“The Lost Symbol” by Dan Brown is a predictable adventure. Twists and turns that make you scratch your head but still hold your interest enough to want see where it all ends. And as in his previous book, “The Da Vinci Code,” there’s enough intriguing details to investigate further once you put the book down.
What did you think? Leave us a comment and let us know!
--Alana F.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
More Historical Intrigue
What began as just another Showtime series soon became my obsession.
Life in Tudor England and especially the court of Henry VIII caught my attention not only for the main character Jonathan Ryes Myers but also the subject line that followed.
I knew it would be a fictional tale with liberties taken in the plot but soon it proved to be an interesting adaptation of this time in history.
Because of this Showtime series I found myself reading books, some fiction others nonfiction, in an attempt to sort out the true facts from the surreal; what follows are a list of books I found myself reading in a futile attempt to unravel the story.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Six Wives of Henry VIII
By: Alison Weir
The author uses many public records and personal letters of the early 1500's to offer a comprehensive version of the tempestuous private and public lives of Henry VIII and his six wives.
In Triumph's Wake: Royal Mothers, Tragic Daughters, and the Price They Paid for Glory
By: Julia P. Gelardi
Historian Gelardi focuses on the fates of three pairs of royal mothers and daughters: Isabella of Castile and Catherine of Aragon, Maria Theresa and Marie Antoinette, and Queen Victoria and Empress Frederick.
The Constant Princess
By: Philippa Gregory
As youngest daughter to the Spanish monarchs King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Catalina was promised to the English Prince Arthur when she was three. She leaves Spain at 15 to fulfill her destiny as queen of England but things do not turn out as planned, in this dramatization it shows how Catalina uses her faith, her cunning and her utter belief in destiny to reclaim her rightful title after the death of Price Arthur.
Mademoiselle Boleyn
By: Robin Maxwell
A look at the future queen of England before Henry VIII comes into her life.
Anne Boleyn; A new Life of England’s Tragic Queen
By: Denny, Joanna
For a change of pace read about the true life and tragedy associated with the life of Anne Boleyn.
The Other Boleyn Girl
Starring: Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson
DVD 2008
This is a tale of two sisters competing for the same king. This movie version uses some historical but mostly fictional details to weave an interesting and entertaining story.
The Last Wife of Henry VIII
By Carolly Erickson
In this first-person account of the life of Catherine Parr, who survived marriage to the dangerous and mercurial Henry Tudor, is arguably his most interesting bride. Cultured, well-educated and beautiful, "Cat" catches Henry's eye as a young girl and benefits and suffers from his favor all her life but in the end, gets everything she wants.
The Children of Henry VIII
By: Alison Weir
The tragedy of four accidental rivals to a throne, three of them children by different mothers of a much married king does not lose any of its drama by frequent retelling. Along with the royal siblings the doomed Lady Jane Grey is included.
Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey
By: Alison Weir
Lady Jane Grey (1537–1554), whose ascension to the English throne was briefly and unluckily. Jane's parents groomed her from infancy to be the perfect consort for Henry's son, Prince Edward. When Edward dies, Lord and Lady Dorset maneuver the throne for their 16-year-old daughter. Using multiple narrators, Weir weaves a conspiratorial web with Jane caught at the center.
The Lady Elizabeth
By Alison Weir
The tale chronicles the life of Elizabeth I from her early childhood to her coronation, through the final years of her father, Henry VIII, and the brief reigns of her siblings, Edward VI and Queen Mary.
The Mistresses of Henry VIII
By: Kelly Hart
This is a behind the scenes look at the many other women in King Henry VIII’s life.
I find myself anxiously awaiting the start of season four of Showtime’s “The Tudors” and reading, not only about the wives and children, but the many other fascinating people during this time period.
--Lois
Life in Tudor England and especially the court of Henry VIII caught my attention not only for the main character Jonathan Ryes Myers but also the subject line that followed.
I knew it would be a fictional tale with liberties taken in the plot but soon it proved to be an interesting adaptation of this time in history.
Because of this Showtime series I found myself reading books, some fiction others nonfiction, in an attempt to sort out the true facts from the surreal; what follows are a list of books I found myself reading in a futile attempt to unravel the story.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Six Wives of Henry VIII
By: Alison Weir
The author uses many public records and personal letters of the early 1500's to offer a comprehensive version of the tempestuous private and public lives of Henry VIII and his six wives.
In Triumph's Wake: Royal Mothers, Tragic Daughters, and the Price They Paid for Glory
By: Julia P. Gelardi
Historian Gelardi focuses on the fates of three pairs of royal mothers and daughters: Isabella of Castile and Catherine of Aragon, Maria Theresa and Marie Antoinette, and Queen Victoria and Empress Frederick.
The Constant Princess
By: Philippa Gregory
As youngest daughter to the Spanish monarchs King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Catalina was promised to the English Prince Arthur when she was three. She leaves Spain at 15 to fulfill her destiny as queen of England but things do not turn out as planned, in this dramatization it shows how Catalina uses her faith, her cunning and her utter belief in destiny to reclaim her rightful title after the death of Price Arthur.
