I think its a great idea!

Marie over at The Burton Review has a thread today on books you wished you'd never read, for those who want to join in, http://burtonreview.blogspot.com/2009...

[Susan C]

Tisha wrote: "I just started reading The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers after picking it up today. Its a hefty 950 page book, but covers the whole span of his reign and all 6 wi..."

How is the book going? It's on my shelf, so I'm curious about anyone's opinion.

[Tisha]

Hi Susan,

I read that book quite some time ago...it must have been an old post! :)

To answer your question though..I adored this book and it promptly jumped up my list of favorite books.
Margaret George does a great job at providing Henry's perspective. There are so many books told from the eyes of the queens and the court, but none from Henry's delusional, jaded, point of view. I loved it!

[The Book Whisperer (aka Boof)]

Susan, I am reading it right now (from Tisha's recommendation) and only have about 100 pages to go. I highly recommend, I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

That Tudor Vampire Book should be one of the nominees for the Bulwer-Lytton Prize!

[Robin]

Now I'm on A Bloody Field by Shrewsbury

I'm liking it okay. Its a bit slow and you have to plow through a lot of detailed descriptions, but the storyline is great. I like reading about Henry IV and Prince Hal other than in Shakespeare. :)

[Barbara]

But whatever else you read, you must read Norah Loft's "Crown of Aloes" for Isabella, Katherine's mother . Or, of course, more or less ANYTHING by Norah Lofts .
I am a touch biassed in NL's favour- you might have noticed that ...

[Susan C]

I just received Legacy but can't find Isabella and Ferdinand by Plaidy anywhere. Any suggestions?

[Tisha]

Susan wrote: "I just received Legacy but can't find Isabella and Ferdinand by Plaidy anywhere. Any suggestions?"

Susan, I've had this problem too! I've had Castile for Isabella on my TBR list for a while, but can never find it!

[Misfit]

Susan wrote: "I just received Legacy but can't find Isabella and Ferdinand by Plaidy anywhere. Any suggestions?"

I'm sure I've mentioned this before but 1) Don't forget to check your local library and 2) If they don't have it and participate in the ILL (interlibrary loan) programs give it a shot. I've had stuff come from all over the country and never paid a penny for postage.

I did find these listings on Abe, http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Searc...

And these via Google shopping, http://www.google.com/products/catalo...

[Susan C]

Thanks for the comments. I really appreciate your help. This is my first blog (I guess it's a blog) and I'm surprised again and again how nice everyone is.

Thanks again!

[Susan C]

I just ordered it from Abe books in hardcover, marked very good. 1.99 Yeah!

[Misfit]

I'll keep my fingers crossed until you get a ship confirmation. Every once in a while they think it's in stock and ooops.

I love Abe and Thriftbooks and always double check them for pricing as opposed to the Amazon listings. You'd be surprised.

[Nona]

oh Thriftbooks and I should be on first name basis by now, they are awesome it usually only takes 3-5 days to get here cause I'm cheap so choose standard but hey money saved means another book can be bought,lol.

[Susan C]

I'll have to look at Thriftbooks.

Have you ever tried Alibris and their coupons?

[Nona]

no, I have not. I use...

Thriftbooks
Amazon
Abebooks
Half
BookDepository

if they don't have it then it's probably not out there

[Nona]

Half.com is where I bought Kathryn in the Court of Six Queens for $6.50 and it's never been read though worn a little from shelf wear.

[Susan C]

I just checked out thriftbooks and it looks great. Thanks for the heads-up!

[Tisha]

Same here...thanks! I a major online book buyer.

[Nona]

it's hard not to be, cheaper and shipped right to your door now granted when my husband and I go out on dates we almost always end up in at least two book stores, theres something about browsing through shelves of undiscovered books and authors that is wonderful.

another is Barnes and noble online, they're used stuff is nice I just bought Pride & Prejudice and Mr darcy's Connection for under $10 with shipping and both are new.

[Misfit]

Susan wrote: "I just checked out thriftbooks and it looks great. Thanks for the heads-up!"

