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).

Genghis Khan and the Mongol Horde

On August 18, 1227, Genghis Khan, the Mongol leader who forged an empire stretching from the east coast of China west to the Aral Sea, died in camp during a campaign against the Chinese kingdom of Xi Xia. 
The great Khan, who was over 60 and in failing health, may have succumbed to injuries incurred during a fall from a horse in the previous year.

Try some of the following fiction books based on this legendary leader and warrior:

Treasure of Khan by Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler

Genghis Khan ruled an empire that stretched from the Pacific Ocean to the Caspian Sea. His conquests are the stuff of legend. When Dirk Pitt is nearly killed rescuing an oil survey team, it appears a simple act of nature. When the team is abducted and Pitt's vessel nearly sunk, however, all trails lead to Mongolia, and a mysterious tycoon that harbors a dream of restoring the conquests of his ancestors.

The Mongoliad. Book One by Erick Bear ...

As the Mongols swept across Asia and were poised to invade Europe in 1241, a small band of warriors conceived a desperate plan to stop the attack. In the late 19th century a mysterious group of English martial arts enthusiasts gave Sir Richard F. Burton, expert on languages and swordsmanship, a collection of long-lost manuscripts to translate--the lost chronicles of this desperate fight to save Europe.

The Mongoliad. Book Two by Erick Bear ...  

In the aftermath of the Mongolian invasion of 1241, beleaguered Christians struggle with the presence of a violent horde and a world turned upside down. An order of warrior monks, the Shield-Brethren, refuses to yield, plotting to overthrow the invaders despite insurmountable odds.

The Mongoliad. Book Three by Neal Stephenson … 

This book includes “Seer: A Prequel to the Mongoliad”. This short story was previously available only digitally and sets up characters and events in The Mongoliad. The warrior-monks, both in the East and the West, sharpen their swords for a final battle. The Khan of Khans must be slain if Christendom is to survive. A sweeping historical interpretation of the battle for Europe against the invading Mongols and their ruthless Khan.

Genghis : Birth of an Empire by Conn Iggulden

He was born Temujin, the son of a khan and raised in a clan of hunters.  Even though his young life was shaped by a series of brutal acts, he endured.  From that moment on, he was driven by a singular passion: to survive in the face of death, to kill before being killed, and to conquer enemies who could come without warning from beyond the horizon. 

Genghis : Lords of the Bow by Conn Iggulden

Through a series of courageous raids against the Tartars, Temujin’s legend grew. Blessed with fierce courage, it was the young warrior's ability to learn, to imagine, and to judge the hearts of others that propelled him to greater and greater power. Until he was chasing an idea: to unite many tribes into one, to make the earth tremble under a thousand horses, and to bend nations to his will. 

Genghis : Bones of the Hills by Conn Iggulden

Genghis Khan, stalked by enemies seen and unseen and plagued by a divided family, leads a sprawling force of horsemen beyond the realm of their known world. He will bring a storm to Arab lands and face the armies of the shah. But as Genghis enters a strange new land of towering mountains and arid desert, he confronts an enemy greater than any he has met before.

Khan : Empire of Silver : a Novel of the Khan Empire by Conn Iggulden

The Great Khan is dead. His vast empire hangs in the balance, an empire he forged with raw courage, tactical brilliance, unswerving dedication to his people, and the force of his own indomitable will. Now the very qualities that united the fierce Mongol tribes threaten to tear them apart, as the heirs of Genghis maneuver for dominance. In the end, only one can command.

The Six Directions of Space by Alastair Reynolds

The Mongols, led by Genghis Khan, conquered Earth a thousand years ago and now rule an interstellar civilization. Yellow Dog, a spy for the current khan, is sent on a mission to a distant part of the empire where phantom star-ships have been glimpsed. Taken prisoner by the sadistic local commander, Yellow Dog discovers that the commander has collected artifacts from these phantoms, and she soon finds herself in charge of interpreting them.

