Sunday, January 30, 2011

Royalty AND Gardening

In strolling through the library the other day, one of those large, coffee-table type books caught my eye. It was Royal Gardeners: The History of Britain's Royal Gardens by Alan Titchmarsh. A book that unites royalty and gardens - I snatched it up right away.

Unfortunately, there is one serious drawback to reading a book about Royal Gardens: it is January. Nothing will grow here for several more months, and I will never be able to grow half the things they do in England, due to climate (and space restrictions - I, sadly, do not live in a manor or palace!). However, for good fantasy reading about gardens, and as a general history of gardens throughout the ages, it is pretty good.

Titchmarsh looks at gardening through the eyes of the royals: who was interested in it, what styles were in fashion, and which monarchs were gardeners. Many were - several were not and are therefore omitted. The reader only learns about the monarchs ideas of gardening, and does not actually meet any of the gardeners that did the work. I suppose the monarchs can be considered gardeners in that they provided the space for the gardens and possibly even some of the ideas, but the title is slightly misleading in that respect.

It was interesting to see the pendulum swing of fashion in gardening from one era to the next. Gardens swing between a very informal, naturalistic style (think Capability Brown, landscape gardens, Gertrude Jekyll) to rigidly controlled beds and borders (Tudor knot gardens, Dutch parterres, Victorian massed bedding-out plants). I prefer the more informal and natural style myself, and so enjoyed seeing the different interpretations of that form of garden over the years. I was very interested in the chapter on Medieval gardens. This is the genesis of the modern garden, and they look very lovely to the modern eye. They are both structured and naturalistic, and I find them very pretty. I also really like the practice of letting bulbs naturalize in a lawn, and there are several fantastic photos of naturalized crocuses and daffodils.

All in all, the photos of the book provide inspiration. While it would be impossible to create many of the looks at home (space limitations, or degree of formality), a garden can glean grains of inspiration from the beautiful photographs. The book is also packed with interesting garden facts about tools, glasshouses (greenhouses), and plant collection. Many of the plant collectors names were now-familiar friends from my earlier read on the subject. As it is a coffee-table book, I think the main focus of the book was on the photographs, which are spectacular. The writing is less so. Titchmarsh writes in a very slangy, informal, breezy style, which I'm not sure is quite appropriate for the subject. One can write about history in an interesting way without resorting to being flippant. I am not that fervent a royalist that I protest against jokes made at a monarch's expense, but I think a non-fiction book in general needs to be written with a slightly more formal tone.

There is one other problem with the book: Titchmarsh includes a list at the end of royal and non-royal gardens to go visit. Many medieval and Tudor gardens have been restored to their formal glory. The problem here is that now I have 41 new reasons to visit England!


Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Fantasy Shorts

For someone who said she didn't really read short stories, I certainly seem to have been reading enough of them lately. My latest foray into short stories is in the realm of fantasy, in the collection Harvest Moon.

Harvest Moon features three short stories (almost novellas, really) from Mercedes Lackey, Michelle Sagara, and Cameron Haley. I took the book out from the library to read the next story in Mercedes Lackey's 500 Kingdoms series. However, I think I have discovered two new amazing fantasy authors as well.

The first story is Lackey's: "A Tangled Web" and seems to pick up right where her last book leaves off with the characters Leopold and Brunnhilde. Of course, it's been forever since I read that last book and I could not, for the life of me, remember exactly who these characters were or anything about how they met. There have been a lot of books between then and now. Fortunately, I don't think in-depth knowledge of the previous story is required to enjoy the current story.

And I did enjoy it. Lackey turns her pen to the Greek gods and goddesses, denizens of the Kingdom of Olympia. As you may recall, the 500 Kingdoms are watched over by a network of Fairy Godmothers. However, there are no Godmothers in Olympia because the gods and goddesses are there. But they are not as careful as the Godmothers are! Lackey approaches the myth of Persephone and Hades with new eyes, and gives it a fresh new retelling. She ties it together with the Orpheus and Eurydice myth in the characters of Brunnhilde and Leopold.

