what i read in August

August proved to be a very fruitful month as far as reading went. 

I started off finishing "The Poe Shadow," by Matthew Pearl.  I discussed Pearl's "Dante Club" last month.  This work was just as reasearched as the last, but was different enough to make reading it a joy.  As a longtime Poe fan, I found the questions surrounding his death intriguing.  While "The Poe Shadow" is somewhat of a mystery, the ending left this reader wanting more.  As I do my shopping for September's books, I will be picking up Pearl's latest work, "The Last Dickens." 

I am usually hesitant to buy a book just because everyone else in America is reading it.  Somehow the oversaturation in the market turns me off.  Maybe I just dislike being "one of the crowd."  Whatever the reason, I did not read the "Left Behind" series by LaHaye and Jenkins when the rest of the world did.  However, earlier this year Tim LaHaye spoke at an end times conference at Harvest, and it piqued my interest.  I've been reading the book as they come out in collector's editions, including 3 books in one volume.  This month I read the third collection known as "Evil's Edge."  This volume includes the books, "The Indwelling," "The Mark," and "Desecration."  I find the whole series to be easy to read, captivating page turners. Each book ends at a point of high excitement and tension, so you immediately want to pick up the next to find out what happens.  At this point, those left behind after the Rapture of the Church are midway through the Tribulation.  The Antichrist become indwelt by Satan himself, and forces all "loyal" citizens to take his mark, those who don't face the guillotine.  The 100,000 converted Jews head for safety in Petra, and Satan desecrates the Temple of Solomon in Isreal.  While these books could be called "historical future" as opposed to "historical fiction," they are one view into what the end times will be like.  If you're curious about the book of Revelation, go ahead and read this series.  Just keep in mind that all Biblical prophecy is open to interpretation.  The final set in the series, "World's End" is due out in September, so I will be picking that up along with the Pearl book. 

I was lucky enough to join an advance copy reading group, and enjoy nothing more than getting to read a book before it's actually published. It used to be one of my favorite things about working at Barnes & Noble.  This month I received a work by new author, Bruce Machart entitled, "The Wake of Forgiveness."  While it is technically a western, the beautiful prose speaks as lyrically as a Shakespearean sonnett.  With themes including love, family, loss, forgiveness, revenge, and redemption, I would suggest this as a must read.  It will be published Oct. 21 - go pick it up, you will not be disappointed.  I look forward to Machart's next work.

Continuing my journey through the powerful women of England's past, this month I read "The Constant Princess" by Phillipa Gregory.  Gregory rose to fame with "The Other Boleyn Girl."  I hear the movie is horrible, so read the book instead.  This work centers on Henry VIII's first wife, Catalina, or Katherine of Aragon.  The daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, Katherine proves a worthy match for the impetuous Henry.  I appreciated how Gregory showed Katherine's childhood, which explains a lot of the actions she takes later in life.  She believed she was born to be Queen of England, and lets nothing stand in the way of reaching her goals.  Usually depicted as an older, rather dumpy and old fashioned woman, Gregory's Katherine is intelligent, cunning, and tenacious.  I've been a fan of Gregory's, and have read a few of her other works, including "The Other Boleyn Girl," and have always found her very readable.  However, after reading Jean Plaidy's novelization of Eleanor of Acquatiane last month, I must say I prefer Plaidy.  As they both have a series on the Queen's of England, I will probably pick up Plaidy's next work in the series, and leave Gregory to make horrible movie adaptations.

Finally, I did some fluff reading to close out the month.  There are a few "cotton candy" mystery series I enjoy.  I call them cotton candy because they are easy to eat, and are gone in a flash.  I read "The Bibliophile Mysteries," "Bewitching Mysteries," and "Booktown Mysteries" by Lorna Barrett.  If you've read any of the "Cat Who..." mysteries, you'll know the genre.  Since Lilian Jackson Braun has apparently run out of things for the Cat to do, I've had to search out new characters.  This month's Booktown Mystery is entitles "Chapter and Hearse."  and yes, they all have cheesy titles.  The series revolves around the small NH town of Stoneham, which has been revitalized into a tourist destination by the transformation of the old downtown area into a book lover's square of specialized book stores.  The protaginist, Tricia, runs a mystery store called "Haven't got a Clue."  As in the Cat Who... books, the story isn't as key as the wacky characters who inhabit the small town.  I pretty much always figure out the mystery before the end, but it's ok.  You won't strain your brain, or learn any new fancy vocab words by reading about Booktown, but it's a great way to spend a lazy sunday.

When I finished Barrett's latest a few days ago, I realized I needed something to tide me over until school started and September's books were purchased.  I tore through "The Omnivore's Delimna" when it came out a year or so ago, and started re-reading it, post "Food Inc." viewing.  I'm getting even more out of it this time around.  I think it should be a must read for everyone.  We all need to know where the food we eat came from, and realize how much of our food is based on gross GMO corn.

Next month look for such illustrious titles as "The Epic of Gilgamesh," and "The Iliad" along with the usual suspects.

Take care, and happy reading!

reading list extravaganza!

I just received the reading list for my Humanities class this fall.  I often converse with my professor, who I had last semester and he gave it to me early.  Looks like it's going to be a great class!  Here it is:

The Epic of Gilgamesh
A Selection of Egyptian Tales (including the Story of Sinuhe, Shipwrecked Sailor, and Humn to Aten)
Homer's The Iliad
Poems of Sappo and Solon
Aeschylus' Oresteia
Sophocles' Antigone
Augustine's Confessions
Dante's Inferno

Plus the books of Genesis, Matthew, and Paul's letters to the Romans from the Bible.

