What Are You Reading Right Now? ( Hwæt béon ðu bocrædung?) Showing 5,301-5,350 of 10,105

[Bobby]

I'm not regimented enough for that...they all start running together. Admire those that can.

[[deleted user]]

Bobby wrote: "The Pagan Lord"

How's it going for you thus far?

[Jane]

Memoirs of a byzantine eunuch / Christopher Harris

Black Sparta / Naomi Mitchison

[Dawn]

Carishma wrote: "Bobby wrote: "The Pagan Lord"

How's it going for you thus far?"

Carishma, Bobby was adding the link for you. Not saying he's reading the book. :)
Though he did rate it 5 stars!

[Allison]

Halfway through its taking a lot of liberties. (view spoiler)[For instance: Anne Boleyn comes down with the sweating sickness at Greenwich Palace in Queen Catherine's rooms. Her groom tries to throw Anne out the window and into the moat before infecting anyone else. Catherine saves her life. Uh, what?? I've certainly never heard this version before (hide spoiler)] None the less, I'm speeding through it.

[Gretchen]

Allie wrote: "Halfway through its taking a lot of liberties. [spoilers removed] None the less, I'm speeding through it."

I have never heard that version before either.

[Kimber]

Gretchen wrote: "Allie wrote: "Halfway through its taking a lot of liberties. [spoilers removed] None the less, I'm speeding through it."

..."

I've read it as well and was surprised by Erickson's umm...interpretation of Jane. I've never seen any other author or historian that makes the same assertions Carolly does. Then again she states in every book that she doesn't consider her writing to be historical fiction' but rather "historical episodes' or something to that nature. Basically she's saying she's taking historical figures and making up stories about them without sticking to any known facts. I've read her fiction works for entertainment but learned to not take them very seriously. Now i'm trying to decide what to read next. I have a plethora of choices and thinking of going with the 'eenie meenie minie moe' decision making process......

[Allison]

Haha Kimber, I know that process well.

Yeah, I had never read any Carolly Erickson before so didn't know what to expect. Huh. Well, I don't read HF for its facts so it doesn't bother me so much. While I was certainly shaking my head at times, it did keep me entertained! I see you gave it three stars. That's what I was giving it too.

[Linda]

Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Hogan a book about Fanny Stevenson, wife of Robert Louis Stevenson.

[C.]

Recently, I attended a panel of historical fiction writers in Austin, TX where one of those serving said she didn't research her novels, she just made them up.
Truthfully, I spend almost as much time researching as I do writing. Am I wasting my time?

[Dawn]

The answer you will get here is an emphatic NO, as witnessed by a poll we've been running: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...

[Jane]

C. wrote: "Recently, I attended a panel of historical fiction writers in Austin, TX where one of those serving said she didn't research her novels, she just made them up.
Truthfully, I spend almost as much t..."

Absolutely not!!!
I read one ridiculous one this year where it was obvious the author had done no research, and it showed!

[Gretchen]

I don't think you can call it historical fiction if you just make it up as you go. I would call that just regular fiction.

[Bobby]

Historical fantasy!!

[Bobby]

[C.]

Well, I am glad to hear the support here for keeping historical fiction historical. Though I kept my novel's back story to a bare minimum, I had one reviewer gripe that my book was too concerned with history.

[Mark]

C. wrote: "Well, I am glad to hear the support here for keeping historical fiction historical. Though I kept my novel's back story to a bare minimum, I had one reviewer gripe that my book was too concerned wi..."

C just remember you cant please everyone all of time. You please yourself by what you put into your work on the books you are writing.

[Allison]

Bobby wrote: "Historical fantasy!!"

:D

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

C. wrote: "Well, I am glad to hear the support here for keeping historical fiction historical. Though I kept my novel's back story to a bare minimum, I had one reviewer gripe that my book was too concerned wi..."

Always keep this in mind, C, where critics are concerned.

Critics are like eunuchs in a Harem. They know how it's done, they see it done every day, but they can't do it themselves.

My dad told me that when I was about 10 years old. It's always stuck with me.

[Bobby]

Margaret wrote: "C. wrote: "Well, I am glad to hear the support here for keeping historical fiction historical. Though I kept my novel's back story to a bare minimum, I had one reviewer gripe that my book was too c..."

That's great Margaret!!

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

Bobby wrote: "Margaret wrote: "C. wrote: "Well, I am glad to hear the support here for keeping historical fiction historical. Though I kept my novel's back story to a bare minimum, I had one reviewer gripe that ..."

My dad used to come out with some amazing things.

[C.]

I will bronze that comment, somewhere, Margaret!

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Carishma wrote: "Bobby wrote: "The Pagan Lord"

How's it going for you thus far?"

Hi there Carishma,
If you check out our thread on the author Bernard Cornwell, there is lots of discussion on The Pagan Lord in the most recent pages of that discussion. :)
Happy to hear your thoughts on it over there if you have any? (that way I will be able to find your post as posts can get lost here in this busy thread.)

Here is that Bernard Cornwell thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Allison]

Reading for another group's BOTM. Ugh, can not get into it. Have read only about 50 pages after a whole week and it has over 700! ***gulp*** Maybe its all the gonorrhea and what instruments to use on a uterus talk. ***groan***

[Gretchen]

Allie wrote: "Reading for another group's BOTM. Ugh, can not get into it. Have read only about 50 pages after a whole week and it has over 700! ***gulp*** Maybe its all the..."

