Historical Fiction: The Canterbury Papers

by Judith K. Healey
Ways of “knowing”
The Canterbury Papers, contrary to its title, is not a novel of suspense. It is, however, a mystery, one that’s difficult for the reader to solve because we don’t know, nor have many clues to, what the other characters know. This is a fun read, especially because of [...]

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Historical Novels: Over Sea, Under Stone

Magical, mythical, and more than 40 years before Harry
The intro to Susan Cooper’s justly famous Dark is Rising series, Over Sea sets up the saga beautifully. Though published as children’s literature, it is much more than just an amusing kiddie story. Deftly intertwining history, mythology (especially Celtic and British), adventure, [...]

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Cats in Folktales – Puss in Boots

Puss in Boots is a very old European folk tale, known in many variations in many countries. The best known version is  that recounted by Charles Perrault in his 1697 collection of Mother Goose Tales in French. Basically, it is the story of a clever and magical cat who helps his poor master become [...]

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Historical Novels: Strong as Death

A Catherine le Vendeur mystery.

*****
Although this book goes on a bit too long, the finely wrought detail about life in the middle ages makes the read worthwhile. As a murder mystery, Strong as Death is fairly easy to decipher. But author Sharan Newman’s forte lies in her ability to convey the atmosphere and ambience [...]

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Historical Fiction: The Daughter of Time

Readers of history know that history is never quite what it seems – the old adage about it being written by the winners often applies, and such is the case in The Daughter of Time. I read this classic about ten years ago when the story was new to me, and remember feeling quite [...]

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Historical Novels: Abundance

 

 

Queen Marie Antoinette never said, “Let them eat cake” about her husband’s starving subjects, but she did make plenty of other mistakes that led [...]

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Quotes About Cats

“The phrase ‘domestic cat’ is an oxymoron.” – George Will
“Of all domestic animals the cat is the most expressive. His face is capable of showing a wide range of expressions. His tail is a mirror of his mind. His gracefulness is surpassed only by his agility. And, along with all these, he has [...]

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I’ve Been Tagged

by Yarnist.com.  The rules are, you go to Wikipedia and type in your birthday month and day. Then you post 3 events, 2 other births, and one holiday that occurred on your birthday. And tag 5 other bloggers. So here goes:
November 8
 Events:
1519 -Cortez enters Tenochtitlan, Mexico, and is welcomed as a mythic god by Montezuma.
1602 [...]

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Stonehenge Summer Solstice 2007 – Recreating Ancient (?) Rites

Oh, those crazy Brits. And Druids.

Anyway, happy longest day of the year!
Photos from BBC online.
link to Stonehenge Solstice 2008:
http://yourehistory.wordpress.com/2008/06/21/stonehenge-summer-solstice-2008/

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A Few History Quotes

“Women with “pasts” interest men because men hope that history will repeat itself.”
Mae West
“Histories are more full of examples of the fidelity of dogs than of friends.”
Alexander Pope
“Legend remains victorious in spite of history.”
Sarah Bernhardt
“Disobedience, in the eyes of anyone who has read history, is man’s original virtue. It is through disobedience that progress has [...]

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