The Tiger Queens : the Women of Genghis Khan by Stephanie Thornton

In the late twelfth century, across the sweeping Mongolian grasslands, brilliant, charismatic Temujin ascends to power, declaring himself Genghis Khan. But it is the women who stand beside him who ensure his triumph: Borte his queen, their fierce daughter, Alaqai, Fatima, a Persian captive, and Sorkhokhtani, a demure widow.  The tiger queens come to depend on one another as they fight, love, and sacrifice, all for the good of their family...and the greatness of their People. 

Historical Fiction of the American West

 According to Stuart Rosebrook of "True West Magazine", "the definition of the Old West is changing and moving further and further into the 20th century.  The three genres that are growing every year in westerns are mystery, romance, and frontier, all of which are pushing their heroes and heroines well into the 21st century."

Explore some of these intriguing historical novels:

Cattle Kate by Jana Bommersbach
She was the only woman ever lynched as a rustler. History called it "justice". But it was all a lie. Her real name was Ella Watson.  She was murdered by her neighbors for her land and water rights. Now, on the 125th anniversary of her death, hear the true story. 

Wild Ran the Rivers by James D. Crownover
This is a story of pioneers, pirates and ponies, floods, earthquakes, a mysterious wilderness settlement and how the second generation of a Cherokee family found a home on the Little Red River.

Ragtime Cowboys by Loren D. Estleman
In prohibition-era Southern California, detectives Siringo and Hammett must solve a mystery involving a ruthless politician. An exciting tale in which the Old West and Hollywood collide.

The Bully of Order by Brian Hart
A novel of fate and redemption set in the Washington frontier during the lawless logging days of the late 19th century. 

Paradise Sky by Joe R. Lansdale
An ex-slave on the run becomes a Buffalo Soldier, U.S. Marshall, sharpshooter and friend to Wild Bill Hickok.

Backlands by Michael McGarrity
The second installment of the authentic American West trilogy set in the raw, untrammeled New Mexico back-lands during the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, and World War II. Started with Hard Country. 



The Last Kind Words Saloon by Larry McMurtry
A story of the closing of the American frontier told by Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday.

The Bridge by Robert B. Parker
Marshals Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch are back in Appaloosa, where their work enforcing the law has been exceptionally quiet. All that is about to change. An ominous storm rolls in, and along with it a band of night riders who show up  where a three-hundred-foot bridge is under construction. As clouds over Appaloosa continue to gather, things get much worse for Cole and Hitch... 

Epitaph by Mary Doria Russell
The continuing story of the OK Corral that began in her novel Doc, Epitaph gives voice to the real men and women whose lives were changed forever by those fatal thirty seconds in Tombstone.

The Last Shootist by Miles Swarthout
The sequel to the classic western The Shootist by the son of the original author.

The Promise by Ann Weisgarber
Young Catherine Wainwright flees Dayton, Ohio, in the wake of a terrible scandal. Facing destitution, she agrees to marry a recent widower and travels to Galveston Island, Texas. She is ill prepared for the life that awaits her and when the worst storm in a generation descends, she will find herself tested as never before.
  
The Poacher's Daughter by Michael Zimmer
Vigilantes hang Rose Edward's husband and burn down their cabin. Without a home or source of income, Rose feels lost until she joins a band of horse thieves. Running from the law, returning to ranching, and seeking revenge against her enemies, Rose quickly gains a reputation and becomes known as the notorious Rose of Yellowstone.

The Imposter Bride

I recently read The Imposter Bride by Nancy Richler. This is a book that I might not have picked up on my own, but I was pleasantly surprised by the novel. 

In a nutshell, the book is about a Jewish woman that survives WWII, steals another woman’s identity for an opportunity to step into an arranged marriage in Canada, and then later runs away from her new family when she is not able to cope with her memories. However, that is all fairly clear in the first few chapters. What the book is really about, when you get into the meat of the story, is familial relationships. No one really holds the imposter, Lily, accountable because of the war and what people did to survive, but her brief intrusion into this close knit family creates new responsibilities for unlikely people. 
During the brief marriage, Lily has a daughter, Ruth. Being motherless is something that haunts Ruth growing up, but it isn't until she begins receiving rocks from various places in Canada that her interest in finding and knowing her mother is piqued. Growing up over many years we are with Ruth as she questions her grandmothers, scopes out phone books, and goes through her father's things for clues. It isn't until she's a mother herself that she makes the leap to seriously track down and meet Lily.

