When Mother Lets Us Cook by Constance Johnson
Monday, July 28th, 2008A book of simple receipts for little folk with important cooking rules in rhyme together with handy lists of the materials and utensils needed for the preparation of each dish. (Summary from the text)
- etext at googlebooks – When Mother Lets Us Cook
- LibriVox’s When Mother Lets Us Cook Internet Archive page
- Zip file of the entire book (39 MB)
Jane Austen 5 top Audiobooks
Monday, July 28th, 2008Jane Austen’s Letters by Jane Austen
Proving that Austen was as fun and readable in her everyday letters as she was in her novels. These letters (about 160 of them) are great fun to read. The biting wit of her novels is clearly evident here.
As pretty much most people know Jane Austen was incredibly close to her sister Cassandra and most of these letters are from Jane to Cassandra while they were separated. After Jane’s death Cassandra destroyed goodness knows how many of Jane’s letters and all of her own – so this small collection is all that is left – along with some to her neices and other family members.
The collection was first put together in the 1930′s by Chapman, but Le Faye has uncovered a few more since then (as I understand it).
The book is great value for money. Le Faye has done a phenomemal job in providing all the support information you will need to read and understand any aspect of the letters. They are footnoted clearly. There is a biographical and Topographical index in here – along with a chronology of Jane’s life, and a chronology of the letters themselves – and if all else fails there is a comprehensive index.
For the history buff there is a great amount of really useful everyday infomration – for instance in 1813 apples were scarce in the country and cost 1 pound 5 shillings a sack. And insight into Jane herself – in April 1811 she is searching for a novel called ‘Self Control’ but says “I am always afraid of finding a clever novel too clever.” Perhaps something that guided her own writing.
Over 600 pages of great value reading, pure pleasure and wealth of information.
Jane Austen For Dummies by Joan Elizabeth Klingel Ray
I hate the name of this series, but this volume by Joan Klingel Ray, president of the Jane Austen Society of North America is a terrific, clear, concise, and inviting set of explanations for all of those questions that newer readers of Austen have about her world: Why doesn’t Elizabeth Bennet just get a job? Why will Mrs. Bennet have to leave Longbourn if Mr. Bennet dies? How rich IS Darcy?
Plus, because Ray’s learning is so deep, the chapter on manners, for instance, is framed not by vague ideas of “well, we all want to behave nicely, don’t we?” but by Castiglione and the translations of it into Latin and English. This kind of learning is in evidence in every chapter.
I’ve been reading Austen since I was 13–more than 35 years–and I find new information in this volume. Plus, it’s fun to read sections and see just how much I already knew.
For instance, do you know how to navigate via the Tube and trains to the Austen sites in the countryside? I didn’t. Dr. Ray tells all.
I do love a clear explanation!
Jane Austen: The World of Her Novels by Deirdre Le Faye
I am a Jane Austen fan, to say the least. I have read all her works and enjoyed them. The only thing that annoyed me was the fact that I knew little about culture and life in her day. When I saw this book I was very excited. It gives a brief history of England (during the time of Jane Austen’s life), a biography of Ms. Austen, explination of the culture, and detailed explinations of each book. This book is packed with pictures and maps that are also very helpful and give each of Jane Austen’s stories a “face.” If you are a Austen fan, you need to read this book!
Becoming Jane Austen by Jon Spence
How narrow was Jane Austen’s world? She has generally been viewed as writing from her observations in the parlor. Spence broadens that view and does an excellent job of presenting Jane in the context of her wide circle of family and friends. He weaves in the incidents and issues they encounter and then shows how Jane transformed them in her fiction. One of the fascinating points is how often she disguised the person by inverting the gender. My one criticism is that the genealogical charts should have been placed in a better position, since I constantly referred back to them. They could also have been even more extensive with maybe even a listing of the people in her life. I re-read Austen’s books every few years and so I am very familiar with her work. This book provided new insight to me. I will re-read Sanditon in particular for his critic of this last work. The constant financial uncertainty Jane faced comes out strongly in the book. At the time of her death she had received some money, but still faced uncertainty and was unaware of the full extent of her success as a novelist.
The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James
It is a truth universally acknowledged that there are only a handful of things in this world that are truly irresistible: Colin Firth in a cravat; a love story gone awry but with the promising outcome of a happily ever after; and a deliciously witty comedic scene a la Jane Austen.
Over the summer, a number of Austen-themed novels hit the store shelves: ever delightful and easily devoured in an afternoon or two by any real Pride & Prejudice fan who decided to harm her complexion by a day at the beach.
Undoubtedly, Mr. Darcy has captured the heart of every red-blooded wanna-be Elizabeth who dares calls herself a romantic (see: Colin Firth in a cravat), but where are those books for those fans of Mr. Knightley or Colonel Branden? Where are they to find their passionate read?
Look no further. Syrie James has satisfied us on every score…except that perhaps of a happily ever after. After all, anything titled: The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, comes with the ready knowledge that this romp does not end with a wedding. At least not Jane’s wedding.
But whereas we know Romeo & Juliet doesn’t end happily, it isn’t any less a great love story–and Syrie weaves for us a very credible tale about a witty, budding authoress who upon touring with her brother, Henry, in Lyme, finds herself in a similar predicament as one of the heroines of her stories: that of being in danger of falling love with a captivating young man.
Mr. Ashford has all the dash of Colin Firth in a cravat with none of the awkward, introverted behavior. He is charming, friendly, trustworthy, and kind. Not only that, he is a mentor. He encourages Jane to pursue her dreams of becoming a published novelist–but he doesn’t mince words about what it truly takes to do so. During their discussion about it, his questions if she’s written anything lately makes Jane feel defensive. She turns all prickly:
“Writing is not an occupation which is easily picked up and accomplished on a whim.”
He went quiet for a moment, and then said, “I am not a writer, I admit. But in my experience, I have found that there is never a perfect time or place for anything. We can always find a reason to put off that which we aspire to do, or fear to do, until tomorrow, next week, next month, next year–until, in the end, we never accomplish any thing at all.” (127.)
Instantly shamed, she realizes he is right; that she has been allowing her fear to keep her from writing. She then confides her next fear to him: what if she can’t find a publisher? He has an answer for that as well.
“What does that matter? In the end, talent will win out. Do you want to be a published novelist?”
“It is all I have ever wanted.”
His eyes locked with mine, as a sudden breeze stirred the branches of the trees above us.
“Then a published novelist is what you shall be, Miss Jane Austen.” (128.)
Yes, that’s where I swooned as well.
But the hallmark of a wonderful novel isn’t just all the passages with the cravat-wearing, dishy-accented hero. Oh, no. There are moments of pure comic timing and hilarity that unravel before our eyes like scenes in a movie. And granted, much of these scenes are endearingly familiar. Clearly Syrie offers us the suggestion that perhaps Jane did indeed pull moments of her real life and put them into the stories we know and love.
It was delightful to find the similarities between Jane’s story and that funny and wryly true novel, Sense & Sensibility, but maybe that’s a prejudice of my own, being I find bits and pieces of my own novel uncomfortably familiar. I’m sure if any of my Mr. Ashfords ever read my novel (of which I have no fear: I’m pretty sure they can’t read), they too would be able to pick themselves out of the pages–and question me, wondering if the anger and passion displayed in print had any truth. It does. Why let all the melancholy and angst go to waste? Apparently Jane is as much a recycler like me.
