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Tania O’Donnell takes the reader on a journey from medieval Courtly Love, through to the sexual license of the Restoration, and Victorian propriety. Pick up historical ‘dating tips,’ from how to court (or be courted), write romantic love letters, give and receive gifts, propose and pose as a sighing swain. The book takes a historical approach to the problem of finding a mate, with case studies of classic romantic mistakes and plenty of unusual tales. In the 14th century young men tried to impress the ladies with their footwear, donning shoes with pointed toes so long that they had to be secured with whalebone—presumably because size mattered! A History of Courtship is an entertaining and enlightening look at seduction over the centuries.~Goodreads Blurb  Starting off by titling your book “800 Years of Seduction,” you are promising the readers a great deal of information. Instead readers of this particular book are left with a series of little bits of information from a mainly European, and predominantly United Kingdom view on seduction. While there a plethora of information gleaned from other books and several different sources are given out throughout the text, there seems to be very little real flow to the book.
If the book was able to focus on any one segment of time and be able to give details, and perhaps use a bit of narrative to give readers a focus point, it would have promise. As it is, promising 800 years worth of history with only 176 pages, both leaves the reader with not enough detail and too much jumping around. This book would be suitable for a light read and I would recommend looking at some of the references that author Tania O’Donnell has written about throughout if this is a subject that intrigues you. *This eBook was provided by NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing in exchange for honest feedback*
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In the midst of a violent student uprising in South Korea, a young boy named Dong-ho is shockingly killed. The story of this tragic episode unfolds in a sequence of interconnected chapters as the victims and the bereaved encounter suppression, denial, and the echoing agony of the massacre. From Dong-ho’s best friend who meets his own fateful end; to an editor struggling against censorship; to a prisoner and a factory worker, each suffering from traumatic memories; and to Dong-ho's own grief-stricken mother; and through their collective heartbreak and acts of hope is the tale of a brutalized people in search of a voice.~Goodreads Blurb  The sheer weight that this book holds within it is simply amazing. From Han Kang’s original work to Deborah Smith’s translation, “Human Acts” takes almost no time to creep into your being. It is by no means a fun read or one that I would hand over lightly. I do think its story is necessary. In an all too common 24-hr new cycle world, we have a tendency as people to simply forget to care. We grow angry, shake our fists, and then simply say, “It’s happening everywhere.” Instead of numbing the readers, Han Kang and Deborah Smith have shown a stark and yet intimate view of the Massacre that shook Gwangju. If you’re thinking, I’ve never heard of it, you’re not alone. You may not thank me for recommending this book but I think it needs to be read. It spans years and covers multiple people’s views. There are perhaps a few cultural elements that I didn’t understand but they didn’t detract from the book. I want to be able to tell you to go straight from this to a light hearted chick-lit book. Go find yourself a bodice-ripper and giggle at all different ways to write man missile and love cave. You’ll need it after reading this. After author Han Kang has cracked open this world for you through this latest novel, “Human Acts.” I’m going to need you not to though. I need you to just sit after you finish it. Even if you are in the middle of a coffee shop, listening to people talk about their day, and the traffic, and the weather, and the gossip, just sit sit for a moment. You might end up like me, finding yourself unable to really explain what’s going on inside. A feeling of relief and yet a sadness and helplessness combination floating right on top. It’s easy enough to change the channel and zone out, or watch some puppies on YouTube and forget what you just read, but please stop yourself. I need you to feel like this, to remember this feeling. You might not understand why just yet, and I hope it doesn’t come up, but it might be important later. *This book was provided by BloggingForBooks and Hogarth Publishing in exchange for honest feedback* Han Kang is the daughter of novelist Han Seung-won. She was born in Kwangju and at the age of 10, moved to Suyuri (which she speaks of affectionately in her work "Greek Lessons") in Seoul.
