Mary Renault: Bringing Ancient Greece to Life

September 4th was the 110th birthday of historical novelist Mary Renault.  She was born in Forest Gate, England in 1905 and studied at Oxford.  J.R.R Tolkien was one of her tutors! She is best known for her novels of Ancient Greece.  Even her critics credit her with bringing Ancient Greece alive with vivid characters and thorough accuracy and historical detail.  She was enormously successful then and even more than forty years later she remains the standard by which all other novels of Alexander the Great are judged.  And another interesting fact:  President John F. Kennedy stated that she was his favorite author.

Try some of her great novels:

The Last of the Wine--the story of an Athenian during the Peloponnesian War, includes Socrates' death; a good place to begin the study of Plato.

The King Must Die--the adventures of Theseus of Athens, up to the death of the king, his father.

The Bull from the Sea--a sequel to The King Must Die, detailing the rest of Theseus' life and adventures.

The Mask of Apollo--a Greek actor narrates the story of Greek drama (including Plato, Dionysus the Younger, and Alexander).

Fire from Heaven--the boyhood through adolescence of Alexander the Great.

The Persian Boy--Alexander after he had conquered Persia, as seen through the eyes of his young eunuch.

The Praise Singer--a pseudo-autobiography of the lyric poet Simonides at a time when the oral tradition was being replaced by the written word.

Funeral Games--the in-fighting of Alexander's several successors after his death.

If you’ve already read all of Renault's books then try some of these other notable historical authors:

Gillian Bradshaw--Dark North (Roman Britain, 208 AD) and London in Chains (English Civil War).

Elizabeth Chadwick--The Greatest Knight (William Marshall) and Summer Queen (Eleanor of Aquitaine).

Dorothy Dunnett--Game of Kings (1st in Lymond Chronicles, 1547 Scotland) and Niccolo Rising (1st in House of Niccolo series, 1460 Bruges).

Diana Gabaldon--Outlander (1st in epic series set in 18th century Scotland).

Philippa Gregory--The Constant Princess (early life of Katherine of Aragon) and The White Queen (Elizabeth Woodville, wife of Edward IV in 15th century).

Cecelia Holland--The King's Witch (Richard the Lionheart and a mysterious healer).

David Malouf--Ransom (Achilles and Priam).

Steven Pressfield--The Afghan Kingdoms (invasions by Alexander the Great in 330 BC) and Last of the Amazons (epic story of the Amazons).

Judith Tarr--Pillar of Fire (Ancient Egypt through the eyes of a slave) and White Mare's Daughter (clash between tribes in Prehistoric Europe).

June Was LGBTQ Pride Month--Celebrate with Some Award-Winning Books!

Every year the American Library Association's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Round Table creates an Over the Rainbow Project book list for adults.  The mission of the GLBTRT is to create a bibliography of books that exhibit commendable literary quality and significant authentic GLBT content.

The following are some fiction and biography/memoir selections for 2015. 

To see the full list go here.  

Fiction:

Frog Music by Emma Donoghue--A long-forgotten, never-solved crime and a lyrical tale of love and bloodshed among scoundrels, captures the pulse of 19th century San Francisco.

All I Love and Know by Judith Frank--An intense drama of an American family on the edge of termination, one that explores adoption, gay marriage, and true love lost and found.

For Today I Am a Boy by Kim Fu--Peter Huang is the exalted only son in a sea of daughters. At the first opportunity, each of the girls leaves. But for Peter, escape is not as simple. Peter is supposed to fulfill his immigrant father’s dreams.  But Peter knows he is really a girl. 

Hild: a Novel by Nicola Griffith--A lush, sweeping historical novel about the rise of the most powerful woman of the Middle Ages, Hild of seventh-century Britain.

The Two Hotel Francforts by David Leavitt--It is 1940 Lisbon and two couples who are awaiting safe passage to New York, meet.  As Portugal's neutrality, and the world's future, hangs in the balance, the hidden threads in the lives of these four individuals begins to come loose. 

The Days of Anna Madrigal by Armistead Maupin--The latest novel in Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City series follows one of modern literature's most beloved and indelible characters--Anna Madrigal, the transgender landlady of 28 Barbary Lane.

Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris 1932 by Francine Prose--A richly imagined novel of art, betrayal, the unforeseen consequences of love, and the ultimate unreliability of storytelling itself in Paris of the 1920s.

