Sunday, June 30, 2013

Hidden Wives





Hidden Wives is a novel about two sisters coming of age in a polygamous cult in America. The book outlines the hardships they face at a crucial moment in their lives, and how these situations influence their decision about staying in their community to marry the men chosen for them, or to escape.

Although the author based many of the issues such as underage marriage, lack of education, and abuse on real situations, it was as if she chose all the shocking elements known about such groups to write about, and tried to cram them all into the story.

The characters needed more development. Rachel and Luke love each other. Why? They just met at the beginning of the book. Rachel barely speaks to him. There seems to be a mutual physical attraction. Why are we suppose to think their love conquers all, if all we know about their love is how attractive they find each other? Providing more depth would help the readers care when they are overwhelmed with the horrifying experiences of the characters. They won't feel it is just more drama for the story, they will identify with the characters, and feel outraged that such things really do happen.

The author grew up in a fundamentalist religious group, and feels passionate about the topic. The point of her book was to show why America shouldn't allow groups to do whatever they want under the guise of religious freedom. Abuses wherever they happen should not be tolerated. I agree what happens in some of these groups is horrible, and the public should be made aware of them. I think that the author should have tried to develop her story more using some of the real scenarios, but maybe not all. She could have included a note about the research she did for the book, and where you could read more about this topic in a nonfiction setting, instead of trying to put everything in this book.

I would recommend reading other books on this topic if you are interested. Caroline Jessop's Escape is her personal account of what happened to her in such a group, and is gripping.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Wives and Daughters





Wives and Daughters is my favorite book by Elizabeth Gaskell. For those unfamiliar with the author, her books are a cross between the attention to social issues of Dickens, and the romance and wit of Austen. She wrote this story as a serial to be published in a magazine. My edition is based off the original Cornhill Magazine serialization 1864-6. The only issue with this book is the author died a chapter or two before finishing it. By the end the reader has a feel for what was going to happen, and there are notes that the author wrote down about the story. She had also told people what she intended to write, so a reasonable end can be determined. It is not as satisfying if we had the author filling in all the details, but at least we have an idea how it would end.

This is the coming of age story of Molly Gibson. Her father remarries, and at 17 she has a stepmother and stepsister. This is not a cinderella story. They are not cruel to her. The stepmother is perhaps, unaware or insensitive to other people's feelings, but not deliberately cruel. Molly makes friends across class lines due to her straightforward manner. She has no pretension. The book explores the different roles we play in life.

I really enjoy reading this book. It is a story I turn to again and again. It has a place on my Favorite Books List. Gaskell makes you love the characters despite their faults and foibles. I like characters that aren't annoyingly perfect or all bad. There are shades to the characters making them seem like real people. The repeated lines about acceptance of a person how they are, and not expecting them to change for other's whims and fancies, also made the characters seem very real.

It is an easy read, and enjoyable. I would recommend reading this book before Gaskell's other books. To me, it seems to flow better than the others. I would like to know what people thought about this book, and how it compares to her other books in your opinion.

There is an excellent film version of this book done by the BBC that follows the book closely, which makes it more satisfying to watch if you really like the book.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Actualizing Myths






I recently finished Robert Graves' Greek Myths, so I am posting some pictures from my trip last year to Greece. Nothing is more fun then reading a story and thinking I've been there! It also added a lot to my trip to know what happened at the places I visited. The whole time I was there I would think about how I had read about these places my whole life, and now I was seeing where it all happened!

I really like to read Greek mythology. I was introduced to Robert Graves' version of the myths by one of my professors. I decided I liked how he organized the myths and the notes he provides. This is on my favorite books list. I found this beautiful folio edition at one the used bookstores in Durham.



Glauke Fountain


Jason(of Jason and the Argonauts) sets off to obtain the golden fleece. Medea, Princess of the land was hit by an arrow from Eros to make her more helpful to Jason's quest out of love for him. She agreed to help him if he married her. After many happy years of marriage Jason wanted to divorce Medea to marry Glauke. Medea pretended to submit, and sent Glauke a wedding gift of a crown and robe. When Glauke donned them she burst into flames. She jumped into the palace fountain to try to put out the flames. She died.

Medea is one of my favorite mythological characters, so I was happy to see a place that was part of her story.


Mycenae


Legend has it that Perseus founded Mycenae. Agamemnon ruled there during the time of the Trojan War. He was involved in that war to retrieve Helen for his brother Menelaus. Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia for the wind to sail to Troy. After the war, Agamemnon returns to be killed by his wife Clytemnestra.


