Tag Archives: Genres

The Romance Garden!

September 6, 2016 peaadmin

It’s the beginning of a new month, dear readers, and that means another review of the best books that our genre devotees have found this month. We hope it inspires you to try something new, and revel in all things romantic. Because, as we always say, every mind needs a little dirt in which to grow….

Elizabeth-von-Arnim — Elizabeth von Arnim

Bridget: The Chocolate Touch by Laura Florand

3425399 For reasons that we shall discuss a bit later, I had Paris on my mind a little while back, and whenever that happens, I always turn to Laura Florand’s work. Her books are always fun, always clever, full of terrific descriptions….there’s only one drawback, which will become evident shortly…

Jaime Corey, the younger sister of the owner of Corey Chocolate (fans of this series will know all about this fictional American mass-market chocolate company), has spent years trying to compensate for her privilege by helping those less fortunate. But after suffering a severe trauma, Jaime decides that the time has come to take care of herself. So she decides to travel to Paris for a little ‘chocolate therapy’. And it is there she discovers Dominique Richard’s chocolate boutique, and simply can’t stay away.

Dominique has clawed his way from nothing to become Paris’ top chocolatier, and his bad-boy reputation only adds to his enormous reputation. But nothing can keep him from noticing the young woman who has started coming to his boutique everyday–for reasons he can’t quite define. And soon, Dominique finds himself crafting chocolate concoctions specifically for her, delighting in surprising her with his invention. But Dominique is a big, imposing person with a temper, and is terrified that he will develop into his abusive father if he lets himself care too much about anyone–can he and Jaime overcome their mutual fears to find their way together?

This book was a bit darker than the other books in Florand’s Chocolate Romances, but she handles both Jaime’s issues and Dominique’s with admirable grace. The romance here was also a bit less fiery and wild, and more intimate, gentle, and deeply felt, giving this story a beautifully different, and wonderfully unforgettable feel all the way through. I can’t tell you how tired I am of aggressive alpha-males in romances, and Dominique’s willingness to put all his own privileges aside to win Jaime was precisely what I needed.

The only problem? Florand’s books leave me starving. Her description are so vivid and visceral…I dare you to read this book without making an emergency run for some chocolate. Consider yourself warned!

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Kelley: A Season of Ruin by Anna Bradley

3781540 Looking for a short but sweet tale to fill a late summer afternoon? Anna Bradley’s A Season of Ruin delivers a can’t-put-it-down romance in just over 300 pages! Don’t be fooled by the book’s length though; the characters are well-developed, the wit is sharp, and the romance is just as passionate as in any longer tale.

When perfectly proper Lily Somerset goes to London for her first season she is not looking for love or passion; her goal is to simply make a practical match with a gentleman of impeccable reputation, no matter how boring he may be. However, Lily’s plans quickly get complicated when she mistakes a room containing none other than Robyn Sutherland, London’s most notorious rake, for the ladies’ salon.

In order to save Lily from ruin, Robyn reluctantly becomes her escort for the season. We quickly learn the reason for Lily’s inhibitions and extreme propriety, and Robyn might be just the person to convince her to come out of her self-imposed shell. But will Lily be able to show Robyn that he is capable of better than the life he has chosen to lead up until now?

A novel of hidden passions and awakened potential, the second in Bradley’s Sutherland Scandals series is definitely one to check out.

Until next month, dear readers…keep your heart happy!

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The Unsung (Beta) Hero

August 14, 2016 peaadmin

Last week, we chatted a bit about the Alpha Hero: the head of the pride/pack, the domineering, aggressive, demands-first-slice-of-pizza quintessential man’s man of romance novels.

…But is that all there is?

I mean, Alpha’s are fine. Someone has to be an alpha, right? They all, to a man, apparently look fantastic in suits, so that’s a plus. But, as we also pointed out, if every hero was an alpha…and a worrying number of them seem to be…they’d just spend all day fighting each other. Or, worse yet, become really boring and predictable elements of romances.

So what is the alternative?

Meet the Beta Hero.

