What We're Reading

Susanna here, with this month’s assortment of Wenchly reads.

With a book (over)due and the clock audibly ticking, my own reading has been limited to documents specific to my research (Montcalm’s correspondence, anyone?). Thankfully, the other Wenches have been picking up the slack:

Mary Jo:

...is in crazed deadline mode, which means she's reading only old favorites, and research books. Anyone with a taste for learning more about the 1814 burning of Washington and the Battle of Baltimore might want to start with Walter Lord's classic The Dawn's Early Light, or the more recent Through the Perilous Fight by Steve Vogel.  If you really want nitty-gritty details, go for The Rockets' Red Glare by Fort McHenry park ranger Scott S. Sheads.  Yes, for this subject matter, no one can resist choosing titles from "The Star-Spangled Banner!"

Cara/Andrea:

I’ve been deep into research reading for my next book, so while I am puffing away with some fascinating books (at least they are to me) on the history of steam engines and patent law in Great Britain, I can’t say that I’d recommend them as “fun” reads to any of you. I do, however, have a newly published book on my TBR pile that I’m really looking forward to—The Art of Rivalry, by Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic Sebastian Smee paints a portrait of four pairs of famous modern artists and how the complexities of rivalry (admiration, envy, etc) inspired them to find their own voice and unique creativity. It sounds absolutely fascinating, and I can’t wait open the covers. I will report back in a future WWR!

Anne:

I've been busy with a couple of conferences, an imminent deadline and a nasty dose of the flu, so I haven't read as much as I usually do.

I started with Maythorne's Wish, by Emily Larkin, the first in her Regency-era "Fey Quartet" -- a series with a touch of magic. She has a good instinct for and knowledge of the era, and I enjoyed the book so much that since the rest in the series weren't available yet, I ended up buying her fantasy series, which she writes under the name of Emily Gee.

The Cursed Kingdoms trilogy comprises: The Sentinel Mage, The Fire Prince and The Blood Curse. I enjoyed them very much also.

I've been reading and enjoying some reissues of Jo Goodman's Thorne Brothers Trilogy - My Steadfast Heart, and My Reckless Heart and I'll be lining up for the next in the series.

Finally I reread an old favorite — Barbara Samuel's No Place Like Home -- a contemporary, and, as always, it made me cry -- in a good way.

Nicola:

This month I've been re-reading some Daphne Du Maurier. Usually when I pick up one of her books it's Frenchman's Creek or Jamaica Inn, old favourites that I devour time and again for their wonderful atmospheric style. This time I was prompted to read Rule Britannia by an article I read on the BBC News website. In it the journalist suggested that Du Maurier had anticipated Britain's exit from the European Union by 40 years, since the book was written in 1972. Spooky!

Rule Britannia is an extraordinary book. It takes place in the future, when Britain's membership of the EU has failed, when prices have risen by 50% and the country is bankrupt. The UK and the US then form a union - USUK. Try saying that aloud... Yes, this book is a satire. Some people see is as bitter, others as very funny. Either way there are a lot of themes that are very familiar in 2016, such as the way that London and the political elite are totally alienated from the rest of the country. As with all of the books by Daphne Du Maurier that I have read, it is the sheer beauty of the writing that struck me from the very beginning and the way that she is able to create a character in only a few telling lines. Each time I read her it reminds me of her skill as a storyteller and I marvel at her versatility, from historical to futuristic and a lot of things in between.

Pat:

I Don’t Want to Talk About It, Jane Lovering.

I know I’ve recommended Lovering’s books before. How could I not? Her humor is in her voice. Just read the Thank You page on the back of this one if you don’t believe me. This book is romantic but not a romance. I can’t explain why without giving away a lot. Let’s call it women’s fiction with romantic elements. Told in first person, it’s about a writer suffering from depression for good reason, holed up in a small  town in Yorkshire, living in the tiniest house in existence—probably a good metaphor for a womb. And despite all that, the  book is cheerful and uplifting and a joy to read. It also has stick horses and guinea pigs. <G>

And there you have it--a round-up of what we've been reading. So what are YOU reading this month? Have you come across any new treasures (or old ones) to recommend?

Comments

[Janice]

The best thing I read recently was Radio Girls by Sarah-Jane Stratford, a historical fiction about the early days of the BBC. As a recreation of the era, I thought it felt very authentic.

