Woman of the House by Alice Taylor

Woman of the House by Alice Taylor



This was one of the many books we bought in Kinsale, Ireland, after our cab driver, Dermot, recommended Alice Taylor as an Irish author who sets her novels in the rural, southwestern Ireland and does a beautiful job of conveying the lifestyle and traditions of people living in this ruggedly beautiful part of Ireland.

Taylor is a gifted storyteller, whose novels are primarily character driven.  After reading just this first novel by Taylor, I get a feeling that while her stories maybe somewhat predictable, you don't mind going along for the ride.  While there will be some slight twists and turns in the plot, you know, somehow, everything will work out okay in the end.  You will stick with them because you ultimately care about her characters and you want to find out how they end up.

We picked up about five of her novels (Taylor is a prolific writer, penning more than 46 novels and other books) while we were in Kinsale, and as I work my way through them, I will report on whether her stories continue to engage and entertain.

Figures of Silk by Vanora Bennett

Figures of Silk by Vanora Bennett

I am a sucker for historical novels, and believe it or not, this one was extremely worthwhile.  It deals with the plight of women in 15th century London. Women did not have many options back then, you can marry a wealthy man or serve as a mistress to a wealthy landowner or work in some trade.  Figures in Silk centers on the lives of two very different sisters. One is beautiful, flighty, and bored with her new husband, Jane Shore, who quickly catches the eye of the newly crowned Edward IV and serves as his mistress. Her younger sister, Isabel, follows a different path when she marries into the house of Claver, one of England's finest silk-trading enterprises. When tragedy strikes and her husband is killed, Isabel finds herself thrust into an unexpected role in her late husband's family business, run by her mother in law. 

She discovers a new life and decides to apprentice as a silk woman.  She learns the trade from the ground up and eventually becomes one of the more powerful members of the merchant class in the silk trade.  Any reader who enjoys a strong female protaganist combined with historical events and details, will be fascinated by this tumultuous time period in London.  While you might be frustrated by some of Isabel's decisions, ultimately I believe you will be more than satisfied by the rich historical detail that Bennett provides both in terms of the silk trade and the political intrigue surrounding the crown.

33 by Arthur Conan Doyle

33 by Arthur Conan Doyle

33 as in 33 short stories by the creator of Sherlock Holmes.  This is quite a diverse collection of short stories by Conan Doyle. If you are a fan of Doyle's most famous character, you will enjoy several of these stories.  None of them deal with Sherlock Holmes or even detective mysteries.  Instead, they are a unique collection of stories which demonstrates Doyle's versatility in storytelling.  Several of them have moral twists of fate for the main characters that will surprise you. This is a collection of short stories compiled by John Michael Gibson and Richard Green, who are Conan Doyle experts who have searched and compiled comprehensive collections of Doyle's little known works. 

Evil empire: the Irish mob and the assassination of journalist Veronica Guerin

Evil empire: the Irish mob and the assassination of journalist Veronica Guerin 
by Paul Williams

Another example of a movie triggering an insatiable interest in the topic or the person.  A previous entry on this blog was a book that critically analyzed Veronica Guerin's actions and journalistic procedures and whether they lead to her assassination. (see entry from Feb. 5, 2011).

This book primarily deals with John Gilligan, the Irish godfather, who ordered the "hit" of Veronica Guerin, the journalist who was investigating Gilligan's drug empire and was threatening to expose him and his 'gang'.  This is a riveting account of the true story of Irish godfather John Gilligan, the assassination of Irish investigative journalist Veronica Guerin, and the behind-the-scenes efforts of law enforcement to bring Gilligan and his cronies to justice.

Paul Williams, also an investigative Dublin journalist and colleague and friend of Veronica Guerin, describes the assassination scene, as vividly as the way Joel Schumacher, the director of the movie Veronica Guerin, brought it to the screen. That scene in the movie always brings tears to my eyes, as did Williams' prose in describing that event.

In reading William's book, one would think they are reading The Godfather by Mario Puzo.  Evil Empire is a gripping, detailed and well researched account of Ireland's underworld.  Williams, a seasoned and skilled investigative journalist and writer, never loses his grip on the story.  "For anyone interested in the movie Veronica Guerin or who thought organized crime only involved Italians, this book provides a chilling glimpse into the backstory of an Irish gang that thought itself above the law and set out to prove it." (Publishers Weekly).  Pick up the book at the public library and definitely rent the movie.  A must read and a must see!

My Summer Reading List

As is typical for me, I went from nonfiction selections to fiction books this past summer.  Some turned out to be great choices, others not so great.  Rather than writing lengthy reviews and summaries, I will provide a list of the books I read with just a brief description of what the book was about and if it was worth reading.

Ten Men Dead: The Story of the 1981 Irish Hunger Strike by David Beresford

A powerful and balanced coverage of the 1981 Hunger Strike at H Block Prison in Belfast.  A portrait of strife-torn Ireland and the IRA, as well as an intensely human story of the ten ordinary men who were overtaken by extraordinary events. .
Highly recommended.
 
Eva Gabrielsson, Common Law wife of Stieg Larsson, the author of the Millenium Trilogy tells her story.  Here is the real inside story—not the one about the Stieg Larsson phenomenon, but rather the love story of a man and a woman whose lives came to be guided by politics and love, coffee and activism, writing and friendship.

If you want to know the story behind the author of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, a must read. 

 

The World at Night by Alan Furst  

My first venture into this series.  This is the first book in the series called Jean Casson series.   A brilliant re-creation of France during the German Occupation and how Parisians learned to cope with the situation.  Peaked my interest enough to continue with this series.

 

 

 

 

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession by Allison Hoover Bartlett

 

I would categorize myself as someone who loves books, but not to the extent that I would steal the books.  This bibliophile just liked to possess the books, not read them.

 

 

 

Murderous Procession by Arianna Franklin

 

This is the fourth in the Mistress of the Art of Death series.  You can read my previous reviews of the earlier volumes.  The fact I am continuing to follow this series should speak volumes (no pun intended).

 

 

  

The Dracula Dossier by James Reese

 

Avoid this one.  Enough said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson

 

Erik Larson is one of my favorite nonfiction writers that has a gift of finding through meticulous research some of the fascinating stories behind major historical events.  This one is set in Berlin during the rise of the Third Reich.  A great read.  A copy of this book is in the RHS collection.

11th and 12th Grade Summer Reading List

11th and 12th Grade Summer Reading List

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RHS 10th Grade Summer Reading List

RHS 10th Grade Summer Reading List

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