In the end, I think this novel is about writing…and writers. The nature of how our secret selves are transformed into printed word; how all our experiences brought together are truly what makes great books. We should not live our lives in a turret, weaving from a mirror of life we’ve never tasted. Our voice and interpretation of these experiences everyone has had–these are what give something as universal, as repeatedly done as a love story a fresh and new understanding. It is a book of hope for writers-the last line says it all-but I can’t tell you because you really should read the book for yourself.
Syrie James captures all that is best and true about Jane Austen. You will find yourself caught and enchanted and praying for an ending that will not come. For die-hard Austenites, this is the book you’ve been waiting for; for those of you who do not mind a bittersweet ending, this one is sure to entrance; and for those of you wishing for knowledge of how to be a writer like Austen, well, you can find that, too.
Jane Austen book club
Anne Hathaway as Jane Austen
Jane Austen Quilted Wall Hanging
Bathing – Jane Austen at the seaside
Keira Knightley
If the criteria for watching her films would be to know Jane Austen
Throughout The Jane Austen Book Club
Short Poetry Collection Audiobook068
Monday, July 28th, 2008LibriVox’s Short Poetry Collection 068: a collection of 20 public-domain poems.
- LibriVox’s Short Poetry Collection 068 Internet Archive page
- Zip file of the entire book (23.9MB)
Best Audiobooks by Paulo Coelho
Monday, July 28th, 2008N1 The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
I love this guy Coelho. He does an incredible job of making complicated concepts of spirituality and mysticism more understandable. Or at least makes you think about these deeper. There is a lot of symbolism and philosophy in this book. One subject that is hidden in the text is the (reference to) the Sufi concept of ONENESS of BEING or “Wahdat-ul-Wujood”. Some sort of Pantheistic view you can say. One can read poet Rumi to see the same tale written 700 years ago. Another subject that is very well given to the reader is a sense of interfaith/intercultural dialog, that we are all going to live on the same planet and we better learn how to treat each other well… But you have to explore the book for yourself. And make sure your spirit is that of Santiago, the shepherd boy, who can be like the winds!
The Witch of Portobello: A Novel (P.S.) by Paulo Coelho
Let me state this bluntly – I read Coelho’s famous “The Alchemist” and absolutely hated it. I found it a stupid, simplistic waste of time. I picked this up because the title and cover photo looked interesting and I thought, “Hey, let’s give him another chance.”
Most second chances end in disappointment, but this ended in delight and surprise. I thoroughly enjoyed “The Witch of Portobello”. The style is less stupidly watered down than “The Alchemist” and the story is actually readable. I was also significantly more impressed by Mr. Coelho’s writing as well, as he managed to create a multi-perspective story well and I was able to keep track of the characters at all times.
And yet I give this novel a FOUR STAR rating. It’s not, really. It’s somewhere between a four and a five. It’s enjoyable, well-written, and down-right fascinating. While in “The Alchemist”, Mr. Coelho jams a bit too much down the reader’s throat in so little time, here the religious and mystical theme is well-spaced and wide. And it’s all very novel-like. One can view it as reality, or one can view it as fantasy. Whichever you want.
But some readers may not like that. Some may not like Mr. Coelho’s style (though I assure you, this is nothing like “The Alchemist” – no foolish simplicities, dull characters, or silly non-plots), but here it flows elegantly. Athena is a curious character, and viewing her from all directions except her own is revealing and fascinating. Also, absolutely enjoyable. Dialogue is occasionally a bit long and speech-like, but on the whole it’s relatively good.
I do recommend this book. I enjoyed it; others might not. It’s a grand improvement over “The Alchemist” and a plain good book. Expect to think a bit about all sorts of things. And even if you don’t like it, stick it out until the end – it’s worth it.
Warrior of the Light: A Manual by Paulo Coelho
“That is why he is a Warrior of the Light, because he has been through all this and yet has never lost hope of being better than he is.” -from the book.
I love how this book shows the good and bad of our human nature and blesses it all. We all have within us the light and the dark. Which one will we allow to guide us? We are whole because of both.
This book is encouraging and truthful, and full of wisdom. As you read this, you will take a look inside yourself and acknowledge what is there. This is a good book to keep out where you can pick it up and read something from it often. It’s great to keep by your bedside for light reading before bed, or in the morning when you get up.
“In order to have faith in his own path, he does not need to prove that someone else’s path is wrong.” -one of my favorite passages from the book.
I hope you’ll read and enjoy this too!
Life: Selected Quotations by Paulo Coelho
Paulo Coelho can do no wrong in my book. This collection of thoughts from his books and other writings summarizes his beliefs on life, love, destiny etc. It provides the reader with food for thought and reminds us of the things we know about life somewhere in the back of our heads but tend to forget we know as life happens.
If you’re not careful you can read this entire book in less than an hour, but if you do you’d have missed the point. I read, reflect and where appropriate, I write.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
The Fifth Mountain by Paulo Coelho
I have read quite a few “Coelho” books to date, and am truly amazed by the powerful insights woven within the stories of each and every one! In fact, I have yet to read a book by this author that has not moved me in some way.
“The Fifth Mountain” is a story written about the biblical figure Elijia – his trials & tribulations, as well as his joys, loves & great accomplishments. In a very interesting way, the author guides the reader through the many lessons to be learned through the life of this prophet and all those he touched.
Some of the lessons/insights that I realized/remembered through reading “The Fifth Mountain” include:
*Through every hardship we go through, there is a lesson to be learned – so be on the lookout for what lessons/insights are showing up in your life, and take heed.
*Freedom is the ability to follow your heart without concern for the opinions of others.
*We must CHOOSE rathter than ACCEPT our fate
Overall, I found this book to be an easy, interesting, powerful read – with many great insights woven into a memorable fable-type story. I would recommend this author to everyone!
By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept: A Novel of Forgiveness by Paulo Coelho
I begin by noting that I love Coelho and find his prose to be almost poetic. I found this book – as always – beautifully written but a bit heavy on religion. Let me explain before you boo me off the stage, Coelho lovers! Usually, I find his thoughts on God and religion to be beautifully written but also subtly drafted. For example, in his masterpiece “The Alchemist”, God and fate and religion were infused throughout the story, but subtly so. Here, the religion is very in your face. I found it bearable but a bit much, a bit unnecessary. Coelho is such a gifted writer that he doesn’t NEED to be so blunt with religion and god. That said, this novel – as his others – is well constructed, a quick read and one in which we quickly become involved in the main characters lives. I found myself rooting heartily for the two main actors. The ending was something of a surprise, but as always left me on the edge of my seat with my mouth open and my mind racing. The book does what any good book should – leave you with the belief that you have read an excellent story, as well as give you many things to think about and relate to your own life. “By the River …” is well worth a read, and Coelho continues to inspire with his almost non-stop beautiful prose. Each page contains at least one gem which I underline, think about, come back to, chew on, and then think about some more. A great read – if it was by anyone else I’d give it a 5; I give it a comparative 4 only in relation to his other books. While this one is great, his others are even greater.
The Devil and Miss Prym: A Novel of Temptation by Paulo Coelho
Once again, Coelho deftly uses his gifts as a storyteller to delve into the meat of the human condition. This “novel of temptation” is in the same vein as Coelho’s The Alchemist, wherein he uses a simple narrative technique to approach some very difficult questions.