A good read that doesn't disappoint. I think that most lovers of historical fiction and women’s literature would also enjoy the book. You get a fully developed story that begins and ends with the imposter bride, but at the center is a coming-of-age story and the history of a family. 

Women of the Wild Blue Yonder: Women Airforce Service Pilots

During WWII, the United States was facing a shortage of pilots. Military and government leaders decided to take an unprecedented step to train women to fly military aircraft. These women, all volunteers, were the Women Airforce Service Pilots, WASP, the first women in history trained to fly American military aircraft. Over a thousand women made up the WASP program; they ferried and tested new planes, assisted with air gunner training, and became heroes to generations of women and girls. Though the women did not receive military status until the 1970s, they have served as a significant part of our nation’s military history, in addition to being pioneers for women’s rights. The stories generated by these women, both fictional and real, are worth delving into for a better understanding of United States Airforce history.

Fiction

Flight to Destiny: a WASP story by Sarah Byrn Rickman

Flight from Fear by Sarah Byrn Rickman

Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith (Young Adult Fiction)

Wings: a novel of WWII flygirls by Karl Friedrich

Nonfiction

Flying Higher: the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II by Wanda Langley

On Silver Wings: the Women Airforce Service Pilots of WWII, 1942-1944 by Marianne Verges; foreword by Senator Barry Goldwater

WASPs: women airforce service pilots of WWII by Vera S. Williams

Women Military Pilots of World War II: a history with biographies of American, British, Russian, and German aviators by Lois K. Merry

Yankee Doodle Gals: women pilots of World War II by Amy Nathan (Juvenile Nonfiction)

Women of the Wild Blue Yonder: Amelia Earhart and Company

Amelia Earhart

"Women, like men, should try to do the impossible. And when they fail, 
their failure should be a challenge to others."

                                                                                                         Amelia Earhart

In July of 1937, Amelia Earhart was last heard from somewhere over the Pacific.  She and her navigator, Fred Noonan, had completed all but about 7,000 miles of their around the world flight when they landed in New Guinea.  The weather was cloudy and rainy when they left but the U. S. Coast Guard had ships in place to help guide the pair to the next stop.  Earhart transmitted: "We must be on you, but we cannot see you.  Fuel is running low.  Been unable to reach you by radio.  We are flying at 1,000 feet."  
Her last transmission, about an hour later, was "We are running north and south."  Thus began one of the most famous unsolved mysteries in history--aviation or other.  Earhart, Noonan, and their plane have never been found.  Their fate and location is still debated today.

Amelia Earhart and Her Navigator, Fred Noonan

Amelia Earhart and others like her paved the way for generations of women in aviation, both military and non-military.  Enjoy some of the following  books and movies about Amelia Earhart's life and legacy:

Amelia Earhart

Letters from Amelia, 1901-1937 by Jean L. Backus

Finding Amelia: the True Story of the Earhart Disappearance by Ric Gillespie

Amelia Earhart: the Sky's No Limit by Lori Van Pelt

Amelia Earhart: the Thrill of It by Susan Wels

Amelia Earhart: the Turbulent Life of an American Icon by Kathleen C. Winters

Amelia Earhart (DVD)

Where's Amelia Earhart? (DVD)

British aviator and writer Beryl Markham

 was the first woman to fly solo

 westward across the Atlantic Ocean.

Other Pioneers

West With the Night by Beryl Markham

Powder Puff Derby: Petticoat Pilots and Flying Flappers by Mike Walker

Anne Morrow Lindbergh: First Lady of the Air by Kathleen C. Winters

Breaking Through the Clouds: the First Women's National Air Derby (DVD)

Fiction

Breaking the Ice by Kim Baldwin

The Four Corners of the Sky by Michael Malone

Velva Jean Learns to Fly by Jennifer Niven

The Art of Uncontrolled Flight: a Novel by Kim Ponders

Breathe the Sky: a Novel, Inspired by the Life of Amelia Earhart by Chandra Prasad

Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Author and Aviatrix

Diverse and Award-Winning Novels That Just Happen to Be Westerns

In the last few years, the western has been reinventing itself in different forms and the genre is still going strong.  Whether you enjoy mysteries, steampunk, cowboy romance, or traditional novels, westerns offer something for everyone.  So, dust off your hat and prop up your boots and enjoy one of these great reads--including some Spur Award nominees and winners:

Rilla Askew--Kind of Kin (Contemporary)

Baxter Black--Ride, Cowboy, Ride! 8 Seconds Ain't That Long (Humorous)

Johnny D. Boggs--Wreaths of Glory (Historical)

James Lee Burke--Light of the World (Contemporary)

Brett Cogburn--Panhandle (Award Winner)--he is the great-grandson of the real Rooster Cogburn from True Grit!

Amanda Coplin--The Orchardist (Historical)

Ivan Doig--The Bartender's Tale (Historical)

Matthew Mayo--Tucker's Reckoning (Award Winner)

Phillip Meyer--The Son (Award-Winning Epic)

Mary Doria Russell--Doc (Biographical Fiction)

Ann Weisgarber--The Promise (Historical)

I think the announcements that westerns are dying are overblown. The fact that so many other genres are incorporating western elements into their stories proves just how popular and resilient the western still is.

So, come back next week for part 2 which will cover romances, mysteries, and steampunk.





 

The River of No Return by Bee Ridgeway

Bee Ridgeway’s debut The River of No Return is an interesting tale of time travel, intrigue and a dash of romance. Nick, Davenant, aka Lord Nicholas Falcott, Marquees of Blackdown, learns that people have the ability time travel as he leaps from 1813 to 2003 as a French soldier is about to kill him on a battlefield. Introduced to the Guild he is set up for a comfortable life in the 20^th century. But after 10 years he is called back to England to do what he was told is impossible, travel back to his hometime. But it is not to be a mere visit, he has a mission to track down the splinter group, the Ofan, and beat them to the mysterious Talisman, which may hold the key to the future.

Now this may sound a bit cliché and Ridgeway does make use of some themes and concepts that are a bit worn, however, there are number of things that make tis a rather interesting story. First, is the innate ability of people to time travel without making use of any outside device. Some of the concepts relating to the time travel ability remind me of Hiro Nakamura from the TV show Heroes. Also, Ridgeway creates what is called the Pale, a point in the future that no one seems to be able to travel to or from. This point is also moving inexorable and inexplicable backwards in time.

The style is delightfully simplistic, especially when compared to many debut authors, and makes the 450 pages go by smoothly. She does get caught up at some points in the romance aspect of the story and in having the characters debating the various aspects of time traveling. The only point of the book I was a bit disappointed in was the lack of overarching resolution. Many of the plot lines came to a conclusion but the Pale and the actions of a few other characters still remain a mystery, indicating that perhaps Ridgway intends a series.

The Name of the Rose

So I have read some of Umberto Eco’s nonfiction works for various projects, school and occasionally for fun and I opted to grab one of his fiction books and give it a try. Being a fan of the antiquity and the medieval era, I opted to pick up Name of the Rose (which I am told is also a movie starring Sean Connery).  In short, Rose is a fairly hefty, but imminently enjoyable read.

                In essence, Rose is a murder mystery that takes place in a 14^th cen. Franciscan Italian abbey. In typical murder mystery fashion, there are enigmatic deaths and strange circumstances and a stalwart investigator, one Brother William of Baskerville. Yet, Eco looks to his academic career as a semiotician and medieval scholar throws in heavy doses of medieval history, theological debates, and post-modern semiotic examinations. Now, any one of those additions seems potentially dry on their own and may have the potential to detract from the whodunit plot, but Umberto Eco weaves all of it together in an incredible fashion.

The murder mystery aspect of Name of the Rose is done so well that it is reason enough that I would highly recommend it to anyone. However, the layers of history and examinations of language and symbols make the story incredibly rich and enjoyable. I will warn you though, if you pick this book up, do not plan on reading it over a weekend, it is a very chewy read!

