The History Book Club discussion

JANUARY

1. byDavid Ashton
Finish date January 2012

Genre: Crime Fiction / Historical Fiction

Rating B

First in a series of books featuring the character Inspector Mclevy set in Edinburgh 1880. A good example of this genre of book well written and the inclusion of Gladstone and Disraeli their rivalry and election campaign at the time increased my enjoyment of the book.

You are off to a good start, Karen.

JANUARY

2 by Mark Stevens

Finish date January 2012

Genre: Non-fiction

Rating B+

This book was a free download for my kindle but turned out to be a little gem. Mark Stevens is a Professional Archivist responsible for the archives of Broadmoor Hospital. The book starts with an introduction to Broadmoor and then goes on to recount the stories of several of the hospitals more notorious Victorian inmates. Along the way Stevens sheds some light on the Victorian attitude to crime mental incapacity and how the law dealt with those individuals.

FEBRUARY

3 by Hilary Mantel
Finish Date February 2012

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating A

This is a huge book both in length over 800 pages and the subject matter the French Revolution. Mantel centres her story around three characters Desmoulins, Danton and Robespierre. The historical events which the novel covers are very complex but I felt Mantel skilfully navigated her way through the story keeping my interest all the way.

Great Karen. You don't need to repeat the month until you get to a new one.

4 byAndrew Miller

Finish Date February 2012

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating A-

The story is set in Paris 1786 and tells the story of the destruction of Saint Innocents and the exhumation of its cemetery. The decay and decline of Saint Innocents seems to fore shadow the decay within the heart of the ruling regime which leads to the French revolution just a few years in the future.

" - is the burying ground. if he were to climb over the bed and leap from the window, he would be in it, this place that is poisoning Paris! Certainly it is poisoning rue de la Lingerie. The stink that creeps through the open window he has already smelt something of it on the breath of the Monnards, in the taste of their food" chapter 5

Miller is a master at setting the atmosphere looking forward to reading more by this author.

Karen, some great stuff! Remember to insert the finish date for each entry, like in the format example in post 1 at the start of the thread. You'll get it down . . at the rate you are going there will be many more entries I suspect! Good start.

5 by Hilary Mantel

Finish Date February 2012

Genre: Fiction

Rating B+

A short novel centred around a Catholic parish in a 1950's Derbyshire village. The parish priest comes into conflict with the Bishop over painted statues of the saints which decorate the parish church. Into this conflict steps the mystical/other worldly figure of Fludd.

This was a quick enjoyable read I could probably have taken more from it if I had a better background knowledge of the Catholic faith. This novel definitely has supernatural elements.

MARCH

6 byHelen Castor

Finish Date 12th March 2012

Genre: Non-Fiction/History

Rating A

In this book Helen Castor a historian of Medieval England and Fellow of Sidney Sussex College Cambridge takes as her subject the women who ruled or tried to rule England from Matilda the grand daughter of William the Conquerer through to Elizabeth 1.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, Castors writing style flowed easily and the depth at which she pitched it was just right for me. I wasn't lost but at the same time I learnt a lot.

The bibliography and index was comprehensive. The chronological order in which she wrote about the women she featured made their stories easy to follow and put in context with the time period they lived in.

7 by Cormac McCarthy

Finish date 15th March 2012

Genre: Fiction

Rating A

McCarthys writing is sublime but his book is very dark with some horrific scenes. Set in Appalachia around 1900 it follows the story of a brother and sister on their separate journeys through a country side terrorised by 3 strangers. Many of the themes in this book are echoed in McCarthys later work 'The Road'

by Cormac McCarthy

You are on a roll with some fascinating selections! Am enjoying reading your reviews and seeing what you are reading.

In that last review make sure you also post the book cover of the second book you cited, even though you are not reviewing it. You can add it to the end of your post.

Thanks, keep at it. Curious to see what else will follow as the year progresses!

Thanks Alisa,

just edited the post.

Perfect!

Karen, you are off to a great start. Just one nit which needs to be corrected. Right before the start of your reviews - the category header is missing. You should add - Review: before the start of the review itself.

Here is a sample format for you:

Our Required Format:

JANUARY

1. Winston S. Churchill
Finish date: March 2008
Genre: (whatever genre the book happens to be)
Rating: A
Review: You can add text from a review you have written but no links to any review elsewhere even goodreads. And that is about it. Just make sure to number consecutively and just add the months.