Although one might think it would be impossible to explore good vs. evil without a certain amount of rhetoric, Coelho’s approach is fresh and does not resort to the usual cliches. The heroine does not shine and the villain is a victim of circumstance. In the two characters we see both sides of ourselves.
The book reads like a morality play in that the town of Viscos is Everytown and the Stranger is Everyman. Coelho has brought on the renaissance of the parable as an art form and should be commended on his ability to explore truth without grandstanding. This is a book that should humble even the most saintly of readers.
The Valkyries by Paulo Coelho
The Valkyries is a metaphysical tale, very much in the spirit of James Redfield, only this epic tale is authentic.
This is Paulo Coelho’s astonishing true story of his encounter with darkness, his search for the light, and the seeking of his personal angel. He chronicles his journey from Brazil, with his wife Chris, and their 40-day sojourn in the Mojave Desert, seeking the Valkyries. The Valkyries were rumored to be able to speak and to see their angels. Having fought a battle with darkness, Paulo has redeemed his life and is a seeker of the light. Paulo was also told that “people wind up killing what they love most” as he seeks to rectify certain, if not all, areas of his life.
This book is journey of faith, of trust, of forgiveness, of love, of self-discovery, and of battling the darkness within ourselves, and wanting to change. As Paulo states, “Faith is a different conquest, and it requires daily combat in order to maintained.” His faith is tested to the very end, as he seeks contact with his angels. His journey within transforms him as well as transforming his wife at the same time. Their two soul journeys will inspire you.
“We are responsible for everything that happens in this world. We are the warriors of the light. With the strength of our love and our will, we can change our destiny, as well as the destiny of many others.” In this age of angel sightings, angel occurrences are happening with intense frequency. It is as if God is sending his messengers with a message and that message if one of love. The stories being written give hope to those in need of hope and bring home the message that there is another way – love.
“If on the other hand, we accept all that is wrong about us – and despite it, believe that we are desiring of a happy life – then we will have thrown open an immense window that will allow Love to enter. Little by little, our defects will disappear, because one who is happy can look at the world only with love – the force that regenerates everything that exists in the universe.”
This is an amazing book, which will cause you to think and revaluate parts of your life. I read the book in one sitting and had to keep going with it till the very end. If you are on a spiritual journey or even on a transforming journey at this point in your life, this is one book that you will want to read. As Paulo says, “God is love, generosity and forgiveness; if we believe this, we will never allow our weakness to paralyze us.” I highly recommend this book.
Brida: A Novel by Paulo Coelho
I read this book last year…since then I’ve read a lot of books, but I am still under the enchantment of Brida. What a good story…fulfilled with knowledge and wisdom. If you’ve ever thougth you are special, and has some spiritual gifts…you got to read Brida. Here you’ll find out how this woman discover herself trough the experience of becoming a true wicht. But it won’t be easy. She will have to learn several incredible lessons, from sharing with the naked nature to see the magic ligth of her soulmate. Sorcerers, witches, wicca, tarot surrounds the mistery of Brida. Very good book. Fascinating and believe me…there will be a lot of empathy, and more than one deja vu.
The Zahir: A Novel of Obsession by Paulo Coelho
Master storyteller Paulo Coelho’s stories are all semi-autobiographical in nature, read well, are set in fascinating locations, and leave you thinking the author has somehow seen more deeply into the human spirit than most of us. It’s hard to read his books without feeling deeply touched, and The Zahir is no exception.
There are themes of love, belonging, separation, anxiety, heartbreak, understanding, alienation, need, want. Many settings, in many places including Paris, Madrid, Kazakstan. The themes are ones that absorb all humankind whether we realize them or not.
I read this book at a bad time in my life, pulling it randomly from my wife’s bookshelf, and being pulled into the book as if it were somehow the correct choice of all the books I could have picked. It spoke to me deeply of love and understanding, in a way that I think many couples, many who have loved or lost will instantly empathize with. Following in the narrator’s steps, we arrive where he does, gain wisdom as he does, and achieve enlightenment as he does. And hopefully, find and regain true love that had been neglected, as he does.
Coelho’s native language is not English, yet none of his writing feels “translated” or stilted like happens to many foreign writings when they appear in English.
It is as if the author has a special gift for storytelling that transcends individual languages, the the vast number of countries in which his books have been published seems to support that.
Whether you are looking to be entertained by a lively tale, or are seeking solace and understanding as I was, The Zahir will fill your need. If you are in need of both then it behooves you to read everything this master storyteller has written.
Veronika Decides to Die: A Novel of Redemption by Paulo Coelho
Paulo Coelho’s new novel is beautful – both in the writing and the story being told. I first read Coelho’s Alchemist and was blown away by the simplicity of his writing style and the beauty that he elicited through the weaving his tale. His novels always leave a wonderful glow behind and Veronika Decides To Die is no different.
Veronica suffers from malaise and decides that she would be better off dead. Veronika commits suicide and is shocked to awaken in Villete, a well known mental hospital, only to be told that while she was not successful in dying she has committed herself to death as her attempt at suicide has damaged her heart and she now has a few days left to live.
During this week, Veronika gets to know the other patients at Villete, from the Dr. Igor to Zedka, Mari, Eduard and the Fraternity. Each person has something to share with Veronkia – who in time comes to learn the joy pain of life and all of the emotions in between.
Readers will enjoy this trip of self discovery as it speaks to all of us. I certainly left this book with more than I went into it with. It really moved me and has made me think – about life, love, happiness, despair and so much more. I look forward to more beautfully provocative and thought provoking work from Paulo Coelho.
El Demonio y la Senorita Prym: Una Novela by Paulo Coelho and M. Dolors Ventos
Es una novela acerca del bien y el mal dentro de todos nosotros, muy bueno como todos sus libros
simplemente fabulosa novela donde como siempre el autor nos deleita ,me parece uno de los mejores libros de coelho.
The Devil and Miss Prym: A Novel of Temptation by Paulo Coelho
This is the best book I have read this year! This book is a real page turner! I highly recommend it!
The story is as follows: A stranger appeared in a small village, Viscos, where 108 women and 173 men live. Unknown to the villagers, he was carrying in his rucksack eleven bars of gold, each weighing two kilos. After having checked-in in the only hotel, he plunged into the forest, where he dug two holes. In one, he buried one gold bar, and in the other hole the remaining 10 gold bars. He then walked back to the village. The first person he saw on his way back was a young woman, Chantal Prym, sitting beside a river reading a book. He approached her, and told her that he would like to show her something she had never seen before. At first she hesitated, but wanting adventure, she followed him into the forest. He told her to dig near a Y-shaped rock, where she found the first bar of gold. The stranger then led her to the next hiding place. There she found the remaining gold bars. She was astonished at the quantity of gold she saw before her. At first, she thought that he was showing her all this gold because he was like other older men, obsessed with the idea of sex with a younger woman. But she soon found out that the stranger was carrying out an experiment into the nature of human beings. He told her that he had discovered that confronted by temptation, humans will always fall. Given the right circumstances, every human being on this earth would be willing to commit evil. To test his theory, he then told her to tell the inhabitants of Viscos about the gold she saw, and to convey the message that should they kill one of their own, all the gold would be theirs! He further added that he would only give them a week. If, at the end of seven days, someone in the village is found dead, the money would go to the villagers, and he would conclude that humans are evil. However, should Chantal Prym steal the one gold bar but the village resists temptation, or vice versa, he would conclude that there are good people and evil people. This would mean that there’s a spiritual struggle going on that could be won by either side. However, should he leave with all eleven gold bars, then he would conclude that life is good and that it prevails over evil.