Despite all the positives inherent in the story, I had some misgivings. I think the volume was probably rushed to press; better editing is needed of Lackey's work. Also, the plot was enough for a full-length novel. I feel that she wasted a novel plot on a short story. At times, there was just too much exhibition and a paragraph of dialogue would sum up some exciting plot lines that could have carried a chapter or two of a novel. I hope her next 500 Kingdoms effort is a full novel.

The second short story in the collection is "Cast In Moonlight" by Michelle Sagara - who lives in Toronto! The story is about a mysterious young girl named Kaylin. Captured by the Hawks (some sort of police squad) she is recruited into their ranks and asked to help solve a deadly crime.

I enjoyed this book very much. It is true fantasy: there are lion-people and bird-people and mind readers and magicians. But it also reads like a police procedural at times: the Hawks is like a police force, the bodies are taken to the morgue for an autopsy (both real and magical), and there are files to organize. I thought her use of mirror-magic for the Internet/telephone was very clever. One minor quibble - the back of the book says something about Kaylin helping in a "child prostitution sting" and I didn't get that at all from the story. I'm still not entirely sure what happened, but I don't think child prostitution had anything to do with it. Child slavery, sure. Child prostitution? Not so much. It was not explicitly stated in the story nor was it implied; at least in my reading.

Despite that very minor quibble I enjoyed this story. I enjoyed this new world created by Sagara and her ability to unite the mundane (police procedurals) with the fantastical (bird-people). I will be reading more books by this author.

The final story was "Retribution" by Cameron Haley and can be described thusly: Magic meets the Mob. It is a story about a gang in California. But a gang that uses magic. And about one woman in particular: Domino Riley. She is a hitwoman for the underworld - but her underworld includes magic.

This was a fun read - not fluffy, but fun. It is grounded securely in the present day with the addition of magic. There are magical explanations for gang signs and graffiti. A hitman/woman needs to be just as proficient with magic as with a gun. It was quite an enjoyable read - I like the mix of fantasy with realism. I would never read a mob/gang novel all on its own, but add the dash of magic/fantasy, and I'm in. I will also be reading more of Haley's books in the future.

Sometimes, as a reader, it's important to open your mind and try something you would never have read otherwise. I wasn't going to read this short story collection, but I am glad I did. I have discovered two new excellent fantasy authors whom I would never have known about otherwise.


Sunday, January 23, 2011

Short Stories

While waiting for my next Canada Reads selection to come in to the library, I finally got a chance to read one of my Christmas books. I decided to go with something short and sweet and chose Poirot's Early Cases by Agatha Christie.

This is a selection of short stories featuring Christie's master detective and his loyal friend Captain Hastings. They are cases from the beginning point of Poirot's career in England (and a few from his time in Belgium) and before Hastings moves to Argentina. They recount Poirot's early successes in England. Most of the stories deal with murder, but there are a few robberies thrown into the mix.

I have previously written that I don't like short stories. And, usually, I don't - or at least I don't choose to read them all that often, which isn't really quite the same thing. However, I do enjoy Christie's mystery short stories. You can read a bunch before bed without getting scared: the mystery is solved quickly and you don't have to finish the whole book before you go to sleep. They're also good reading on the bus because you can polish off a few on your journey but not have to stop in the middle of an exciting chapter.

These are quite enjoyable stories from Christie. Her debt to Sherlock Holmes/Arthur Conan Doyle is seen clearly here, as the stories read very much like the Holmes/Watson stories with Poirot and Hastings rooming together in London, solving crimes. Of course, Poirot and Holmes are quite different detectives. Poirot's career began during World War One and Holmes' career ended about this time. I wonder if any writer is brave enough to try and tackle these literary behemoths in one story!

It is here, too, in a short story that we meet Poirot's Irene Adler: the Russian countess Vera Rosakoff. She stars in the story "The Double Clue". Other stories that involve theft instead of murder are "The Adventure of Johnny Waverly" and "The Submarine Plans". Mysteries involving a theft can be just as convoluted as murder mysteries, and it is nice to see Poirot turn his talents here, for a change. A theft is probably not enough plot to hang a novel-length mystery on, but it suits the quick pace of a short story. We also learn about one of Poirot's early cases in Belgium that very nearly ended in disaster in "The Chocolate Box". An interesting case is "Wasps' Nest", in which Poirot uses his talents to solve a murder before it happens.

