Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction discussion
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May wrote: "Gretchen, thank you for letting us know. I had no idea she was fighting for her life. Her contributions to our conversations were bright & lively! She is missed."Thanks Gretchen, I recieve many book recommendations from Shannon Elizabeth, I agree she will be greatly missed in our group and on GR.
My thoughts are with her family.
Wow. I had no idea. I'm right down the road in the next county from where she lived. We started the Art thread together. Really going to miss her.
Read about it in the other thread and was shocked. She was always so cheerful! We commented on each other's reviews and such often... I'm really sad :(
I will miss Shanon Elizabeth. Her recommendations were usually good. Bobby wrote a beautiful sentiment which I share.
In honor of the Bard.....How well do you know your Shakespeare?
http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/sha...
Kimber wrote: "In honor of the Bard.....How well do you know your Shakespeare?..."
Not well apparently. 50% - although I am sure I have not read 50% of his works, so I'm pretty happy with my guess work ..
Kimber wrote: "In honor of the Bard.....How well do you know your Shakespeare?
http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/sha......"
100% *coughs deprecatingly* Sheer bloody luck. I've seen, or read or performed in the majority of the plays they used in that quiz.
I know that people die every day and many of them are far more important to many people but being from Minnesota this one hurts. RIP Prince. I need to go blare my Purple Rain soundtrack while I garden.
Gretchen wrote: "I know that people die every day and many of them are far more important to many people but being from Minnesota this one hurts. RIP Prince. I need to go blare my Purple Rain soundtrack while I gar..."Rip Prince. :(
I'm reading THE LAST KINGDOM. (sorry on my smartphone I can't add the link).I'm enthralled! :)
Happy to know there's a whole series waiting..
Simona wrote: "I'm reading THE LAST KINGDOM. (sorry on my smartphone I can't add the link).I'm enthralled! :)
Happy to know there's a whole series waiting.."
The Last Kingdom
Gretchen wrote: "I know that people die every day and many of them are far more important to many people but being from Minnesota this one hurts. RIP Prince. I need to go blare my Purple Rain soundtrack while I gar..."I've just woken up to find this in my various news feeds. Sad. Too too young.
Simona, I'm really glad you are enjoying young Uhtred :)Im actually half way through the audiobook right now, its good to go back and listen. Its also fantastic that I don't have to try to pronounce all of the names in my head.
Prince will be forever Partying Like It's 1999 in his Little Red Corvette wearing a Raspberry Beret. Miss his music already!!
Bobby wrote: "Prince will be forever Partying Like It's 1999 in his Little Red Corvette wearing a Raspberry Beret. Miss his music already!!"His was the music of my junior high and high school dances. Way too young.
Kimber wrote: "In honor of the Bard.....How well do you know your Shakespeare?..."
7 out of 8 but I don't know which one I got wrong? I was pretty sure I had them all correct :/
Simona wrote: "I'm reading THE LAST KINGDOM. (sorry on my smartphone I can't add the link).I'm enthralled! :)
Happy to know there's a whole series waiting.."
Clap Clap Clap Simona! I'm glad you joined us!
Margaret wrote: "Bomb threat evacuations are a really great way to screw up your morning."?
Is everything OK? Where abouts are you Margaret?
Simona wrote: "I'm reading THE LAST KINGDOM. (sorry on my smartphone I can't add the link).I'm enthralled! :)
Happy to know there's a whole series waiting.."
Me toooooo!
Well, I just finished book 3, but am waiting with book 4 until my other group catches up.
Bobby wrote: "75%...I'll take it!! Speaking of Shakespeare, I just picked up 
Looking forward to the read."
I just read review on that. I'll be interested to see how you like it.
Mark wrote: "http://www.historyoftheancientworld.c...Nice little quiz."
Dang - it's block here at work :(
On the Shakespeare theme - the local symphony played Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet with the Utah Shakespeare Festival providing actors to perform some of the play. The time was split about equally between the actors and the musicians - about an hour each.
It was really good.
Member Liz asked me to share this with you.For all history lovers and writers living within reach of Wrexham, Wales, there are quite a few performances and events to tempt you;
Monday 9th May: Ragnar in Wrexham; author Robert Low (Oathsworn series) gives us the lowdown on the realities of Viking Life; 7pm Saith Seren Pub
Wednesday 11th May: Joanna of Navarre; medieval romantic novelist Anne O'Brien enthralls with the tragic life of this medieval queen; 1pm Wrexham Library
Friday 13th May: My Era is Better Than Yours: historical fiction night where four authors of historical novels slug it out between them. Followed by talk from historical crime writer, Lindsey Davies; 7pm Glydwr University
Details of all events, prices & tickets from:
http://wrexhamcarnivalofwords.com/201...