She studied Korean literature at Yonsei University. She began her writing career when one of her poems was featured in the winter issue of the quarterly Literature and Society. She made her official literary debut in the following year when her short story "The Scarlet Anchor" was the winning entry in the daily Seoul Shinmun spring literary contest. Lisa Dickey traveled across the whole of Russia three times—in 1995, 2005 and 2015—making friends in eleven different cities, then coming back again and again to see how their lives had changed. Like the acclaimed British documentary series Seven Up!, she traces the ups and downs of ordinary people’s lives, in the process painting a deeply nuanced portrait of modern Russia. From the caretakers of a lighthouse in Vladivostok, to the Jewish community of Birobidzhan, to a farmer in Buryatia, to a group of gay friends in Novosibirsk, to a wealthy “New Russian” family in Chelyabinsk, to a rap star in Moscow, Dickey profiles a wide cross-section of people in one of the most fascinating, dynamic and important countries on Earth. Along the way, she explores dramatic changes in everything from technology to social norms, drinks copious amounts of vodka, and learns firsthand how the Russians really feel about Vladimir Putin.~Goodreads Blurb  1995, 2005, 2015, not overly noted years and yet throughout this travel novel the sheer growth and contrast is well noted. Through little tech to the wonders of the modern age, Author Lisa Dickey takes her readers through a side of Russia that the Western World rarely gets to see. Without creating caricatures of the Russian people, we are taken from the far eastern coast through several off beaten towns, meeting people and learning their stories. With 20 years, and 3 trips to draw from, there are a plethora of stories from which Dickey could choose from. She seems to have chosen not only the ones which make her readers laugh but also ones that have personal meaning to her. Without alienating her readers, she blends together her life and the lives she’s capturing through stories and photos, to give us as honest a view as she can. Lisa Dickey’s latest piece left me with a warm feeling. Similar to watch families greet each other at an airport during the holidays, or seeing people return home after a long tour in the military, I found myself smiling along as I read. Even with the ongoing feelings of discontent that spread during this election, towards our own government and our relationship with Russia, this book left me with a reminder that countries are made up of more than just their heads of state. Not to be cliche, but it showed that Russians are people too. We have so many stereotypes about each other from bears roaming the streets of Russia, to the typical loud uncouth American, it’s nice to see things from another view. It leaves me wondering if things would go better if we could solve all problems with a good meal and some homemade liquor. I would recommend this to people who enjoy travel and food books, an interest in Russia wouldn’t hurt but is not a requirement. I would have to recommend more bears next time as none showed up until 61% but then again I’m just an American looking for Bears in the Streets of Russia. *This eBook was provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for honest feedback* Lisa Dickey, author of Bears in the Streets (January 2017, St. Martin's Press), is a a longtime author and book collaborator. She has helped clients write 17 published nonfiction books, including eight New York Times Best Sellers.
Lisa began her writing career in 1994 in St. Petersburg, Russia, where she wrote articles for The Moscow Times, Russian Life magazine and USA Today. Upon returning to the United States in late 1996, she worked with then-Washington Post reporter Kara Swisher on her first book, AOL.COM. From that initial collaboration, she launched a career as a ghostwriter and book doctor. Over the next two decades, Lisa worked with high-profile clients such as Patrick Swayze, Gavin Newsom, Cissy Houston, Herbie Hancock, Cathie Black, and Whitewater partner Susan McDougal. Her collaborations have spanned a vast array of topics, from politics to business to entertainment to international relations. Something is keeping Sarah Gale silent despite the risk of a death sentence. Is it guilt? Fear? Love? Sentenced to hang for her alleged role in a shocking murder, Sarah confronts the young lawyer asked to examine her guilty verdict. She says she is innocent, but she refuses to explain the evidence given in court — the evidence that convicted her. Battling his own demons, Edmund Fleetwood is determined to find the truth — and to uncover why Sarah won't talk. Darkness hides in Sarah's past, Edmund is certain, but surviving on the streets of London often means that one has to make difficult choices. Does it matter what else she's done, if she's innocent of murder? As the day of execution draws closer, Edmund struggles to discover whether she is the victim of a terrible miscarriage of justice, or a dangerous and devious criminal.~Goodreads Blurb  A true-crime fiction novel debut, “The Unseeing” is the story of Sarah Gale’s role in a vicious crime that fascinated London at the time. The Edgeware Road Murder shocked the public in the visceral and graphic manner the body was disposed of. Instead of leaving it to a footnote in the dark times of London, Author Anna Mazzola has brought it back into the light with her debut novel. Already published for over 6 months in the UK, it has been brought to the States by Sourcebooks Landmark. Clearly Mazzola has a real gift for this and hopefully will grace us with another book in a similar style as time goes on. Typically not a fan of the true-crime fiction genre, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself readily enjoying “The Unseeing.” I did have a bit of trouble in the middle, when I thought everything had been wrapped up neatly, only to find that there was about 45% more book left. With a physical book, you have visual cue to let you know that there is more to come. I would compare it to a procedural crime show that seems to be solved at the 30 minute mark. You know something is going to happen, because it all seems too easy. One of the reasons I try to avoid true-crime fiction is that if the book is too slow or badly written, I have been known to simply google the crime in order to not leave anything hanging and move on. I can honestly say that I wasn’t heading for Google any time soon with this book. From character descriptions to plausible motivations and backstories, whether Mazzola chooses to stick to true-crime or makes the move to another section of historical fiction, I look forward to seeing her next move. *This eBook was provided by NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark in exchange for honest feedback* Anna Mazzola is a writer of historical crime fiction. Her debut novel, The Unseeing, was published in July 2016. The Times calls it 'sizzling'. The Mirror describes it as, 'a brilliant debut.’