On my Kindle I've been rereading old Marion Chesney and Barbara Metzger titles, but I couldn't tell you which ones because I think when I push the off switch on the Kindle, it erases my memory as well. In print I've just started Nicola Cornick's House of Shadows, and on audiobook I'm listening to all my Alan Furst books again.

[Nicola Cornick]

Thank you very much for picking up House of Shadows, Janice.

Radio Girls sounds fascinating. I've made a note to get hold of a copy.

[Oana-Maria Uliu]

First of all, I'd like to announce a new release: Longing - by Mary Balogh, translated into Romanian (as "Dorinţa"). "Dorinţa" normally means "the desire", but "dor" comes closer to "longing". The book comes from the same publisher who makes it possible for the Romanian public to enjoy Mary Jo's novels, too. :) I haven't read it yet. It's on my shelf, waiting its turn.
http://www.libertateapentrufemei.ro/articol/dorinta-de-mary-balogh-dragostea-vremuri-tulburi-114277

As my research made me read old Romanian chronicles and other documents and history books, there isn't much I could recommend for the English-speaking public this month.

Something interesting I found as I was looking for info on arsenic (trying to help Patricia with her research):

Deadly Doses - A Writer's Guide To Poisons (by Serita Deborah Stevens and Anne Klarner
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/799698.Deadly_Doses

For those who are interested in biographies and autobiographies or memoirs, let me recommand Queen Marie of Romania's books (some of them seem to be available on Amazon):
https://www.amazon.com/Story-Life-Marie-Queen-Roumania/dp/B000OKI91S
For those who don't know, Marie was Queen Victoria's granddaughter. She married Ferdinand, King Carol I of Romania's nephew, when she was very young. There is a lot of controversy regarding her marriage: people say she was unhappy and that she took lovers. What we know for sure is that she had several very close male friends - and she needed somebody intelligent and reliable while she lived here. I'm not so much interested in her (real or imaginary) love affairs as I am in her as a woman (and a queen). She loved the people and they loved her back. When she became a queen, people used to say she was the one the Romanian people would follow, not King Ferdinand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45o3lbh0qVc

Other than that, I've been watching lots of documentaries on youtube - mostly dealing with Korean and Chinese history. By the way, there were some amazing queens and empresses most Europeans and Americans have never heard of. Totally worth learning about.

For those who are keen on arts and crafts, but also on history in general, I recommend this documentary about the restoration of 'the Emperor's Secret Garden':
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fxJ0xEoY8I

I've found some books on Korean and Chinese history, as well, but I haven't read them yet. As the new school year is about to start, I doubt I'll have enough time for reading in the near future. :(

[Nicola Cornick]

Thank you for the recommendations, Oana-Maria. I'm particularly interested in the poison one as I am doing some research on that for my latest book and have "A is for Arsenic" by Kathryn Harkup which is about the poisons that feature in Agatha Christie's books. It's fascinating.

[Delia]

I am re-reading the works of our dear Jo Beverley. I am enjoying them as if for the first time. I have many new books from my other favorite authors but right now it is JB's time.

[Michelle Athy]

Let's see, this month I read: Collecting The Constellations by a college friend, Emily Steers. She describes it as a contemporary Lady Indiana Jones. I enjoyed it a lot. Also just finished a biography on Sophia Duleep Singh and yesterday, I finished A Desperate Fortune by Susanna Coarsely. It was so detailed and evocative and wonderful.

[Andrea Penrose]

Thanks, Janice! Radio Girls sounds fabulous. Have added it to my list.

[Andrea Penrose]

These all sound wonderful! It's so fun to discover new books through other avid readers.

[Andrea Penrose]

Jo's books always resonate, no matter how many times you re-read them.

