Review: Condemn Me Not: Accused of Witchcraft

I plowed right through Heather Moore's Condemn Me Not: Accused of Witchcraft, her fictional re-telling of the story of her ancestor, Susannah North Martin's, trial and execution in Salem during the witch trials.

I love that the protagonist is her ancestor; it adds another level to the novel for me. She even includes a list of ancestors at the front of the book. I also liked that this was a quick read; I finished it in two days.

The romance element of it was sweet. I don't usually read romances, and likely would not have picked this up had I realized how heavy the romance element of it was. However, despite being a little cliched, there was something sweet and endearing about the romance in this story. I also didn't mind the swapping back and forth between past and "present" 1692, which is usually not my favorite narrative element. So, overall I am glad I picked it up even though now I realize it is not something I would ordinarily have read. It was an interesting look at the witch trials and captures the horror of them without being particularly dark, which is impressive.

However, it lacked some of what I look for in historical fiction. Most importantly, it really lacked a lot of historical detail. The scenes were lacking in detail, and it really didn't contain much detail about life or society at the time, which is something I look for and expect in historical fiction. I would have gladly read a book twice as long if it had been more immersive. In particular I really would have liked more detail about the charges against her and her trial. I understand that the focus was to be her life, but the fact that she was accused witch is central to the book and, other than focusing on her time in prison, was really glossed over in my opinion. Overall, I felt the lack of detail on the trial and the historical time period was a disservice to the story and a real missed opportunity.

Susannah North Martin's memorial.
Photo by Tim Bouwer on Flickr. 

I was also disappointed to see her reference list at the end. While a strong reference list certainly isn't a requirement in historical fiction and probably doesn't matter to most readers, the research behind a story based on real life does matter to me. She clearly did rely on archival research, but the rest of her sources lead a lot to be desired; most of her sources other than the archival materials are blogs and Wikipedia. I definitely would have preferred to see some higher-level sources. I do love that she used archival materials and family resources, though!

Overall I am not sorry that I read it, but it was not to the level of depth and immersion that I personally seek in my historical fiction. However, it was a quick weekend read and, despite the serious subject matter, was a sweet love story and a nice tribute to the author's ancestor. While it was lacking in detail, it did give the reader some idea of the horror of what happened and what the accused witches must have faced. I would give it a solid 3/5 stars.

Review: The Vatican Princess

I finally picked up my first novel on the Borgias. I knew once I did this would become another era I would want to read more about... and I was right. I decided to start with CW Gortner's The Vatican Princess, historical fiction about Lucrezia Borgia.

Lucrezia was the daughter of Rodrigo Borgia, Pope Alexander VI. As I imagine most readers already know, the Borgias have quite the reputation - including Lucrezia. If you're not familiar with the Borgias, let's just say they had a reputation for murdering anyone who got in their way, and rumors of incest were also a contemporary issue for the family.

Lucrezia Borgia

While this is definitely historical fiction, Gortner takes a step back from what he refers to as the Lucrezia of legend and to take a look at what, if any, responsibility she personally bore for her families machinations. He argues in the afterward, which is very worth reading, that she was largely a victim of her family's reputation, and that she was likely a pawn of her families ambitions - like most girls in her era. However, this does not make her uninteresting - far from it.

As Gortner himself points out, so much of the information we have on the Borgias is based on rumor and accounts by their enemies, so it's probably impossible to truly write a historically accurate novel about them. However, it seems like he endeavored to do so, within the confines of the information we have available. He clearly tried not to give in to the temptation to use all the lurid rumors we have about Lucrezia and her family. While he does embrace some of the rumors, he leaves out others, and he makes very clear in his afterward which bits are entirely based on rumor.

Despite this, the book has all the drama you'd expect from a book about the Borgias. I think it's right on the border of being so dramatic as to be unbelievable, but I think he manages to pull it off. It definitely keeps you reading and on the edge of your seat and wanting to read more, especially in the second half of the book.

He also does a great job of reminding us that for much of the time period covered by the book Lucrezia was really quite young. I think he implies, successfully, that even if she was a brilliant manipulator, she was still largely at the mercies of her father's and brothers' ambitions and reminding us to look at her actions - and the rumors about her - through that light.

He definitely peaked my interest on the Borgias and Lucrezia herself. I definitely plan to read more novels about them - I've got a few by Sarah Dunant on my list, as well as The Family by Mario Puzo (yes, the guy that wrote The Godfather). I'd also like to read a biography about Lucrezia to help sort out fact from fiction and to flesh out the information Gortner gives in his afterward - I've got my eye on one by Sarah Bradford.

Overall, while I think The Romanov Empress was better, this novel confirmed my impression that Gortner is an author I want to see more of, and also confirmed that the Borgias are a family I want to read more about. They're a guilty pleasure of the first magnitude - you know that a lot of what you read about them is rumor and probably not true, but damn they are interesting.

Favorite Historical Fiction Authors

Something I see readers ask for on a regular basis is lists of new authors to try, so I thought I would compile a list of my favorite historical fiction authors and suggest places to start.

James Michener

It is hard to have a list like this that does not include Michener, widely regarded as a giant in historical epics. Michener is also prolific, with a significant body of work. To date, I have read The Source, a history of the Jewish people and The Covenant, a history of south Africa. I am also really interested in his books on Alaska, Hawaii, Texas, and Spain.