Anna studied English at Pembroke College, Oxford, before becoming a criminal justice solicitor. She lives in Camberwell, London, with two small children, two cats and one husband. As a boy, Robert D. Kaplan listened to his truck-driver father's evocative stories about traveling across America as a young man, travels in which he learned to understand the country from a ground-level perspective. In Earning the Rockies, Kaplan undertakes his own cross-country journey to recapture an appreciation and understanding of American geography that is often lost in the jet age. The history of westward expansion is examined here in a new light—not just a story of genocide and individualism, but also of communalism and a respect for the limits of a water-starved terrain—to understand how settling the West shaped our national character, and how it should shape our foreign policy. In his clear-eyed and moving meditations on the American landscape, Kaplan lays bare the roots of American greatness—the fact that we are a nation, empire, and continent all at once—and how we must reexamine those roots, and understand our geography, in order to confront the challenging, anarchic world that Kaplan describes. Earning the Rockies is a short epic, a story both personal and global in scope.~Goodreads Blurb  Reading this was like reading a thank you to his father’s shared wanderlust, and to the expansion of his mind by Bernard DeVoto.In writing this Robert D. Kaplan has managed to shine a light on the circular nature of history during a time when we might need it most. I was worried that this was going to be the sort of book that bemoans the lack of the good ol’ days, and a wishlist of the way things used to be. I was pleasantly surprised in the manner of which it showed inclusiveness and really highlighted more than simply the white folks conquering the West. There also is a deep understanding and a spark of joy in knowing that instead of simply tearing down our past to build up from the bones, more and more of America is investing in preserving our past. Whether good or bad, it is a part of us and it will shape our future in ways we might not be able to spot. The push towards isolationism and solidarity seems to be taking place in our country not from a position of strength but from a place of fear. Kaplan notes this and tries to explain the large political swing America’s political system is going through, by showing our past and how it affected us at the time. One of the great joys about reading someone’s travel memoirs, especially if you have taken the same route, is seeing things through their eyes. Having driven from New Jersey to Montana myself not even two years ago, I find myself remembering the trip through Kaplan’s stories and descriptions. It adds another layer to the memories I already had, as I begin to understand not only the difference of locations and peoples but also the historical importance of the cities I drove through stopping only to fill a gas tank. Kaplan creates a connection to the readers, that pulls them in and shows them a land that has become simply a fly over zone for most of the country. I would say that this book is for people who are interested in the politics of land, and have an interest in the shaping of America as a whole. Also anyone who enjoys travel memoirs will get a kick out of “Earning The Rockies.” Though I had no real knowledge of Bernard DeVoto’s work, I’ve planned to go back and read more into his backlog of works *This eBook was provided by NetGalley and Random House in exchange for honest feedback* Robert David Kaplan is an American journalist, currently a National Correspondent for the Atlantic Monthly. His writings have also been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The New Republic, The National Interest, Foreign Affairs and The Wall Street Journal, among other newspapers and publications, and his more controversial essays about the nature of U.S. power have spurred debate in academia, the media, and the highest levels of government. A frequent theme in his work is the reemergence of cultural and historical tensions temporarily suspended during the Cold War.