Mademoiselle Boleyn
By: Robin Maxwell
A look at the future queen of England before Henry VIII comes into her life.
Anne Boleyn; A new Life of England’s Tragic Queen
By: Denny, Joanna
For a change of pace read about the true life and tragedy associated with the life of Anne Boleyn.
The Other Boleyn Girl
Starring: Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson
DVD 2008
This is a tale of two sisters competing for the same king. This movie version uses some historical but mostly fictional details to weave an interesting and entertaining story.
The Last Wife of Henry VIII
By Carolly Erickson
In this first-person account of the life of Catherine Parr, who survived marriage to the dangerous and mercurial Henry Tudor, is arguably his most interesting bride. Cultured, well-educated and beautiful, "Cat" catches Henry's eye as a young girl and benefits and suffers from his favor all her life but in the end, gets everything she wants.
The Children of Henry VIII
By: Alison Weir
The tragedy of four accidental rivals to a throne, three of them children by different mothers of a much married king does not lose any of its drama by frequent retelling. Along with the royal siblings the doomed Lady Jane Grey is included.
Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey
By: Alison Weir
Lady Jane Grey (1537–1554), whose ascension to the English throne was briefly and unluckily. Jane's parents groomed her from infancy to be the perfect consort for Henry's son, Prince Edward. When Edward dies, Lord and Lady Dorset maneuver the throne for their 16-year-old daughter. Using multiple narrators, Weir weaves a conspiratorial web with Jane caught at the center.
The Lady Elizabeth
By Alison Weir
The tale chronicles the life of Elizabeth I from her early childhood to her coronation, through the final years of her father, Henry VIII, and the brief reigns of her siblings, Edward VI and Queen Mary.
The Mistresses of Henry VIII
By: Kelly Hart
This is a behind the scenes look at the many other women in King Henry VIII’s life.
I find myself anxiously awaiting the start of season four of Showtime’s “The Tudors” and reading, not only about the wives and children, but the many other fascinating people during this time period.
--Lois
Monday, September 28, 2009
What I'm reading
1. Just finished Jeff Lindsay's fourth installment in his Dexter series, Dexter by Design. When his sister is stabbed in the line of duty, our favorite serial killer tracks down the person he thinks is responsible. But this time Dexter's made a rare mistake, and somebody's out for revenge. What's a psychopathic predator to do when the tables are turned and he becomes the prey?
2. Currently wrapped up in American On Purpose, Craig Ferguson's hilarious, heartbreaking memoir of his misadventures on the road from substance-abusing Scottish punk rocker to sober comedian with his own late-night TV show - and an American citizen. Enjoying it immensely, even if I'm never up late enough to catch Craig's show!
3. Next up will be An Echo in the Bone, the long (long, long, long)-awaited next chapter in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. I can't wait to see what Claire and Jamie Fraser are up to, as the American Revolution gets closer and closer; and whatever happened to their daughter Brianna and her family, once they returned to the twentieth century? I'm not even going to peek at the last page on this one - I'd rather be surprised.
How about you? What have you read lately that you want to tell us about?
--Nora
2. Currently wrapped up in American On Purpose, Craig Ferguson's hilarious, heartbreaking memoir of his misadventures on the road from substance-abusing Scottish punk rocker to sober comedian with his own late-night TV show - and an American citizen. Enjoying it immensely, even if I'm never up late enough to catch Craig's show!
3. Next up will be An Echo in the Bone, the long (long, long, long)-awaited next chapter in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. I can't wait to see what Claire and Jamie Fraser are up to, as the American Revolution gets closer and closer; and whatever happened to their daughter Brianna and her family, once they returned to the twentieth century? I'm not even going to peek at the last page on this one - I'd rather be surprised.
How about you? What have you read lately that you want to tell us about?
--Nora
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Which One Gets Your Vote?
The National Book Foundation is holding a Special Election! Between now and October 21, readers can go to www.nbafictionpoll.org and cast their votes in the race for the Best of the National Book Awards Fiction campaign. The candidates are:
**John Cheever, The Stories of John Cheever
**Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man
**William Faulkner, Collected Stories of William Faulkner
**Flannery O'Connor, The Complete Stories
**Thomas Pynchon, Gravity's Rainbow
**Eudora Welty, The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty
When you vote, you'll also get a chance to enter into a drawing for a two-night stay in Manhattan and a pair of tickets to the 60th National Book Awards ceremony on November 18.
Cast your ballots now - who knows? You might win!
--Nora
**John Cheever, The Stories of John Cheever
**Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man
**William Faulkner, Collected Stories of William Faulkner
**Flannery O'Connor, The Complete Stories
**Thomas Pynchon, Gravity's Rainbow
**Eudora Welty, The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty
When you vote, you'll also get a chance to enter into a drawing for a two-night stay in Manhattan and a pair of tickets to the 60th National Book Awards ceremony on November 18.
Cast your ballots now - who knows? You might win!