Michener is thorough - his books generally start far back in the history of a country, sometimes before recorded history. His books read almost like short stories, with each chapter focused on a new generation and the history of his chosen region. Like John Jakes (discussed below), he brings in real historical figures while also setting his characters in the middle of real historical events to give the reader a feeling for what real, every day people might have experienced.

I personally find Michener's writing style a bit off putting and they sometimes make his books feel longer than they already are, and I dislike the short story feeling of some of his chapters, but overall I think the breadth of what he accomplishes in his books and the incredible insight he offers into specific regions or countries outweighs the negatives. I'll keep reading.

Bernard Cornwell

Cornwell is probably most famous for his Saxon Chronicles, on which the Netflix show The Last Kingdom is based.  I haven't tackled that series yet, although it is definitely on my list. However, I have read his Arthur trilogy, which starts with The Winter King, and I am in the process of reading of reading his Grail series, which starts with The Archer's Tale.

I have enjoyed everything I have ready by him so far, but particularly his Arthur series, and I personally recommend starting there. This is his take on the Arthur legend, and it's definitely different from some other approaches to the story. For one thing, Arthur isn't a king.

I also really enjoy the sense of realism brought to the story - I have seen others say that no one does battle scenes like Cornwell, and I find it hard to argue with. There is a grittiness to his battle scenes, and he doesn't shy away from the "icky" details from lice to wounds to exhaustion.

He also includes a touch of fantasy in the Arthur series that I really enjoyed - Merlin is here in all of his glory, and the druids add just a touch of magic that I really felt added a lot to the story, without detracting from the focus on the battle for Britain.

John Jakes

You can see my full review of Jakes' Kent family chronicles here. I have also read Jakes' North and South trilogy in the past, and plan to re-read it at some point.

Jakes focuses on historical fiction set in the United States, and also likes to write family sagas. The Kent family chronicles follows one family from the 1770s through to the 1890s, while North and South focuses on two families through the Civil War, including the lead up and the aftermath.

Jakes is masterful at covering the nuances of a historical moment, including the politics, without being dry. In addition, because of his focus on a family, his series have the feeling of major historical sagas.

Stephanie Thornton

I am not sure I can rave about Thornton's books enough, to be honest. To date I have read Daughter of the Gods and Tiger Queens, and I plan to read The Conqueror's Wife very soon. I will also probably buy her American Princess as soon as it comes out, which is not something I usually do.

On her website (I love it when authors have websites!), Thornton says she has been "obsessed with infamous women from history" since she was 12, and it shows. She also says her first two novels "reimagine the lives of two of history's forgotten women" - Theordora and Hatshepsut. I would argue that Tiger Queens does this as well. She really got me interested in digging out historical fiction on strong women throughout history, and that is now one of my favorite areas in which to read.

I cannot recommend her books more, especially if you're interested in women from history!

Elizabeth Chadwick

Chadwick is fairly prolific, but so far I have only read her trilogy on Eleanor of Aquitaine, starting with The Summer Queen, which I can wholeheartedly recommend. I next plan to tackle her William Marshal series.

In her Eleanor series Chadwick covers the life of Eleanor of Aquitaine, a ruler in her own right but also a wife to two kings and mother to three more. If that isn't enough to draw you in, it also features William Marshal, one of the more famous European knights. It features court intrigues, romance, and a tough woman who isn't afraid to stand up for herself and her family. It also takes you all over, from the crusades in Jerusalem to England and France.

I recommend just on the power of how interesting Eleanor is in her own right, but Chadwick is also a great story teller, and I plan to read more of her.

Edward Rutherfurd 

Rutherfurd reminds me very much of Michener, although I prefer his writing style. Like Michener, Rutherfurd picks a city or country to focus his epics on, often following a family through history. Also like Michener, his chapters can feel somewhat like short stories, which I dislike, but I find his books easier to read. So far I have read Russka, a history of Russia, and I am currently reading The Prices of Ireland, the first in a duology on the history of Dublin.

Rutherfurd really brings a region to life, and like Michener and Jakes, he brings real life historical figures and events into contact with his characters. He also starts far back in history; his book on Dublin starts with the time of the druids and pre-Christianity.

I definitely recommend giving Rutherfurd a try if you like historical epics or enjoy James Michener, and I plan to read his books on London, New York and Paris in the semi-near future.

Jean Auel 

As with Michener, I feel this list would be remiss if it did not mention Jean Auel. Her Clan of the Cave Bear series is very well known, and I feel at least the first book is worth reading, especially if you have an interest in pre-history.

The first book, Clan of the Cave Bear, follows a young homo sapien girl wandering alone, until she is adopted by a clan of Neanderthals. Her story shows the clash between the two species, as well as the differences between the two. It is a fascinating look at what life may have been like for early humans.

However, I also think there are very valid criticisms of the series as a whole. For one thing, I agree that the series ran on longer than it needed to and that it ran on; while I enjoy the descriptions of the world and the plant and animal life, Auel can go overboard. Some of the books don't really move the plot along much. I also agree with some who point out that the main character, Ayla, is a bit of a super woman and that it can be hard to suspend belief - no one person invented sewing and domesticating animals, for example. However, I find that to only be a minor point.

