google-site-verification: google28d305e76aa3c126.html
In this case, the book is better than the movie. I’m talking about Madame Bovary, the 2015 rendition of Gustave Flaubert’s estimable novel, about the sixth since the “talkies” began. Other reviewers discuss how difficult it is to capture the essence of the book on film, and, again in this…
In the Land of the Long White Cloud by Sarah Lark is the story of two women who make their way from London to New Zealand in the 1850s to find husbands. Both marry unhappily, the whole story is one long, big (700 pages) sorry mess. Sorry to the author,…
In the interests of historical fiction, I felt I had to remark on the unfortunate decision by the Association for Libary Service to Children to rename its Laura Ingalls Wilder award. The Association said its decision is based on the fact that “Wilder’s legacy, as represented by her body of…
This post contains sponsored links. Writing this blog has made me much more aware of my preferences in reading, watching TV and movies than I used to be. While I’ve read constantly almost my entire life, I notice how my enthusiasm for reading waxes and wanes over a period of…
Without a Country, by Ayse Kulin, is the story of a Jewish couple who escape Germany in 1933 and move to Turkey, along with the story of their resultant family. I’m not sure if it was the translation(from the Turkish) or the book itself, but it leaves a lot to…
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles is a rare book. It’s really long, but it’s central character is so charming you don’t really want it to end. It’s the story of Count Alexander Rostov, who is sentenced to house arrest in 1922 by the Soviet Tribunal for a propaganda…
I am always surprised when I find people who haven’t heard about Goodreads. It’s an amazing site, particularly if you’re an historical fiction buff. I can always find something I’m interested in reading there. Goodreads is a premium site to read and write reviews. There’s a lot more activities you…
People have asked me how and on what I read. Very occasionally, I will still read a paper book. Everything else I read is on Kindle Paperwhite. It’s sturdier than the introductory Kindle,(I’ve broken two of the cheaper Kindles)but more expensive, too. Still, the lack of eyestrain makes up for…
The Glovemaker, by Ann Weisgarber, isn’t about gloves at all. It’s the story of a Mormon woman, left alone in the Utah wilderness by her husband, who is traveling to the south while repairing wagon wheels. The woman, Deborah, is put in jeopardy when a man she doesn’t know shows…
Sophia is a Russian television show produced by the government there. It’s set in the mid 15th century and is about the last Byzantine princess, who marries the Russian prince Ionn. She becomes the first woman to exercise significant power in the country. Some have suggested this is a work…