Mailbox Monday (tardy on Tuesday once again!)

MM is a weekly event hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page.

Click on book titles for synopses.

In the Mail:

For review from the author:

Cardboard: A Woman Left For Dead--Fiona Place

Virgin and the Crab: Sketches, Fables & Mysteries from the early life of John Dee and Elizabeth Tudor--Robert Parry






Bought:

At the monthly Friends of the Library Sale...all of these cost me a total of $15...woot!

Ivanhoe--Sir Walter Scott

Uncle Silas--J.S. LeFanu

Dreaming the Serpent Spear: A Novel of Boudica, the Warrior Queen--Manda Scott

The Red Queen--Margaret Drabble

Henry and Cato--Iris Murdoch

Dark Possession: A Carpathian Novel--Christine Feehan

The Painter of Battles--Arturo Perez-Reverte

The Hill Witch--JJ Christopher

Women Writers--Rebecca Hazell

1-2-3 Magic: Effective Discipline for Children 2-12--Thomas W. Phelan, Ph.D.

Book review--The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen

Finally! A book that I was actually able to finish and enjoyed reading! Hallelujah!

The Silent Governess is a Regency "romance" in the Christian fiction genre.  I am not an avid reader of Christian fiction because in the past I have found it to be too preachy.  However, this was not the case with this book.  The main character, Olivia, has been through a traumatic experience and while fleeing her situation, she finds herself mixed up in another's dark secret.  Not only must she keep her secret, but she must also keep the secret of Lord Bradley.  All this secrecy makes for an intriguing read because you really never find out the whole truth until the very end.  I usually figure out the plot before then and while I had my theories early on, I really did not have it 100% right.  Also, while this is technically a "romance", I was so glad that it was not overly sappy and that it did not contain any explicit sex scenes.  It was actually very Jane Austen in tone and content, although I will not go so far as to say that it was as well written as an Austen novel.  I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good Regency historical and/or is a Jane Austen fan.

Book synopsis:

Believing herself guilty of a crime, Olivia Keene flees her home, eventually stumbling upon a grand estate where an elaborate celebration is in progress. But all is not as joyous as it seems. Lord Bradley has just learned a terrible secret, which, if exposed, will change his life forever. When he glimpses a figure on the grounds, he fears a spy or thief has overheard his devastating news. He is stunned to discover the intruder is a scrap of a woman with her throat badly injured. Fearing she will spread his secret, he gives the girl a post and confines her to his estate. As Olivia and Lord Bradley's secrets catch up with them, will their hidden pasts ruin their hope of finding love? (from Library Thing)

Read for the following challenges:

Year of the Historical  1 / 12 books
Pages Read Challenge  1804 / 30,000 pages
New Authors Challenge  3 / 25 books
Countdown Challenge 2010  9 / 55 books 
100+ Reading Challenge  8 / 100+ books
Monthly Mixer Mele  6 / 74 books
ARC Reading Challenge 2010  3 / 11 books

To view my progress on these or all my challenges, the links will take you to my challenge blog.



I won this book from Library Thing Early Reviewers and did not receive any monetary compensation for reading and reviewing it.

Addicted to the Past--journeying through art history

I have been neglectful of late in posting my Addicted to the Past feature.  As many of you know, I'm in college and this semester has been quite a challenge so far (I'm on spring break this week...yay!).  However, both of my classes are very suited to Addicted to the Past and my historical slant on this blog.  I am taking African American history and art history and, while both are interesting, I have to admit that I am happily immersed in art history.  So I've decided to focus this feature on art history for the next several posts.  I hope you enjoy it!

Art in Pre-History

Woman from Brassempuoy

Discovered in the Grotte du Pape in Brassempuoy, France, a tiny ivory head dated to circa 30,000 BCE.  This is one of the many predominantly female figures discovered from the Upper Paleolithic period.  While it is clearly an abstract representation of a female head, I love the imagery of the grace of the female form in the depiction of the long, graceful neck and the patterned hair or headdress.