The first book can also easily be read as a stand alone, or you can read the first two or three and stop. The first is definitely a marvelous book, I am just not sure the rest lived up to it.

CW Gortner

Gortner is a newer discovery for me, but I definitely plan to read more. So far I have read his Romanov Empress, a story of Tsarina Maria Feodorovna, and I am currently reading The Vatican Princess, a story of Lucrezia Borgia. While I am not sure I am going to like the Borgia novel as much as I loved the Romanov one, it's still enjoyable and makes me anxious to continue reading some of his other novels.

Like Thronton, he seems to focus on significant female figures from history. His other novels include books on Isabella of Castile, Juana of Castile, Cocoa Chanel, Marlene Dietrich, and Catherine de Medici. I love the range of eras he covers, and he creates interesting characters that are enjoyable to read about. He helps shed light on interesting periods of history from a perspective that is often neglected - that of women.

Steven Saylor

Saylor is also an author I recommend frequently. Interesting, to my knowledge he has primarily focused on one period - ancient Rome. I have read his "big picture" series on Roma, which starts with Roma. In the vein of Michener or Rutherfurd, this series follows the history of Roma, with each "chapter" focusing on a different ruler or era, following two families through history.

I think his more famous series is his Roma Sub Rosa series, which follows Gordianus the Finder on a series of epic adventures. I haven't read this one yet, but it is on my list of series to dig into soon. You have two choices to start with here. You can start with The Seven Wonders of his Ancient World series, which seems be a sort of prequel series for the primary Gordianus series. If you want to skip right to the primary series, you'd start with Roman Blood. The series follows Gordianus as he solves mysteries in ancient Rome, often bringing him into contact with major historical events.

Alison Weir

Weir brought my back to historical fiction after a long hiatus. I recommend starting where I started, with Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen. This is the first in her Six Tudor Queens series, with each book focusing on a different wife of King Henry VIII. Each book follows the life of one of his queens from her perspective. The first three, covering Katehrine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour have been published, with the fourth expected in May of this year. There also some novellas available as part of the series for a deeper dive.

While the events sometimes overlap, particularly in the first two books, I don't find this detracts from them at all - in fact, I found it fascinating to read about the same events from two extremely different perspectives. Naturally, Katherine and Anne have very different perspectives on the events that to Henry's break with Rome and creation of the Church of England.

The other thing I like about Weir is that she writes fiction and non-fiction, often about the same people. I frequently read biographies after I read fictional accounts in order to get the "real story," and she makes that easy to do. For example, she has non-fiction books on Anne and Mary Boleyn that shed a lot of light on Anne's life and her relationship with Henry. However, since she has both fiction and non-fiction, you need to be a little more aware of what you're buying, unless you want to read both! I personally find her non-fiction pretty interesting, so I recommend it as well if you enjoy biographies.

She has also written about Eleanor of Aquitaine, the "nine-days queen" Jane Grey, and much about Elizabeth I - I recommend starting here. For the most part she seems to try to stay true to history, although she does take a significant departure in her novels on Elizabeth - I won't spoil it for you, though. She usually writes a clear afterward in which she explains where she has taken liberties with history.

Overall, highly recommend her novels if you're interested in the Tudor period or historical women in general.

Morgan Llywelyn

Llywelyn writes a great deal on the history of Ireland. While I have only read one of her books to date, which may make it a stretch to call her a favorite, I intend to read a lot more. I started with Grania: She-King of the Irish Seas, a book about pirate Grace O'Malley. (If you're interested in this topic, I also plan to read The Wild Irish by Robin Maxwell, which focuses on O'Malley's confrontation with Queen Elizabeth I.)

Grania is a fascinating look at a really interesting woman, and I thought Llywelyn did a great job of bringing her to life.

She really peaked my interest in Irish history, and I plan to dig into her series on the Irish Rebellion, which starts with 1916, soon. She also has a series on the druids of Ireland, which starts with Druids. She also has books focusing on other major figures in Irish history like Brian Boru.

Conn Iggulden

Iggulden has several historical fiction series, including series about Genghis Khan, ancient Rome, and The War of the Roses. Interestingly, he also has a fantasy series out called The Empire of Salt, although it sadly doesn't seem to be available in Kindle format (to my endless sadness).

To date, I have only read his Genghis Khan series, which starts with Birth of an Empire (which tends to be pretty cheap on Amazon - it's $0.99 right now). I also plan to read his other series, although fair warning - I have heard he takes some liberties with historical fact in the Roman series, although not having read it yet myself I cannot verify.

I really am enjoying the Genghis series (I have the last two left to read). It's a really interesting look at Genghis and his family, starting in his younger years when he and his mother and siblings are abandoned by his tribe and following his rise to power. There is plenty of action here, but also family drama and politics to contend with. It's an interesting look at not only why he was successful, but at how his people managed to conquer as they did, but also the shortcomings of his ruling style. Definitely recommend.

Philippa Gregory

Last but not least, I felt I had to include Philippa Gregory. She is such a giant in the field of Tudor history that, given my fascination with that era, I couldn't leave her off. I do enjoy her books - they're definitely guilty pleasure reads. However, because she takes a little more liberty with the historical facts than I prefer, I am usually slightly reluctant to recommend her or recommend her with a strong caveat. You're probably familiar with her work, even if you don't know it; her book The Other Boleyn Girl was the basis of the a major motion picture staring Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson and Eric Bana. Her novels were also the inspiration for The White Queen and The White Princess television series about Elizabeth of York.