The stranger had lost his wife and daughters at the hand of terrorists. He now needed to find out whether humans are good or evil. If we are good, he thought, God is just and will forgive him for all he has done, for He was the one who drove him towards the dark. But if we are evil, he concluded, then everything is permitted, he never took a wrong decision, and we are all condemned from the start, and it doesn’t matter what we do in this life, for redemption lies beyond either human thought or deed.
Coelho is trying to convey to us the message that we are all good and evil; that good and evil have the same face. He recounts two stories to illustrate this. The first story is about the history of Viscos. The story goes as follows: A wicked Arab bandit by the name of Ahab controlled the whole village. One day, a hermit by the name of St Savin came down from his cave, arrived at Ahab’s house and asked to spend the night there. Ahab laughed, telling him that he could easily slit his throat while he slept. But Savin insisted. Ahab determined to kill him that very night. They chatted while Ahab sharpened his knife, then Ahab showed Savin where he could sleep and continued menacingly sharpening his knife. After watching him for a few minutes, Savin closed his eyes and went to sleep. Ahab spent all night sharpening his knife. The next day, when Savin awoke, he found Ahab in tears at his side. He told him, “You weren’t afraid of me and you didn’t judge me. For the first time ever, someone spent a night by my side trusting that I could be a good man, one ready to offer hospitality to those in need. Because you believed I was capable of behaving decently, I did.” From that moment on, Ahab abandoned his life of crime.
The other story is about The Last Supper, painted by Leonardo da Vinci. When Leonardo was creating this picture, Leonardo da Vinci encountered a serious problem: he had to depict Good – in the person of Jesus – and Evil – in the figure of Judas. He stopped work on the painting until he could find his ideal models. He was quickly able to find his model for Jesus in a boy he saw in a choir. But three years had gone by, and the Last Supper was almost complete, but Leonardo had still not found the perfect model for Judas. After many days spent searching, the artist came across a prematurely aged youth, in rags and lying drunk in the gutter. The beggar was taken to the church, not understanding what was going on.
Leonardo immediately started copying the lines of impiety, sin and egotism so clearly etched on the beggar’s features. When he had finished, the beggar, who had sobered up slightly, opened his eyes and saw the picture before him. With a mixture of horror he said, “I’ve seen that picture before!” Leonardo was astonished. He couldn’t believe it. The beggar replied, “Three years ago, before I lost everything I had, at a time when I used to sing in a choir and my life was full of dreams. The artist asked me to pose as the model for the face of Jesus.” Evil and good have the same face!
Chantal Prym did not immediately tell the inhabitants of the village about the gold. But she did tell them eventually on a Friday night at the village bar when all the villagers, including the stranger, were present. After telling them about the stranger and the gold, she told them,”That gold will belong to Viscos if, in the next three days, someone in the village is murdered. If no one dies, the stranger will leave, taking his gold with him.”
They were all shocked, and some asked the stranger to leave the village at once, while others said to call the police. Chantal Prym was sure that there was no way her fellow villagers would be capable of committing a murder for money. But she was wrong! The villagers actually were contemplating committing the murder. The next day, they all congregated in the church. The priest gave a sermon, saying “In the Gospel according to Luke, there is a moment when an important man approaches Jesus and asks: `Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And, to our surprise, Jesus responds: `Why callest thou me good? None is good, save one, that is, God.’ The priest went on saying, `None is good, says the Lord. No one. We should stop pretending to a goodness that offends God and accept our faults: if one day we have to accept a wager with the devil, let us remember that our Father who is in heaven did exactly the same in order to save the soul of His servant Job.’ (In the story of Job, God takes a wager with the devil, allowing the devil to strip Job of his wealth, killing his children, and inflicting a horrible disease on his body, just to see whether Job will continue to love and worship Him!)
The priest was once told by a bishop, `Abraham took in strangers, and God was happy. Elijah disliked strangers, and God was happy. David was proud of what he was doing, and God was happy. The publican before the altar was ashamed of what he did, and God was happy. John the Baptist went out into the desert, and God was happy. Paul went to the great cities of the Roman Empire, and God was happy. How can one know what will please the Almighty? Do what your heart commands, and God will be happy.’
One passage in the Bible greatly disturbed Viscos’ priest. Why did Jesus ask Judas to commit a sin and thus lead him into eternal damnation? Jesus would never do that; in truth, the traitor was merely a victim, as Jesus himself. Evil had to manifest itself and fulfill its role, so that ultimately Good could prevail. If there was no betrayal, there could be no cross, the words of the scriptures would not be fulfilled, and Jesus’ sacrifice could not serve as an example.
The priest was now set on murder, and he managed to convince the rest of the congregation.
The inhabitants of Viscos chose Berta as their victim; an old woman with no friends, who seemed slightly mad, and made no contribution to the growth of the village. All started to dream about the riches that would soon befall them.
Chantal Prym had a dream. It was of an angel handing her the eleven gold bars and asking her to keep them. Chantal told the angel that, for this to happen, someone had to be killed. But the angel said that this wasn’t the case: on the contrary, the bars were proof that the gold did not exist. She had understood the dream.
The priest had taken all the shotguns from the villagers, and loaded all of them except one. In this way, they could all believe that they could have been the ones to shoot a blank.
They first sedated Berta, and then took her to the valley to be shot simultaneously by all the villagers. But Chantal Prym intervened. She stood in the line of fire, and asked the villagers if they could use the gold. Can they sell it? She told them the story of Midas, who turned everything he touched into gold, even his food and his wife. Midas died of starvation. Too many questions will be asked by the bank when they tried to change their gold to money. A murder was about to be committed for something they could never have. The villagers were convinced, and the noise of the first shotgun being disarmed was heard, followed by all the rest!
Eleven Minutes: A Novel by Paulo Coelho
“Eleven Minutes” is the first book I have read by Paulo Coelho. Although there were some things about it which I felt detracted from the overall experience, I ended up reading it in one day, which is about as high praise as you can give a book. This is a story which has been done before, where a young woman (Maria) leaves her home to seek fame and fortune and ends up on the streets. What this book does very well, is show the difference between sex and love, and the writing makes one want to follow the story all the way to the end.
There are some flaws though, some of which may be due to the translation. For one thing, the absence of drugs seems to be unrealistic, but perhaps that was the correct decision, because in this story sex is the drug that is being used. Another oddity that distracted me was how the narrative shifted from Maria’s point-of-view to another character’s for brief periods. Overall, these problems are small though, and this book is very interesting to read.
Paulo Coelho by Juan Arias
This book is based on a series of interviews that Juan Arias conducted with Paulo Coelho back in 1998. It provides a lot of information about the legendery author and his struggles, including experimentation with drugs and magic, being put into a mental hospital by his parents when he was a young man, and his kidnapping by paramilitaries. I also really liked how the book described Coelho’s transformation after his pilgrimage on The Road to Santiago, and what he hopes his books accomplish. All in all, Coelho has had a very interesting life and reading this book will give you a better understanding of the messages he conveys to his readers.