The Farm by Tom Rob Smith--Daniel believed that his parents were enjoying a peaceful retirement in Sweden. But with a single phone call, everything changes. Caught between his parents, and unsure of whom to believe or trust, Daniel hears an urgent tale of a crime and a conspiracy that implicates his own father.

The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters--In 1922 South London, impoverished widow Mrs. Wray and her spinster daughter are obliged to take in lodgers. But, little do they know just how profoundly their tenants will alter the course of their lives.

Biography/Memoir:

Fire Shut Up In My Bones by Charles Blow--A gorgeous, moving memoir of how one of America's most innovative and respected journalists found his voice by coming to terms with a painful past.

In My Skin: My Life On and Off the Basketball Court by Brittney Griner--Hailed as the world's most famous female basketball player, Brittney Griner has been shattering stereotypes and breaking boundaries ever since she burst onto the national scene. Now, she shares her coming-of-age story, revealing how she found the strength to overcome bullies and to embrace her authentic self.

Teaching the Cat to Sit by Michelle Theall--A universal story about our quest for unconditional love, Teaching the Cat to Sit makes us each reflect on our sense of humanity, our connection to religion, and our struggles to accept ourselves-and each other-as we are.

25th Lambda Literary Award Winners!

On this past Monday night in New York City, the 25th annual Lammys were announced!  The Lambda Literary Awards highlighted a quarter century of outstanding LGBT literature and they were celebrated in fine fashion!
 
Try some of the following winning authors and titles:

Bisexual Fiction:
 
In One Person by John Irving

Bisexual Non-fiction:
 
My Awesome Place: The Autobiography of Cheryl B. by Cheryl Burke

Gay Memoir/Biography:

Fire in the Belly: The Life and Times of David Wojnarowicz by Cynthia Carr

Lesbian General Fiction:
 
The World We Found by Thrity Umrigar

Lesbian Memoir/Biography:

Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? by Jeanette Winterson

Lesbian Mystery:

Ill Will by J. M. Redmann

LGBT Children's/Young Adult:

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

For the rest of the winners and nominees:  lambdaliterary

Lambda Literary Awards 2010

The 2010 Lambda Literary Awards or "Lammys" were awarded May 27, 2010 in New York City.  The "Lammy", in its 22nd year, is the most prestigious, competitive, and comprehensive literary award offered specifically to LGBT authors.  The awards are given for the finest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans literature available in the United States.

Try one of the following winners:


A Field Guide to Deception by Jill Malone


Lake Overturn by Vestal McIntyre


The Creamsickle by Rhiannon Argo


Blue Boy by Rakesh Satyal


Sprout by Dale Peck


Death of a Dying Man by J.M. Redmann


What We Remember by Michael Thomas Ford


Palimpsest by Catherynne M. Valente


The Talented Miss Highsmith: The Secret Life and Serious Art of Patricia Highsmith by Joan Schenkar


Ardent Spirits: Leaving Home, Coming Back by Reynolds Price


For more great LGBT books go to the Good Reads section on our website.

E. Lynn Harris R. I. P.

E. Lynn Harris, the best-selling author and a pioneer of gay black fiction, has died. He was only 54.
His novels inspired millions of readers and he specialized in writing about African-American gay culture, including the "down low" aspect in the black community.
Harris published 11 novels, 10 of which were on The New York Times best-seller list and was well-loved by fans around the world. He will be missed. Condolences to his family and friends.

Try one of his great books:

Abide with Me

And This Too Shall Pass

Any Way the Wind Blows

Basketball Jones

I Say a Little Prayer

If This World Were Mine

Just Too Good To Be True

A Love of My Own

Not a Day Goes By

What Becomes of the Brokenhearted: a Memoir

2009 Lambda Literary Finalists

The 21st Annual Lambda Literary Awards finalists were announced this week. These awards seek to recognize excellence in the field of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender literature. This year 105 finalists representing 72 publishers are competing for awards in 22 categories. Try one of the following books by 8 of the finalists and let me know which ones you think will win the awards. They are all winners in my book!

The Fisher Boy by Stephen Anable

The Sealed Letter by Emma Donoghue

Light Fell by Evan Fallenberg

The Screwed-Up Life of Charlie the Second by Drew Ferguson

Sea, Swallow Me and Other Stories by Craig Gidney

Map of Ireland by Stephanie Grant

Sweet Poison by Ellen Hart

Spider Season by John Morgan Wilson

For more reading suggestions, try our Gay and Lesbian Fiction list on the library website under Good Reads!