There are several orders in which you can read her novels, but I recommend following the order set by Goodreads, which combines her Tudor and Plantagenet series into one longer series. This order starts with The Lady of the Rivers, which covers the life of Jacquetta Woodville, Lady Rivers, the matriarch of the Rivers family and mother of Elizabeth Woodville, wife of Edward IV. Elizabeth's story follows, naturally enough, in the second book, The White Queen.

The series follows the family through the War of the Roses and continues on into the Tudor era. As with Weir's books, there is some overlap in events from book to book - for example, The White Queen and The Red Queen in part cover the same period of events. However, as with Weir's books, the perspectives are so different as to make this an asset rather than a downside. The Red Queen is told from the perspective of Margaret Beaufort, arch-enemy of the Woodvilles and mother of Henry Tudor. Naturally, Elizabeth and Margaret have different views of the events as they unfold.

While she does stretch the facts, most historical fiction does. She usually does include an afterward touching on where she stretches the truth, although it is not always as detailed or thorough as those of many other authors. I just keep in mind that not everything she writes can be taken as gospel truth, and plan to read biographies or at least do some research on the actual historical figures.

But for sheer readability and guilty pleasure status, it's hard to beat her. Her books have it all - sex, intrigue, battles and high emotion. There's a reason she is incredibly popular.

Series Review: Kent Family Chronicles

I recently finished the Kent Family Chronicles series by John Jakes. The series follows the Kent family from its beginnings in 1770s Europe through to the 1890s in the United States.

The first book, The Bastard, begins with the founder of the family, Philippe Charboneau and a family dispute that leads him to seek a new life in the English colonies prior to the Revolutionary War, changing his name to Philip Kent at the same time. The Rebels follows the fate of the new Kent family through the Revolutionary War from the mid to late 1770s. The Seekers covers the period from the mid 1790s to the early 1810s, including the aftermath of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. The Furies kicks off at the Battle of the Alamo, following the family through the mid 1850s and the lead up to the Civil War. The Titans primarily covers the family's fate during the Civil War. The Warriors follows the Civil War to its finish. The Lawless addresses the years immediately following the Civil War, including the aftermath of the war on the Kent family. The final book, The Americans, follows the family through to the 1890s and attempts to wrap up the family saga.

John Jakes.
Image from Amazon.com

One of the things I love about this series, which I wholeheartedly recommend, is that it touches on a lot of lesser known historical events, such as the Chicago Fire and the Johnstown flood, often placing the protagonists in the middle of the events. He also finds a plausible way to bring in major characters from history, including presidents. He also writes in a way that lets you guess what historical figure you are about to "meet," dropping hints to help you out, which is fun. He also brings in lesser known historical figures, not just well known ones. He also does a great way of keeping you apprised of the political situation in the country without getting bogged down in an overwhelming amount of detail.

He also does a good job of having some morally gray characters - not all of the Kents are squeaky clean. However, they are definitely gray - there's little in the way of true "bad actors" in the Kent family. Similarly, the book does get a bit repetitive in the sense that every generation has some moral quandary they must grapple with. In many cases it makes sense - for example grappling with slavery in the lead up to the Civil War. However, having everyone grapple with major moral issues is a little far-fetched.

However, the outcomes are just varied enough to keep them from being totally predictable, and the backdrop of interesting historical events keeps them worth reading all the way through. The characters are also different enough to make each book feel unique; they have different careers, different experiences, different opinions.

Overall, this series is well worth the read in my opinion. The links to the individuals book are available above, or you can buy the whole series here. If you enjoy historical fiction in the United States, or family sagas, this is sure to be worth your time.

How do I Find Books & Book Deals?

As you can probably guess, I buy a lot of books. So how do I choose my books? And how do I get book deals?

Disclaimer: I don't mean for this post to sound like an Amazon advertisement; I use Amazon extensively because I am a Kindle reader.

Adding books to "Want to Read" on Goodreads

How do I track what I want to read?

First, I keep a long running list of books I am interested in. This list has everything from upcoming books by authors I know I like, books by authors I would like to try, and books suggested by others (people I know, blog posts by others, Facebook posts by others).

I do this in two places; Goodreads and Amazon's Wish List. The Goodreads list is the more discerning of the two - this is where I place books I for sure want to read and might actually buy at full price (maybe, some day...), and I use it to keep them in order - the top 15 or so are ones I want to buy/read "soon."

To order my books in my Goodreads list, I simply go to "My Books" and then click "Want to Read" on the left-hand side of the screen. From there, you can re-order your books by using the arrows to move a book up and down in the list or by typing in the number of the place you'd like the book to appear on your list.

I use the Amazon list as a catchall for anything that grabs my interest and that I would be willing to grab when the prices is right. If you're telling me about something and I say "that's interesting!" and grab my phone, I am probably looking for a book to add to my Amazon Wish List.

Ordering your "Want to Read" list in Goodreads

In Amazon, I simply add books to my "Wish List" as they catch my attention. You can do this by clicking "add to list" from any Amazon page. If you prefer Kindle - and/or want to keep an eye out for good Kindle deals - make sure you're looking at the Kindle version of the book before you do this.