In 1837, less than a month after her eighteenth birthday, Alexandrina Victoria – sheltered, small in stature, and female – became Queen of Great Britain and Ireland. Many thought it was preposterous: Alexandrina — Drina to her family — had always been tightly controlled by her mother and her household, and was surely too unprepossessing to hold the throne. Yet from the moment William IV died, the young Queen startled everyone: abandoning her hated first name in favor of Victoria; insisting, for the first time in her life, on sleeping in a room apart from her mother; resolute about meeting with her ministers alone. One of those ministers, Lord Melbourne, became Victoria’s private secretary. Perhaps he might have become more than that, except everyone argued she was destined to marry her cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. But Victoria had met Albert as a child and found him stiff and critical: surely the last man she would want for a husband…. ~Goodreads Blurb  After having a full run in the UK “Victoria” has premiered in the US on PBS. Eight episodes about the life of the young queen from coronation to her first child. When I found that the writer for the show was also publishing a book, I had high hopes. While it was quite well written, I found it to be more of a novelization of the show rather than a more in depth look at Victoria’s beginnings. With 404 pages to work with, it seemed a surprise to me that as readers we only just get to the proposal instead of any depth or any real measure of conflict. Author Daisy Goodwin obviously did quite a bit of research into Queen Victoria’s diaries and the lives of people around her. Her work on the show and her writing style are very well done and I really enjoyed watching the series. I simply felt disappointed that this was more of a companion piece or a teaser for the show rather than a stand alone novel. I would recommend this for people who are torn between watching the show or not. If you enjoy the book, you will love the show. It also is good for people who don’t often get into historical fiction to wet their whistles. I have a couple of Goodwin’s other books on my TBR list and hopefully I will find one that better suits my tastes. DAISY GOODWIN, a Harkness scholar who attended Columbia University’s film school after earning a degree in history at Cambridge University, is a leading television producer in the U.K. Her poetry anthologies, including 101 Poems That Could Save Your Life, have introduced many new readers to the pleasures of poetry, and she was Chair of the judging panel of the 2010 Orange Prize for Fiction. That was the year she published her first novel the American Heiress ( My Last Duchess in UK) , followed by The Fortune Hunter and now Victoria. She has also created VICTORIA the PBS/ITV series which starts in January. She has three dogs, two dogs, and one husband.
It may be impossible to alter the past, but Irish revolutionary Nora O’Reilly is determined to try. Armed with a relic given to her by the goddess Brigid and joined by immortal Irish warrior Fionn mac Cumhaill, Nora is hurled back through time to the sixteenth century. There Nora and Fionn seek the infamous pirate queen Granuaile—Grace O’Malley—the one woman who may be fierce enough to stop Queen Elizabeth I’s tyranny over the Irish people. But finding Granuaile is no easy feat, and securing her help is tougher still. Nora and Fionn face enemies at every turn, risking capture, separation, and even death in their quest to save Ireland and finally put an end to the centuries-long curse that torments Fionn. But as Nora’s connection to Fionn grows stronger, her loyalties are tested: she may not be able to save both her country and the man she’s grown to love.~Goodreads Blurb  I really have a hard time reading books out of order and if I find part of a series that looks good, I will usually go back to the beginning and read forward rather than jump around. Even with my particular need for order, you could easily start here with “Summon The Queen” and then go back and read “Bury The Living.” Even if you start out of order, the author Jodi McIsaac, has written in just enough about the previous book that new readers will feel caught up, and readers who have just finished the previous book won’t feel as if they are simply rehashing the past. Writing about Irish-English relations during this time can get tricky for writers, especially since many times Queen Elizabeth is written as a good and just queen. By putting her on such a pedestal it can be difficult for writers to pull her off in order to show her flaws and shortcomings. The tendency is to show her as a strong woman who doesn’t need a man, instead of showing that she was definitely her father’s daughter in her temper, and her paranoia, which lead to the deaths of many she believed plotted against her. McIsaac has not only managed to bring light to some of the other strong women living in Elizabeth’s time, such as Grace O’Malley, but also has personalized the Irish who were struggling against Tudor rule at the time. There is also the clear distinction made, one that I felt the first book lacked, that it’s not as simple as “The English are evil” and “The Irish are good.” This is great for people who enjoy reading about Elizabeth the First’s reign, from another angle. Historical fiction and even a bit of fantasy time travel through in rounds out this part of the series, though if I am to believe the cliffhanger, this won’t be the last I see of Jodi McIsaac’s work. *This eBook was provided by NetGalley and 47North in exchange for honest feedback* Notes about the Author: Jodi McIsaac is the author of the Irish contemporary fantasy series The Thin Veil (47North) the thriller A Cure for Madness (Thomas & Mercer) and the forthcoming historical Revolutionary series, starting with Bury the Living (47North).