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They’re not always easy to find, because they’re not constantly demanding attention, and not always the source of conflict and tension in a plot. They tend to be a little quieter, a bit more of a thinker. But unlike the Alpha, who wears a list of his dominant traits on his designer t-shirt, the Beta Hero often hides a surprising depth under his generally calm exterior that makes him (in my opinion, anyway) a generally far more intriguing character. Beta Heroes also often tend to be more confident and grounded than Alphas, because they are not constantly in fear of someone stealing their social position–Betas carve their own niche for themselves, and revel in it. This helps them, in turn, be very supportive of their heroines, allowing them room and support to grow, and that lack of contention and argument can be enormously refreshing.

beta_shirt_large This also means that Beta Heroes have a lot more room to grow. Whereas most Alpha Heroes have little choice but to double-down on their dominant tendencies when challenged (although a select few don’t), Beta heroes have room to grow, to assume Alpha tendencies when challenged, or to become something else entirely–and that choice is uniquely theirs. This often allows Beta Heroes to have a unique story-arc within a story that is as fascinating as the heroine’s journey, rather than forcing him to be a fixed point within a plot.

So just where are these Betas to be found? Here are a few of my personal favorites to get you started on your quest:

3092802 Jason, from Follow My Lead: I’ve gone on and on about this book in the past, but that won’t stop me from going on and on about it a bit more here. Though this book is, on the surface, all about Winnifred Crane’s journey to prove the authenticity of a painting in order to win acceptance from her father’s Historical Society, that shouldn’t detract from the wonderful Beta Hero who accompanies her–Jason Cummings, Duke of Rayne. Jason is by no means an Alpha…if he were, this book probably couldn’t have happened, as he would demand to plan Winn’s journey for her, rather than accompany her on a beautiful, delightful roadtrip-from-hell. The result is a trip in which both hero and heroine grow enormously, and realize just what they are capable of accomplishing, individually and together. Most Alpha Heroes never laugh…or when they do, it’s at someone else’s expense. One of my favorite scenes in this book is when Winn and Jason laugh together over a private joke so hard that it ends a scene.

Ian MacKenzie, from The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie: Another favorite book is this remarkable opening to Jennifer Ashley’s MacKenzie series. Ian MacKenzie would, today (and in the Real World) most likely be diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, a condition that exists on the Autism Spectrum; he is highly intelligent, but he is unable to read social cues, has trouble communicating with others, and tends to be deeply, almost obsessively focused on the things that interest him–in this case, his porcelain collection, and Beth Ackerley. MacKenzie demonstrates the huge range of potential for an alpha hero–he is a failure according to social standards, having spend his childhood in an asylum, and is shunned by many because he doesn’t (and possibly can’t) conform to society’s expectations. But as Beth comes to know him, we, as readers, realize just how exceptional–and heroic–Ian really is. And, best of all, eventually, he does, too.

Jonathan Strange, from Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell: Ok, ok, I know this isn’t a romance per se, but Strange is such a perfect example of a beta hero that I couldn’t resist. He begins the story without a clue what he wants from life, but when he finds it, he perfectly demonstrates all the ways in which a Beta Hero can adapt and evolve. Though Strange eventually realizes his desire to become the greatest practical magician in England, he is willing to share the spotlight with Mr. Norrell…that is, until Arabella, the center of his world, is threatened. Then, Strange becomes something else entirely–a secretive recluse, willing to explore any shadow or practice any arcane bit of magic in order to win Arabella back. This is precisely the kind of transformation an Alpha wouldn’t be able to make–because Strange is never a villain, but he is willing to act in a very unheroic manner, generally speaking–and also demonstrates the kind of range possible for a Beta Hero when push comes to shove.

3679669 Zacharias Wythe, from Sorcerer to the Crown: And since we’re on non-romance Beta Heroes, we can’t forget the wonderful, Sorcerer Royal of the Unnatural Philosophers. Even though he, as the first African to achieve the position of Sorcerer Royal, a fearsomely powerful magician, and an extraordinarily diplomatic public servant, Zacharias doesn’t want to be a singular, Alpha-type hero. Instead, he allies himself with Prunella Gentleman, a woman of enormous magical talent, whose dreams are far bigger than anyone–except, save Zacharias–is able to appreciate. Zacharias is uniquely able to share the spotlight with Prunella in this phenomenal adventure, and to remain true to himself and those he cares about, forging his own unique path, making him a fascinating Beta Hero, who doesn’t need others adoration in order to know the truth of his own convictions.