Wall Painting with Horses, Rhinoceroses, and Aurochs

Discovered in Chauvet Cave, Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, Ardeche Gorge, France dated to circa 30,000-28,000 BCE.  The medium is paint on limestone.  There has been much speculation as to the significance of these paintings ranging from ritualistic reasons to symbolic meanings for the luck of the hunt.  Recent findings have determined that most of the animals depicted were not a part of the paleolithic diet.  Many scholars now believe that, due to the inaccessible nature of the paintings' locations, the paintings were created solely for the purpose of enjoyment in the act of their creation.  Much the same reason as people create art today...for the pure enjoyment of the act.

Figures of a Woman and a Man

Ceramic figures discovered in Cernavoda, Romania dated to circa 3500 BCE.  Their meaning is unknown, but since they were found in a grave, they are thought to have a symbolic meaning.  The figures are posed in a very true to life fashion.  Perhaps for the dead individual they were meant to depict a continuation of a normal existence in the afterlife.  I think they are beautiful and the male statue reminds me of that famous statue, The Thinker by Rodin.

So, what do you think about prehistoric art?  Was it created for symbolic or ritualistic reasons or purely for personal enjoyment?

*Reference used was Art History: Volume I: Third Edition by Marilyn Stokstad.

Favorite Fictional Character--Gladiator (Maximus)

Okay, I'm late...as usual! FFC is a weekly meme created by Ryan at Wordsmithonia.

I have been watching the excellent television show, Spartacus: Blood and Sand on STARZ lately so I was inspired this week to do my FFC on a character from one of my favorite movies, Gladiator (2000).  Maximus Decimus Meridius is a general in the Roman army under Emperor Marcus Aurelius.  Aurelius has an heir, Commodus, but he is a morally bankrupt person and so he decides to make Maximus, a moral and honorable man, a temporary leader with plans to return full power of governing to the Roman Senate.  However, Commodus has other plans. 

SPOILER WARNING:

He murders his father and accuses Maximus.  Maximus escapes and Commodus has his wife and child killed.  Maximus, a broken man after finding out the fate of his family, is captured and sold into slavery.  He is purchased by the head of a gladiator school and so his fate is sealed.  He is a gladiator from this day forward.

I will not go any further with the plot, but I wanted to flesh out the beginning to give an idea of what kind of character we have in Maximus.  For him, life as he knows it is over.  It died with his family.  So he has no fear in the gladiatorial ring.  He is a formidable foe to everyone he faces and he begins to gain quite a following in the public circle and the political arena.  Of course, this leads to more unwelcome attention by Commodus and things build to an inevitable climax.

What I like about Maximus is his morality.  He doesn't cave to the various temptations that can come along with the life of a famous gladiator.  His main objective is to bring to fruition the wishes of his former Emperor, Marcus Aurelius...to restore the power of government to the Roman Senate and therefore, to the hands of the people.  You will have to watch the movie to see if he succeeds or not!

Side note:  This was Russell Crowe at his hottest! While he is still a nice-looking man, he has never attained this level of hotness since.  I'm waiting for Robin Hood to see if he can get it back! *fingers crossed*

Mailbox Monday/It's Monday...what are you reading? (late edition)

Mailbox Monday is a weekly event hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page.

Another slow week, but some good bargains at the Goodwill sale (no book over $1.50)!

King Arthur and His Knights of The Round Table--Roger Lancelyn Green

Retold out of the old romances, this collection of Arthurian tales endeavors to make each adventure--"The Quest for the Round Table", "The First Quest of Sir Lancelot", "How the Holy Grail Came to Camelot", and so forth--part of a fixed pattern that effectively presents the whole story, as it does in Le Morte D'Arthur, but in a way less intimidating to young readers.

Haunted (The Mediator #5)--Meg Cabot

My name is Susannah Simon, and I am a mediator — a liason between the living and the dead. If you think this gets in the way of my attempt at a normal sixteen-year-old life, you'd be right. You try going to the mall while constantly being accosted by the undead.

Not that this is a bad thing all the time. Like, for example, when I discovered my bedroom is haunted by Jesse, the ghost of a nineteenth-century hottie. While I haven't made much progress with him (only one kiss so far), I remain optimistic. Jesse's inexplicable resistance to my charms is not my only obstacle, though: there's this other guy. A live one, who has the same gift of gab with the undead I have. In the same way I'm after Jesse, this guy is after me. And he knows how to send Jesse to the Great Beyond. For good.

So I guess you could say I'm haunted. I just never thought it would be by someone who isn't dead.