Temple of Apollo at Delphi


Delphi is where people would go to discover the gods' will through the Delphic oracle. Apollo was worshipped there because he slew the python(dragon) there. The Pythian games were played there. It was one of the four panhellenic game sites. The laurel crown was presented as reward for winning the games at Delphi. 


Temple of Poseidon at Isthmia


Posiedon was lord of the sea. This didn't stop him from trying to possess kingdoms on land. He was awarded the Isthmus after making a bid for Corinth. He was denied the city.



The hole Poseidon left in the acropolis when claiming Athens


Poseidon also attempted to possess Athens. He claimed possession by thrusting his trident into the acropolis, and sea water spouted out. He later lost the city to Athena who planted an olive tree there. They would have fought for the city, but Zeus intervened. The goddesses voted in favor of Athena, and the gods in favor of Poseidon. Zeus didn't vote as arbiter, causing Poseidon to loose the vote by one.



Temple of Zeus at Nemea


Nemea was the site of the Nemean Games, and was one of the four panhellenic game sites. Herakles fought the Nemean Lion as his first labor. The lion was preying on the people living there. After trying and failing to kill it with any of his weapons, Herakles decided to wrestle with the lion. The lion managed to bite off one of his fingers, but Herakles choked it to death. Herakles took the carcass as proof of defeating the beast.

Herakles was at a loss how he should skin the lion. He finally figured out with divine inspiration to use the lion's claws to skin it. He then wore the lion as armor making the parts of him covered with it invulnerable.

Part of the reason I love to travel is to see the places I read about. I find it exciting to go and see if the places are real, and not just something from imagination. Mythology is one of my favorite subjects to read. Particularly where myth and history are blurred together. The sites I visited often fit well in this area. This was a great experience! Tell me if there are places you have visited that you read about. Did your visit live up to your expectations?

Friday, June 14, 2013

American Gods






We follow Shadow after he is released from prison to go to his wife's funeral. He encounters Mr. Wednesday and life is never the same. The combination of myths in a unique modern retelling was very enjoyable. I couldn't wait to see what god would appear next, and what their role would be.

My favorite part of this book was how Gaiman told the tales of different gods. How they arrived in America, and what gave them their powers. Some of the gods were resigned to their fate as they fade from people's memories. Others, listen to the persuasive arguments of Mr. Wednesday and decide to battle with the new gods. They battle for our attention/obsession because this is what allows them to exist. This is also the source of their power. I like the idea that what we give our time and attention to is what our god truly is.

Some of the old gods that make an appearance are Eostre, Loki, Anansi, Thoth, Anubis, Leprechauns, and Johnny Appleseed.

Some of the new gods mentioned are the Media, Technology, and Fame.

I also liked the conversations Shadow has with his dead wife. They are insightful, amusing, and sad. They are all of these things because she is dead, and it is a little late for some of the conversations. Yet, they can happen because she is dead.

There is so much to say about this book, but I don't want to spoil it for first time readers. Read it! This is a book that as soon as you finish you want to read again, so you can appreciate all the details since you are no longer focused on figuring out what is going to happen. I appreciate the care that Gaiman took in connecting everything down to the names of the characters. I recommend this book if you enjoy mythology and brilliant storytelling.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

My Favorite Books


Some of the books from my list.


I have a list of favorite books that is a work in progress. The books that make it onto the list are the ones I love to read over and over again. They are also books there is no question I'm keeping. I evaluate every time I move if I am going to keep certain books. I also look through my books when I feel like selling to a used bookstore. The books on this list don't ever get considered for removal from my library.

The list doesn't have very many books on it at present. There are so many books I love, but few I want to have on my list. Currently, if there are multiple books from a series, some of them are listed individually, while others are just listed as the series. Just because the whole series does not appear on the list doesn't mean I don't really like them, they just don't go on the list right now. I may change how series appear on the list as it starts to fill out more. I wanted to show my list as it will be referred to when I place a new book on it, or read one from the list and post about it.

The list in no particular order.

