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What Are You Reading Right Now? ( Hwæt béon ðu bocrædung?)
message 8251:
by
Alice
(new)
Aug 16, 2017 04:48PM
Thanks Ace for the info! I didn't know about the Exclusive column :)
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Jerry wrote: "Ella wrote: "Who else has read "A Distant Mirror" by Barbara W. Tuchman? I was amused to read that the terminology used to describe my former profession, free-lance, originated with Medieval rascal..."Thanks for the recommendation, Jerry! Added :)
Ace wrote: "Go to My Books...."Thank you Ace. I hated when GR wanted to put my books in one of ITS columns but I was too lazy to look around and discover how to change this...
Am in the middle of The Long Sword, the second of Christian Cameron's Sir William Gold books (after The Ill-Made Knight). Lots of detail about politics, but swashbuckling too. Cameron really lets you feel what it's like to wear the 60 lbs. of armor and cross swords with another knight.
Jerry wrote: "Ella wrote: "Who else has read "A Distant Mirror" by Barbara W. Tuchman? I was amused to read that the terminology used to describe my former profession, free-lance, originated with Medieval rascal..."Thanks for the lead!
For anyone interested I finally typed up my thought on Ian Mortimer's biography of Edward III
Although it is NF, it's good back ground info for the HF written on the era
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
also posted in the High Medieval Thread
I also just finished his third entry to his "Time Travelers Guide to ..." series
It's a good as the first two. Well worth the time I spent reading
I don't think you can go too far wrong with Ian Mortimer. I have cross-referenced to The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century so often that the book is now held together by sticky tape. Have you tried The Greatest Traitor: The Life of Sir Roger Mortimer, Ruler of England 1327-1330 as well? I can recommend it.
Yes, I have - excellent read, I gave it a solid 4 stars. I'm slowly working my way through his catalogue
Reading "The Last Days of Cafe' Leila". I won in it in a GR Giveaway... what a lovely book to win!!! Thoroughly enjoying it. (BTW - anyone remember my recent whine that I had never won a book??? 😉)
May wrote: "Reading "The Last Days of Cafe' Leila". I won in it in a GR Giveaway... what a lovely book to win!!! Thoroughly enjoying it. (BTW - anyone remember my recent whine that I had never won a book??? 😉)"I also enjoyed The Last Days of Café Leila. Won it on LibraryThing.
I finished The Pyramid by Ismail Kadare. I read Paul's review above and thought it looked interesting. The novel is ostensibly about the building of a pyramid for Pharaoh Cheops. But it is really about the tools of oppression used by totalitarian governments to keep the masses under control. It may not be for everyone, but I thought it was great.
My review on goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Tamara wrote: "I finished The Pyramid by Ismail Kadare. I read Paul's review above and thought it looked interesting. The novel is ostensibly about the building of a pyramid for Phar..."
Nice review.
I'm reading Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien, set in times before, during and after the Cultural Revolution in China.
Paul wrote: "Tamara wrote: "I finished The Pyramid by Ismail Kadare. I read Paul's review above and thought it looked interesting. The novel is ostensibly about the building of a p..."
Thank you, Paul.
Alice wrote: "I'm reading Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien, set in times before, during and after the Cultural Revolution in China."I read that last month and thought it was great. Tell us what you think of it when you're done.
Tamara wrote: "Alice wrote: "I'm reading Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien, set in times before, during and after the Cultural Revolution in China."I read that last m..."
Sure, Tamara.
Heretics
A local librarian recommended this to me. I don't think she realized it was the 8th book in a series. I've never heard of the series before. I guess I will test its stand alone powers.
I started Candice Millard's latest NF book
About Churchill's experiences in the Boer War
I really liked her other two books.
I also started the first book in Michael Jecks 's latest series on my nook
This one is set in Elizabethan times.
Well I think I finally found a fantasy series to enjoy. The Elfstones of Shannara was very good, and I'll give a chance to the previous book and then to the rest of the series. But this will be in a near future.Back to HF again, I decided to pickup
The Gods of Gotham. I'll be starting it this afternoon.
