The Content Reader

This book was read for the Brontë Reading Group. We met yesterday to discuss this classic tale of bigamy, deceit and murder. And what a discussion! Ms Braddon might have been devastated of all the things the group read into the characters and the events, or proud that she has managed to write a story which is so captivating, with its many tricks and turns. Lucy Graham is a governess with the local doctor when Sir Michael Audley, a middle aged local gentry, falls head over heels in love with her. She is the prettiest thing of earth, good tempered and too good to be true. She is loved by everyone, except Alicia, the daughter of Sir Michael from his first marriage. They marry and all is well until Sir Michael's nephew, Robert Audley, comes to visit with his friend George Talboys. George has been in Australia for several years to seek his luck in the gold industry. He comes back a rich man. On his return he finds that his wife is dead and has left their son with her father. George is...

The first book I read about Richard III was after they found his grave. That was Philippa Langley’s and Michael Jones’ book The King’s Grave: The Search for Richard III . One part is about the search for the grave and one part an overview of the history of Richard III. This book opened up a whole new part of English history, and led me to take an on-line course with Future Learn about England in the Time of Richard III . During the course, fellow students left recommendations of books, historical documentaries and the likes. One was a recommendation to read Pollard’s book. It is an excellent, academic account of Richard III’s life. It is objectively written as it should be when a historian takes pen to paper. Anthony James Pollard is a British medieval historian and has written several books on the Wars of the Roses, and is considered a leading authority on the subject. He writes in an accessible way and makes even facts, one way or the other, into something thrilling, and leaves yo...

This book came into my hands as a direct link to the Poldark series. I was looking at youtube and found this BBC drama from 2009 via Aidan Turner (Ross in Poldark). It is about the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, their lives and deeds in 19th century England. I had never heard about this group, but as is usual, once you hear about something it pops up everywhere. I downloaded the book and found a fantastic, real life story of passion, love, fanatism and a quest for the perfect painting. The group consisted of seven English painters, poets and critics who formed the initial "brotherhood", and the aim was to reform the art. They did not agree with the teachings of academic art at the time, and wanted to go back to older ways of painting, where much more detail was shown, the colours were more intense and more complex compositions from the Quattrocento Italian art.

It has been rather quiet on the blog for the last week. That is because I have been to England and was too busy with sightseeing. The aim for the trip was to pursue my interests in history and literature. I had such a great time and it was all so interesting that I have hardly come back to the 21st century yet. Still lingering in the border land of historical events and writer houses and books. During the next couple of weeks I will be sharing glimpses of my tour, and thoughts about what I have been seeing. Here a short itinerary of the trip. The Tower of London (with a history since 1066 there is a lot to see) Kensington Palace (Victoria Revealed, The Queen’s and King’s State Rooms) Leicester in the footsteps of Richard III (very interesting) Brighton (just enjoying a sunny day and a little bit of rest from sightseeing) Dorchester in the footsteps of Thomas Hardy (both the cottage where he was born and Max Gate which he built and where he lived most of his life) The Templa...

Some years ago I read a biography on E.M. Forster; A New Life by Wendy Moffat. Excellent The Sleepless Reader'  and she had a review of the book. biography. There is the first time I encountered the name of the above book and the name of Elizabeth von Arnim. Forster was, at a time, tutor to her children. Just a little bit later I was checking the blog of my friend Alex ' As so often happens, once you hear about someone or something, it usually pops up everywhere. So when I ventured down to the local library, which book screamed "take me, take me" if not Elizabeth and Her German Garden.  It has got fantastic reviews wherever you read about it. You are just to encounter another one! This is such a charming book, that you are totally drawn in from the first page. It is a funny, witty account on how Elizabeth, an English lady that married the German Count von Arnim. After some years of socialising in Berlin, they went to visit the 'summerhouse'. From the firs...

I recently read and reviewed Dark Quartet: The Story of the Brontës , which is the first of the two books Lynne Reid Banks has written about the Brontë family. The first book covers all of the siblings and ends when all of them, except Charlotte, are dead. This second book is about Charlotte and how she is coping on her own. It is historical fiction, but as with the first book, the characters are very well depicted, and, as far as I can tell, Lynne Reid Banks follow well the history of the family, as we know it. Charlotte, who has been used to have her siblings around her, and, mind you, for most of her life they have been the only social contact she had, feels the solitude heavy on her shoulders. However, there are highlights. Her fame, and that of her sisters, are rising and she is now much sought after. Her publisher Mr Smith, of which she has a crush, although she is quite aware that nothing can come out of it, is trying to include her in his social circles when she is in Londo...