Thunder and Lightning: Cracking Open The Writer's Craft--Natalie Goldberg

More musings from Natalie Goldberg on writing as a spiritual path, as "an authentic Zen way." Goldberg has some nice things to say about the importance of the process of writing. She recommends her students spend two years at writing "practice" before undertaking a specific project, so that they can "get in touch with their wild minds." The most inspired writing, she says, comes when one's conscious mind gets out of the way. Still, we are puzzled by Thunder and Lightning: is it really meant to show us how to turn "our flashes of inspiration ... into a polished piece of work," as the book jacket touts? It comes off more as a collection of Goldberg's ruminations on writing and reading. Goldberg tells us about her friend Julie's writing process. Another pal, Kate, talks about plot. We study Styron with Goldberg's workshop students and take a road trip through the South to try to figure out just how some of the poorest states in the union managed to produce so many great writers. There are some good stories here, and it's vaguely interesting to know what Nat likes to order when she does her café writing or lunches with her editors, but we end up desiring a little less wandering and a little more focus. --Jane Steinberg

"...What are you reading?" is a weekly event hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey through a world of Books.

Books Finished:

The Tale of the Body Thief--Anne Rice (audio book)

The Silent Governess-Julie Klassen (review coming up soon)

Currently Reading:

Fragile--Chris Katsaropoulos

Creeping Shadows--Alan Draven, Brandon Ford, Jessica Lynne Gardner

Live a Life You Love: 7 Steps to a Healthier, Happier, More Passionate You--Dr. Susan Biali, M.D.

Queen of the Damned--Anne Rice (on audio)

Coming Up Next:

The Dark Divine--Bree Despain

Under the Dome--Stephen King


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Recreate a Book Cover!

Once again, Princess Bookie is having her Recreate a Book Cover Contest.  I thought I would give it a shot this time.  So here is my entry:

What do you think?

Blast from the Past...The Tale of the Body Thief (A review)

I have been listening to Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles on audio over the past several months.  These are actually re-reads for me.  I'm revisiting them in preparation for picking the series back up with The Vampire Armand.  So far, I have listened to Interview with the Vampire, The Vampire Lestat and now, I finished The Tale of the Body Thief (I reviewed Interview with the Vampire here, but did not manage to review The Vampire Lestat due to hectic times during the holidays).  Now, I am currently listening to The Queen of the Damned.  I had to go out of order because my library didn't have Queen on audio.

It has been at least 15 years since I first read The Tale of the Body Thief.  It is amazing to me how much a person can forget about what happens in a book after all those years.  That's why re-reads are never a waste of time...in my opinion! One thing I will say up front is that I did not remember the book being so funny.  I don't know if Rice intended this or if it is just my more mature sense of humor or even if it was just the way the audio book reader said certain things, but there were times as I was listening that I actually laughed out loud.  Anyone that reads my blog or knows me, knows that I love the vampire Lestat.  He is probably one of the most entertaining characters I have ever had the pleasure of reading.  In this book, what happens to him at times borders on the hilarious.  It is a total "fish out of water" tale and Lestat plays the part well.  I can't say too much without giving away the plot.  Suffice it to say that although Queen of the Damned is my favorite Anne Rice book, I have to say that this one is probably a close second.  It hones in on the plight of Lestat and his torment and really gives him a heart and soul in the eyes of the reader.  I think even Lestat learns some lessons in this book (if that's possible for him) and one of them is to be careful what you wish for.  Whether you're a fan of Anne Rice or not, this one is definitely worth a read...or two...or three!

Book synopsis:

Lestat, the vampire-hero, enchanter and seducer of mortals, speaks in the new book in the bestselling Vampire Chronicles that began with Interview with the Vampire and continued with The Vampire Lestat and The Queen of the Damned. For centuries Lestat has been a courted prince in the dark universe of the living dead. But now he is alone, and everything he has come to believe in is called into question. Soon he will embark on the most dangerous enterprise he has ever undertaken.

Read for the following challenges:

Audio Book Challenge 2010
The 2nd Challenge
100+ Reading Challenge

Links will take you to my challenge blog where you can view my progress on all current challenges.  If you haven't already, follow me there as well.  When I reach 40 followers, I will be hosting a giveaway!