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The Roar of the Alpha Hero

August 9, 2016 peaadmin

We’ve begun a discussion on Villains, dear readers, so it only stands to reason that we pay a little attention to the heroes, as well. Today, I wanted to share a few thoughts with you on a very particular kind of hero–one who shows up most often in romance novels and about whom I (and, I suspect, many of you) have many, many thoughts: The Alpha Male.

First of all–what is an Alpha Male?

Very basically speaking, an alpha male is the top-ranking male in a mammalian social group. Some animals, like dogs, monkeys, horses, and lions, live in a social structure in the wild where survival isn’t guaranteed. Thus, in order for their group to survive, they have to identify the strongest, the fiercest, and the smartest within their group–those animals get the best food and breeding rights, in order to ensure the survival of the group as a whole. It is important to note that there are Alpha Females, and, in species that mate for life, Alpha Pairs. There is no hard-and-fast rule that says that all Alphas must be male, or that all males are alphas (if they were, no group would survive long, because they’d all be fighting all the time). Whether the Alpha is male or female, they are responsible for, and representative of the group as a whole.

Because we’re humans, this concept, like so many others, get super-complicated. We’re not pack animals in the same way that lions or wolves are, and our methods of communication, courtship, and interactions are specific to our human species, so this concept is a bit different for us, both in life, and in the stories we tell about that life. One of the specifics of our society is that we live in a patriarchy (defined as a system of society in which the father or eldest male is head of the family and descent is traced through the male line). Therefore, when we talk about heroes, we are not just talking about an individual person (even if we are, and even if that person is physical). We are talking about our society as a whole. Our heroes are representatives of our society–as it is, as it might be, as we want it to be.*

So what? You might be heard to ask.

So…

Romance novels, as we’ve said plenty of times before, are a place where we can talk about people finding their place–in their own lives, with others, and in their world, and they do that through their relationship with another person. In traditional romances, it is a woman finding her place with a man. The reason that romance novels so often center around an Alpha Male is because he is supposed to represent what a society values most (which is why we don’t have Alpha Heroines), in the same way, say, an alpha lion, has all the biological qualities that its pride values.

Romance novel heroes don’t have majestic manes (usually…unless they are, like, shape-shifters, or something…not that there’s anything wrong with that….). So we need to look a little closer at what qualities our heroes do have, and what that means. And we also have the right, as readers, to decide if we are willing to accept those qualities. It’s as radical a social statement as any I can imagine!

Scrooge McDuck--the quintessential rich alpha duck. — Scrooge McDuck–the quintessential rich alpha duck.

American romance novels, specifically, are filled with self-made men, who are all incongruously good-looking, absurdly young, and insanely, illogically wealthy. In fact, I find it really interesting to see how the genre has gone from making “The Millionaire” into “The Billionaire” as capitalism continues to raise the stakes. What is important here (for me, at least) is which is more important–the hero’s work ethic, or his money? If it’s the first, then I am definitely on this hero’s team. Even if times are hard–if his obscure real estate/investment/architecture/tech firm goes into the red, he has the fortitude to survive, and to try again. Captain Wentworth, from Jane Austen’s Persuasion is just such a man, who isn’t afraid of a lifetime of “honourable toil and just rewards”. If it’s all about the money, then we have problems. Because now we are glorifying privilege and not the person, and inherently not considering the ways in which he uses that privilege against others. Heathcliff managed to acquire a fortune–and then proceeds to swindle a bunch of men out of their houses. More recently, Cole, from J. Kenner’s Ignited, owns a strip-club, a career that is never properly interrogated in the story, because of his privileged status.