Alchemist all best books and audiobooks Edition
Monday, July 28th, 2008Alchemist – 10th Anniversary Edition, The by Paulo, Coelho
My father picked up this book when he was in Japan and told me I might be interested in reading it. But, to tell you the truth, sometimes it seems like my dad can be far off, but other times he can be spot on. This time, he was right. I couldn’t put the book down as soon as I started reading it. I realized that I was much like Santiago and am on the journey to fulfill my personal legend. People tell me that wanting to follow my dream is crazy, but this has really opened my eyes and has made me pursue my dream even more. I would recommend this book to anyone that is interested in listening to their hearts and following their dreams. It has changed my life, and I hope that it reaches many more.
The Alchemist’s Apprentice by Dave Duncan
The Alchemist’s Apprentice (2007) is a historical fantasy. Maestro Filippo Nostradamus, nephew of Michel Nostradamus, is an astrologer, clairvoyant and alchemist as well as the best physician in Venice. His apprentice and protector is Alfeo Zeno, a young and impoverished nobleman. The Maestro is a long-standing friend of the Doge and is also his personal physician.
In this novel, a tarot reading suggests unexpected visitors that night, so Alfeo he arms himself just in case. He sends Luigi — the night watchman — to guard the back door and takes the watergate for himself. Then Raffaino Sciara appears with four fanti requesting entrance.
Although Alfeo states that the Maestro is not at home, the Circospetto — chief secretary of the Council of Ten — demands entrance in the name of the Republic. Alfeo reluctantly lets them inside, but still avers that his master is not home. Sciara offers Alfeo the choice of taking him to the Maestro or being taken into custody.
After spending the rest of the night in a cell, Alfeo is awakened and taken to see the Doge. There he is informed of the death of Bertucci Orseolo and the circumstances leading to the death. He is startled to learn that his master had been present at the affair and had attended the procurator after his collapse.
Alfeo immediately realizes that his master could be charged with causing the death of the procurator. After returning home, he advises his master to flee Venice, but Nostradamus refuses. Instead, the Maestro sends Alfeo on a series of errands, including interviews with the witnesses to Orseolo’s collapse.
In this story, Alfeo is attacked by six bravos, but survives due to Bruno’s iron skillet and help from the neighbors. He has prophetic dreams about a demon. He avoids a seduction attempt by an English woman. Indeed, he has an exciting time during Carnival.
Alfeo has the help of a few friends during this time. Bruno is a giant of a man who is a deaf-mute. Bruno carries the Maestro on his shoulders whenever his master leaves the Casa. Although very sweet tempered, Bruno can get quite excited whenever someone attacks his friends.
Giorgio is the Maestro’s gondolier. He also is the father of many children. The twins Christoforo and Corrado are the eldest still at home and run many errands for the Maestro and Alfeo. They are old enough to start planning a sexual revel.
Violetta is the most expensive courtesan in Venice and she lives right next door to Alfeo. Occasionally she likes to invite him over for a visit. Since she is probably the most intelligent person that he knows (maybe even smarter that the Maestro), Alfeo welcomes the opportunity to talk over his problems with Violetta. She also has great sources of information.
This story is a murder mystery in the style of Nero Wolfe, with the Maestro as the brain and Alfeo as the brawn. Yet this story does not slavishly follow the Rex Stout formula, for Nostradamus does sometimes leave the Casa. Moreover, he doesn’t even own the palace, but only has the use of his apartments. And the penultimate denouement takes place at the scene of the crime.
This work is brought to a satisfying conclusion, but the characters are so interesting that one really wants a sequel. Let us hope that the author has more to write in this mileau!
Highly recommended for Duncan fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of late Renaissance Venice, murder mysteries, and convoluted plots.
The Alchemist by Ben Jonson
I recently read the early 17th century comedy “Volpone”, my first introduction to Ben Jonson. I was surprised by how well Jonson’s humor had traveled through 400 years of cultural change. I did have difficulty with Jonson’s dedication (several pages), the introductory argument, and the prologue as well as a “Pythagorean literary satire” in Act One, Scene One. But thereafter I found the humor to be natural and enjoyable. I even found myself somewhat sympathetic for the unscrupulous Volpone, Mosca, Voltore, Corbaccio, and Corvino. I immediately hunted around on my dustier bookshelves for other works of Ben Jonson.
“Epicene” was less easy to digest, but was worth the effort. There is a surprising twist in the final scene and I suggest that the reader avoid any literary criticism or introductions to “Epicene” until after your first reading. I had less empathy for the characters in “Epicene” and it was difficult to identify any “good guys”. The characters were not terribly disagreeable, but simply dilettantes that had little concern for morality or ethics. The dialogue is more obscure (and more bawdy) than in “Volpone”. I found it helpful to first read the footnotes for a scene before actually reading the scene itself.
“The Alchemist” is more like “Volpone”. The main characters are unscrupulous con-men; their targets are gullible, greedy individuals. I learned quite a bit about alchemy, at least alchemy as practiced by 17th century con-men. As with “Volpone” and “Epicene”, I was unable to predict how Ben Jonson would bring the play to a satisfactory conclusion. I enjoyed “The Alchemist” and I expect that I will read it again. I don’t know if it is performed very often, but it would probably be quite entertaining.
“Bartholomew Fair” introduces a large, motley collection of characters that largely converse in lower class colloquialisms that require some effort to master. The comedy was intended in part to be a satire on Puritans and thereby please King James, but it was equally an introduction to the varied individuals that might be encountered at an annual fair. It was not easy to keep track of the many characters and I continually referred to the cast listing to reorient myself.
There are a number of collections of Ben Jonson’s plays. I recommend an inexpensive collection, “The Alchemist and Other Plays”, publish by Oxford University Press as a World’s Classic. The introduction, glossary, and explanatory footnotes by Gordon Campbell are quite good. Begin with either “Volpone” or “The Alchemist” if you are new to Jonson. I hope you are as surprised and pleased as I was.
The Alchemist’s Daughter: A Novel by Katharine Mcmahon
Unfortunately, a great many books are released each month, all clamouring (whether they merit it or not) for attention, so that it is rather easy for out of the ordinary gems to be missed. Such, sad to say, is the case of Katherine McMahon’s “The Alchemist’s Daughter.” McMahon’s novel was a fantastic and absorbing read — I was absolutely riveted, and if you’re looking for something fresh, and a little different from the usual, I’d really recommend you try “The Alchemist’s Daughter” — it’s worth the hardcover price!
While Sir John Selden has spent a lot of time and effort on his only daughter’s, Emilie, scientific education, he has, unfortunately, also brought her up in seclusion on his estate in Buckinghamshire. This, of course leaves Emilie vulnerable to the manipulations and influence of others. So that, when a dashing adventurer, Robert Aislabie, comes calling just around the time when Emilie’s raging hormones are at their height (she’s reached her seventeenth birthday), she finds herself quite vulnerable to Aislabie charms. Going against her father’s wishes, Emilie insists on marrying Aislabie and leaves her father’s home in order to live with her new husband in London. But, in spite of all its noise and liveliness, Emilie soon finds herself feeling out of place in London and with her husband’s friends — her wonderful education seems not to have prepared her for London’s dazzling society. Intimidated and numbed by all she sees and is experiencing, it will be a while before Emilie removes the blinders from her eyes, realises who and what she is and so, become the woman her father always hoped she would be…
While one of the previous reviewers was correct to note that this was not a happy book, I did think that the novel ended on an uplifting note, full of hope and promise. This is a novel about personal growth and maturity, even if the growth didn’t take place until the final chapters of the book. As such, it is quite possible for readers to grow impatient and irritated with Emilie. And while Emilie isn’t the most engaging of heroines, I would argue that one should always remember that in spite of all her education, this is still a young teenager, who was brought up in seclusion and who had very little intercourse with society for most of her young life. That Emilie is always quick to blame others for the shortcomings in her life, her quickness to anger, and the fact that she moves about for much of the book in a kind of daze, allowing Aislabie to run her life is, completely understandable. Emilie definitely has blinders, and it will take the course of the book for them to come off and for her to finally act (instead of merely reacting) in order to undo some of the damage her indifference and anger has wrought.