These stories are classic Christie and are a must for any serious Christie collector. Now that I seem to have most of her Poirot and Marple novels, I will start on collecting her short story collections. This is hopefully only the first of many.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Commuted

I had to take the train downtown the other day to run some errands, and I needed to bring a book with me to read on the train. Which leads to the all-important question: what book do I bring?

A "commuter" book has to meet a number of specifications: it can't be too big or too heavy, or I'll never fit it in my bag. So, all my large, hardcover non-fiction books are out. It has to be something that I'm closer to the beginning of the book than the end. It would be terrible if the book ended before my trip did! So, anything I'm almost finished reading is out. Heck, anything I'm in the middle of reading is out - I do read fast and I might get stuck on the train. (Yes, this happened once. Fortunately I was reading Shades of Grey at the time.) The story has to pull you in enough that you are interested but not too interested so that you miss your stop. (No, I have not done this - yet.) So I decided the Canada Reads books were out - I want to try and read them at home in the quiet so I can really focus on the story. In my teen years, I was worried about what other people would think of the material I'm reading, so I would try hard to pick something popular/cool. That phase has passed, so now I will quite happily pull out my Star Trek novel to read on the bus or train. (Although I haven't read a Star Trek novel in awhile - library trip!)

What kind of book fits all these variables? A paperback fiction novel that I've read before but am not currently reading seems to fit the bill. Usually I would bring one of my Agatha Christie omnibus books, but I have pretty much read all of them recently. Neither did I want to bring my new Poirot short story collection - I don't like bringing newer books on the bus/train in case they get beat up from being carried around in my bag. (Although they shouldn't - but they might.)

What did I choose? I picked an oldie but a goodie: Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery. This book is Montgomery's foray into more adult romantic fiction. It fits all the criteria: is a light, paperback, fiction book that I have read before and wasn't currently reading. The book is about Valancy Stirling: poor, snubbed, downtrodden Valancy Stirling. 29 years old and not yet married. Ignored and disliked by her whole clan. Valancy feels like she has nothing to live for until she receives a diagnosis that inspires her to change her life forever.

Nothing will beat the charm and magic of Anne of Green Gables, but that doesn't mean one should ignore Montgomery's other works. The setting is the Muskoka instead of Montgomery's beloved island, but all of her facility for description is still there. And there are the usual trademarks: the clannish family, the love for cats, the beautiful descriptions of nature and the depiction of people in society. Montgomery tackles some darker themes in this work, such as alcoholism and illegitimate children, but it is not a dark tale for all that. We know so much more of Montgomery's own unhappiness with her life and while this work hints at sadness, she kept the ending light and happy, but still believable. Whether or not you read it on the train, bus, or just at home, Blue Castle is a pleasant afternoon read. Valancy is a sympathetic heroine and her story is something people can relate to. It is a lovely book.

What do you read on your commute, faithful readers? What are your criteria for a commuting book? Do you read on your commute? Or do you just listen to your Ipod or sleep?

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

First Canada Reads Book

I am happy to report that I've finished the first of the Canada Reads books. The lucky contender for first: Unless by Carol Shields. Coming up next are The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis, and The Birth House by Ami McKay. But for now, on to Unless.

Unless is about a woman, Reta Winters, who is an author, translator, and mother of three girls who lives in a lovely town in Ontario near Toronto. Her life seems to be perfect: her partner is a doctor, she is a best-selling author and translator, and her girls are happy and healthy. That is, until one spring day when her eldest daughter Norah disappears and ends up on a Toronto street corner holding a sign that reads "Goodness". Why is Norah on the street corner? Why won't she talk to her family or come home? These are the central questions that drive this novel.
However, the novel is more than this story: it is about feminism and a woman's place in the world. What was the role of a woman in the 40's, the 60's, and today? How are women's voices being heard? What about women writers? While the book is not preachy about the subject, feminism inhabits the book and its central character, Reta.