[Oana-Maria Uliu]

Check your facebook PM. ;)

[Kareni]

Books I read and enjoyed recently include:

-- the Dark Ages set Brothers of the Wild North Sea by Harper Fox which I recommend. This is a male/male romance.
— The Bird and the Sword by Amy Harmon. This is a fantasy which has something of a fairy tale feel. This book has some violence, but otherwise it would be suitable for all readers. I’ve read several contemporary books by this author, but this is the first I’ve read by her in this genre.
— All the Time in the World: A Novel by Caroline Angell. I very much enjoyed this book even though it did make me cry; I recommend it.
— How Not to Fall (The Belhaven Series) by Emily Foster; fun but it’s part one of two.
— What Remains by Garrett Leigh. In this story, Jodi awakens from a coma after being hit by a car and does not remember anything from the past five years including his entire relationship with Rupert.
— Rival Forces: A K-9 Rescue Novel by D. D. Ayres; it’s a romantic suspense novel.
— Sacked (A Gridiron Novel) by Jen Frederick; it’s a new adult novel.
— the historical romance: Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas.
— Silence Is Goldfish by Annabel Pitcher; I read about a third of it (plus the end) before putting it aside. It was an intriguing young adult story but didn’t succeed in grabbing me at the time.
— Duke of Sin (Maiden Lane) by Elizabeth Hoyt which is a Georgian historical romance.
— Michelle Diener’s Dark Deeds and Dark Minds. I enjoyed both of these science fiction romances, but the first book in the series (Dark Horse) is by far my favorite.
— Ashley Gardner’s The Alexandria Affair (Captain Lacey Regency Mysteries Book 11). Ashley Gardner is a pseudonym for Jennifer Ashley who wrote the historical romance Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie.
— Heart-Shaped Hack by Tracey Garvis Graves. This book is the first of two books in a series, so I’m now interested in reading further.

[Anne Gracie]

Michelle, I think you mean A Desperate Fortune by Susanna Kearsely -- our newest wench. *g*

[Anne Gracie]

What a fabulous list, Kareni -- I'm in envy of your reading time. I've been short of it lately. I love Lisa Kleypas's books, and Elizabeth Hoyt's. I've also read and enjoyed the Michelle Diener ones. Dark Horse was my favorite. I've devoured Jennifer Ashley's books -- the shapeshifters and the historicals, but for some reason I haven't read her Ashley Gardener ones yet, though I've bought a few. I think I need to clear a space for a glom *g*

[Michelle Athy]

Autocorrect! It's bad enough with texting, never mind the Internet!

[Anne Gracie]

LOL Michelle -- it's annoying, isn't it.

[Nancy]

Mary Jo. I have been reading various accounts of the beginning of the war of 1812 to try to learn when the news reached London. many accounts of the first battles and other encounters but hard to find a date when the government knew UK was at war with USA.
Where have you found information on early patent law, Cara? I know that many newspapers and magazines gave names of those who had ben granted patents each month-- sort of balanced the list of bankrupts. I reread many of the Lost Lords ( Mary JO) , a couple of Jayne Castle's books on the future , and Dee Henderson as well as information on the Byron Controversy. eclectic or eccentric?

[Kathy K]

I remember reading a series of YA romances when I was a kid in the 60s that began with "Dawn's Early Light." I don't remember the author. It's probably a frequent title for novels set in the revolutionary war. THe thing was different to me at the time was a hint of reincarnation of lovers separated by fortunes of war and reunited later on.

[Susanna Kearsley]

Kathy, those wouldn't by any chance have been the Williamsburg novels of Elswyth Thane, would they? https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/62997.Elswyth_Thane

I haven't read them myself, but she was one of the favourite authors of one of MY favourite authors, Jan Cox Speas, so I've been meaning to get around to reading them...

[Susanna Kearsley]

:1) I have a running battle with autocorrect, myself. Completely understand. And I'm so glad that you enjoyed the story. Thank you!

[Susanna Kearsley]

Nancy, I'm not Mary Jo but I think I can help with your search, as my membership in the British Newspaper Archive gives me access to the newspapers of the day.

I found this for you, in the Manchester Mercury of Tuesday, 21 July, 1812:

*****

DECLARATION OF WAR BY AMERICA

“Liverpool, Saturday Evening, July 1, 1812

“I have to advise you that a Pilot-Boat has arrived this day, from New-York, which she left the 23d ult. [so June 23], and brings accounts that the Senate after deliberating seven days had come to a resolution of declaring war against Great Britain, 19 to 13. An express had arrived at New-York, to Major Bloomfield, which he read at the head of his army, announcing that the United States had declared war against Britain. The Mackerel schooner, direct for Falmouth, was dispatched by Mr. Foster from New-York, with the above information, the day before the Pilot-Boat sailed. When the Senate came to the resolution of declaring war the account or Mr. Perceval’s death had not reached Washington, but was known in New-York.”