They are usually my top pick, not only for the very prompt service and shipping, but since most of their books ship out of Seattle (which is where I am) even the media mail comes pretty quick.

I have used Alibris with no problems, and they're choice #3 if Abe or Thrift Books doesn't have it.

Nona, that's some romantic date but that's probably where I'd end up as well. Couple of years ago I was in Vancouver Canada rambling along the famous Robsen Street (it's their version of Rodeo Drive). I barely look at the furs, shoes and Godiva chocolate and can you all guess where I spent the most time? The three story Chapters Book store. Loved it, so nice to find Chadwick books right on the shelf.

[Nona]

oh I'm absolutely jealous! I know where our next vacation will be, Vancouver. lol, I doubt Ronnie would allow that but I can dream right. Yes we're what you would call boring romantics, lol, we eat out maybe see a movie or visit a few stores and always end up at Walmart with our grocery list, lol, pitiful I know.

[Susan C]

Misfit wrote: "Susan wrote: "I just checked out thriftbooks and it looks great. Thanks for the heads-up!"

They are usually my top pick, not only for the very prompt service and shipping, but since most of thei..."


I'm glad you use Alibris. I have ordered over 100 books from them and they are great about refunding any problem order.

Do you use the $1 off coupons and place seperate orders so that you can reuse the coupon each time?

[Misfit]

Susan, if I ever received a $1 off coupon from Alibris I missed it. I'll look closer next time.

Nona, you're more interesting than me these days. Work, gym, read sleep.

[Sara W]

I'll have to check out Thriftbooks and Abebooks sometime. I've heard of them, but I've never used them. I always seem to end up on Amazon or Half.com.

This will come as a shock to those who know me here, but I'm reading a Jean Plaidy book and not really enjoying it (although I think it's mostly the subject matter). I'm reading Myself, My Enemy about Henrietta Maria and Charles I. It's one of Plaidy's 1st person POV novels which I never really care for (I don't tend to like 1st person narratives for some reason), and it's pretty dull (plus, Henrietta is irritating, although she's gotten better).

[Susan C]

Go to google and type in Alibris coupons the site retailmenot always has coupons. Right now it's JACK.

For example, if you want 3 books order each one seperately, use the coupon each time, the shipping would be the same whether you put it in as one order or three.

[The Book Whisperer (aka Boof)]

Misfit wrote: "Susan wrote: "I just checked out thriftbooks and it looks great. Thanks for the heads-up!"

They are usually my top pick, not only for the very prompt service and shipping, but since most of thei..."

OMG! A 3 storey book store?????? There is a chance that we can move on a secondment to Vancouver next year with my husbands work. I'm frothing at the mouth at the thought of the bookstore!!!

[Misfit]

Heh, I can picture Boof know chanting to her husband in his sleep "take the job take the job take the job".

The entire top floor when I was there was all fiction. You just cannot walk into a book store in the US and find authors like Chadwick and Erskine sitting on the shelf. I was a happy camper that day.

[Leslie]

Oh, thanks to y'all I've just discovered Thriftbooks....wow!

[Robin]

I have used Paperbackswap.com and been pretty satisfied with it.

[[deleted user]]

oh. i've recently read BRIEF GAUDY HOUR by margaret campbell barnes (i think!). it was really good. it's kind of like the other boleyn girl, except in anne's point of view. but i like reading anything Philippa Gregory. Carolyn Meyer also has a good series called YOUNG ROYALS with anne's, elizabeth's, catherine's (aragon), and mary's (or bloody mary, except it don't really like to call her that) point of view. they're actually pretty good and not a 90000 page novel!! lolz

[Susan C]

Thanks for the opinion in The Brief Gaudy Hour. It's on my shelf waiting too be read.

[Nona]

I have Margaret Bampbell Barnes book on Anne of Cleves, cannot remember the title to save my life, and as of yet hadve not read it was her stule like PG's? if so I might wait to read even longer.

[Tisha]

Robin wrote: "I have used Paperbackswap.com and been pretty satisfied with it."