How do I pick books to read? 

So how do I find books to add to these lists? For one, I track authors that I enjoy. I do this by following them on Goodreads, Amazon, and Bookbub so I can passively get notifications by email. I also follow them on Facebook if they use it, and may periodically check the websites of authors I particularly want to follow. On Amazon and Goodreads you can do this right from an author's page, and on Bookbub you can do this by searching the Discover Authors page.

Add to list on Amazon

I also get new book ideas from following book related Facebook groups, particularly those related to genres I really enjoy. Particular ones I suggest are Historical Fiction Book Lovers, Epic Fantasy Fanatics, and Fantasy-Faction Fantasy Book Discussion. You can find these types of groups pretty easily by searching Google or Facebook, or asking around. Groups like this are also a great place to ask for specific recommendations on things you are interested in.

In addition, any time I stumble across a topic I am interested in (for example, if I am watching a documentary and I hear about a person I would like to read a biography about, or perhaps I read a novel and want to read a biography on the subject of the novel) I either ask in a discussion group or do a quick Google search - something like "best books on Marilyn Monroe" or "best novels about Queen Elizabeth" or "biography of Winston Churchill." You can usually come up with great suggestions this way. I also search for "best of" lists when I am new to a genre or want more in a genre, such as grimdark fantasy or historical fiction on WWII (Bookriot is great for this, such as their list of 20 Grimdark books, as is Unbound Worlds' lists).

I do also usually do a quick vetting of a book before adding it to my list; I look at the length of the book, the number of stars on Amazon or Goodreads, and in the case of non-fiction I look at the author biography to see if I can trust the reliability of the book/author. In some cases I may also take a look at some reviews, especially if I am contemplating paying full price for a book. 

How do I find deals on books? 

Sorting Amazon lists by price

I use two primary methods for this - Bookbub and Amazon. If you use the Discover Author feature in Bookbub, you will get emails when books by your authors go on sale. There are many other services that will send you recommendations by genre (which Bookbub also does), but I find that subscribing to too many just makes for a clogged inbox, and I prefer to get recommendations targeted to things I already know I want to read, like specific authors. 

I also use my Amazon Wish List to find deals. I periodically go to my wish list and sort by price, sorting by lowest price first. This brings the cheapest books - including any new deals - to the top of your list. The other nice thing about this is that it doesn't clog your email, and you can check it as often (or as rarely) as you'd like. The downside is that you have to remember to do it to get the deals. Amazon does deals all the time, so it isn't uncommon to find deals this way, and they're often very cheap - $.99 or $1.99, and they can extend to best sellers - I recently got Madeline Miller's Circe for $4.99 this way and I have gotten other best sellers for even less. 

What if I don't want to pay for books at all? 

As a librarian, I think I'd be remiss not to put in a plug for your local library here! Even if your local library is small, many libraries now offer an inter-library loan service where they can borrow books from other libraries for you, giving you a much wider selection to choose from. 

In addition, for those of you in New York, the New York Public Library allows any New York State resident to apply for a library card, not just New York City residents. Having a library card then gives access to their extensive e-book library (among other things). You can apply for a library card here.

Review: How Dogs Love Us: A Neuroscientist and His Adopted Dog Decode the Canine Brain

I recently wrapped up reading How Dogs Love Us: A Neuroscientist and His Adopted Dog Decode the Canine Brain by Gregory Berns, and it was a great read.

In fact, I think it would be a great read for a high school class or a college group-read for first year students. It's got a lot of angles; it discusses the scientific method, the ethics of research, neuroscience, dogs (who doesn't love dogs?), dog training, evolution and anthropology, and even touches on the problems with the American educational system.

Berns explains the backstory to his neuroscience project and addresses in detail how the project was kicked off, from lab meetings to ethics boards to study design. He also has an in-depth discussion of the ethical considerations, which I loved as I have an amateur interest in bio-ethics.

I also enjoyed his in-depth discussion of the training his dog went through for the project - that actually took up a large chunk of the book. His dog, Callie, was one of the first two dogs used in the experiment, and he spent months training her to sit perfectly still with her head in an MRI, to tolerate the sounds of an MRI, and to wear headphones to protect her ears during the process. Let's just say there were many hotdogs involved. Callie certainly puts my own dog to shame!

Berns also discusses how he used the project to encourage his daughter to develop an interest in science and to help her overcome her struggles in her science class.

Berns and Callie during the
Dog Project, from Amazon.com

Of course the most interesting information is about their findings and the speculation about what those findings mean, but I do not want to spoil it here. Needless to say, the findings are fascinating for anyone who loves dogs, and they raise a lot of questions about the attitudes we have held toward dogs and their mental abilities and their capacity to understand. As Bernes points out, they may also shed some light on how our relationship with dogs evolved and how dogs came to be domesticated.

Berns has also written another book on this topic called What It's Like to Be a Dog: And Other Adventures in Animal Neuroscience, which I am absolutely adding to my to read list.

If you've ever wondered what your dog is thinking or what they think or feel about you, this book is for you. (And, it's currently $1.99 for Kindle.)

If you're interested in Berns' work but don't want to commit to a book, you can see some news about his work here and here or see his website here.

And, if you're interested in this area, another book on my to read list that might be of interest is Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness.