We are much concerned to add, that the above unpleasant intelligence is too amply confirmed by the arrival of Billinge’s Liverpool paper of yesterday, kindly furnished us last night by a friend.

*****

By Saturday the 25th of July this was being discussed with commentary in Cobbett's Weekly Political Register, a paper published in London.

And by the end of the month, all the London newspapers seem to have picked it up and are talking about it.

Hope that helps?

[Shannon]

Cara/Andrea-I actually would like the name of one of the good books on steam engines. I am scheduled to go to York for the train museum this winter. I have a good book on history of trains, but I'd like to know more about the history of the steam engine. If I read ahead, museums make so much more sense.

Rule Britannia is also on my list because of BBC. Evil BBC--they mention books when I'm driving, and I can't write them down. They featured a how to write a novel book about a guy who wrote his novel through severe depression, learning about processes. I wish I could remember the show or the title.

I am reading Madeline Hunter's third book in her Wicked series--The Wicked Duke.

I have also found myself rereading Jo Beverley's books; one is simply not enough. I recently finished The Secret Duke.

[Patricia Rice]

oh definitely glom the Ashley Gardners! I'm not much on shapeshifters but her historicals are excellent.

[Vicki L.]

Yep....it was Elswyth Thane. Loved all her books in that series. I finally found the last one to own since the library finally retired all of them.

[Susanna Kearsley]

Oops, correction -- on closer reading of the smudged newspaper print, that first date (of the letter from Liverpool) should be July 18th, not July 1st.

I've checked a few other papers in which this letter appeared, to confirm that.

(Didn't think a pilot-boat could cross the Atlantic in a week :-)-- 25 days seems much better, from June 23 to July 18).

[Susanna Kearsley]

It might also be interesting for your research to note that the middle part of that letter from Liverpool reads:

"I think it proper to add, however, that the houses in New-York which dispatched the pilot with this information for the purpose of making speculations in produce, expressly ordered that, should the Orders in Council be revoked, their friends here were on no account to make any purchases for them."

So it looks like the first word of the war arrived in England on a boat sent by New York merchants trying to race the official news dispatches in hopes of turning a quick profit.

Early insider trading :-)

[Andrea Penrose]

Yes, a fabulous list—am madly scribbling notes!

[Andrea Penrose]

Nancy, I've been reading a book on the history of steam engines, and the author has some fabulously interesting digressions into the history of patents in England. It's called "The Most Powerful Idea in the World" by William Rosen.It's a very interesting book, with a focus on the history of ideas.

[Andrea Penrose]

Shannon, the book on steam engines is "The Most Powerful Idea in the World" by William Rosen.It's a very interesting book, with a focus on the history of ideas. And you will learn a LOT about steam engines. I really enjoyed it, and got very good info for my WIP.

[Anne Gracie]

The minute this book is done, Pat, Ill start. Ive been saving them as a treat. :)

[Mary Jo Putney]

Nancy, Susanna gave a GREAT answer about the beginning of the War of 1812--better than I could have because I hadn't researched the topic. (My book is set in about a four week period in 1814.) Susanna is a Research Goddess. *G*

[Kathy K]

Yes, they were the Williamsburg novels. THanks for jogging my memory. Are they still in print?

[Karin]

I have not gotten a lot of reading done this past month-but I did just finish a two-in-one volume by Jane Ashford, the books were "First Season" and "Bride To Be". She writes delightfully, and with great humor. "Bride To Be" edged out "First Season" because of its intrepid heroine, who is fazed by nothing, but "First Season" has some children and a cat who are wonderful characters.
I also read a very good Lorraine Heath novella, "The Last Wicked Scoundrel" which turned out to be the last of a series, so now I have to go back and read them all from the beginning.

[Jeanne Behnke]

Wonderful. Definitely she will be missed.

[Vicki L.]

I don't think they are still in print...I was getting old copies here and there. And they weren't cheap. I did luck into several at book sales though which helped. And requested several for Christmas over the years. I think I got one at Thrift Books and I know I found one on eBay for a reasonable price.