The super-nerd in me is getting super-excited!  I must barnes and noble tomorrow!

what i read in July

Because I am known as such a voracious reader, people often ask me what they should read.  This is difficult because each person's taste is different.  Additionally, a friend of mine doesn't really believe that I read as much as I say I do.  So, to kill two birds with one stone as they say (I actually hate that expression, as I couldn't kill one, much less 2 birds with any amount of stones), I'm going to post what I read each month, along with a review.

Before I get to that, I have 2 recommendations I do always give out. 

1 - if you haven't read The Alienist by Caleb Carr you should.  If you have any interest in Historical Fiction, crime and police procedurals, or mystery and suspense this is a must read.  Carr sets this work in incredibly well researched NYC at the turn of the last century.  Featuring Teddy Roosevelt, JP Morgan, Jake Riis and more it is fantastic.








2- my other all time fave is Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein.  I actually first read this sci-fi novel for my senior lit project in high school.  I loved it then, but appreciate it so much more now.  It's the story of Michael Smith, a human whose parents die on the first Earth colony on Mars and is raised by Martians.  He is brought back to Earth as an adult.  As it was written in 1961 some may find it dated, but I see it as part of the book's timeless charm.  As an outsider, Mike sees the hyprocrisy of human culture, and makes a lasting impact on those around him.  It's difficult to explain without writing pages and pages, so just trust me and give it a try.

Now, as for July, it was a matter of quality over quantity.  Finally ensconced in my quiet and peaceful house, I was able to delve into some work of weight.


First up was The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl.  I just happened upon this at Borders one day, and a lucky find it was.  A murder mystery set in 19th century Boston, just after the end of the Civil War, Pearl writes of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's project to translate Dante's Divine Comedy.  Other characters include Oliver Wendell Holmes sr and jr, James Russel Lowell, and J.T. Fields.  Pearl was originally an editor, and edited the new edition of Longfellow's translation.  I often read books so quickly because they are written simply.  Most books are leveled around 6th or 7th grade.  Pearl writes at his own level, he is a professor at Harvard.  It took me a little while to get through it because of the intricate plot points and the beautiful, sophisticated vocabulary.  I relished this book, and quickly went out and bought his next work, The Poe Shadow, which I am reveling in right now.  I learned a great deal about Dante, and about the Bostonian literary society of the late 1800's.  Also, as a mystery, I didn't know "whodunit" by chapter 3, as sometimes happens. 
Next came 1812: The War That Forged the Nation by Walter R. Borneman.  I actually picked up this tome quite some time ago, but in the chaos of my former abode didn't have the mental acumen to concentrate on a non-fiction work.  I am so glad I finally got around to it.  The War of 1812 is my favorite war (I know, I'm certainly exposing my history nerd-isness by even HAVING a favorite war).  It prompted the birth of the American Navy, gave rise to heroes like Oliver Hazzard Perry and (my distant uncle, and one of my favorite figures in American History), Andrew Jackson, brought about the end of the Federalist Party, featured major political figures like Aaron Burr, Henry Clay, James and Dolley Madison, gave rise to William Henry Harrison and his platform of Tippecanoe and Tyler too, and transformed us from a smattering of seperate states into the United States of America.  Borneman fills his narrative with a wealth of information, without sounding like a textbook.  It was a very pleasant read, and filled in many gaps in my knowledge of the war.  If you're looking for some non-fiction that isn't heavy or overbearing, I suggest this work. 
Finally, I opened Jean Plaidy's The Courts of Love.  I picked this up on a sister dinner/Barnes and Noble-stravaganza with my sister Sarah.  We are both history nerds, and combed the fiction section for some quality historical fiction.  Neither of us was familiar with Plaidy, who turns out to have written over 200 novels under her 3 pseudonyms.  The Courts of Love is the first in the series of 11 works on the Queens of England, which I will soon continue working through.  The queen in question here is Eleanor of Acquatiane, my favorite British and French queen (I know, more historical favorites!).  Few people have heard of Eleanor (who, along with Eleanor Roosevelt are my favorite Eleanors!), outside of the film, The Lion in Winter (which is also great if you haven't seen it).

  Eleanor was the Duchess of Acquataine who was married to both Louis VII of France and Henry II of England.  She was the mother of Richard I (the Lionheart) and

the dispicable King John (of the Magna Carta, but not really of Robin Hood's time).  Eleanor was, without a doubt the most powerful woman of her

day, and, I would say, contends with Elizabeth I as the formost female ruler of England. Even if you aren't  interested in British royalty, this novel is full of romance, politics, war, family dysfunction, and people with daddy issues.  I'm looking forward to picking up Plaidy's next work in the series (featuring Henry VIII's first wife Catherine of Aragon) to read in August.

 Well, that's it, only 3 works for July, but they were all great; educational and insightful.  Don't think that I only read history and historical fiction, I read pretty much everything.  Look in the future on topics from String Theory to Eastern Philosophy to Self-help. 

Also, if you've been contemplating reading something, ask about the author or work, if I have any opinions I'll be happy to share them with you.

Happy reading, and, as always, much love to you all....