Taylor Caldwell (7 September, 1900 – 30 August, 1985) was a British novelist of popular fiction. Best known for Dynasty of Death (published 1938), Taylor used real historical events and persons in her works which were known to be intricate and suspenseful.
As much as reading about the Founding Fathers is interesting, for me the real fascinating aspects of the book were the parts about the common soldiers, bystanders and even camp followers.
Andrei is on his way to visit the Rostovs, on the way he sees an old, weathered oak and identifies with it, continuing on he sees a young girl which is full of life and spontaneous. The Count invites Andrei to spend the night, which he readily accepts. From his window, Andrei can hear the girl he saw earlier, Natasha, who is enamored by the moonlit night. Andrei feels his world weariness going away, being replaced by hope. On his way back, Andrei sees that same old oak tree sprouting new leaves.
Article first published as Book Review: God’s Middle Finger by Richard Grant on Blogcritics. About: God’s Middle Finger: Into the Lawless heart of the Sierra Madre by Richard Grant is a non-fiction book about the author’s “tour” of Mexico’s Sierra Madre region. Mr. Grant is a British journalist who came to the other side of the pond in search of strangeness and adventure – I think he found both. 288 pages Publisher: Free Press Language: English ISBN-10: 1416534407 My rating for God’s Middle Finger — 4 Buy this book in paper or electronic format More Books by Richard Grant Thoughts: God’s Middle Finger: Into the Lawless heart of the Sierra Madre by Richard Grant (website | Facebook) is a fast paced, sprawling adventure in a strange world which is closer then you think, and sometimes simply too close for comfort. While the book might be considered to be in the travel genre it is a glimpse into a lawless part of Mexico. The often mis-quoted line from Treasure of the Sierra Madre said by Gold Hat (played by Alfonso Bedoya) “Badges? We don’t need no stinkin’ badges” comes to mind and, of course, makes an appearance in the book. The…
About: Equal of the Sun by Anita Amirrezvani is a fictional book taking place in 16th Century Iran. The story blends a mix of historical and fictional characters to create an intriguing novel. The publisher is giving away one copy of this book— use the Rafflecopter form at the end of the post to enter. 448 pages Publisher: Scribner Language: English ISBN-10: 1451660464 My rating for Equal of the Sun— 4 Buy this book in paper or electronic format More Books by Anita Amirrezvani Thoughts: I have never heard of Iranian princess Pari Khan Khanoom so I was thrilled to read Equal of the Sun by Anita Amirrezvani as my introduction to this fascinating woman. The book’s fascinating descriptions of Persian traditions and culture is its biggest strength and most captivating aspect. The parts which looked into court life, palace intrigue and royal family politics were especially appealing. Most of the book focuses on how the cultural conventions pertain to the women in the court. The story is told through the eyes of Javaher, a eunuch (by choice!) who is working for Princess Pari. Some of the graphic aspects of the story made me, as a man, feel very uncomfortable including a…
Article first published as Book Review: The Dump by Peppe Arninge on Blogcritics. About: The Dump by Peppe Arninge is a photo book with a series of haunting images in black and white. The photos are taken around Cambodia’s garbage dumps and evoke powerful feelings. 78 pages Publisher: Publicera Publishing Ltd Language: English ASIN: B0076I642W My rating for The Dump – 5 Buy this book in paper (from blurb.com) or Kindle format or PDF Thoughts: When I was contacted by Mr. Arminge to read The Dump it took me some time to agree. Photo books are not really my forte (a good argument could be made that no books are actually my forte…but we’ll leave that alone). After doing some research and reading Mr. Arninge’s resume and portfolio, I decided to have a look. The book shows some of the extraordinary photos Mr. Arninge took in Cambodia, it is an important historical document and a painful way to drive home a point. Seeing children digging through trash, fighting day by day other children, adults, rats, dogs and disease for a few scraps is heartbreaking. I have been witness to several acts of evil us human beings are capable of over the years – but cruelty against children…
In 1901 the country woke up to a shock, the previous day 16 October, President Theodore Roosevelt invited Booker T. Washington to have dinner at the executive mansion (known today as the White House) with the First Family. Not only black, but a former slave, the invitation created fodder for news papers, vile cartoons and vulgar songs.
By Ren Zelen “There was one great tomb more lordly than all the rest; huge it was, and nobly proportioned. On it was but one word, DRACULA.” Of all our monsters, the Vampire remains our most malleable fictional creation, rediscovered by each generation and reinvented to reflect its own fears and repressed desires. Contemporary concerns and attitudes always serve to colour our perception of these adaptable bloodsuckers and their slayers, and the character of the Count has so inspired the human imagination that he has become one of the most versatile figures of popular culture. Vampire mythology has various historical sources and literary precedents, but its cultural impact began with Bram Stokers novel. Stoker’s book ‘Dracula’, entered the literary world and was thoroughly absorbed into the Western imagination. Like a vampire itself, the myth continues to feed on the lifeblood of popular culture in order to attain immortality. It has infected a host of other mediums – there have been countless adaptations in the movies and on TV and it has mutated into forms the Count himself would not easily recognize. But it was the repressive society of Victorian England that gave birth to and…
Flags Over the Warsaw Ghetto: The Untold Story of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising by Moshe Arens, former Ambassador to the U.S., Israeli Defense Minister and Foreign Minister, tells the story of the uprising in Warsaw Ghetto which the history books have missed. Interestingly enough, the uprising started on the eve of the Jewish holiday of Passover, a holiday known as celebrating liberation.
Werner Goering, a United States B-17 pilot during World War II for the Mighty 8th Air Force, had a hurdle to overcome – his uncle is Reich Marshal Hermann Göring, head of the Luftwaffe and Hitler’s second in command. Unbeknown to him, Goering’s co-pilot, Jack Rencher had a standing order from J. Edgar Hoover to kill Werner in-case they got shot down or if he was trying to commit an act of treason.