I thought that “The Alchemist’s Daughter” was a wonderful and worthwhile read. For me, the author successfully recaptured the feel and mood of the period; so that even though she didn’t go in for overly luxurious and vivid descriptions, such was her prose style that I was able to “see” the dark and shabby rooms at Selden, the lush green of the estate, and the colour and opulence of the London drawing rooms. Also wonderfully done was her character portrayals — especially those of Sir John Selden, the Reverend Shales and Robert Aislabie. More than any others, these characters defied stereotypes and leaped off the pages. Reading “The Alchemist’s Daughter” was a pleasure and a treat — much like the pleasure I had when I first discovered Charlotte Smith and Eliza Haywood, and it is a novel I’d recommend heartily for anyone interested in the historical novel genre.
The Chinese Alchemist (Archaeological Mysteries, No. 11) by Lyn Hamilton
Lara McClintoch is an antiques dealer who faces down an Asian gang called the Golden Lotus that is terrorizing a Canadian city’s Chinatown. It seems Lara’s significant other, Rob Luczka, a sergeant in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, has angered the gang and they may be targeting Lara because of her relationship with Rob.
Lara travels to New York and attempts, on behalf of her friend, Dory Matthews, to bid on a rare Tang Dynasty silver box–a box that has added value because the lid is etched with a formula for immortality. It is also a box very similar to one Dory already has.
The box is mysteriously withdrawn from the New York auction and ten days later, Dory is dead. It is learned that the box will be auctioned in Beijing and Lara travels to China (per a request in Dory’s will) to bid on the box. Her rival, Burton Haldimand, turns up dead and the race is on. Lara must find the box or she might join Haldimand in death.
The Chinese Alchemist by Lyn Hamilton is the first of her novels that I’ve read. It’s a fun, fast and easy read. Lara McClintoch is interesting, the plot takes some wonderful twists and turns and the Chinese connection is fascinating.
Armchair Interviews says: The Chinese Alchemist is recommended.
The Alchemist by Donna Boyd
Well I’m coming off of reading her other book “The Passion” which I thoroughly enjoyed (see my review)and I just bought her other books under the name of “Rebecca Flanders” I really like this author’s style. I chose to take a break from the Werewolf topic because I just finished “Circus of the Damned” by Laurell K. Hamilton and it dealt a lot with Were-people and this was a welcome diversion.
This book started out so engaging it got me from the first chapter and kept me. The whole premise is that there are 3 gifted students at the House of Ra, when these 3 students combine their magical energy their power is unmatched, however something happens early on and they do not complete the training they needed. Consequently their magic is flawed…. but they don’t realize that, their young and think they are invicible.
This book has Magicians that are immortal, Dark Magic that goes wrong, Incest, Betrayal and all of this spans from the time during Pharoah to the present day. I recommend this book for a break from the norm it’s great storytelling, if you like books with twist, you should enjoy this one. In my opinion the end was not as satisfying as the rest of the book but I guess she maybe left it that way to do a sequel.
The Alchemist’s Door by Lisa Goldstein
Set in the sixteenth century, The Alchemist’s Door chronicles the life of legendary English mathematician, alchemist and astrologer John Dee, the inspiration for Prospero in Shakespeare’s Tempest and the title character in Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus. As the story opens, Dee and his strange associate, Edward Kelley, have accidentally summoned a demon that now dogs Dee’s every step. Hoping to evade the demon and improve his fortunes, Dee accepts potential patron Prince Laski’s invitation to visit Poland. But the demon follows him there, prompting Dee, his family and Kelley to flee to Prague.
Doctor Illuminatus: The Alchemist’s Son, Part I by Martin Booth
Teen siblings, Tim and Pip, aren’t exactly looking forward to moving to an old English country estate with their parents, and the strange knocking coming from within the walls of the home isn’t a very welcoming sign, at least not in their opinion. But when the two of them find a mysterious boy named Sebastian, who claims to be not only the son of a medieval alchemist, but to have been sleeping for nearly six hundred years, the two sibs don’t know what to think. Sebastian informs them that his Father’s arch nemesis, known as de Loudeac, has also awoken, and that he plans on using the secrets of alchemy to create an artificial human, known as a homunculous, from dead matter that only he will be able to control. Before they have even unpacked their belongings, Tim and Pip find themselves mixed up in a bizarre web of magic, filled with intrigue and horror, as they join Sebastian in his attempt to stop de Loudeac’s crazy plan.
Martin Booth has created an intricately woven, well-crafted novel filled with fast-paced adventure, intrigue, horror, and more. Tim and Pip are exciting characters, wise beyond their years, who will quickly capture the hearts, and the attention, of readers both young and old; while Sebastian, and the crazy schemes thought up by de Loudeac, will keep readers on the edge of their seats from the opening page to the last, dying to find out what will happen next in this exciting thriller. Science fiction and fantasy fans will enjoy the magic created within the pages of DOCTOR ILLUMINATUS: THE ALCHEMIST’S SON, while mystery and thriller fans will find the fast-paced action right up their alley. Overall this was an amazing novel that will be loved by reader’s the world over.
Great Alchemist & Quantum Manifestation Power: St. Germain’s Secret Alchemical Remedy for Victory & Fulfillment by Leia Gance, Ph.D
great alchemist is great book!!!
The Alchemist’s Code by Dave Duncan
Maestro Nostradamus is many things; he is physician to the Venetian doge, a clairvoyant, an astrologist, and a spell weaver. His reputation is so great that he and his apprentice Alfeo Zeno live in grandeur on the top floor of the Mansion of Alvise Barbolano.
Zuanbattista Sanudo and his wife Eva Morosini come to Nostradamus to ask him to use his clairvoyance skills to locate their missing daughter Graziaa. The Maestro has a vision in his crystal ball; he tells Alfeo to go to a certain place at a certain time in order to find Grazia. He not only finds her, he sees her new husband Danese Dolfin, a gigolo who has done many unsavory things. The Council of Ten including the Doge summons Nostradamus to their meeting place. They direct him to uncover the identity of a spy who is selling secrets to a foreign government. The operative Algol has written letters that were intercepted but are in a code that no one has broken. The Maestro tries to decipher the code, but he realizes he is under magical attack which leads Alfeo to the home of Sanudo; he finds the abode under the spell of a curse. Alfeo tries to lift the curse using magic only to catch the eye of the Chief Inquisitioner whose aide accuses the maestro’s apprentice of murder and practicing the black arts.
When one thinks of Dave Duncan, normally fans would think of an entertaining superior fantasist. However, his Alchemist saga (see THE ALCHEMIST’S APPRENTICE) shares the same quality of excellence, but is different with a fantasy flavoring to a historical saga. Readers join the Maestro and his apprentice in trying to figure out who the spy is, why someone the hero knew was murdered, and what object caused the curse. Told by Alfeo, the audience sees through his awed eyes how his master is a Machiavellian wizard who pulls people into his way of thinking.