Review: Ivan the Terrible

I recently completed Ivan the Terrible by Robert Payne and Nikita Romanoff. Here's the Amazon description:

Czar Ivan IV (1530-1584), the first Russian ruler to take the title czar, is known as one of the worst tyrants in history, but few people among the general public know how he got such an infamous reputation. Relying on extensive research based heavily on original Russian sources, this definitive biography depicts an incredibly complex man living in a time of simple, harsh realities. Robert Payne, the distinguished author of many historical and biographical works, and Russian scholar Nikita Romanoff, describe in vivid and lively detail Ivan's callous upbringing; the poisoning of his second wife and the murder of his son; his obsession with religion and sin; his predilection for mass murder, evidenced by his massacre of 30,000 citizens of Novgorod; yet his remarkable intelligence as a ruler, supporting the growth of trade and expanding Russia's borders.

 Amazon describes Payne as a "distinguished historian" who has also written about Lenin and Stalin. Romanoff is the grandnephew of Nicholas II and is described as a "world renowned scholar of Russian history."

Going into this book, I knew very little about Ivan other than what I could infer from the title "the Terrible" and a little bit from the coverage of that time period in Russka, which is historical fiction, so this book was pretty eye opening. The book ends with the last line "not until our own time did anyone arise who could be compared with him," which I assume is a reference to Hitler and Stalin and the like. The book declines to offer a total of the number of people he and his Oprichnina murdered, but it was clearly many - it does suggest some individual massacres killed as many as tens of thousands.

This book does do a great job of using primary sources - there is an extensive bibliography at the back of the book, and the authors quote extensively from Ivan and others in the text, which is interesting. They clearly did their research for this book.

Public domain image of Ivan the Terrible.
Portrait by Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov.

What I found less impressive was the analysis of Ivan's motives. They definitely do offer one, clearly suggesting it was an issue of mental health and paranoia. However, I think this could have been developed further. I really enjoy this type of analysis and have seen it done well in other books, such as The Road to Jonestown, Hitler Ascent, and Marina and Lee. I feel it was a bit of a missed opportunity here.

I also did not feel like I really could imagine Ivan as he was. Usually I leave a biography feeling I can imagine the person as they were, and perhaps identify with them a bit and understand why they took the actions that they did. A good biography helps me feel I have gotten "inside" the mind of the subject; I didn't get that feeling here.

I did find the discussion of the end of Ivan's life interesting, as they did a good job of conveying the changes in his personality and behavior. They also include many images, including sketches and portraits, which adds a lot to the reading experience. I was also glad to see that they balanced the discussion of the terrible things he did with the other things he did; his religiosity, his building projects and so on. I also appreciated that they did a good job of explaining the role his religiosity played in his actions - they argue that he clearly believed he could reconcile his religious beliefs with his mass murders and that his intense piety seemed to be genuine, which was interesting.

Overall this was an interesting and enlightening biography, and I ended up giving it a 3 star rating on Goodreads. However, it took a while for me to become invested in his story, and it was not the most engaging biography I have read. I think the writing style contributed; it took a while for it to grab my attention. Ivan himself seems like an interesting figure, and I may check out another biography or two on him in the future.

Favorite Non-Fiction Reads in 2018 - My Year in Books

Here is the last in my series of posts about my favorite reads in 2018. You can see my posts about my favorite historical fiction here and my favorite fantasy reads here. To see my full list of 2018 reads, visit my GoodReads page.

So what were my favorite non-fiction reads of 2018?

As I've mentioned elsewhere, I am interested in strong women in history and how they survived in male dominated worlds. In that vein, I read a few interesting books this year, including The Woman Who Would be King by Kara Cooney and Pirate Women by Laura Sook Duncombe. Cooney's book discusses the Egyptian Pharaoh Hatshepsut, who ruled Egypt in the 1400s BC - 14 centuries before the more famous Cleopatra. If you prefer fiction to non-fiction, there is a good fictional portrayal of her in Daughter of the Gods by Stephanie Thornton. She is a really fascinating woman.

Pirate Women discusses real women pirates, as well as some women who likely lived only in legend. It gives brief discussions of various female pirates throughout history (which swelled my to-read list when I wanted to learn more about some of these women). Incidentally, this book is what led me to read the fictionalized account of the life of Grace O'Malley called Grania, which I also recommend.

On the more entertaining side, I enjoyed Venom Doc, a memoir by scientist Bryan Grieg Fry, While I think there may be a healthy dose of exaggeration here, it was definitely an entertaining and enjoyable read, and it was fascinating to learn more about Fry's work. For a primer on Fry, you can see him in some episodes of the Netflix "72 Dangerous Animals" series, such as 72 Dangerous Animals: Australia.

I was also entertained and fascinated by Amy Stewart's The Drunken Botanist and I will be reading more by her in the future. Drunken Botanist is something like an encyclopedia, but engaging enough to read straight through as a book (which I did). She discusses the archaeology, history and botany of various plants we use in alcohol, from foundational plants to flavorings to garnishes, with interesting sidenotes about the history of alcohol use. For example, do you know where the term "proof" comes from? Amy will tell you!