Here some new books that will be published in April. As usual I tend to go towards history (fiction Silence of the Grave and Voices . Excellent. and non-fiction) but here are also a few thrillers. One from one of my favourite authors, the Icelandic Arnaldur Indridason. If you have not read anything by him, you just must do that. I have read Arnaldur Inddridason As you see there are also two books about Paris. I am already thinking ahead for the fantastic Paris in July  month organised by Eat Live Travel and others.   THE BEEKEEPER’S DAUGHTER by Santa Montefiore (Romance) Internationally bestselling author Santa Montefiore has written her first book set in America. THE BEEKEEPER’S DAUGHTER is the story of a mother and daughter searching for love and happiness, unaware of the secrets that bind them. To find what they are longing for, they must confront the past and unravel the lies told long ago. Simon & Schuster * 9781476735412 SHOCKING PARIS: Soutine, Ch...

A magnificent Magnolia tree Another sunny, lovely, spring day, so I decided to go for a bike ride. It is always good to combine 'work' with pleasure, so I decided to bike over to Wezembeek Oppem to buy tennis socks for my son. Our sport shop closed last year, and nothing new has popped up. Went through our lovely forest down to Tervuren, past the African museum and on to Wezembeek. 10 km later I spot the shop and... ouch! I had forgotten that it has turned into a fitness centre. Nothing to do but turn around. Once back in Tervuren, I pass a bike shop, where I stop to see if they have any nice biking clothes for the summer. They did not! Anyway, asked them if there is a sport shop around. Yes, in Stockel, another suburb around 4-5 km from where I am. All right, no problem for me. On my bike I go again, turn it around and head towards Stockel.

Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. This is the famous opening lines of this famous book, which, in spite of the theme, became a classic. Why is that? I think because it is so very well written, and in the way Nabokov has dealt with the theme.  Nabokov was born in St Petersburg in 1899. The family left Russia as the Bolsheviks seized power and went first to London and then to Berlin. He completed his studies in Cambridge, and had a very successful academic career alongside his writing. In 1940 he and his wife and son moved to America. “In the words of one critic Nabokov is ‘one of the most strikingly original novelist to emerge since Proust and Joyce…Not only did he gain a magnificent command of his second language, English and develop an extraordinary narrative and descriptive skill, but he brought to his task a visionary insight, a romantic verve and a grasp of human character that seem peculiarly his own.”

Finally a sunny day during the weekend. Perfect for taking out the bikes. This Sunday we went to Leuven, around 25 km from us. We revived old memories when we stopped over at tennis club Stade Leuven to drink some water. We used to come here with our son when he participated in tournaments. We covered all in all 47 km! Was I tired afterwords? Yes, indeed, but as always it feels good.

SPOILER ALERT! If you have not read until book 7, An Echo in the Bone , don't read this. Apart from all the very thick books in the Outlander series, Diana Gabaldon has also written shorter novels, which give us the opportunity to further follow some of the characters that inhabit her books. Most of them follow Lord John Grey. However, in this one it is Joan MacKimmie, Marsali's younger sister, that we follow on her way to become a nun in France. Michael Murray, young Ian's elder brother, accompany her there. He is working in the family wine business, and is in a mourning mood since both his wife and father died recently. Having arrived in Paris, Comte St. Germain has returned from somewhere in history. His aim this time is to find the source for youth. He is looking for the apothecary Raymond, but when he finally meets him, Raymond is not what he used to be. Does he not look younger? How come he can come and disappear in a cloud of dust? Has he found the source? We m...

Another book blog I read recently, related that the person having read this book did not know what to say about it. She/he had to think the book over before writing a review. I agree totally. It is always difficult to read a modern classic, and especially one that has received such raving reviews as this one.  A prize winner, a once in a life-time book, etc, etc. Can it live up to your expectations? Well, it did. That does not mean that it is easy to review it. It is not at all what I expected, but it is a wonderful book. Written from the view of Scout,  her brother Jem and friend Dill. The story relates three years of their life, and what is happening in their small, southern town in Alabama. The father Atticus Finch, is a lawyer and a widower. He is given a case where a black person is accused of raping and violated a white girl. This is no easy thing in the south in the 1930s. The trial takes up a large part of the story, although not always in the court room. It linger...

From Mallorca to Brussels. Among the minerals! Galatzo Half way up is as far as I got! Late spring but here it comes! Back in Brussels, spring is also late. But, here are a few signs that it is on it way. The sun has also favoured us with its presence.

While cleaning my book cases in Mallorca, I found this book about the Middle Ages. It is always good to dust the books from time to time. I, at least, usually find an interesting book, I forgot I had. Since I have recently found myself in the Middle Ages, it seemed like an omen.  Being a book for secondary students, it was very easy to read, very pedagogic (it even explains very simple things that you think one would know in general), and very interesting. The book covers all areas of the society like; Monks and Missionaries, Byzantines, Arabs and Franks, Saxons and Vikings, England United - and Conquered, Norman and Plantagenet, The Sword and the Cross, Kings and Rebellious Lords, Village and Town, The Break-up of Feudal Society. It ends around the mid-15th century, just before Richard III times' which I studied lately. Here some 'tit-bits' of information that I found interesting. The Anglo-Saxons, or English, came from the continent of Europe which is today part of...