The Neutronium Alchemist by Peter F. Hamilton
The numbers of those from beyond the grave continue to grow, and a famous gangster is among them, and he puts his ‘Organisational’ talents to use, once he calms down a bit.
They also find that they can possess the sentient ships, gaining useful weaponry in the process.
Then there is the serious grudge-carrying escaped scientist and her superweapon.
Space battles and zombies and zombie space battles, if you like, although there is no lack of intelligence after possession, just a lot of desperate conflict going on as people learn about this problem and set out to try and do something about it.
The Alchemyst by Michael Scott
I didn’t hate this book and I will probably read the sequel since this book is not a complete book and ends in the middle of the story (continued, presumably in the sequel.) The problem is, however, that this book is not very good. In fact, it’s pretty terrible. The book switches focus so many times that you never get any real sense of the characters so after hundreds of pages, you don’t know anymore about the characters then you did at the start so it’s very hard to care about them. This book has a very large cast of characters and, by the end, and they are a little more then cardboard cut outs. Perhaps the author could have tried developing a few characters instead of creating hundreds of bland people we never get a sense of? I can also hear my inner English teacher screaming “show me, don’t tell me” as he insists on repeating everything over and over instead of just letting you infer yourself. The author is also so concerned with being “hip” that the pop culture references are so peppered as to be both annoying and distracting to the story. I appreciate that the author has a lot of knowledge about the mythology that he wants to showcase, but, with the exception of one battle scene towards the end that I enjoyed, the rest of the book is slow and, frankly, boring, like when the most boring teacher in school tries to be hip and it just falls flat. I also think that, as a reader, it was unfair to make the first book end with no resolution. Thus I am now forced to read a second lackluster book from this author just to see if the story that he was telling was worth it. There are millions of series in the world and others at least give some resolution at the end of each part, if not a resolution to the entire thing. As I said, I am willing to give him a second chance with the second book since, though boring and poorly written, I didn’t hate this book, but, so far, this series isn’t anything to get excited about.
The Hermetic and Alchemical Writings of Paracelsus by Paracelsus and A. E. Waite
Paracelus is my personal favorite of the “famous alchemists.” He took an approach that diverged greatly from his contemporaries: “harmony of the man is the microcosm and Nature the macrocosm.” He veered from soul purification and concentrated on how bodies got out of natural balance and how he could cure them. He summarized his own views by saying: “Many have said of Alchemy, that is for making of gold and silver. For me such is not the aim, but to consider only what virtue and power may lie in medicines.” And I am sure that many of the pharmaceutical giants today wholeheartedly agree with him! The work is fascinating as well as the man. This book as well as Part 2 bring him fully to light for all of us to appreciate!
Philippa Gregory top and best Audiobooks
Monday, July 28th, 2008The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory
Philippa Gregory continues to entertain and beguile with this latest entry to her Tudor-era historical novels, ‘The Boleyn Inheritance.’ This time around, she focuses on the tumultuous events that take place (1539-1542) following Jane Seymour’s death in childbed, when Henry VIII decides to marry again, only this time he has decided to make a political alliance with the Protestant kingdom of Cleves in order to check the threatening Catholic alliance of France and Spain. ‘The Boleyn Inheritance’ concentrates on what occurs because of this decision, as seen through the eyes of three of the women most effected by the events – Anne of Cleves, the Protestant princess that Henry marries; Katherine Howard, the vivacious and lively young English beauty that Henry falls for; and Jane Boleyn, the widow of George Boleyn, whose testimony sent her husband and her infamous sister-in-law, Anne Boleyn, Henry’s second wife, to the execution block. Believe me, if you’re in on the lookout for a well written and absorbing page turner, ‘The Boleyn Inheritance’ will definitely satisfy.
In 1539, Anne of Cleves, prepares herself for marriage to one of the most powerful men in Europe, Henry VIII of England, who has already been married three times – once to Catherine of Aragon, whom he divorced and broke from the Catholic Church in order to marry the tempestuous and beguiling Anne Boleyn, whom he later beheaded on the suspicion that she was playing him false, and lastly to Jane Seymour who gave him the son he so devoutly wished for before expiring herself. It is not exactly the kind of marriage that most princesses would dream of, but then Anne’s situation at home is hardly an ideal one. How was Anne to know that she had exchanged the firing pan for the fire? For once in England, she finds herself alone, without a proper understanding of the English language or the customs; and worse, that her new husband, Henry, dislikes her at first sight, and immediately makes his disdain known. It also soon becomes evident that Henry has taken a liking to one of her ladies in-waiting, the beautiful and vivacious Katherine Howard, and that the old monster is looking for a way out of his unwanted marriage to Anne. Has Anne come all the way to England only to face the threat of the axe like the previous Queen Anne? With few friends, and practically no one to rely on, Anne will need all her wits and a lot of luck in order to keep her neck and her good name intact:
Philippa Gregory doesn’t exactly cover new ground here – ‘The Boleyn Inheritance’ covers much of the same ground that many casual historians are familiar with. What a brilliant idea then to make one of the chief protagonists of this novel, Jane Boleyn, a woman who has been reviled for her part in sending her husband and her sister-in-law to the execution block! And what a good notion it was to show all the backroom intrigues of the Duke of Norfolk, et al in their quest for the upper hand as seen through Jane’s eyes. It added an air of immediacy, danger and poignancy that might have otherwise been absent if we’d been left with a one person point-of-view. The plotting was well done – even and with a sense of continuity that made for smooth reading, and the juxtaposition of the three narratives was not jarring at all. Also brilliantly done was the character portrayals of the three women and of the monstrous Henry. I’ll admit to being quite partial to Anne of Cleves, and so was really pleased that Philippa Gregory portrayed her as possessing courage, tenacity and intelligence. I also appreciated the author’s portrayal of the heedless, pleasure seeking Katherine Howard, and surprisingly enough, found myself feeling for Jane Boleyn, and appreciating her ability to navigate the treacherous court she so ardently wanted to be part of. In all, this was a well written, very fast paced and tightly constructed novel that was a joy to read from beginning to end. Just the thing for a good winter night’s read.
The Wise Woman: A Novel by Philippa Gregory
This is a brilliant dark story of a young girl and her quest to live like a queen. She wants the prize of ‘lady of the house’ and will stop at nothing to get it. She uses her power to reach for her dreams, only to realise that the prize wasn’t hers. She is a false woman, and slowly becomes entrapped in her own lies.
Despite the bleakness of the story and the wickedness of Alys, I still liked her! She felt she was destined for an important role, and went out to claim it. She sought love and didn’t know what to do with it when she had it. As l was approaching the last few pages of the story I was wondering how on earth it could end, I was so looking forward to the birth of her child etc.
I am currently making my way through all of Philippa Gregory’s books. Her novels, both historical and comtemporay are always so vivid and the endings never fail to be anything but thought provoking. Keep writing, because l will certainly keep reading!
The Queen’s Fool, A Novel by Philippa Gregory
Philippa Gregory (authour of ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’) returns to turbulent Tudor England in her latest novel, ‘The Queen’s Fool.’ This time, our narrator-guide is a young Jewish girl, Hannah Green, who together with her father, has fled Spain and the Inquisition, for England. Here, they have taken great pains to live quietly and to show that they are fervent Lutherans, all the while practicing their faith in secret. That is until a chance encounter with the mysterious John Dee changes the course of their lives forever.