Does this mean that heroes can’t evolve? Absolutely not. Mr. Rochester is one of my all-time favorite heroes, in part because he goes from a rich-and-privileged hero to one who learns the value of what he has, and what he has lost. So is Rhys WInterborne from Lisa Kleypas’ latest–he can buy his fiance any ring she wants, but it’s his willingness to work for her heart that really counts, in the end.

We’ve all seen plenty of buff gentlemen on the covers of books. Which, again, shows a considerable work ethic and plenty of dedication (and a very good personal trainer). But it’s what a hero does with that strength that is so important. If he’s using it for a purpose, that’s great. Rocky Balboa is always my favorite example of this kind of hero. He’s got the brawn and the skills to pummel everyone. But he doesn’t. The closest he comes to fighting outside the ring is to defend Adrian…and still steps back when she realizes she’s strong enough to fight her own battles. When that strength is used to manipulate…again, we have a problem. In Collleen Hoover’s Hopeless, the female protagonist states, upon meeting the hero, “My instinct is telling me to run and scream, but my body wants to wrap itself around his glistening, sweaty arms.” This is especially important not only of the physical danger this can pose, but because it’s also an indication of plenty of other forms of manipulation that can be used to coerce another person…and it’s critically important that we give our characters the ability to recognize that none of them are cool.

Again, this doesn’t mean heroes can learn, and can’t change. But we need to realize that what the behavior that we sanction in our Alpha Males are the same behaviors that we sanction in real life. And books give us a space to think about those behaviors and those traits, and, especially, to understand how we think about them.

A final note, I noted about that we are talking about “traditional” romances, which are those that feature a man and a woman. We are really lucky to be reading at a time when there are a fast-growing number of romances that feature a range of identities–primarily gay and queer, but the genre is expanding day by day, and, in the process, reinventing our ideas of what it means to be a hero/heroine/protagonist. And I, for one, think it is sensational.

*If you’re interested in learning more about this concept, I urge you to check out Catherine Roach’s splendid article “Getting a Good Man to Love: Popular Romance Fiction and the Problem of Patriarchy“. My students got a kick out of it, and I hope you will, too!

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Summertime Shivers…

July 21, 2016 peaadmin

book_cover — Summertime is a super time for scaring yourself silly!

Last summer, I talked about my love of scary stories and horror novels, and specifically how I always tend to read them in the summertime. As I mentioned then, maybe it has something to do with the abundance of sunshine in the summertime, and the stark contrast between the darkness inside the book and the brightness outside. Maybe because I have the time to really sink into the atmosphere and sensations of a book in the summer, more than I do over the school year. But, as I continue my summertime horror-binge, I had few more thoughts about The Scary Stuff and (naturally), some recommendations to pass on.

First off, horror novels, the really good horror novels that nestle under your skin, that stain your hands, that linger in your dreams, take a heck of a lot of work. A lot of writers do the gory stuff, and, frankly, I don’t find those things too scary. Stomach-churning? Absolutely. But the kind of horror that floats my boat really aren’t that gory or explicit at all. My favorite horror novels are the ones that create a fully-immersive world for me to believe in, and characters who are real enough for me to feel for them, and the plight into which they fall. When my heart and mind are engaged (instead of my stomach), it’s a lot easier to scare me. This takes a lot of work, and no considerable amount of talent, over and above a knowledge of the human anatomy and how to take it apart. As a result, some horror novels feature some of the most beautiful, descriptive, and insightful writing I’ve come across, precisely because they need to build that emotional and imaginative bond in order to have the proper effect on the reader.

Secondly, as a reader with anxiety–and book anxiety, to boot–scary stories are actually really helpful. My mind really loves jumping to the worst case scenario, to the ‘what-ifs’, to all the things that could go wrong–and I spend a lot of time and energy trying to ignore those thoughts, or silence those worries, and it’s really tiring. Horror novels provide a safe space to explore those fears, by not only presenting you with a worst-case scenario (sometimes its realistic, sometimes its supernatural or extraterrestrial), but also by reveling in it. A lot of these books also leave a lot of room for the reader to insert their own thoughts and fears into the story. I’m thinking of the scene in ‘Salem’s Lot where the Glick boys are in the woods, and Danny Glick says he sees “it”. We, as readers, are never really told what it is, or what it looks like…which gives us plenty of room to place our own bogeymen into that space. Good horror books let us take our fears and worries and concerns out of the shadows and explore them, an act which takes a lot of power away from those fears.