She grew up in New Brunswick, on Canada's east coast. After abandoning her Olympic speed skating dream, she wrote speeches for a politician, volunteered in a refugee camp, waited tables in Belfast, earned a couple of university degrees, and started a boutique copywriting agency. She loves geek culture, running, and whisk(e)y. Rebellion has always been in the O’Reilly family’s blood. So when faced with the tragic death of her brother during Northern Ireland’s infamous Troubles, a teenage Nora joined the IRA to fight for her country’s freedom. Now, more than a decade later, Nora is haunted by both her past and vivid dreams of a man she has never met. When she is given a relic belonging to Brigid of Kildare, patron saint of Ireland, the mystical artifact transports her back eighty years—to the height of Ireland’s brutal civil war. Here she meets the alluring stranger from her dreams, who has his own secrets—and agenda. Taken out of her own time, Nora has the chance to alter the fortunes of Ireland and maybe even save the ones she loves. In this captivating and adventurous novel from Jodi McIsaac, history belongs to those with the courage to change it.~Goodreads Blurb  With an intriguing mixture of Irish mythology and politics, Author Jodi McIsaac has created a new historical fiction series for the masses. The Easter Rising happened just over 100 years ago and sometimes it is easier for people to forget the pain and hardships that the Irish people went through to get to the point that they are at today. Starting in 2005, we are wiped back in time to just after the Tan wars to when it was quickly becoming a Civil War in the North with Catholics and Protestants each fighting for their homes and their lives. We follow Nora O’Reilly from Belfast to Kildare and through time to help the mysterious man haunting her dreams. As enjoyable as I found this first book, I did find myself doing separate research on certain parts of history that McIsaac glossed over or assumed the reader knew or didn’t need to know. Typically I find that historical fiction writers can add too much history and bog down the fiction but in this case it was the reverse. The fight for independence and freedom in Ireland is a complicated and nuanced history, but I felt that parts of the story were very one sided. Though that may have just been part of the writing style. If you like Irish history, historical fiction, and some time-travelling women this would be a great book for you. The second book of the series comes out on the 17th of January 2017, so I look forward to reviewing it as well. Notes about the Author: Jodi McIsaac is the author of the Irish contemporary fantasy series The Thin Veil (47North) the thriller A Cure for Madness (Thomas & Mercer) and the forthcoming historical Revolutionary series, starting with Bury the Living (47North).
