Being a booklover, I love to hear what everyone is reading now, what book you've most recently finished and the next book you plan to read.
THEN: The King's Fool by Margaret Campbell Barnes. The premise here is a look at King Henry VIII's adult life as told by his trusted jester, Will Somers. Although this is a fictionalized version of the Tudor story, Will Somers was a real person, so closely tied to the royal family that he appears in some family portraits. Being new to the historical fiction genre, this is the first book I've read by Margaret Campbell Brown. She's a very good writer and I hope to read more by her in the future.
I'd give this a full four stars out of five.
NOW: Legacy by Susan Kay. This book is touted in many amazon.com reviews as the best of the fictionalized account of the life of Elizabeth I. Although billed as historical fiction and not historical romance, this book relies too heavily on long smoldering looks and lips that almost but never quite touch. Of the several books about Elizabeth I's life, this one is best at conjecturing about her decision to remain unmarried and to rule England alone.
NEXT: I, Mona Lisa by Jeanne Kalogridis. From the back cover of the trade paperback version: Set against the drama of fifteenth century Florence, I, Mona Lisa is painted in many layers of fact and fiction, with each intricately drawn twist told through the captivating voice of Mona Lisa herself.
NOW JUST FOR FUN: Turn to page 124 of your "Now" read and copy the first full sentence on that page here:
Legacy by Susan Kay, page 124:
"Elizabeth attended Robin's wedding later that summer, one of many unwilling guests obliged to show their faces at a series of Dudley unions."
You are welcome to put your answers in the comment space here or create your own article telling us your Then/Now/Next in reading.
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Comments: 19
The format didn't look all screwed up until I published it!
Then: Just finished The Story Sisters by Alice Hoffman, who almost never disappoints. It's the story of three sisters growing up in New England, all of them troubled in different ways, two with a secret between them. The only reason I didn't read this book in a single sitting was I had too much work to do; it took 3 days instead.
Now: Love the One You're With by Emily Giffin, who writes chick lit with a slight edge. It's one of those cotton-candy summer novels about a newlywed who has a chance meeting with an ex and... actually I don't know the "and" yet, since I just started it. I'm also still on an Alice Hoffman kick and will either add Local Girls or Turtle Moon as a reread here.
Next: Shanghai Girls by Lisa See. It's the story of two sisters from China who emigrate to L.A. in 1937. Lisa See is terrific -- her other two novels, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and Peony in Love, are among my favorite multicultural/historical novels, so I don't expect this to be anything but wonderful, either.
I love Alice Hoffman, too. Either when I get over this historical fiction kick or to take a break from it, I need to read this book.
My daughter took The Teahouse Fire home with her last night to read. It must be good, she squealed when she grabbed it. Hope I ever see it again.
Oops, I forgot:
p. 124: "Despite the consistent sense I get from Suzanne that she doesn't entirely approve of Andy or Margot or their world, I am still smiling." -- Love the One You're With
Then : just finished " Long Remember " ,MacKinlay Kantor , a novel relating the events of the Battle of Gettysburg and the people of the town ,as seen from an unusual angle.
Now : " All Things Bright and Beautiful " , James Herriot . A young veterinarian begins his practise ( lots of English spellings !) in the beauty of the Yorkshire Dales of Northern England . Anecdotes galore of its oft time eccentric Scottish inhabitants. A Great read.
Next : " One Thousand White Women " ,Jim Fergus . A novel based on the actual historical event : in 1854 a prominent Cheyenne chief at a Fort Laramie peace conference ,requested from the U S government 1,000 white women for wives for his young warriors. TRUE STORY ! Of course this didn't come to pass ,but in this novel ,IT DID !
Page 124 : " All Things Bright and Beautiful " : And when I walked across the fields with Mrs. Dalby next day it was like turning the clock back to last year, except that we were going in the other direction ; not down toward the marshy ground below the house but up to the stony pastures which climbed in an uneven checkerboard between their stone walls over the lower slopes of the hill.
Thanks for responding, phil! I take it that you prefer non-fiction to fiction. Non-fiction was all my Mom read. She said if you invest time and thought into a book, it should be true and not a made up story. I have my binges of biographies. I also used to read almost exclusively true crime books, such as Ann Rule writes. I love reading about Yorkshire. They have their own little sub-culture going on there.
Vicky ,I enjoyed your post . Yes ,I'd rather read non-fiction ,but I've made myself read some fiction this year ,and I did enjoy the reads .
Thanks for the tips!
The last book I finished was Fatal Secrets by Allison Brennan.
I'm currently reading John Sandford's Wicked Prey.
Not sure what I'll read next because I have several books waiting, but probably either The Neighbor (Lisa Gardner) or Still Life (Joy Fielding).
I don't know about Brennan, but it's hard to go wrong with John Sandford.
At the moment I am reading Reasons by Gather's own Tracy Fabre. I'll be finished with that soon and then will probably reread Stillmeadow by Gladys Tabor because I always reread it in the summer when the tomatoes are on the vine.
I'll look forward to your take on Tracy Fabre. Judging by the things she's written here, I think you're going to be glad you read it.
I've not heard of Stillmeadows. I'm going to write that one on my To Be Found List.
I just found a copy of "The Life and Loves of Daisy and Violet Hilton" the story of conjoined twins who went from rags to riches and back again.
Last book I read--HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET by Jamie Ford. I wrote a review: http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977730472
Readinig now--THE PROGRAM by Stephen White. I just started it, but I think I'll like it. I like Stephen White books.
Reading next--TENDERWIRE by Claire Kilroy.
Elizabeth - Stephen White has never disappointed me in crime fiction. I'll go to your other authors on amazon and dig around a bit about them.
let me know how the last one is. it sounds like something i might like. not that i wouldn't like the others.