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Readwine

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Posts posted by Readwine

    C.J.Sansom

    in Historical Fiction

    Posted

    I've read the 1st two of Sansom's historical crime novels,Dissolution and Dark Fire,and can't recommend them enough! :friends0:

     

    Totally agree. I've also finished Sovereign and Revelation and they are just as good if not better. Now I have to wait until September when Heartstone comes out :D. I miss Shardlake and his adventures.

     

    It is amazing how the portrayal of Henry VIII in the novels has inspired me to really find out more about him. He was such a narcissitic figure.

    The 19th Wife by David Hebershoff

    in General Fiction

    Posted

    I agree with you Vodkafan. It was a bit of a struggle to finish The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff. Briefly, the storyline is set in two different time periods: 2005 (or thereabouts), and 1870-1908 (or thereabouts). The modern day storyline involves a young man who grew up in a compound of a renegade sect of the Mormon Church, which defiantly still practices polygamy (or the art of plural wives). As he reaches his teens, he is promptly excommunicated for being gay and expelled from the compound. Several years later, his mother, one of at least 20 wives, is accused of murdering her husband (the young man’s father) and placed in jail to await trial. Her son returns to Utah to help his mother prove her innocence (?).

    The second storyline presents the biography of Ann Eliza Young, the 19th wife of Brigham Young (the leader of the Mormon Church during its establishment in Utah). According to the research presented in the book, Ann Eliza could actually have been the 52nd wife. Regardless, Ann Eliza seeks to divorce her husband (unheard of at that time) and launches into a fervent nationwide crusade to abolish polygamy.

    Prior to reading this book, I must confess my knowledge of the Mormon religion was naught, so I can only assume that the biographical data in the book is true. It is very interesting, though its presentation in the book is quite dry and repetitive. I am glad, however, to have read the book.

    I found the modern storyline a little more gripping, but not very satisfying as a murder mystery. It shown a bright light, however, on the destructiveness of polygamy. All in all, though I struggled to get through the book at times (pretty hefty tome), I am glad I read it; it presents a very interesting topic. On a scale of 1-10, I give it a 7.

    Has anyone read...?

    in General Book Discussions

    Posted

    Has anyone read Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese? There is something about this book that intrigues me (maybe it's that one of my favorite authors, John Irving, gave it a positive review), but I am hesitant because I have seen quite a few mature negative reviews on amazon.

     

    I highly, highly recommend it. Here is my review.

     

    Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

     

    Brief Summary from Amazon:

     

    This is a magnificent, sweeping novel that moves from India to Ethiopia to an inner-city hospital in New York City over decades and generations. Sister Mary Joseph Praise, a devout young nun, leaves the south Indian state of Kerala in 1947 for a missionary post in Yemen. During the arduous sea voyage, she saves the life of an English doctor bound for Ethiopia, Thomas Stone, and experiences an awful assault. Later on, these experiences becomes a key moments in her destiny when the nun arrives in Addis Ababa. Seven years later, Sister Praise dies birthing twin boys: Shiva and Marion, the latter narrating his own and his brother

    Browsing for another

    in Book Search and Reading Recommendations

    Posted

    When I was about 12, I read The Iliad and The Odyssey in prose translation and they were wonderful. My recommendation is to get the revised translations by E. V. Rieu (Penguin Classics) as these are geared more towards young adults using modern English. In fact, they are going on my TBR pile again for a reread :D

    Unknown words

    in General Book Discussions

    Posted

    I usually look up the word as I read to ensure I get the context of the meaning as used by the author. I have the OED on my iphone so it is very quick to look up. I am not good at remembering meanings, so it helps me a lot to look it up as I read.

    Did anyone encourage you to read

    in General Book Discussions

    Posted

    My first memory of wanting to read is when my mum use to take my sister and I to the park; we rented bicycles and rode about and my mum sat on a bench and savoured a book. I remember seeing her, as I rode my bicycle towards her, and becoming aware of such serenity surrounding her. Ever since then, I wanted to have the same peace and I learnt that I could achieve it through reading as she did. The rest is history :D

    The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

    in Crime / Mystery / Thriller

    Posted

    By luck I saw that the Swedish version of the film was playing close by and was leaving soon. Took off work :D (shhhhh!) and went to see it. Fabulous. The actress who played Lisbeth was superb; so like how I imagined her. It is so refreshing to see a European style film without all the Hollywood tinsel. The film itself was thrilling and the suspense wonderfully done. Whoever composed the music to it did a spectacular job. I would suggest to read the book first as not all of the backstories can be presented in the film. I enjoyed it immensely and highly recommended it.

     

    I am now on the third and final ;) book. Thoroughly enjoying it.

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