  1. Dracula by: Bram Stoker
  2. The Twelve Houses Series by: Sharon Shinn Currently 5 books
  3. The Sagas of the Icelanders by: Robert Kellogg
  4. Harvest for Hope by: Jane Goodall
  5. The Magicians by: Lev Grossman
  6. Cleopatra: A Life by: Stacy Shiff
  7. Innocent Traitor by: Alison Weir
  8. Pride and Prejudice by: Jane Austen
  9. The Help by: Kathryn Stockett
  10. Till We Have Faces by: C.S. Lewis
  11. Soulless by: Gail Carriger
  12. Persuasion by: Jane Austen
  13. Troubled Waters by: Sharon Shinn #1 in the Elemental Blessings Series
  14. Mary, Queen of France by: Jean Plaidy
  15. Grimm's Fairy Tales
  16. Survivor's Quest by: Timothy Zahn
  17. The Surgeon by: Tess Gerritsen #1 in Rizzoli and Isles Series
  18. Jane Eyre by: Charlotte Bronte
  19. How to be a Woman by: Caitlin Moran
  20. Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by: Robert K. Massie
  21. The Hunger Games by: Suzanne Collins 
  22. Catching Fire by: Suzanne Collins
  23. Mockingjay by: Suzanne Collins
  24. The Iliad by: Homer
  25. Washington by: Ron Chernow
  26. The Greek Myths by: Robert Graves
  27. Wives and Daughters by: Elizabeth Gaskell
  28. Fables by: Bill Willingham Currently 21 books
  29. The Hobbit by: J.R.R. Tolkien
  30. Five Chimneys by: Olga Lengyel
  31. Johannes Cabal: The Fear Institue by: Jonathan L. Howard
  32. The Legend Of Sigurd And Gudrun by J.R.R. Tolkien
  33. Green Rider by: Kristen Britain
  34. The Lady Elizabeth by: Alison Weir
  35. Pride And Prejudice And Zombies by: Seth Grahame-Smith
  36. Beauty by: Robin Mckinley
  37. William Shakespeare's Star Wars Trilogy by: Ian Doescher
  38. Hild by: Nicola Griffith
  39. The Dark Elf trilogy by: R.A. Salvatore
  40. Salome by: Oscar Wilde
  41. Myths And Legends Of The British Isles by: Richard Barber
  42. The Maid And The Queen by: Nancy Goldstone
  43. The Wars Of The Roses by: Dan Jones

Monday, June 10, 2013

Noir: Not My Style





The Big Sleep is a book my friend Mark had me borrow. I decided to try it, even though this is not a genre I have great interest in. Perhaps this influenced my opinion of the book? I have developed almost an annoyance with how I often encounter noir. When watching a show that runs for over 2 seasons it seems the writers decide they can do a lazy version of noir that does nothing for the storyline of their show. Noir is often badly inserted into the show(people randomly knocked out and dream in noir). As a result, I get frustrated, and have developed a general dislike for noir. I would agree that perhaps this is not real noir, but it is what I'm most often exposed to. I do not like it. Probably the most successful were the writers of the office that used a Michael Scarn movie, a cross between noir and 007. It was presented in a way that was meant to be funny, and actually advanced the plot. I was pleasantly surprised.

Enough ranting about bad noir. Even if my feelings toward noir influenced my opinion, I did not like this book. I thought the book was a little disjointed. This might be the result of the author combining some of his short stories to make a novel. It was also one of his earliest pieces, and my understanding is that some of his later works are better.

The plot follows a P.I. as he investigates a blackmail case for a rich old man and his 2 daughters. There were some amusing lines in the book, but that was not enough for me to like it. Unfortunately, this book didn't hold my attention, and it was more of a chore to read than a joy.

I do appreciate the idea that the author did a lot for this genre, and I think that's great. But, this book was not for me. I would be interested in hearing what people thought about this book that are more familiar with this genre, and with the author.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

The Wives Of Henry VIII



I like to read about royal families usually before the 1800s. Royal families are a good source for stories about women succeeding despite the roles society placed them in. Women in royal families were usually educated to some extent providing more opportunity for them, and their lives were more likely to be documented. Henry VIII and his wives provides 6 popular examples of such women. I found this book in a used bookstore in Durham, and was eager to read another perspective on these women that have of late been popularized in fiction, tv shows, and movies.

Fraser provides an overview of each woman. There is not great depth in each woman's story because that was not the intent. If you only want to learn the basic facts about each wife, or are new to them, this is a great book. There are individual biographies by other authors that will give you all the details you could want about their lives. This book is also a good resource for other sources about them, or to figure out which wife you are more interested in reading a whole biography about.

A brief overview of the wives. Fraser begins the book with the rhyme: "Divorced, beheaded, died... divorced, beheaded, survived" that people use to keep what happened to the wives straight.

