Helen has always been the most well-known woman from the legend of Troy, but author Pat Barker brings to life another woman who, through no will of her own, played a role even more critical to the Trojan War mythology. Briseis. The queen of a city sacked by Achilles when the war first began, she was given to him as a war prize to be his concubine. Barker’s last novel, The ... Read More...
Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty
I often talk about fiction that evokes strong emotion, but I’m not as likely to find it in nonfiction. Until now. Patrick Keefe’s Empire of Pain has left me angrier than I’ve been in a long time. The book’s subtitle should clarify things: The Secret History of the Sackler Family Dynasty. If you’ve never read Dopesick or any news on the opioid crisis in America the name Sackler ... Read More...
Summer Fun Reading
We’re in the midst of a hot summer week here in Michigan so in my head I’m lounging in the middle of this flamingo floatie. Given the heat (and humidity!) I’m going to keep it light and cool today with two novels that check all the boxes for summer fun reading. Both involve big weddings, travel, extravagance, complicated families, and love. At the same time, both have ... Read More...
June Reading Wrap-Up
Goodbye, June! I wish I could say I was going to miss you, but honestly, there hasn’t been a month in 2020 that I haven’t been ready to escape. Only there is no such thing. There is gratitude that my life and the lives of those I care about are safe and secure (as much as possible), but looking beyond that small circle becomes more painful every day. I know this is a book blog ... Read More...
The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
It begins with the gathering up of the women. They are herded into what used to be a sports stadium and separated into groups. Based on what? Not race. Not age. No, profession. Doctors recognize fellow practitioners, teachers band together, lawyers huddle. They’re kept for days, even weeks. And then, the executions start. This is the chilling introduction to The Testaments, ... Read More...
Delayed Rays of a Star
The premise for Delayed Rays of a Star is one I love. In 1928 young photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt took a photo of three women at a party in Berlin (see below). One of them, Anna May Wong, was already famous as a Hollywood actress, but the other two, Marlene Dietrich and Leni Riefenstahl had yet to achieve celebrity. Author Amanda Lee Koe takes this one photograph and spins it ... Read More...
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