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Anna reads in 2015


Anna Begins

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The Boleyn Inheritance (The Tudor Court Series book 3)- Philippa Gregory (515 pages)

Did Anne of Cleves really smell so bad Henry VIII couldn’t consummate their marriage? 

 

Was Katherine Howard really the court slut, as Henry VIII accused her?

 

And whatever happened to Jane Boleyn, the last surviving Boleyn at court?

 

Told through a series of monologues by each woman, The Boleyn Inheritance is the story of the marriages of Anne of Cleves and Anne Howard, both served by Jane Boleyn, Anne Boleyn’s sister in law.  The book is a departure from Gregory’s other books in the way of switching off between the three women.  Very entertaining and a quick read, despite its 515 pages.

 

Highly recommended and stands alone, but helps if you’ve read book 2, The Other Boleyn Girl.

 

Book 3 of 6

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Essays on Daily Life in North Korea: North of the DMZ by Andrei Lankov (346 pages)

This technical book on the workings of North Korea is largely disappointing.  Lankov, a Russian, lived in North Korea for a year, in 1984 to attend Kin Il Sung University.  You would think he would spend more time on the humanistic aspect of the “Daily Life in North Korea" as the title suggests, but that is not the case.

 

Focusing on the USSR’s fall and communism in general, Lankov focuses a lot on the history of the fall, plus China and South Korean comparisons.  Indeed, he blames the famine of the 90’s on the lack of economic support being withdrawn from North Korea.  While this undoubtedly was a cause, the lack of planning and the selling of rice by the government did further the escalation.  The 90’s famine is about 1/4 th of the book and is played down with statistics and explanations.

 

Lankov asks questions about the fall of North Korea, this book was updated to 2005, but lacks current events and major changes like the rise of Kim Jong Un.  The author focuses mostly on the military structure, currency, and social structure of society, but lacks details of the lives of North Koreans that I was looking for.  The most interesting parts of the book deal with the self- criticism and indoctrinating meetings all North Koreans are required to attend, and also the immergence of a “free market” with a black market. 

 

The gulag camps are also played down, with Lankov calling them re- education camps or forced labor camps.  What goes on in the camps, Lankov fails to mention.  Lots of pictures of daily life are shown in the book and that was a nice touch to the boring, uninspiring, and technical book.

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The Pearl- John Steinbeck (100 pages)

 

Kino, his wife Juana and son Coytito are a poor family living in a village in La Paz.  One day, a scorpion stings Coytito.  Refused to be seen by the local doctor because of their poverty, the family returns to the village.  Then, pearl hunter Kino finds "The Pearl of the World" and verges on the precipice of richness.  Kino can see the future reflected in The Pearl- new clothes, schooling for his son and a proper marriage to Juana.  Hunted by villagers, pearl traders and a headhunting party, Kino fights off the world for his Pearl.  But is there bad luck in owning The Pearl?

 

Recommended, like all Steinbeck.

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Of Mice and Men- John Steinbeck (110 pages)

 

George and Lennie travel the California coast from job to job because Lenny usually gets them fired.  Lenny is mentally disabled likes to “pet” things- be it a dead mouse on the side of the road or a woman’s dress.  I liked this novella more the first time I read it, perhaps it was more shocking the first time, even though there were certain details I did not recall.

 

The ending of the book reminds me of Candy and his dog’s side story.  I am still in my head going over this parallel. 

 

Reading Of Mice and Men after The Pearl, I think I enjoyed The Pearl much more.  However, this classic by Steinbeck will always be recommended.  And it was a great way to end 2015!

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