Reta is a writer. She lives in a beautiful house in a beautiful part of Canada. She is thoughtful, and intellectual. She thinks about Norah and tries to figure out Norah's motivations. She is concerned about women's voices and women writers and the marginalization of women. Why are there so many lists of greatest thinkers and authors which do not contain any women? Women are half the general population - why are they being marginalized? Reta seems like she has always been a feminist. And the book explores her ideas about feminism through her roles as mother, daughter, translator, friend, partner, and writer. The feminism thread really comes to its head with the arrival of a new editor and his ideas to change her book to make it more about the male character as opposed to the female character. While with another writer the symbolism could be obvious, it is nicely handled by Shields. The idea of feminism is nicely handled by Shields as a whole. It forms an interesting B Plot to the A Plot of Norah's mysterious change - and ties together the narrative of Reta's life.

One nagging question: Reta is not married to her partner, Tom. However, Reta's "maiden" name was Summers. Tom's last name is Winters. Reta thought is would be ridiculous to have the Summers-Winters household, so she changed her name to Winters. Which is fine - you can do whatever you want with your own name. But then why the big insistence on not getting married? Is marriage anti-feminist? This is, admittedly, not a big part of the book. But it just bugged me that she would change her name but be so adamant about not getting married.

The book is dreamy and reflective. As I came closer and closer towards the end, I began to wonder if we would end up with the happy ending - would Norah come home? I won't spoil the ending for you here, but I thought the author made an interesting choice to end the book as she did. The book is not a page-turner - you will not be glued to every page wondering how it's going to end. But it's okay - this isn't that kind of book. It is a book for careful, calm, quiet and reflective reading. Shields is a beautiful writer and has a gift for description; for setting scenes, creating characters, and describing memories with only a few choice phrases.

I don't think this is a book I would buy if only because I'm not sure I would read it again. I tend to buy books that are light and enjoyable and rereadable because of story: this book is more quiet and thoughtful - less about story and more about ideas. I am interested to see what the panel has to say about the book when Canada Reads plays on CBC Radio in early February. (Early February! I hope I have time to read all the books!) Let me know what you think of the book in the comments. What other Canada Reads books have you read? Which is your favourite to win? Next up: The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis. I'm really looking forward to this one: it won the Stephen Leacock Medal for humour, so it should be a funny read.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Christmas Books

Today I thought I'd write about Christmas books. No, not books about Christmas; books you received for Christmas. Due to a combination of family members, returns, and a gift card, I got 6 books for Christmas this year! (Actually, 7 if you count my cookbook of the last post.) That has to be a record number of books. And, of course, I can't wait to read them all.


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.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Cooking: A Love Story

One of my favourite books I received this year for Christmas was a very special cookbook called Gluten-free girl and the chef: a love story with 100 tempting recipes by Shauna James Ahern and Daniel Ahern. Now, I don't want to get into specifics, as this blog is not about me or any medical issues I may or may not have, but suffice it to say that I have been put on a gluten-free diet by my doctor. (Which basically means no wheat, rye, barley, or products derived from those grains.)

To someone who likes food, this can be a severe blow. And while I may not worry so much about bread, I will miss cake in all its forms. But it means the question "What's for dinner?" just became a slight bit more complicated.

Enter this lovely, lovely cookbook. Daniel Ahern is the chef, Shauna James Ahern is the gluten-free girl, and this cookbook is the story of their romance and their romance with food, illustrated with recipes. The fact that the cookbook happens to be gluten-free is almost an afterthought, really. The focus, and point, of the book is the love story between these two unlikely people.

I enjoy sitting down and reading a cookbook from front to back. This is one of those cookbooks that flows like a story and can be, is meant to be, read from back to back. Each pivotal event in their relationship is followed by the recipe for the dish in that pivotal moment. So, we have the story of the first time Shauna cooked dinner for Daniel, followed by the recipe of the dish she made. (Baked Eggs with Taleggio, pg.16.) We have the tender and humourous story of their proposal, followed by the recipe of the dinner they were eating at the time. (Pan-seared beef tenderloin with port sauce and balsamic onions, pg.54.) Their love for each other and for food comes through clearly on every page.