Anne Morrow Lindbergh—aviatrix, author, mother, wife

The ways we choose to define ourselves can stifle our potential. This seems to be the lesson that Melanie Benjamin is trying to get across in The Aviator’s Wife. Melanie Benjamin, a.k.a. Melanie Hauser, created an intriguing historical novel about the life of Anne Morrow Lindbergh that gives the reader an idea of what the Lindbergh household was like behind closed doors.

We get the very brief history of Charles Lindbergh and the Lindbergh baby kidnapping in school, but we get very little information about anything else pertaining to the Lindbergh family. The media relentlessly hounded Anne and Charles for years, Charles was a dominating monster of sorts, and the Lindberghs went on to have 5 children that learned of their parents’ past in school the same way we do. Yes, their parents never told them about “the events of ’32.” While reading the book, I was constantly cross referencing other resources to verify facts and get more in-depth information. I was amazed to find out that Anne Lindbergh accomplished so much in her lifetime, but she fails to make the cut when we discuss the history of flight. Along the same lines, I also enjoyed Amelia Earhart’s brief and unflattering cameo early in the book. The text is also a gentle reminder about the struggles of women in the early 20^th century and the traditions and expectations that many women had to overcome to create a life and name for themselves. Anne Lindbergh may not be showcased in many history books, but she led a life of accomplishment in many arenas.

While I will not say that this book is one of the best I’ve read, I will say that I enjoyed the book for the story and the education I received. The beginning of the book was very slow and some of Anne’s ponderings were a bit too flowery and drawn out, but stick with it. Just like Wikipedia, historical fiction can be a springboard—read, enjoy, then fact check using the referenced resources. Of course, there is always the option to just read the book for pure enjoyment.

Miracles Can Happen!

Perhaps Miracles Can Happen is an overzealous title, but... I have never listened to an entire audio book. I love to have a hard copy of a book in my hands and to turn the pages. However, a friend (you know who you are) encouraged me to try, The Lions of Little Rock on CD.  I was skeptical, but I thought, ‘What’s the worst thing that can happen? Maybe, I’ll waste a few minutes in my drive listening to a book. If it's bad I can always turn on the radio.’ I know this is not the mentality I should have had, but I love to have a 'real' book in my hands and to turn the pages.

The miracle began the moment I put the CD in my car CD player and I heard, 'I talk a lot. Just not out loud where anyone can hear me.' This novel was fantastic on so many levels. First it was the first audio book I ever listened to in its entirety without turning to a normal book. I listened to it in my car. Well actually I began by listening to it in my car, and then I wanted to hear what happened next so I took it inside and listened as I cooked dinner. Then I had a project to do that required the use of my hands, so I listened while I worked. When I drove my daughter to her lesson I listened and when I took my son to the doctor, (well I bet you can guess) I listened then, too. Do you know what happened next? Yes, you guessed it; my children got hooked on the story as well.

This is a historical fiction novel that takes place in 1958 in Little Rock, Arkansas. It begins the summer after the Little Rock 9 attended Central High School. I learned so much, my children learned so much and it was better than any history class I ever had. Kristin Levine takes you into Little Rock and plops you right into the heart of the story. Her scenes are realistic. The drama, the fear and the circumstances were based on what the people of Little Rock experienced in 1958 and 1959. This was the year the high schools in Little Rock were closed because the people did not want integrated schools. The whites sent their students to private schools or sent them to live with out-of-city relations. This was not possible for the Negroes at the time. There weren’t private schools for them and, with the public high schools closed, they had no other option.

This is a truly amazing story that will capture your attention and transport you back in time. It is a story of friendship, political inequality and the struggle to do what is right. It will make you believe that miracles can happen. Yes I listened to an audio book in its entirety but more miraculous than that the people of Little Rock decided not to keep silent. They chose to take a stand and changed the lives of their children and themselves.  Definitely take the time to read or listen to the author’s note. It is worth every minute of your time.

Today is Juneteenth!

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the U. S. and has been an African American tradition since the late 19th century.

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865 and is the day 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take possession of the state and free its slaves.

The new freedmen held large public celebrations and the word 'Juneteenth' resulted from the words 'June Nineteenth' being blended together.