I recently joined and it's been great purging my old books. My tastes have changed a lot, so it's great getting new historical fiction and travel memoirs in place of the chick lit and murder mysteries cluttering up my shelves.

[Susan]

Nona wrote: "I have Margaret Bampbell Barnes book on Anne of Cleves, cannot remember the title to save my life, and as of yet hadve not read it was her stule like PG's? if so I might wait to read even longer."

It's not at all like PG's. Barnes wrote about 50 years ago, so she didn't feel the compulsion to sex things up as some current writers do.

[Susan C]

I'm happy to see so many users of paperbackswap. I found the site in People and it is a great way to get rid of old books and get new ones.

I think they have great customer serivice. I've gotten two books that were not according to my listed preferences and was given credits back.

P.S. I don't work for or advertise for this company like the cashew lady. LOL

[Robin]

Working on at the moment. Taking me some time with this one. Perhaps it is the writing style or all the paragraphs of very detailed details, but its dragging for me. I am determined to finish it as I like reading about Prince Hal.

[Misfit]

Robin wrote: "Working on at the moment. Taking me some time with this one. Perhaps it is the writing style or all the paragraphs of very detailed details, but its..."

I loved her Heaven Tree Trilogy and loved it, but it's not fast paced reading. The writing in that one was gorgeous though.

[Chrissie]

I just finished The Last Queen by C W Gortner and I just loved it. I have recently written a review.

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

Currently reading I, Elizabeth A Novel, by Rosalind Miles. I believe we're currently at the point where Edward VI is about to kick the bucket, so I have some way to go!

[Angie]

Boof wrote: "I agree, Sara and Angie. I am hooked and I also have to keep reminding myself that she hasn't made this all up. It is the first Weir I have read and I will definitely be getting more soon. How is..."

The Lady Elizabeth is great, full of court intrigue. You feel her precarious position at court, the ever shifting loyalties, the reasons behind some of her more dangerous relationships. Weir has said that she will continue with the Elizabeth/Dudley relationship in her next book on them, but there will be another novel in between. At any rate, I'll gladly read whatever she writes!

[Robin]

I'm working on . I'm really enjoying it and really enjoying reading about this time period in British history. I think I burnt myself out on the Tudors and I'm loving going back in time some. :)

[Tanzanite]

I am reading The Strangled Queen by Maurice Druon which is about Louis X of France and his wife Marguerite who was imprisoned for adultery. It's an older book and is translated from French so sometimes the writing seems a little odd.

[Sara W]

Robin wrote: "I'm working on . I'm really enjoying it and really enjoying reading about this time period in British history. I think I burnt myse..."

Oh, I loved this book! It was my first Penman.

[Robin]

I just finished Penman's Sunne in Splendour and I absolutely loved it!! As I said in my review, I never bought into the Shakespearean image of an evil hunchback, knowing that he was playing for a Tudor Queen (who happens to be about my favorite in history) but I never stirred myself to find out more about the man. I'm so very glad I got this book! It was about heartbreaking to read the bits leading up to the battle of Bosworth Field, knowing what was going to happen but still wishing that somehow, history would change (though that would've denied us the wonderful soap opera of the Tudor dynasty). I truly feel Richard would've been a good king because he did try to do what was right and honorable.

I'd love it if she wrote more about this time in history!

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

Elizabeth's been queen about 15 or 20 years now, and Mary Queen of Scots is the thorn in her side, so to speak. Fairly accurate, so far, I would say.

Fairly negative portrait of the Queen of Scots, but that doesn't particularly bother me, as I don't find the "notorious bad picker" particularly romantic or sympathetic, and the novel is from Elizabeth's perspective.

I, Elizabeth A Novel

[Susan C]

Susanna thanks for keeping us up to date on
I Elizabeth.

Robin you now have me interested in Sunne in Splendour.

This European Royalty blog is great for finding new authors and novels.

My new conundrum is whether I need to read about the early Tudors and Henry VIII before I read individual books on his wives or children, fiction/nonfiction?
Any suggestions?