Hannah and her father have opened a bookshop, where Hannah (unlike most girls of her age) has been working at dressed as a boy and acting as her father’s apprentice. One day, however, young Robert Dudley and his tutor, John Dee, come to the shop; and in the course of things, discover that Hannah has the ‘sight.’ Suddenly Hannah’s future changes dramatically: where marriage to a distant cousin seemed to have been her fate, she’s now dragooned into the service of the Dudleys, who plan to use her ‘sight’ for their own means. And soon Hannah finds herself torn on all sides – strangely drawn to her new master, Robert Dudley and yet missing her father dreadfully; and not wanting to be confined to playing the role of mere wife and mother, and yet not wanting to close the door on that option either. Hannah is confused and fearful about her future. But not even in her wildest dreams would she envision the part she would play in the fortunes of the Tudors:
I made the mistake of picking up this book just before going to sleep. Such was the sheer brilliance of ‘The Queens’ Fool’ that I had to finish the book in one sitting. What a compelling and engrossing read this novel proved to be! And what a heroine Gergory has created in Hannah! The authour did a fantastic job in ‘fleshing out’ the many sides of Hannha’s character, thus making her both complex and sympathetic. Philippa Gregory also did a simply magnificent job of bringing to life the England of the mid 16th century with all it’s brutality and turbulence, as well as it’s vibrancy and colour. With exquistely drawn character, easy and swift pacing, and a wonderfully lyrical prose style, ‘The Queen’s Fool’ proved to both a joy and a pleasure to read. And whether or not you’re a fan of historical novels, ‘The Queen’s Fool’ is a must read.
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
I had more or less given up reading historical novels when I ran out of books by Jean Plaidy to read. For me, she was one of the truly rare authours (saving Sharon Kay Penman of course) who got the feel, tone and character of her subject matter right. So that I had more or less stopped looking out for new books in this genre to read. And then I saw ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’ at my local bookstore, and after sampling the first chapter, I realized that I had to buy this book. And I’m awfully glad that I did. What a simply wonderful read!! Phillipa Gregory did a really splendid job of evoking the splendor and turbulence of Henry VIII’s court. I also thought that her choice of narrator, Mary Boleyn (the elder of the Boleyn sisters) was an inspired as well. Most historians (and perhaps I’ve only read the those that espoused this majority view) tend to dismiss Mary as an empty headed good time girl because she was used and cast aside with very little ceremony; and because she never rose as high as her sister, Anne. But you have to wonder: Mary was also the only Boleyn sibling to survive the vicissitudes of Henry VIII’s reign, and the fall of the Howard-Boleyn fortunes; she also managed to marry for love (and a happy and lasting marriage it proved to be too) the second time around. So perhaps there was a lot more to the ‘other Boleyn girl’ than everyone credits?
Gregory’s novel opens and closes with two executions – it begins with the execution of the Duke of Buckingham in 1521, and ends with the execution of Anne Boleyn in 1536. With this rather grim events framing her book, the novel proper starts in 1522, with Anne arrival at the Tudor court, where her elder sister, Mary, is already lady-in-waiting to Henry’s wife, Queen Katherine. From the very beginning we see that while there is a bond that ties the Boleyn sisters together, there is also a deep rooted rivalry between them. It is a tense time at court: the queen (already quite a few years older than her husband) has yet to produce a male heir to the throne, and people are beginning to question if the aging queen will ever be able to bear children again. Some of Henry’s advisers are even began to gently hint that he should put his Spanish wife aside and look for a younger more fecund wife. In the midst of all this intrigue, Mary soon catches the king’s roving eye. Although she is married and still quite loyal to the queen, her family (her ruthless parents as well as her uncle, the powerful and equally ruthless Duke of Howard) decrees that she put her marriage and loyalties aside and cater to the whims of her king. Bedazzled, it doesn’t take Mary very long to fall in love with both her golden king and her role as the his ‘unofficial’ wife. A few years and two royal by-blows later however, Mary is shunted aside when the king begins to loose interest in their relationship and her ambitious family fearful that they will loose all the power that they have gained, throws the more ruthless and seductive sister, Anne at the king’s head. From then on Mary, her eyes finally wide open as to how low her family will stoop in order to gain power, watches from the sidelines as her family, led by Anne, begins their high stakes play for the queen’s crown. Finally realizing that she can only depend on herself for her own future, Mary is inspired to take a few risks herself in order to gain some measure of happiness and security.
The sheer scope of this novel is gigantic – there were so many things that were going on both on and off stage and the number of people that were involved in all these shenanigans! So that it was a treat to find that the novel unfolded smoothly and effortlessly, and that Gregory did not drop the ball once. She kept each chapter short and succinct, and yet still managed to give the reader an enthralling and exciting account of what was going on. I also liked the manner in which she depicted all the characters in this novel. From Queen Katherine who was portrayed not only as a loyal and loving wife, but also as an intelligent woman who saw and understood what was going on around her, even as she clung to the hope that the king would recover from his obsession with Anne; to the authour’s chilling portrayal of the Boleyn family (father, mother, Anne and George). With a few well chosen words and phrases, she’s paints them as wildly ambitious, ruthless and pettily cruel individuals, willing to use each other in order to achieve a particular goal. But the authour’s characterization of Mary Boleyn was probably the best thing in the novel. Here we see a young and intelligent woman with a heart and a sense of morality that is constantly at war with her feeling of familial obligations. How Mary struggles with this dueling feelings and the decisions she makes – sometimes good, sometimes bad – is what makes this novel worth reading.
All in all, I’d say ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’ is a rich and rewarding read.
Meridon by Philippa Gregory
‘Meridon’, the concluding book of the Wideacre series, is vastly different than ‘Wideacre’ and ‘The Favored Child’, and for me, vastly better. This is extremely high praise, considering that I very much enjoyed the first two books in the series. ‘Meridon’ tells the story of Sarah Lacey, the lost Wideacre heir, who was given away to gypsies at birth as a safe-keeping against the evils of the Lacey legacy. A large portion of the story centers on Meridon (Sarah’s gypsy name) as she is neglected by her gypsy family and longs for a home she doesn’t know nor understand. Eventually, Meridon becomes an equestrian performer in a traveling circus. These deviations from tales of life on Wideacre are a welcome change from the two previous books, which focused almost solely on the day-to-day activites (albeit often depraved and VERY enthralling activities) of rich country land-owners. ‘Meridon’ is rich with the imagery and restless spirit of gypsy life, which allows it to stand out as unique among the trilogy. When the story comes back to Wideacre, it’s a completely different story from the two previous books. Meridon has obvious similarities to her mother and grandmother, and these similarities help tie their stories to one another. However, Meridon is a completely different character than Julia or Beatrice. Meridon was not raised on Wideacre in prosperity, surrounded by family and neighbors. She is cold and unloving. And she is selfish about her land, but for different reasons than the previous characters, which is a refreshing change of pace from the previous books. Meridon’s desire to control the land is more complex than simply having an innate yearning or a special gift, and this complexity makes Meridon a deeper, and if one can imagine, a darker character than even Julia or Beatrice. In the end, Meridon’s life experiences that make her so different from Julia and Beatirce are the very thing that makes her transformation so beautiful and believable. ‘Meridon’ is the only book of the Widacre trilogy that had the power to make me laugh out loud, cry in sadness and frustration, and finally smile through my tears. From start to finish, I loved this book. Read it:you won’t be disappointed.