This is more than just a gluten-free cookbook. Sure, there are specific recipes for bread, pasta, muffins, and carrot cake that are specifically gluten-free. But there are plenty of recipes that are gluten-free but that have always been gluten-free because they never contained wheat, such as rice, veal, and fish dishes. The authors stress the importance of cooking in season, with local ingredients, and working slowly, carefully, over your food. It is important to put your love for your friends and family into your food.

This is a cookbook for people who love food first, and people who need gluten-free food second. It is a fantastic book filled with many recipes that I cannot wait to try. (The pan-seared beef, the risotto, the carrot cake....I could go on!) In short, this is a terrific cookbook and one I would recommend to anyone who loves food, loves romance stories, and may or may not want to/need to learn how to cook gluten-free. It is a book I plan to cook out of a lot - for friends, for family, for me.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Too Many Wives

Before Christmas, I came up with what I thought was a brilliant plan. I own two history books, by two different authors, about the wives of Henry VIII. I thought it would be really interesting to read the two and compare them. The books are The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir, and The Wives of Henry VIII by Antonia Fraser. Then at the library I spotted the book The Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII by David Starkey and thought that one more would be great! How interesting it would be to compare how each author saw the wives and interpreted the historical evidence.

Sadly, I was wrong. I finished the Fraser book, and only made it to Anne Boleyn in the Weir and Starkey books. It was just too many wives all at once! However, I think of the three, I preferred Fraser's book. She is sympathetic towards her wives, and I think a sympathetic biographer has a good relationship with her subject and can really pull in the reader's interest. Weir's book is factually excellent, but a little bit dry. Starkey's book is okay: I don't think he liked the wives all that much and boasted too much about his terrific new interpretations of the historical documents which meant that all other writers on the subject were wrong. Here are my notes on the Fraser's and Starkey's books as I was reading them.

Fraser:
"This is a very readable and entertaining look at Henry VIII’s six wives. Despite the fact that it is a non-fiction book, at times it reads like the best kind of historical fiction. Yet the book is thoroughly grounded in solid research. It is a pleasure to read and a good intro to Henry’s fascinating wives. Fraser takes the point that all the wives are to be pitied for being married to Henry VIII and so is sympathetic to all the wives in general. The feeling is transmitted to the readers: I feel sorry for Catherine of Aragon in her struggle against Henry VIII, but then I later feel sorry for Anne Boleyn, the woman who supplanted Catherine of Aragon in Henry’s affections. However, my feelings of pity for Catherine do not lead to corresponding feelings of rage against Anne Boleyn. Instead, one feels sympathy for all the wives caught up in the maelstrom that was Henry VIII’s later romantic life.

The book is split into sections roughly corresponding with the wives’ connection to Henry VIII. Katherine Howard and Anna of Cleves (author’s spellings) are joined together in one section as Anna’s tenure was so brief and she was so quickly supplanted by Katherine Howard. The reader really gets to know each wife well and know her background. Fraser moves beyond the stereotypes of Older Wife, Temptress, Good Wife, Ugly Wife, Bad Girl, and Mother Figure to reveal the personalities behind the crown."


Starkey:

As you can see from my notes below, I disagreed with a number of Starkey's conclusions - and that was only the introduction! As the book went on, it got a little better.


"Starkey seems to be too credulous with his sources and accuses Weir and Fraser of falling into the same romantic trap as Strickland. I would argue not so; they offer a balanced (especially Weir) view of the wives. Fraser is admittedly a little more sympathetic, but that’s okay for me; makes it readable. Already, based upon the introduction, Starkey appears to be too credulous with some of his sources including some of the testimony given by people at all the various court trials surrounding Henry’s confused matrimonial life. Unlike Weir and Fraser, Starkey does not seem to have given any thought as to the circumstances surrounding the testimony. Some of it was probably extracted by torture, others from people desperately trying to save their own skin – self-serving, as it were. You can’t always take that kind of evidence at face value.


Most of the things that Starkey presents as old established “facts” that he’s debunking have already been debunked by Weir and Fraser – they may be established “facts” to the popular mind, but not to the serious historical reader who has already done a lot of reading and research on the wives. For example – discussing a portrait he has apparently “uncovered” of Catherine showing her as blonde/red-haired to prove that she was of the same fairness as Henry instead of the sultry Spanish beauty she is often described as. Um, did he read Fraser or Weir’s books and look at any other portrait of Catherine? Nowhere in those books is she portrayed as a dark-eyed Spanish beauty – in fact Fraser and Weir especially go to some trouble to trace Catherine’s Lancastrian descent. He does not need to “prove” anything that has already been proven by other historians and other portraits – it is very clear that Catherine was just as fair as Henry."