I also read an interesting joint biography of Lee Harvey Oswald and his wife Marina by Priscilla Johnson McMillan, which was based on lengthy interviews with Marina following the shootings of JFK and Oswald. It gave some really interesting incites into Oswald and how he ended up in the book depository with a gun, despite seemingly admiring JFK.

I also read three interesting books related to the Holocaust and World War II, which is another area that tends to grab my interest. First was One Long Night by Andrea Pitzer, which was a global history of concentration camps (including those used during the Holocaust). Definitely fascinating, and I strongly recommend for anyone who wants a better understanding of the historical backdrop behind the camps, and a better understanding of how they have been used in other eras beyond the Holocaust.

I also read Auschwitz by Laurence Rees, which I believe was a major source for the fascinating Netflix series Auschwitz: The Nazis and the Final Solution. This book takes an in-depth look at the development of the Auschwitz camp specifically, looking at how the camp evolved over time and became the most notorious of the concentration camps.

Last but certainly not least, I read The Book Smugglers by David E. Fishman, which discussed the men and women who risked their lives to rescue books and other cultural treasures from the Villna ghetto during World War II. As a librarian, I really found this to be an inspirational reminder as to the importance of literature and culture, as well as the lengths people to which people will go to destroy or protect it.

I also really enjoyed Silent Witnesses by Nigel McCrery, which is a history of some of the major breakthroughs in forensic science; and The True History of Chocolate by Sophie Coe and her husband Michael.


So now that I have talked about all of my favorite reads from last year, what am I currently reading?

• The Silver Chair by CS Lewis
• The Princes of Ireland by Edward Rutherfurd
• The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan
• Ivan the Terrible by Robert Payne and Nikita Romanoff

Favorite Fantasy & Sci-Fi in 2018 - My Year in Books

I've already addressed my favorite historical fiction reads in an earlier post. My other favorite fictional genre is fantasy, and I definitely had some good reads here in 2018 as well. You can see all of my 2018 reads here.

So what were my favorite fantasy reads of 2018?

Number one was a surprise to me - Kushiel's Dart, the first in a trilogy by Jacqueline Carey. It was a surprise to me because I honestly didn't expect to like it - reading the description, I was expecting something like a fantasy version of 50 Shades of Grey. (I am not knocking 50 Shades of Grey for those who like it, it's just not my thing.) Here's the description for Kushiel's Dart (borrowed from Goodreads):

The land of Terre d'Ange is a place of unsurpassing beauty and grace. It is said that angels found the land and saw it was good... and the ensuing race that rose from the seed of angels and men live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt. 
Phèdre nó Delaunay is a young woman who was born with a scarlet mote in her left eye. Sold into indentured servitude as a child, her bond is purchased by Anafiel Delaunay, a nobleman with very a special mission... and the first one to recognize who and what she is: one pricked by Kushiel's Dart, chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one.
Phèdre is trained equally in the courtly arts and the talents of the bedchamber, but, above all, the ability to observe, remember, and analyze. Almost as talented a spy as she is courtesan, Phèdre stumbles upon a plot that threatens the very foundations of her homeland. Treachery sets her on her path; love and honor goad her further. And in the doing, it will take her to the edge of despair... and beyond. Hateful friend, loving enemy, beloved assassin; they can all wear the same glittering mask in this world, and Phèdre will get but one chance to save all that she holds dear. 
Set in a world of cunning poets, deadly courtiers, heroic traitors, and a truly Machiavellian villainess, this is a novel of grandeur, luxuriance, sacrifice, betrayal, and deeply laid conspiracies. Not since Dune has there been an epic on the scale of Kushiel's Dart-a massive tale about the violent death of an old age, and the birth of a new.

Like I said - I wasn't sold. But I kept setting it on "must read" fantasy lists, so I finally picked it up. There definitely is violence and violent sex in the book, so if you don't think you can get past that, you probably won't like it. However, it is usually in furtherance of the plot, and it isn't the focus of the book - the focus is the world building and the political intrigues, and Carey excels at it. I've already read the second in the trilogy and plan to read the third, along with her other books set in this world.

 Another stunner for me was NK Jemisin's The Fifth Season, probably not a surprise to anyone who follows book buzz. Every book in the trilogy has won a Hugo Award, which is impressive in itself. Here the star isn't so much Jemisin's plot - although that is very enjoyable as well. For me, the real
stand out in this novel was her writing style and the way she handles the characters' points of view. Her approach to the novel is unlike anything else I've read, and I highly recommend it for that alone. It took a few chapters for me to really engage with it, but once I did I could easily see what the buzz was all about.

Another major favorite for me was a cross-over between historical fiction and fantasy, and for me it doesn't get much better than this! I actually read the first two books in this series by Bernard Cornwell, which starts with The Winter King, in 2017 but finished it in 2018. You might recognize Cornwell as the author of the book series behind the TV show The Last Kingdom. I have not read that particular series yet, but trust me - it's on the list. I hear great things.

The trilogy I want to discuss here is Cornwell's Arthur trilogy. Yes, that Arthur - legendary King Arthur. However, Cornwell takes a different spin at it - in this approach, Arthur isn't a king. His fantasy elements are used with a light touch, but definitely add to the story. It's a different take on Arthur, but is definitely still recognizable as the Arthur of legend, along with other familiar characters like Merlin. It also features some amazing battle scenes - I have often seen him praised as the best writer of battle scenes out there (including by none-other than George RR Martin), and I can see why. His battle scenes seem extremely realistic, and don't cover up the gritty realities of this type of hand-to-hand warfare.

