Common Birds of Alberta by J. Duane Sept is an interesting and short book about, well, the common birds of Alberta. I recently received a birdfeeder and birdhouse for Christmas, so I am looking forward to getting to know our feathered friends a little bit better. It seems to go along with gardening and all the other eco-activities I seem to be involved in these days. Plus, it will give the cats something to stare at out the window other than magpies, bluejays, and the adorable little red squirrel that runs across our back fence from time to time. However, I probably should have put up both birdhouse and birdfeeder before 4 foot snowdrifts developed in our backyard.
I have never read any books by Kate Morton, but received both The House at Riverton and The Forgotten Garden for Christmas. My mom really enjoyed them, and is hoping that I will as well. They are historical-based novels about women and sound really interesting. I'm looking forward to reading them, as I'm always interested in reading books by authors who I've never read before.
The next three books, Poirot's Early Cases, Aristocrats, and Lady Queen, I picked myself from the bookstore through a combination of returns and a gift card. (I hate returning books - even when I already own them and so, logically, have to return them as it would be silly to own two copies of the same book. I just feel so sad. Although I don't think I've ever returned a book for cash/store credit. I always find something else at the bookstore that I'd like to have. So it ends up being a win-win situation!)
Of course, we all know about my Christie obsession - Poirot's Early Cases helps fill in the area of Christies that I don't have - short stories. I waffled between this and The Labours of Hercules for awhile, but settled on this one as I recently read The Labours of Hercules. However, I'll probably pick that one up soon because I still have money left on my gift card! Score!
I always begin any visit to the bookstore by going to the history section, and that's where The Lady Queen: The Notorious Reign of Joanna I, Queen of Naples, Jerusalem, and Sicily by Nancy Goldstone, caught my eye. I have just now realized, at home, that she is also the author of Four Queens, the book about four Provencal sisters who became Queens of England, France, Germany, and Sicily. So this one should be good. It's obvious from the subtitle that this book is about Queen Joanna who I think I know nothing about, other than what I may have read off Wikipedia. I'm really interested in the Crusader states that were created in the Middle East (Outremer) and this looks to broaden my knowledge of that area. And, just read this quote from the back of the book and tell me this doesn't want to make you pick up the book immediately:
"In 1348, at the age of twenty-two, Joanna I, queen of Naples, stood trial before the pope, accused of murdering her cousin and husband, Hungarian prince
Andrew. Arguing her own case in Latin, she won her acquittal, and went on
to become the only female monarch in her time to rule in her own name."
As soon as I read that, I had to have it!
And, finally, the last book I picked up is Aristocrats: Power, Grace & Decadence by Lawrence James. I have long wanted to read a complete history of the major aristocratic families in England (or, to be honest, a complete history of ALL the aristocratic families in England - there's only so much tracing of families one can do on Wikipedia!) and it looks like this is as close as I'll get for some time. (Or until I write one myself!) It is a history of the British aristocracy as a whole and how they've managed to survive until the present day. It sounds very interesting.
Now, I'd love to start reading all these books immediately. But, sadly, more pressing matters arise. The first of the Canada Reads books has come in at the library, so I have to read that (Unless by Carol Shields) and then pick up and read the second one which came in this week! However, once I've read those, I will be breaking in to my Christmas book stash. The dark, cold, snowy days of January and February are just made for reading, and that is what I'll be doing.
Ooh, the Aristocrats book sounds good!! I think I saw the book about Queen Joanna at the downtown library - almost picked it up. You'll have to tell us whether it's worth the read.
ReplyDeleteI am very excited about all my new history and non-history books! I can't wait to start them all - but I have to get the Canada Reads selections done first. I finished one today, and I have another to pick up at the library tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI'm very intrigued by the Queen Joanna book - that's not an area of history that I know very well, so I'll be interested to read the book and learn some new things. I liked the Four Queens book written previously by that author, so this one should be okay. She researches very well, so you know that what you're learning is authentic. I seem to remember, however, that Four Queens was dry sometimes, so I'll have to see how it pans out.
Of course, what I really want is Sharon Kay Penman to novelize all of English history in a vast series. That would be epic!
I second that! We should start a petition ;)
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