So, if you’re looking to explore the world of scary stuff for the first time, or searching around for a new fix, here are a few of my recent favorite horror selections to give you some summertime shivers…

A Head Full of Ghosts: When Stephen King says a story scared him, we should sit up and pay attention, but I wasn’t sold on it until about the last 50 pages. But oh, those last fifty pages made this book one of the best I have read in a really, really long time. Fifteen years ago, the Barrett family (of Beverly, Massachusetts) were the subject of an enormously popular reality show called The Possession, that allegedly documented fourteen-year-old Marjorie’s struggle with demonic possession. Now, Marjorie’s younger sister, Merry, is telling her side of the story to a journalist who is hoping to get behind the now-famous scenes of the show to what really happened. This is a heartbreaking, and ultimately horrifying, intoxicating story of familial relations and the fragile ties that bind us, about the desperation and despair of failure, and asks a lot of questions that are impossible to accurately answer. This is a very tricky book to describe without giving things away, so….just read it. Then we can talk.

I’m Thinking of Ending Things: This book falls very squarely into the category of cerebral horror, where the reader is given just enough information to follow the plot, but not nearly enough information to feel comfortable. What we know is that the narrator (who is not named, despite a number of summaries that state the contrary, grr….) is driving with her boyfriend to meet his parents. But there are so many weird, off-putting, seemingly incongruous events and conversations taking place in the course of this story that it becomes very clear there is far more going on beneath the surface. Add to this the snippets of conversation we overhear throughout this book, and the stage is set for a book that will play around with your mind for everyone of its 200 pages. Though the ending of this book was a little too psuedo-deep/intellectual for my tastes, if you like narrative tricks and literary conjuring tricks, along with a thick, increasingly tense and inexplicably hostile atmosphere in your reading, this book is definitely for you.

Security: We recently featured Gina Wohlsdorf’s debut in a recent post, and, since then, and I am here to tell you that All The Reviews are right–this is a remarkably told, viscously creative, and expertly-balanced story that keeps readers on edge by telling them everything….except ‘why’. Manderley has been billed as the most luxurious, and the most secure hotel in the world. But, days before its opening, a Killer is stalking the halls and rooms of Manderley, killing off its staff one by one. The story is narrated by an anonymous member of Manderley’s security staff, who watches all the action from the totally isolated security room on the hotel’s top floor…with less impartiality than one might expect. There are times when the narrative diverges, sometimes visibly on the page, as we watch characters going up and down the elevators, entering different rooms on different floors, allowing us to keep tabs on them at all times–but never quite sure what is going to happen next. Though there is a more gruesomeness in this book than most, Wohlsdorf handles it with grown-up discretion, and tempers it by offering insights into her characters and their relationships…and even providing a pitch-perfect love story in the midst of everything that balances this book perfectly and makes it one that is impossible to put down.

There will definitely be more scary stuff to come readers, but for now–enjoy!

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Wanderlust Reading List: Belgium

July 11, 2016 peaadmin

Happy Monday, dear readers!

Today, we bring you a wanderlust reading list based on my recent trip to Belgium…it was for a history conference, which was great, but to be honest, I was so busy, I didn’t even get a waffle. I’m not joking.

I spent most of my time in Ghent, a port city that grew along the convergence of the Scheldt and Leie rivers, and was one of the wealthiest cities in Belgium–and Europe–in the middle ages. Flemish art and culture flourished here, as can been seen in the stunning architecture and artwork throughout the city; for the record, ‘Flemish’ is a word that describes the Dutch language and culture, as well as the numerous dialects of the Dutch language (Belgian Dutch sounds surprisingly different from Netherlands Dutch, which I never knew!)