*Catherine of Aragon
Artist: Michael Sittow
Catherine of Aragon was the first of Henry's wives. Married first to his elder brother Arthur who died, several years later she marries Henry as he ascends to the throne. She has one child that survived infancy Mary(who would later become queen). It is thought that the lack of a male heir is what started the trouble between her and Henry. Although women could technically inherit, there are few instances at this point in English history where this had occurred or been successful without conflict. The Tudors had only recently come to the throne after years of civil war, and presumably this is what Henry feared if he were to only have a daughter to inherit.

The unique point in Catherine's portion for me was that her father obtained the wrong dispensation from Rome for her marriage to Henry. There is one if a marriage was consummated, and one if it has not. He obtained the former. This was later detrimental to her stance that she and Arthur had never had sex.



*Anne Boleyn
   Unknown Artist
 Anne Boleyn is often viewed as a conniving nasty mistress. Fraser portrays her as more of an opportunist, using the King's desire for her to further her station in life. Everyone did this, but Anne reached higher and succeeded. The main issue people had with her seems to be that Catherine was still alive and protesting the divorce(what we would consider today to be an annulment). Supplanting a beloved queen did her great harm. She also failed to give the king a male heir(she only had one daughter Elizabeth who would also later become queen). Anne was given little time to produce a male heir as the king became disenchanted with her. The king trumped up charges and had her beheaded.

A common misconception Fraser addresses is the idea that Anne was interested in the reform of the church only because it furthered her case with the king. Anne was interested in reform separate from Henry, who was religiously Catholic but interested in what changing certain political aspects  
                                           of his religion could do for him.


*Jane Seymour
Artist: Holbein
Jane Seymour was fortunate enough to have a legitimate marriage to the king that neither of his previous wives could claim to his satisfaction(Anne married him while Catherine was alive, and Rome denied the annulment he sought from Catherine). Not the Protestant queen everyone assumes she was based on her brother and son's affiliation, she was Catholic. She also had the fortune to have a son and heir for the king. She did not have a caesarean as has been rumored because of her long labor and rhymes about it. She delivered naturally, and died 12 days later of child-bed fever. The king considered her to be his true and beloved wife. Henry stated in his will he was to be buried with her when he died, and he was.





*Anne of Cleves
Artist: Holbein


 Anne of Cleves was the only wife Henry had not met before he married. He was greatly disappointed in her. He obtained an annulment not long after they were married. Anne was offered the position at court of the king's most beloved sister that came with money and property. It was a high position in court as only his wife and children would be higher than her. She accepted, and outlived Henry and his other wives. They had no children together, and for the annulment they obtained it was claimed they had never had sex. She remained unmarried. She was on good terms with her 3 stepchildren during her lifetime.








*Katherine Howard
Artist: Holbein


Katherine Howard attracted the King's notice, and managed to keep his love and attention until it came to light she was having an affair with a young man she loved. Her past exploits with young men also came out during this time. The king had her beheaded for this betrayal. Fraser clarifies that the statement she makes to a crowd before being beheaded, about wishing to die the wife of Culpepper(the man she was having an affair with) rather than a queen, was never made. It was only gossip adding to the scandal of the situation.

After the situation with Katherine, the king pushed through a law that made it treasonous to promote a woman for his wife that had a questionable past. This made people think twice before encouraging family members to gain the king's attention in hopes of her becoming queen.


*Catherine Parr
Artist: William Scrots
Catherine Parr was widowed twice before she married Henry. She was also interested in marrying Thomas Seymour before the king's eye fell on her. Her roll was more of a nurse and companion to the king, and mother to his children. She worked to educate herself as an adult. She almost was imprisoned and tried after a difference of opinion with the king on religious matters. She managed to have an interview with the king before the arrest took place, and convinced the him there was no malicious intent meant. She explained she had only wanted to discuss issues to help him, and distract him from his pain. He chose to believe her, and saved her. They had no children together.

She survived the king. After his death she married Thomas Seymour. She had a daughter Mary with him, and died of child-bed fever.


King Henry's wives had a common ancestry with him and each other. They were all related in some way to the same kings of England. This was normal as royalty in Europe and the nobility would intermarry. His wives were all educated to some degree. Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, and Catherine Parr were the most educated among them. Each woman's education varied in topic and extent, but they could all read and write, which was more than most women of the time could claim.

What I find most fascinating is that none of these women objected to marrying Henry. Catherine Parr was likely the most resistant to the idea, but married him willingly considering it her duty to do so. Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn sought marriage with him. It is doubtful that Jane Seymour or Katherine Howard resisted at all, and once they had the king's attention were quite willing. Anne of Cleves seems the most unclear in this area, although it was a common practice for women to marry men they hadn't met, and the king of England was an advantageous marriage despite what happened to his previous wives.

