James Fenimore Cooper (15 September, 1789 – 14 September, 1851) was a popular American writer who is best known for his Leatherstocking Tales featuring Natty Bumppo. Books by James Fenimore Cooper* 1)      Mr. Cooper was born in Burlington, NJ. He was the eleventh of 12 children. 2)      In 1790 the family moved to upstate New  York by Otsego Lake. The […]

I really enjoyed this storyline, a troubled hero (seems like they all are these days) who thinks she’s going to solve some societal problems while taking out her angst on everyone around while protected behind a mask.

I really appreciated how Ms. Allende took three disjointed stories and tried to weave them together

As governor of the province of Garfagnana, it is said that Ariosto was walking alone when captured by bandits (the province was rife with many gangs of bandits, but as governor Ariosto did not get the resources to fight them). When the chief bandit discovered his captive was the author of Orlando Furioso, he apologized and showed him the respect he deserved.

Most of the book tells to story of the family in East Berlin, how they lived, worked and feared the brutal regime

Mr. Zguda was considered a threat by the regime, he was not Jewish but was considered a political threat. An athlete with good connections, he managed to survive three years in Auschwitz and Buchenwald.

Blaise Cendrars (1 September, 1887 – 21 January, 1961) was Swiss poet and novelist, he held considerable influence in the European modernist movement. Books by Blaise Cendrars* 1)      Born in Neuchâtel, Switzerland to a Swiss father and a Scottish mother as Frédéric-Louis Sauser. 2)      Young Frédéric never showed much interest in school, he was sent to a German boarding school, […]

Mr. Mangan really gets into a character’s mind and when he tells the story through their lens he lends them credibility and authenticity.

The author does not shy away from pain or happiness, as is real life.

Bret Harte (25 August, 1836 – 5 May, 1902) was a short story writer whose stories featured the people of the California Gold Rush. 1)      Even though he is associated with the west and western stories, Mr. Harte was born in Albany, New York as Francis Brett Hart. 2)      The author’s father, an orthodox Jewish immigrant, was […]