My current reading

Some books I have recently read and am currently reading:

Conspiracy of Violence: by Susanna Gregory. I've long been a fan of her medieval mystery series, so I thought I would give this a go. Set in Restoration England, the story centers around Thomas Chaloner, alias Heyden, a nearly destitute spy who can't get work due to a vengeful former patron. He receives help from a former spymaster and soon becomes entangled in murder and dangerous politics while searching for hidden gold in the Tower of London. www.susannagregory.co.uk

The Septembers of Shiraz: by Dalia Sofer. A NY Times Notable Book, The Septembers of Shiraz is a good read. The protagonist is a Jewish Iranian, Issac Amin, who one day is snatched by the Revolutionary Guards, having been denounced by an anonymous accuser. His wife frantically tries to find him as he endures the nightmare of an Iranian jail. Set in Iran in the aftermath of the Shah's fall, it is a gripping read and becomes even more so when one learns that this really happened to the author's father.

Snow: By Ohan Parmuk. A Turkish poet living in Germany goes home to investigate a rash of suicides comitted by young girls. I've only started reading this book, but it promises to be a great read. Some Amazon reviewers hated it, but I like it so far. Parmuk won the Nobel prize for literatture in 2006.

Michael Crichton loses battle with cancer....

...at age 66. He penned such best sellers as The Great Train Robbery, The Andromeda Strain, and of course Jurassic Park. This Los Angeles Times blog has an article about Crichton as an art collector and art patron.

Chicago Tribune

Telegraph Obituary

Studs Terkel

Famed author Studs Terkel died yesterday in Chicago. He was 96 years old. His writings include such works as Division Street: America, Working, The Good War, and Hard Times.


Links to obituaries:

Canadian Broadcasting Company

The Guardian

Los Angeles Times

NY Times

Terkel's web site:

Conversations with America

Free audio book of Seth Godin's Tribes

Audible.com is offering a free version of Tribes by Seth Godin, a marketing and business writer.

October suggestions

Pardon me for borrowing what I wrote on WGRL's MySpace blog, but I love these kinds of books so much I wanted to suggest them on my new blog.

Historical novels and nonfiction for October

One may remember that October was the month in which the Battle of Hastings was fought in 1066; this was when Harold Godwinson, the "last of the English kings," was defeated by William, Duke of Normandy. I thought it appropriate to list a few excellent reads for this time period:

Helen Hollick's Harold the King tells the story of Earl Godwinson, through his rise to power, struggles with Edward the Confessor, and his heroic but ultimately tragic end. A Hollow Crown tells the story of the fascinating and formidable Queen Emma, a woman married to both King Cnut and later Edward the Confessor during the period prior to the Conquest. Both are wonderful historical novels and are faithful to actual events. One simply cannot surpass Helen Hollick.

Bernard Cornwell has a thrilling Anglo Saxon series set a bit earlier in time during the years of Alfred the Great in the 900s AD. The titles are: The Last Kingdom, The Pale Horseman, The Lords of the North, and Sword Song.

Good nonfiction includes David Howarth's 1066: the Year of the Conquest. It's a very readable, short book about the fateful year.

Andrew Bridgeford in his work, 1066: The Hidden Tapestry, questions the origins and intent of the Bayeaux Tapestry. Most people assume it was created by the Bishop of Bayeaux, Duke William's brother, as a propoganda tool for the Normans. Bridgeford posits another theory: the tapestry is a work of Anglo Saxon subversion. The author surmises the Anglo-Saxons subtly informed viewers of their own point of view while seemingly telling the story of the Norman conquerors. This isn't a dry history book at all; it's very easy to read and intriguing.

Robert Lacey's short work, The Year 1000, introduces one to the world of the Anglo Saxons prior to the Normans. It's entertaining, very easy to read, and it is what made me want to read more about that era.

Ian Walker finishes my survey; his Harold: the Last Anglo Saxon King, is highly informative and a very good book.

I admit to some bias; one may notice that I have no books listed regarding the Norman point of view. Truthfully, I haven't read much about William other than what I studied in history class years ago. I have read Jean Plaidy's The Bastard King and that was a good novel. I don't equate it to works by Sharon Kay Penman or Helen Hollick, but it is entertaining. I have empathy for the vanquished English; theirs is a fascinating history.

Welcome!

Welcome to the West Georgia Regional Library's blog about books! I have always loved the quote at the top of the page; I remember a college professor for whom I worked having it on a poster on his office door.

I love books and I hope you love them too! The plan for this blog is to be a place to talk about books, both fiction and nonfiction. Feel free to comment at any time!