Speaking of George RR Martin, I also read Fire & Blood. I rarely buy books as soon as they are released, but I did with this one, and it was well worth it. This is the first volume in a history of the Targaryens in Westeros prior to the events of A Game of Thrones, and it reads like a history of this fantasy world. I figured I would like it, as a blend of history and fantasy is the best of both worlds for me, and I loved it. It does not read like a traditional novel, but if you go into it expecting that it is very enjoyable. I felt the pacing was right, and the lore was well developed and
interesting. Yes, it would have been great to get Winds of Winter, but this was an enjoyable detour.

I also continued my reading of the Wheel of Time series. I am currently on book four, so I have quite a bit to go, but I continue to enjoy the series. This seems to be a polarizing series - whenever I see someone ask if they should read it, there are a lot of answers that list it as a must-read and one of the best fantasy series ever, but there often just as many answers saying it is long and boring and a "waste of time." I am going to paraphrase Jacqueline Carey here and argue that all reading is worth doing. For this series, I think everyone just needs to try it for themselves. I will say I think you are more likely to enjoy it if you enjoy epic world building and intricate plots.

I am also going to add The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller to this list, which can be seen as a blend of historical fiction and fantasy (I'm seeing a pattern here...) It just scraped in as a 2018 read, as I wrapped it up mid-day December 31. I immediately grabbed her more recent book, Circe, which has been getting a lot of buzz recently. I found Achilles very enjoyable, and it's a nice quick read. As the name suggests, it's a retelling of the story of Achilles, told from the perspective of his beloved companion Patroclus. I found it to be an interesting character study of Achilles, with a bit of a different take from some of the other portrayals I have seen. Some of the gods and goddess do make an appearance, particularly Achilles' mother, Thetis.

Favorite Historical Fiction in 2018 - My Year in Books

In addition to being New Year's Eve, yesterday was the end of the reading year, and I just squeaked in my last two books, hitting a total of 70 books read for the year. My original goal was 50. You can see everything I read last year here.

That 70 books breaks down into over 32,000 pages read, for an average book length of 465 pages. The shortest book I read was The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at 206 pages, and the longest was James Michener's The Covenant at 1,240 pages. According to Goodreads, the most popular book I read was the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and the "least popular" was Venom Doc. Apparently the average rating I gave my reads this year was 4.2.

So, what were my favorite reads of 2018?

I really enjoyed Elizabeth Chadwick's Eleanor of Aquitaine trilogy, which starts with The Summer Queen. Eleanor was "one of the most powerful women of the Middle Ages. Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right, she would go onto become queen-consort of France and later queen of England." (BBC.com) She lived to be almost 80, was married to two kings and was mother to three more (in addition to many other children), and she was a ruler in her own right. She was a strong woman in a time when women generally didn't have much power, and she is fascinating to read about. I definitely plan to read more about her in the future.

I also really enjoyed Roma and Empire by Steven Saylor. These two novels (to be followed by a third, I believe) tell the story of the early years of the Roman Empire by following two families through history, somewhat a la James Michener (although, in my opinion, more readable). The first novel follows Roman history from Rome's legendary beginnings through the death of Julius Caesar. The second follows the story through such famous emperors as Caligula and Nero. Readable and fascinating, these books definitely put Saylor on my list of authors to read more of in 2019.

A few books also piqued my interest in Genghis Khan this year as well. First was Tiger Queens by Stephanie Thornton. Thornton seems to enjoy taking somewhat forgotten women from history and telling history from their perspective; her Daughter of the Gods is another fantastic example of this. Tiger Queens tells the story of the life of Genghis Khan through the eyes of his women - wives, daughters, and friends. I particularly liked the inter-relationships between the women, as it showed the various types of strong relationships women can form. It also shows the many ways women can influence the world around them, even in a patriarchal society.

I also started the Conqueror series by Conn Iggulden, which starts with Genghis: Birth of an Empire. The first book covers the early years of Genghis' life and the beginnings of his extraordinary rise to power. He was a fascinating man, and I am three books into this series and loving it! I will also be reading more of Iggulden in 2019.


Other favorite historical fiction reads for the year included CW Gortner's The Romanov Empress, the story of Maria Feodorovna of Russia and the fall of the Romanovs; Russka by Edward Rutherfurd, a James Michener like telling of the history of Russia; The Last Days of Night, a tale of the patent battle between Westinghouse and Edison over the light bulb as told by Graham Moore, and Morgan's Run, the story of the colonizing of Australia by prisoners in the late 1700s as told by Colleen McCullough.

Stay tuned for my favorite Sci-Fi & Fantasy and Non-Fiction reads from 2018.

Welcome to the Restive Reader Blog!

I have been thinking for a while about starting a reader's blog, and the start of a new year seems like a fantastic time to do it!

I plan to post reviews of the books I read, reading lists, and anything about reading that strikes my fancy.

About Me

I'm a lawyer turned librarian, with a particular interest in historical fiction, fantasy, and biographies - particularly of strong women throughout history. I live in New York with my husband and my beloved pets - cats Hercules, Pandora, and Nyx, and a puggle-mix named Alexstrasza.