--Nora
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Authors and Book Clubs in September
We've got a couple of great author visits planned for September, and the book clubs will be discussing a wide range of titles:
Author Events
As part of the North Carolina Literary Festival's Authors on the Road program, author P. T. Deutermann (Sana M. posted about him here) will make an appearance at the Headquarters Library on Tuesday, September 1. A reception and book signing with the author will kick things off at 5:30 PM, followed by a presentation at 6:30 PM.
Audience favorite Dr. Elliot Engel returns to the Headquarters Library on Tuesday, September 22, when he'll talk about Rudyard Kipling, the English novelist and Nobel Prize winner. This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Library, and there is a small admission fee: $10 for the public, $5 for Friends members, and $2 for students. Tickets are sold at the door, and you can join the Friends at the event. Dr. Engel's programs are always very well attended, so come early for the best seating!
Book Club Meetings
September 8:
East of the River Book Club (East Regional Library), will discuss The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, at 7:00 PM.
The McArthur Road Irregulars (North Regional Library) will be talking about Swedish author Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, also at 7:00 PM.
September 9:
North Regional's Wednesday Book Club will discuss Dr. Randy Pausch's The Last Lecture at 10:30 AM.
September 15:
The Gen-X Book Club will meet at 7:00 PM at DeDeaux's Java Shop on Ramsey Street to talk about The Help, a novel by Kathryn Stockett.
The Spring Lake Book Break Book Club gets together at 7:00 PM at the Spring Lake Branch and will discuss Ann B. Ross's Miss Julia Stands Her Ground.
September 17:
The Opened Gates Book Club will meet at the Headquarters Library at 7:00 PM. This meeting will be in conjunction with the newly formed African American Family History Study Group, and will focus on viewing and discussing an abridged version of a documentary film, Traces of the Trade: A Story From the Deep North, which connects a Rhode Island family with their ancestors' role in the slave trade. Contact Wanda Hunter, our Local and State History Librarian and Opened Gates facilitator, for more information.
September 28:
The Great Books Discussion Group will examine The Garden of Forking Paths, a short story by Argentine author Jorge Luis Borges.
Please join us for any of these events! For more information, please call the branch where the event will take place.
--Nora
Author Events
As part of the North Carolina Literary Festival's Authors on the Road program, author P. T. Deutermann (Sana M. posted about him here) will make an appearance at the Headquarters Library on Tuesday, September 1. A reception and book signing with the author will kick things off at 5:30 PM, followed by a presentation at 6:30 PM.
Audience favorite Dr. Elliot Engel returns to the Headquarters Library on Tuesday, September 22, when he'll talk about Rudyard Kipling, the English novelist and Nobel Prize winner. This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Library, and there is a small admission fee: $10 for the public, $5 for Friends members, and $2 for students. Tickets are sold at the door, and you can join the Friends at the event. Dr. Engel's programs are always very well attended, so come early for the best seating!
Book Club Meetings
September 8:
East of the River Book Club (East Regional Library), will discuss The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, at 7:00 PM.
The McArthur Road Irregulars (North Regional Library) will be talking about Swedish author Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, also at 7:00 PM.
September 9:
North Regional's Wednesday Book Club will discuss Dr. Randy Pausch's The Last Lecture at 10:30 AM.
September 15:
The Gen-X Book Club will meet at 7:00 PM at DeDeaux's Java Shop on Ramsey Street to talk about The Help, a novel by Kathryn Stockett.
The Spring Lake Book Break Book Club gets together at 7:00 PM at the Spring Lake Branch and will discuss Ann B. Ross's Miss Julia Stands Her Ground.
September 17:
The Opened Gates Book Club will meet at the Headquarters Library at 7:00 PM. This meeting will be in conjunction with the newly formed African American Family History Study Group, and will focus on viewing and discussing an abridged version of a documentary film, Traces of the Trade: A Story From the Deep North, which connects a Rhode Island family with their ancestors' role in the slave trade. Contact Wanda Hunter, our Local and State History Librarian and Opened Gates facilitator, for more information.
September 28:
The Great Books Discussion Group will examine The Garden of Forking Paths, a short story by Argentine author Jorge Luis Borges.
Please join us for any of these events! For more information, please call the branch where the event will take place.
--Nora
Should Be an Interesting Fall
According to this article, publishers and booksellers are cautiously optimistic about the fall book season. There sure are a lot of big names on the list: everything from celebrity memoirs and biographies, to new releases from literary heavy-hitters, to the latest from some popular fiction authors (cough - Dan Brown - cough). Seems like there's going to be something for everybody!
We're happy to reserve a copy of these, and many other new books, for you. Stop by the library and put your name on the list today.
--Nora
We're happy to reserve a copy of these, and many other new books, for you. Stop by the library and put your name on the list today.
--Nora
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Historical Intrigue
Looking for scandal, political intrigue and religious turmoil? Then check out the goings on in England and France by following the escapades of Elizabeth I of England, Princess Alais of France, and the Boleyn sisters. Cloak and dagger, secrets whispered behind tapestries, unrequited love, courtly misadventures and countries in turmoil abound in The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir, The Rebel Princess by Judith Koll Healey and The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory. Be transported.
--Alana F.
--Alana F.
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