After 1865, Juneteenth was mainly celebrated in Texas. However, it is now a state holiday or observance in more than half of the states and there is a campaign for it to become a national holiday or observance. 

As of June 2011, 42 states and the District of Columbia have recognized Juneteenth as either a state holiday or state holiday observance; these are Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Try one of the following books about Juneteenth:

Juneteenth by Ralph Ellison

Jubilee Journey by Carolyn Meyer

And try these historical novels set around the Reconstruction after the Civil War:

Color of Lightning by Paulette Jiles

Gloryland by Shelton Johnson

Original Sins by Peg Kingman

Some Sing, Some Cry by Ntozake Shange

Amaryllis in Blueberry

One of our patrons recommended I read Amaryllis in Blueberry by Christina Meldrum.  She said it is similar to some other titles that  I recommended for her and she loved it.   I read it and found I love it, too!

Amaryllis in Blueberry is a historical fiction novel. It explores the complexity of human relationships and is set against an amazing and unforgettable backdrop. The setting of this story is exquisite whether it be the dusty red roads of Africa or the picturesque visage of Danish Landing, Michigan. The author paints beautiful images with her words that will transport you around the world.

The story is told through the voices of Dick and Seena Slepy and their four daughters. It is a story of secrets long buried and the family's struggle to overcome them. The author’s descriptive language gathers you and propels you down a path that entrances you with spellbinding geography, morality, truth and leads you to answers to life’s big questions.   It is a soulful and compelling story.  Meldrum's descriptive writing paints a clear picture and keeps you turning pages until the very end.  This is an exquisite example of literary fiction. It is similar in style to the The The Poisonwood Bible, The Secret Life of Bees and Rooms.  So I recommend you read Amaryllis in Blueberry and see for yourself how wonderful it is.

A Shameful Period in Our History

It seems that I have been reading a lot of books lately with the same theme or at least the same subject matter: the Japanese-American internment camps during World War II.  My grandfather was a Navy corpsman in the Pacific at Saipan and Okinawa during the war so I am familiar with some of that history.  However, I knew nothing about the internment camps in our own country.  President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorized the expulsion of people with Japanese ancestry from the West coast of the U. S. on February 19, 1942, with Executive Order 9066.  Approximately 110,000 Japanese-Americans and Japanese who lived on the Pacific coast were "relocated."  This exclusion order was not rescinded until January 1945 and the last camp was not closed until 1946.  During WWII, Colorado governor Ralph Lawrence Carr was the only elected official to apologize publicly for the internment of American citizens--it cost him re-election but a statue of him was erected by the residents of Denver's Japantown.  It wasn't until the 1980s and 1990s that the internees or their heirs were paid reparations--or a formal apology was issued by the U. S. government.  Whether you believe it was justified, was racial persecution, or you are divided on the subject, please read the following books.  They will introduce you to a part of our not so distant past, teach you about hardship and resiliency, and tug at your emotions as you look through the eyes of the internees and their families.  Please read these stories because it is important to understand our history so that we're not doomed to repeat it. 

 Non-Fiction

Korematsu v. United States by Karen Alonso

Looking Like the Enemy
by Mary Matsuda Gruenewald

Farewell to Manzanar
by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston

Years of Infamy
by Michi Nishiura Weglyn

Fiction

Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
by Jamie Ford

Snow Falling on Cedars
by David Guterson

When the Emperor Was Divine
by Julie Otsuka

Southland by Nina Revoyr

Why She Left Us
by Rahna Reiko Rizzuto

Camp Nine
by Vivienne Schiffer

A Delicious Read

In general, I don't recommend a book until I finish it.  I have a lot of very well-read friends and I don't want to stake my reading reputation on an unknown quantity.  And yet, 25 pages into a recent book, I started alerting friends, "Put this on hold!  You must read it."  White Truffles in Winter by N.M. Kelby struck me as a luscious, elegant, warm read about the life of Auguste Escoffier, a renowned French chef from the early 20th century, and his wife, Delphine.  While I was somewhat nervous about having made a recommendation so soon into the book -- equivalent to recommending a meal after the appetizer -- I'm pleased to report that by the dessert and coffee course of the book's end, I was equally as enthusiastic as I had been at the onset. 