I finished The North Water by Ian McGuire. I enjoyed it and recommend it if you are willing to tolerate the vulgarity and violence for the sake of authenticity. I posted my review on The North Water thread.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I am just starting INSURRECTION by Robyn Young. My husband has read this & the 2nd book in this Trilogy; enjoyed the Templar Trilogy more.
All roads appear to be pointing to me reading the Robyn Young's Templar Series next. I loved The Insurrection books May, enjoy them...
Renata wrote: "All roads appear to be pointing to me reading the Robyn Young Templer Series next.."That's what I was thinking Renata.
I'm a bit bogged down in Manda Scott's Boudica series currently. I'm reading Dreaming the Hound. It may have been unwise to attempt to read the series in its entirety back to back. That's how I read most series, if all the books are available, but this one has somehow derailed me...although the books are beautifully written, their intensity somehow demands a "breather" of sorts between volumes...I've been stuck on volume 3 for a week!
This last week with visitors I have been too tired at the end of the day to read. I think I have read one book this August. I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things after our guests leave.
Renata wrote: "I'm a bit bogged down in Manda Scott's Boudica series currently. I'm reading Dreaming the Hound. It may have been unwise to attempt to read the series in its entirety b..."Renata, I read the Boudica series but I didn't read it back to back. I read a couple of books in between each book in the series to take a break from it. Otherwise, I think I would have burned out on it and given up.
I remember your comments in reference to that now, Tamara. A wise choice. I plan to take a break before book 4, although I certainly will read it at some point not too far in the future. The series is well worth the read in my opinion. Your review - and Terri's - led me to them originally. Thank you!
Terri wrote: "I had that problem, Ace. Mine lasted about three months!"I will throw them overboard if they stay that long ;)
I understand it' NF, but if anyone is interested I typed up my thoughts on Ian Mortimer's third Time Travelers Guide...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I think this is a great series, very readable and a good background for my various forays into HF set in Britain.
also posted in the Early Modern Era Thread
Just finished Blood Forest and thought it was extremely well done -- an imaginative take on the Varian massacre that manages to be authoritatively military, emotionally believable, and bafflingly mysterious. Definitely recommended. My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....
Sherry wrote: "Just finished Blood Forest and thought it was extremely well done -- an imaginative take on the Varian massacre that manages to be authoritatively military, emotionally believable, ..."It's weird: Goodreads says there is a Kindle version of this but Amazon doesn't show one. In fact it appears to be out of print though it was just published.
I just tried to order it, it looks like it's Britain only? I put it in my cart at the Book Depository in paper for 8.06, free shipping...
Finished Do Not Say We Have Nothing. 4.3 stars. A riveting family saga.My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Renata wrote: "I just tried to order it, it looks like it's Britain only? I put it in my cart at the Book Depository in paper for 8.06, free shipping..."That's where I had gotten my copy.
I finished a NF look a the actor Jimmy Stewart's role in WW IIMission: Jimmy Stewart and the Fight for Europe
It's excellent, I haven't decided if it is a 4 or 5 star read. Highly recommended for Jimmy Stewart fans or WWII readers
Currently reading P.T. Deutermann's new WW II novel
It's set in the naval battles off Guadalcanal in 1942-43.
At the moment I'm nearly halfway through The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo, which is a biography of Alexandre Dumas' father, General Alex Dumas. It's both very interesting and highly readable so far, and I'm learning lots of interesting things about the racial and slavery politics of Revolutionary and pre-Revolutionary France.
Books mentioned in this topic
M*A*S*H: A Novel About Three Army Doctors (other topics)A Court of Betrayal (other topics)
Imperium (other topics)
The Handfasted Wife (other topics)
The Swan-Daughter (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Robert Harris (other topics)Carol McGrath (other topics)
Carol McGrath (other topics)
Carol McGrath (other topics)
Ken Follett (other topics)
More...