I've been rather absent lately. Mr. Gretchen started a new job. His new schedule has given us more time to do things as a family. We've been taking advantage of it especially with the nice weather. Of course once it really started to get nice, I get sick. I've been battling an infection in my lungs. My allergies got out of control with the back and forth weather we've had in the last few weeks. The doctor thinks my out of control allergies helped cause the problems with my lungs. Being stagnant isn't something I'm very good at. The twinkers also seem to have a problem with it for some reason. I started feeling a little better towards the end of last week so we decided to take the girls fishing on Mother's Day. That was a bad idea. Today I was miserable and I'm probably back down for the count. Too bad lungs are kind of a big deal.
Gretchen hoping you recover quickly for your infection. Always notice when I am sick that I'd been taking my easy breathing for granted, and promise myself to appreciate it more when I get better.It's been very quiet here overall lately. Must be seasonal change? My reading has dropped off a lot too.
Ace wrote: "Gretchen hoping you recover quickly for your infection. Always notice when I am sick that I'd been taking my easy breathing for granted, and promise myself to appreciate it more when I get better...."
I've noticed there is more reading done in Summer and Winter than in Spring and Autumn.
Stay the course, Gretchen. Miss your inputs. Maybe time to leave that fickle Minnesota weather.We are super busy here in Scottsdale. Selling our house and buying 2!!! One in Cave Creek and one up in the high country of Prescott!!!
While I am hanging on more or less on forced bed rest (thankfully it's still raining which makes the Twinkers a little easier to handle), I came across this gem. I'm sure many of you have seen it but if you haven't, it is good for a laugh. By this person's account, I should be committed (that still might be true but for different reasons). http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-...
Hi Gretchen, I'm sorry you are sick, and hope you feel better soon. Maybe you can get some reading time out of this.
Hi Gretchen, I hope you're feeling better now. Sorry that you fell sick.I've been busy doing the final re-write (after endless rounds of revisions, and now with a helpful critique from a passionate alpha reader) for my historical epic about Qing Dynasty's most influential matriarch, who was born a Mongolian Princess and descended from Khasar, the full brother of Genghis Khan.
Gretchen wrote: "While I am hanging on more or less on forced bed rest (thankfully it's still raining which makes the Twinkers a little easier to handle), I came across this gem. I'm sure many of you have seen it b..."I seem to remember that there was a stink about the old fairy stories not giving a healthy message to children and should be banned. Stories like Hansel & Gretal. I loved those old tales and they didn't warp my mind. Life did though. I think our children are wrapped in cotton wool and not prepared for the real world. Fantasy gives a new perspective on everything. Love it.
Laureen wrote: "Gretchen wrote: "While I am hanging on more or less on forced bed rest (thankfully it's still raining which makes the Twinkers a little easier to handle), I came across this gem. I'm sure many of y..."The original folk sources, such as the original Grimm Brothers, are pretty gory, but I see nothing wrong with the bowdlerized versions that have come down.
I grew up with the original Grimm and Hauff tales, and I don't think I found them too gory as a child.When you're little you haven't got the mental imagery yet to go with something like having one's eyes gouged out or such. Prince went blind and couldn't recognise Rapunzel, that was the message I got - not blood spatter and gory bits like the adults were imagining.
Also, if that hadn't happened, the ending where he gets healed in the desert would be very lukewarm and not feel like such a happy end.
Same goes for all the other tales.
Well, Cinderella made an impression -- big sister cutting off her toe[s] to fit into shoe. THAT I could imagine as a little kid.You've got point with Rapunzel.
Books mentioned in this topic
The Berry Pickers (other topics)Fortune's Child (other topics)
Hild (other topics)
Sharpe's Command (other topics)
Edenglassie (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Amanda Peters (other topics)Nicola Griffith (other topics)
Bernard Cornwell (other topics)
Bernard Cornwell (other topics)
Allan Hands (other topics)
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Wow Gretchen....thanks so much for finding this info and passing it along. Everyone wondered what happened to so abruptly end her threads. I pray she has found peace and a skyfull of books.