Nominations for August Read

[Portia, Novice Mod]

Fiction or non-fiction? Doesn't matter. Please share your suggestions for a book or us to read in the month named for Augustus Caesar and that begins with the ancient Celtic feast of Lughnasa.

[RJay]

If we're going to alternate fiction/non-fiction, then August would be non-fiction. So, I'd like to nominate The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England by famous historian, Ian Mortimer. Its subtitle: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century". It's historical but narrative, so not a "tomb" with oodles of footnotes. Could be fun.

[Jane]

That seems too restrictive or maybe I don't know enough about that time period. I'm reading one now that's kind of a mixture of nonfiction/fiction: Deus Lo Volt!: A Chronicle of the Crusades. The narrator [I don't know what else to call him] writes a chronicle of the crusades; I think he's taken excerpts from honest-to-goodness chronicles, with some fiction, of course. Towards the end of the book, he's there with King Louis of France.

[Taylor]

The Mortimer book is fabulous. I read it a while back and enjoyed it immensely. It really brings the time period to life. The reading of it could flesh out the other non-fiction we're reading to provide a fuller picture of the times.

[happy]

RJay wrote: "If we're going to alternate fiction/non-fiction, then August would be non-fiction. So, I'd like to nominate The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England by famous historian, Ian Mortimer. Its subt..."

great book!

[RJay]

If we want to read another fiction book, I might suggest Bernard Cornwell's 1356. Love his writing. I've read several of the archer Thomas Hook books including Agincourt but haven't read this one yet. Would love to.

[Lauri]

Within the Fetterlock

[happy]

RJay wrote: "If we want to read another fiction book, I might suggest Bernard Cornwell's 1356. Love his writing. I've read several of the archer Thomas Hook books including Agincourt but haven't read this one y..."

I really enjoyed it, but in a couple of other groups I'm in, the reactions were mixed.

[RJay]

Laurie wrote: "Within the Fetterlock"

Love this book! And Brian Wainwright replies when you send him messages through GoodReads. Nice man.

[happy]

Michael Jecks is writing a series on the 100 yr war

Book I



I liked it - it's about the Battle of Crecy. I'm anxiously awaiting the library getting book II

[Susan]

I have been keeping my eye on this group but haven't commented much. I like all the nominations so far. I've read the Time Traveler's book and enjoyed it, and I'm in favor of anything by Bernard Cornwell. I've not read Michael Jecks yet but he's on my to-read list.

I've heard lots of positive things about Within the Fetterlock on Goodreads, but it's a bit hard to find. It's available on Amazon (last I checked), but not all online booksellers, and it's not in any of the libraries in my area. But I've been interested in reading it for some time, so if this group chooses it I'd probably go ahead and buy it.

I'll nominate The Owl Killers by Karen Maitland. It's set during the time of Edward III.

[RJay]

Susan wrote: "I have been keeping my eye on this group but haven't commented much. I like all the nominations so far. I've read the Time Traveler's book and enjoyed it, and I'm in favor of anything by Bernard Co..."

Susan, thanks for weighing in. If you haven't tried this already, another option for Within the Fetterlock, or other older, less popular books, is to use Inter Library Loan (ILL) through your local library. This has been a wonderful resource for me with many books my local library doesn't own. It sometimes takes a little while to get them (sometimes not) and you can only keep the books for 3 weeks (typically) but it's a cost-effective alternative to buying.

[RJay]

happy wrote: "Michael Jecks is writing a series on the 100 yr war

Book I



I liked it - it's about the Battle of Crecy. I'm anxiously awaiting the library getting book II

[..."

This series looks good too.

[RJay]

Another option - Isabella of France: The Rebel Queen by Kathryn Warner. This book is new and has only a few GR's reviews but they give it 5 stars.

[Ami]

Both the 'Time Traveler's Guide...' and 'Isabella of France...' are excellent choices! I recently listened to 'Fatal Colours' by George Goodwin on Audible and found it to be quite excellent and informative. It's technically about the Battle of Towton, but he gives chapters of information on the key players, great descriptions of the battles before Towton, and a most interesting theory on why Richard, DoY, left the safety of Sandal Castle during the Battle of Wakefield.

Once we get to the actual battle of Towton, we're given explicit descriptions of the battle itself, the weapons and armour, of both the Lord and the peasant, and everyone in between, and just how close it came to being a Lancastrian victory.

Anyway, my two cents

[Portia, Novice Mod]

Ok, let's everyone who wishes post one or two books between July 17 and July 20 for nomination. I'll gather the noms into a poll and let everyone one know.

Please type: I nominate X book
I nominate Y book also

I second X book

And so on so I don' t miss anyone's suggestions.

Think well, Plant People. August is harvest up hear, often very hot and humid and heavy winter down under. What book will fit the bill!

Good thinking,
Portia

[Ami]

I nominate Fatal Colours by George Goodwin

My second choice goes to Isabella of France by Kathryn Warner!

-Ami

[Jane]

For fiction if you choose that genre: I Serve: A Novel of the Black Prince. If you do nonfiction this month, save it for when you next do fiction.

[Portia, Novice Mod]

I hope tour book is selected this round, Jane. Fingers X-ed

[RJay]

My suggestions:
First Choice - Isabella of France: Rebel Queen by Kathryn Warner
Second Choice - Agincourt by Bernard Cornwell

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

The poll's open, by the way.

[RJay]

Everyone, you should have received an email to cast your vote. If you didn't please go to the polls section and let us know your preference.

[Hyarrowen]

RJay wrote: "Everyone, you should have received an email to cast your vote. If you didn't please go to the polls section and let us know your preference."

I am a noob at this - could you post a link to the poll?

[RJay]

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/1...

To all: You can always find the polls by clicking on "community", then to the 'Plantagenets'. Then look at the upper right corner and in mice type there are a variety of topics including 'polls'. Click there and you can see all the polls, including the latest.

[Hyarrowen]

RJay wrote: "https://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/1...

To all: You can always find the polls by clicking on "community", then to the 'Plantagenets'. Then look at the upper right cor..."

Found it, and thanks!

[Jane]

RJay wrote: "https://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/1...

To all: You can always find the polls by clicking on "community", then to the 'Plantagenets'. Then look at the upper right cor..."


That's too many steps. Other groups I belong to just post a link. No wonder that not many folks have voted.

[RJay]

Jane wrote: "RJay wrote: "https://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/1...

To all: You can always find the polls by clicking on "community", then to the 'Plantagenets'. Then look at the up..."

Sorry if you missed it but I did send out an email with a link to the poll. At least, that's what the system said. If you and others didn't get it my apologies.

[Jane]

RJay, I never got it in the first place -- oh well... apologies accepted.

[RJay]

Jane wrote: "RJay, I never got it in the first place -- oh well... apologies accepted."

Glad you spoke up and let me know you didn't get it.