Cheat and watch the movie?

[Allison]

I might! I see its readily available on Netflix instant streaming :)

[Victor]

Just finished by Robert Low. I didn't enjoy it as much as the rest of the group. My review ===>
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Now I'm reading by George MacDonald Fraser

[Linda]

Margaret's comment deserves to be bronzed. I think her father passed his wit genes to her.
C., keep doing the research!
I finished Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Hogan. It was an excellent read. Started ISTANBUL by Colin Falconer this morning. Darcy, I need help with the b/a. Goodreads is not recognizing Colin Falconer today, and there are many books titled ISTANBUL.

[Jane]

IstanbulPut in title and his FIRST name as keywords. This AT LEAST narrows down the choices.

Istanbul

[Jane]

Allie wrote: "Reading for another group's BOTM. Ugh, can not get into it. Have read only about 50 pages after a whole week and it has over 700! ***gulp*** Maybe its all the..."

Ditch it.

[Darcy]

Similarly to Jane, I always use the title and last name in the search field if there are to many returned. But yeah, the title search isn't limited to only the title :)

[Jane]

Ghost Light: A Novel / Joseph O'Connor

[Jane]

Darcy wrote: "Similarly to Jane, I always use the title and last name in the search field if there are to many returned. But yeah, the title search isn't limited to only the title :)"

Keyword search is easiest for me.

[Gretchen]

Allie wrote: "I might! I see its readily available on Netflix instant streaming :)"

I am pretty sure we watched a version of that novel in high school English class. I could be wrong. During my freshman year of high school we watched a lot of movies and I tended to get in trouble for reading other books during the movies.

[Jane]

Gretchen wrote: "Allie wrote: "I might! I see its readily available on Netflix instant streaming :)"

I am pretty sure we watched a version of that novel in high school English class. I could be wrong. During my fr..."

How could you concentrate on two things at the same time, each of which alone demanded so much of your attention? :)

[Bobby]

Jane wrote: "Allie wrote: "Reading for another group's BOTM. Ugh, can not get into it. Have read only about 50 pages after a whole week and it has over 700! ***gulp*** May..."

Now that you mentioned it and jogged my memory, this might be on of those rare instances where the film version surpassed the written. If I remember correctly Michael Caine starred and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Jane]

Bobby wrote: "Jane wrote: "Allie wrote: "Reading for another group's BOTM. Ugh, can not get into it. Have read only about 50 pages after a whole week and it has over 700! *..."

I think you're right.

[Allison]

Bobby wrote: "Jane wrote: "Allie wrote: "Reading for another group's BOTM. Ugh, can not get into it. Have read only about 50 pages after a whole week and it has over 700! *..."

You are right. I was going to watch it last night and then caught up on season 2 of "House Of Cards" instead :)

[Dawn]

Now I am reading divergent

[Kimber]

Dawn wrote: "Now I am reading divergent"

Well that is quite a change. I've read the series and have a parody of Divergent sitting in my Kindle TBR - Divergent Parody: Detergent by Reid Mockery. He's also written Fifty Shades of Beige and The Fault Is All Yours. Haven't read it yet but one day..when I'm bored....
Reading The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn at the moment. Interesting but not exactly historically accurate (Arthur died after King Henry VII?) or perfectly edited. Oh well..it's a quick read.

[Dawn]

I have finished Barney's Version and have started Alias Grace

And Inferno: The World at War, 1939-1945 is a wonderfully interesting book!

[Steven]

Robert wrote: "Just finished the Sharpe series by Cornwell and loved them. I started Kingdom by Robin Young again but got side tracked by Colin Falconers Silk Road since it was a 99 cent special. It is a good rea..."

Big Sharpe fan as well as one of Uhtred (sic?. I found Falconer's Silk Road at the used bookstore. Nice enough but not so interesting that I want to pay full price for the rest of them. So I keep searching the bargain bins.

[Gretchen]

Finished one group read for this month and moving on to the next one The Gates of Rome

[happy]

Finished my Non Fiction read on the war of 1812,

and I am now staring on Igguldon's

[Darcy]

Just a wee reminder to link any books (or author when generalising) if not linked in the past 4 previous post.

[[deleted user]]

Hola folks! After a *ridiculously long* break from historical fiction, I'm currently reading The Twelve Children of Paris. I forgot how much fun Willocks' writing is.

[Pamela]

Just started Imperium , recommended and lent to me by a work colleague. Very good so far. In a Roman mood at the moment, finding it good fun.

[[deleted user]]

Pamela wrote: "Just started Imperium , recommended and lent to me by a work colleague. Very good so far. In a Roman mood at the moment, finding it good fun."

That one's a favorite of mine :)

[C.]

Linda wrote: "Margaret's comment deserves to be bronzed. I think her father passed his wit genes to her.
C., keep doing the research!
I finished Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Hogan. It..."

Victor wrote: "Just finished by Robert Low. I didn't enjoy it as much as the rest of the group. My review ===>
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show......"

Thanks Linda. It's the slower, but better route!

[Jane]

Star of the Sea / Joseph O'Connor