Kelby elegantly wove a story that begins as Delphine is dying, bereft of a dish named for her.  She is anxious that the world will not believe that her husband truly loved her unless he names a dish for her.  Her concern is compounded by the number of dishes he created for and named after others, especially the other women in his life (including actress Sarah Bernhardt and opera soprano Nellie Melba -- of the peach and toast fame).  Escoffier resists, insisting that there is no dish that can adequately capture her.  Instead, Escoffier spends his time working on his memoir, which Kelby fleshes out with extended scenes from Escoffier's past. 

Like a good meal, a good book is often difficult to describe to those who have not yet experienced it and, like different flavors, what appeals to one person won't necessarily appeal to another.  So, with that caveat, I highly recommend this to fans of historical fiction, love stories, and foodies.  Bon appetit!

It's not always as good as you remember

I am a fan of Jean M. Auel and I loved the Clan of the Cave Bear when I read it in High School. So in preparation for the release of The Land of Painted Caves I reread the entire series.  It has been many years since I first read The Clan Of the Cave Bear, The Valley of Horses, Mammoth Hunters, and The Plains of Passage. I do not recall reading The Shelters of Stone before, so I read this one for the first time.  While I love the premise and the stories, these books are just soooo long.  I like the characters and the setting. I enjoy learning about pre-historic times and Auel's explanation for the differences between tribes, clans and their cultures. It just seems to me, that the stories are redundant.  Just when Ayla gets comfortable and makes a home for herself and makes new friends/family, she moves again.  The differences between herself and the people she lives with continue and end up making her stand out.  She always wins most people over. There are conflicts between herself, Jondalar, her male friend, and the people they meet on their journeys. However, they overcome most difficulties with minimal effort.

 The novels are great historic fiction, but they are a slow read. There are lots of facts to wade through and some are interesting, but there are only so many descriptions of cave drawings one can handle.  I understand the premise, but it was overkill. Granted, this could be because I sat and read each novel back to back. Each book can stand on its own with the detailed references of Ayla's and Jondalar's past experiences repeated in every novel. This is especially true in the newest and final edition in the Earth Children's Series, The Land of the Painted Caves.   

I must say I began this blog, before I finished the last book and I was so tired and disenchanted with it that I almost didn't finish it.  I am glad I stuck with it.  Don't get me wrong the novels were long (I can't stress that enough), especially the last one, but the last quarter of the final novel was very good. There were less repetitions and the story was not as predictable.

All in all if you have read the previous books in the series. Do not reread them (You don't need to). The highlights from those novels are paraphrased throughout the final novel.  This novel pretty much concludes the series. Auel still leaves a few characters hanging and I wonder if they will negatively impact Ayla's life in the future or if her story is truly finished. The book was ok, but if you wonder if I would read it again, my answer is quite simply, no.

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire: 100 Years Later

On March 25, 1911, New York City was the location for one of the deadliest industrial disasters in U. S. history.  The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire caused the deaths of 146 garment workers, most of them immigrant women.  Many of the workers could not escape because the managers had locked the doors to the stairs and exits.  The fire led to legislation that improved factory safety standards and led to better conditions for factory workers.
This month is the 100th anniversary of the fire and this year's commemoration event will be different. The five women and one man that had previously been unidentified were finally given names and the complete roll of the dead will be read on March 25, 2011, in New York. 
I don't know why this horrible event has always fascinated me.  Empathy for the victims and their families?  Bittersweet gladness at the improved labor laws? Or is it that my birthday (March 25th) is always a constant reminder?  Whatever the reason, I am happy that the families of the six will finally have closure and that their loved ones can now be recognized.

Triangle: the Fire That Changed America by David Von Drehle

Triangle by Katharine Weber--large print fiction

Lost by Jacqeline Davies--young adult fiction

Threads and Flames by Esther Friesner--young adult fiction

Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix--young adult fiction



This memorial sits over the graves of the previously unknown. These are their names:

Maria Giuseppa Lauletti
Max Florin
Concetta Prestifilippo
Josephine Cammarata
Dora Evans
Fannie Rosen