In summary, then, do not try and read three non-fiction books on the same subject matter within a limited amount of time - you will burn out! But for those who are interested in learning more about the wives of Henry VIII (the real version, not the TV-Tudors version!), I will make some final suggestions.

If you are more of a casual historian, read the Fraser book. It is very readable and enjoyable and the reader gets a good sense of the wives and what they were really like, as far as that is possible. However, her family trees are terrible and full of errors, so don't go by them. If you're interested in family trees and a more in-depth look at the subject, read Weir's book. It is a little dryer than Fraser's, but more scholarly. Both books are equally well researched - the difference is in how the material is presented. I don't know if I can recommend the Starkey book having not finished it (I've read the Weir book many times) and having argued with him all through the introduction! The chapters on Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn were okay and I did enjoy some aspects of his characterization of Catherine. But ultimately it was just too much information on the same topic for me. Further, he seemed to be very self-congratulatory on his amazing "new" interpretations of the evidence which kind of put me off from the book a little bit. Also, for a book about the wives, it seems fairly Henry-focused. I prefer Fraser's thoughts on the subject: that the women should be pitied for having been married to Henry VIII as it could not have been easy! If anyone does choose to read the Starkey book, I'd be interested in your thoughts on it. And maybe, after a few months, I will pick it up and try again!

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Reading Resolutions

Hello readers and happy 2011! I trust the after-effects from any New Year's festivities have worn off now, and you're set and ready to make some reading resolutions for the New Year.

I do generally make resolutions, but this will be the first time I've made resolutions with regards to books specifically. However, I'd like to ensure I get a chance to read new and exciting books and not just the same-old, same-old - but also read some of the classics as well.

1. Read more Canadian Authors
I don't read very many Canadian authors, unless Lucy Maud Montgomery counts! But there are some excellent ones out there: Sandra Gulland, Will Ferguson, Monica Hughes, and Pauline Gedge, to name a few. But I also would like to read more books about Canada: both fiction and non-fiction. I think the Canada Reads books will be a good place to start: I have two at home right now, so I'll be reading those soon.

2. Find New and Exciting Science Fiction/Fantasy
Last year, I tried to find new historical novel authors. That did not always work out well. This year, I'd like to focus more on sci-fi/fantasy. I do enjoy those genres and there are some great writers who work in this field. Then, I can concentrate on the historical authors I like, while still getting some new books to read.

3. Read more Bestsellers
Now, I'm not getting all Oprah on you here: I usually deplore any book she picks for her show. But I could stand to read some of the new books that are coming out and actually be current in books too. I think I will start with the Entertainment Weekly list of top 10 fiction and non-fiction books in 2010. (Although I think I just lent that issue to a friend. Hopefully the lists are on-line!) There were some interesting looking books on those lists, and I would like to actually read them, instead of just thinking about how good the books list and then putting the magazine down, wandering off, and reading Agatha Christie for the 43rd time.

4. Read more Teen Fiction
There is some neat stuff happening in teen fiction now and some of it is really great. I particularly like the House of Night series by P.C. and Kristin Cast, and another series about historical magic series by Libba Bray. There are new books in both of these series that I need to catch up on and maybe I'll find some new authors as well. And, maybe I'll even give Twilight another go.

5. Read a classic, or two
I've read a few of the classics: mostly the ones I had to read for school and mostly those by Jane Austen! But I could stand to read some of the other classics out there - they are classics for a reason, right? I'm thinking books like War and Peace, Anna Karenina, anything by Dickens, Mark Twain, etc.. Any suggestions on where to start?

Well, I think these are some good resolutions for the new year. Hopefully I will get some good reads out of these ideas and maybe find some really fabulous authors who will become some new favourites. At the very least, I now have somewhere to start when I'm standing around my house (filled with multiple bookshelves!) saying, "There's nothing to read!"