I always thought Anne of Cleves probably fared the best out of her marriage to the king. She had no children to fight for in the succession, so she accepted the offer of prestige, money, and her own home to annul her marriage. It seems a good deal comparing her outcome with the other wives'.

I thought that this was a fine book, although I was hoping for more details that I had not read elsewhere. On reflection that was probably an unrealistic expectation for a book only 430 pages with 6 women to cover. I did manage to learn a few new things which I always appreciate when I take the time to read a book. I would be willing to read other books by this author. Preferably one that went more in depth about the topic.



*All pictures are from the book: The Wives of Henry VIII by: Antonia Fraser with the exception of Katherine Howard. There was no picture included in the book of her, so her picture is from her wikipedia page. One was likely not included because of the uncertainty surrounding portraits that are said to be her. The one I chose people seem confident about because of the time period and the jewels she is wearing were inventoried as hers.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Lady Almina And The Real Downton Abbey



I, like many people have become an avid fan of the show Downton Abbey. I love the storyline, and the characters. I became caught up in wondering what was going to be Bates' fate, would Mary and Matthew ever admit to being in love at the same time, and of course, the Dowager's hilarious lines. It is a show I always look forward to watching, and always hate when each episode ends.

I found out about this book a few months ago, and put it on my list to read. I am always intrigued when a show or story is based on "real" people, and decided that I wanted to know more about these characters I have come to love. I found my copy in one of the used book stores in Chapel Hill. I saw it, and had to get it.

For those expecting to read Downton instead of watching it, that is not what you will find here. This is Lady Almina's story. The show is based off her life, it is not her life. Naturally, there are differences that the writers for the show made to make an engaging storyline for viewers. In the book there are no worries about a male heir. The Carnarvons have a son and a daughter, and the son lives, marries, and has children. The show did get many of their story points from her life. Highclere is turned into a hospital during World War I, marriage for money, an involved Dowager, and even a man named Bates with a limp. There are a lot of details about the war in this book, because of the influence it had on Lady Almina's life. The details might put off people expecting a novel.

What I find most interesting that has not been portrayed in Downton, is Lord Carnarvon's influence in excavations in Egypt. He funded, and was present at digs almost every year. Lady Almina would often go with him.  He worked with, and funded Howard Carter. Together they found the tomb of Tutankhamun.

The book is written by the current Countess of Carnarvon. I thought she did a decent job maintaining objectivity. She uses the archives for many of her sources, letters etc. She is not overly harsh with Almina, and focuses much of the book on the war effort, which is where some of Almina's greatest achievements were made. She is not afraid to write about some of her and other family member's foibles. For example, Almina was used to having money (she was the daughter of Alfred de Rothschild), and would spend it with little thought to how much or where she would get more. The person presented seemed a realistic one.

I liked reading this book. Lady Almina worked very hard to make the things she was involved with a success. I enjoyed the moments while reading when I recognized something the writers used for the show Downton. I also liked the details about World War I, because I have not read a lot about that war.  

Monday, June 3, 2013

About

Engagement pictures in one of my favorite used bookstores


This is a blog about the books I read. One of my favorite pastimes is reading. I couldn't even tell you how many books I have read. Writing about them on my blog lets other people know what I'm reading, and will hopefully promote discussion about the books. I love sharing my thoughts on the books I read and helping other people find books to enjoy.

I like a variety of genres, so one day there will be a post about a biography of some person hundreds of years ago, and the next will be a fantasy novel. It all depends on what I'm in the mood to read. I am particularly interested in History, Mythology, and Fantasy, but my interests do not end there.

I am honest about the source for every book I review on this blog. Most books I review are owned by me. Some are ARCs, or won in contests. My opinions are my own, and are not influenced by how or where I obtain these books. I do not get paid to review these books

If you are an author or publisher that would like to communicate with me my email is bittycornwell (at) gmail (dot) com

I have worked to build my own library. I am quite proud of my books. My library is a work in progress as I add to it constantly. I often evaluate what books I keep, and which ones no longer have a place. The books I decide to part with are either sold to local used book stores, or donated to libraries. Just because they no longer are part of my library, doesn't mean they don't belong elsewhere. I will also make use of local libraries for books I haven't read or will likely only read once in a while. 

I hope that some of the books will catch your interest and you will read them. If you have read the book, share what you thought. Different opinions are encouraged, but please remain civil.