She grew up in New Brunswick, on Canada's east coast. After abandoning her Olympic speed skating dream, she wrote speeches for a politician, volunteered in a refugee camp, waited tables in Belfast, earned a couple of university degrees, and started a boutique copywriting agency. She loves geek culture, running, and whisk(e)y. This volume of Tudor Roses presents new and reimagined garments based on the original Tudor Roses published in 1998. Alice Starmore looks to historical female figures of the Tudor Dynasty as inspiration for her stunning knitwear, and her modernization of traditional Fair Isle and Aran patterns has created a sensation in the knitting world. Through garment design, Starmore and her daughter Jade tell the stories of fourteen women connected with the Tudor dynasty. They weave a narrative around the known facts of their subjects' lives using photography, art, and the only medium through which the Tudor women could leave a lasting physical record in their world — needlework. Tudor Roses includes fourteen patterns for sweaters and other wearables that follow the chronological order of the Tudor dynasty. A different model portrays each of the Tudor women, from Elizabeth Woodville, grandmother of Henry VIII, through Mary, Queen of Scots. The stunning design and photography appeals to knitters seeking designs that offer an attractive balance of historic and modern elements.~Note from Publisher  Full of beautiful and intricate patterns that knitters have come to expect from designer Alice Starmore, "Tudor Roses" does not disappoint. The rich colors and the detailed patterns will make these patterns easier to read, though the skill to complete them is up to the readers. It isn’t simply a pattern book, each pattern is based off one of the Tudor women who formed that part of English history. Starmore has added diary entries to each pattern to give a bit of a personal attachment to each historical character. She also has included not only her personal decisions for each piece but a bit of history, should the knitters wish to know more. I also enjoyed the use of modern day jewelry designed by students of design to bring what may be seen as costumey pieces into a more modern feel. This would not be a book for beginners. The patterns themselves are intense and time consuming. While they leave you with an absolutely beautiful finished project, I fear that anyone who attempts one of these as a first project may feel a bit burned out. The book also would make a wonderful coffee table book, though for that I would recommend the hardback version. All together a wonderful achievement by Alice Starmore. *This eBook was provided by NetGalley and Dover Publications in exchange for honest feedback.* Notes on the Author:Alice Starmore (née Matheson) was raised in a traditional, Gaelic-speaking Scottish fishing village. She began knitting as a child, studying the folk knitting traditions of her native Scotland. Starmore later expanded her textile studies, traveling in Scandinavia in the late 1970s on a Winston Churchill Fellowship.
Broadly recognized as one of the world's authorities on Fair Isle and other folk knitting traditions, Starmore founded Windfall Press in 1991. Windfall produces knitting patterns and instructional manuals as well as a large number of Scottish Gaelic titles. Starmore expanded her career beyond knitting in the 1990s, focusing on fine art and photography. She held her first major solo exhibition in 2008 on the Isle of Lewis. Nadia Valinsky was a student teacher in Moscow until Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union. Determined to defend her people, she joins the Air Force; where the famous aviator Marina Raskova is recruiting women for three fighting regiments. After rigorous training, and in nothing more than canvas and wood biplanes, Nadia and her friends are sent to the front line, where they'll become the legends history calls The Night Witches.~Goodreads Blurb  There is so much of history that has been rewritten or scrubbed of some truly amazing women. “The Night Witches” is the first time I’ve heard these ridiculously talented women. Not only did they volunteer to do a task that most would have balked at, (flying canvas and wooden planes into a war zone) they succeeded against so many odds. Author Mirren Hogan has given these women a voice. These women, all three divisions of them, had to face not only disdain and disapproval from the Axis forces but from some of their own superiors. It would have been quite easy for Hogan to simply write a cut and dry story about these women branded the Night Witches. Instead she gives them depth and a history. We grow to care about each of their lives, feeling shattered when we have to remember that this isn’t a fairy tale but a war story and not everyone is going to get a happy ending. I enjoyed the way Hogan described the changes that the women went through from strangers to sisters-in-arms. The way that the war and each other affected their emotions and state of mind was brilliantly written. I was also impressed with the author’s ability to not give into the trope that too many writers sink to when writing about women. This idea that if you have nothing but women, then it will turn into a big catfight, is too often used. Hogan has written that idea clear off. These strong women do what they have to not only for themselves but also for their country. If you enjoy WWII fiction and stories about strong women, this is for you. I hope to read more by author Mirren Hogan in the future. *This eBook was provided by NetGalley and Sands Press in exchange for honest feedback*
Author Notes from her Amazon Page: Mirren Hogan lives in NSW Australia with her husband, two daughters, dog, cat, rabbits and countless birds. She has a Bachelor of Arts (English/ history), a Graduate Diploma of Arts (writing) and a couple of degrees in education. She writes fantasy, urban fantasy and science fiction. Her debut novel —Crimson Fire— was released by The Dragon's Rocketship Publishing in October 2016, with more to come. These include a trilogy co-authored by Erin Yoshikawa, and an historical fiction titled Night Witches through Sands Press. She's also had several short stories published and has co-edited two charity anthologies; for breast cancer research and Plan Australia. |
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