The city remained a major site for the textile industry, making it a hub of culture and commerce well into the 19th century, and the War of 1812 ended with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent. Two years later, the University of Ghent was established, and remains a prestigious place of learning to this day.

Though Ghent was occupied by the German Army in both World War One and World War Two, but remained comparatively untouched, especially in comparison to places like Ypres, which was literally wiped off the map. As a result, Ghent is a stunningly beautiful city, with panoramic river views, big statues, wide, welcoming squares, and plenty of outdoor spaces in which to take it all in. There are oodles of bars, cafes, and restaurants, offering a huge variety of food and drink–particularly Belgian beer, which is typically light in color and so wheaty that it’s rather like drinking a dinner roll. As a result, it’s a perfect choice for drinking while sitting a spell near the river and watching the varied world go by.

And while I didn’t get a waffle in the course of my travels, I did, however, find a charming English-language bookstore by the Leie River, who introduced me to a whole range of Belgian literature (in translation, obviously) that made me feel like I had spent weeks wandering the Flemish countryside, waffle in hand, chatting with charming Dutch-speaking locals and their picturesque cows. And, thanks to that chat, I was able to get a number of recommendations for those who would like to take an armchair adventure to Belgium–and might very well come back having experienced much more culture than I did!

The Square of Revenge: Pieter Aspe is a best-selling Flemish crime author whose detective Pieter Van In, who lives and works in a fictionalized Bruge, is fast becoming a cultural institution. He’s got every bad habit you can think of, from chain-smoking to gruff, phlemgy interruptions of anyone with whom he disagrees, but there is no doubt that Van In can get the job done. In this first of his cases, Van In is called to investigate a break-in of one of Bruge’s most famous, luxurious jewelry store; but rather than make off with the assortment of precious and historic jewels, the vandals dumped them in a vat of corrosive acid, leaving only a scrap of paper on which a strange square has been drawn in the burgled safe. Together with the stunning and sharp DA Hannelore Martens, Van In finds himself being drawn ever further into a case that becomes increasingly complicated with every step. Not only is this book a superb introduction to a beloved Belgian series, but armchair adventurers will love Aspe’s descriptions of Bruge and the lives of his characters there.

Styx: The prolific and consistently surprising Bavo Dhooge was born in Ghent, though his latest paranormal detective novel is set in the coastal city of Ostend. Rather like Aspe’s Van In, the detective in this story, the middle-aged Rafael Styx, is cranky and sore, dealing with a bad hip and a failing marriage. However, this case deals with a ruthlessly clever serial killer known as The Stuffer, who fills his victims full of sand and poses them as public art installations. Indeed, Styx very nearly winds up as The Stuffer’s latest victims–but rather than dying of the shot he took to the chest, Styx instead wakes up a zombie. Though he has to deal with some unpleasant side-effects of this condition, not least of which is nearly-controllable bodily decay and a growing taste for human flesh, Styx finds that there are benefits–including the ability to travel within Ostend’s history, which gives Styx a very unique insight into his criminal prey. Dhooge’s description of Ostend during the Belle Epoque is not to be missed, but it is his wickedly black humor and willingness to take his story where you least expect it, is really what makes this book such a treat to read.

On Black Sisters Street: A native of Nigeria, Chika Unigwe now lives in Belgium, and her stories relate the pain, struggles, and consistent loss that is the immigrant experience. In this novel, set in Antwerp, four women share an apartment in the red-light district, pledged to a ruthless Madam and an enigmatic pimp, they are seen by most as little more than commodities. But in Unigwe’s startling and deeply moving story, each woman presents her own story, revealing her deep humanity, and the secrets, hopes, and fears that drive her onward. Though bleak, the bond that forms between these women is powerful and transformative, making this story far more than a tear-jerker. It is also a ruthlessly precise and incisive view of Europe from an African perspective, giving new insight into the perennial issue of immigration, to Europe, as well as around the world.

Cheese: There is no political satire quite like a Belgian political satire, and this classic by Dutch author William Elsschot is a hallmark of that particular genre. First published in 1933, this novel tells the story of Frans Laarmans, a harried clerk in Antwerp who suddenly finds himself the chief agent for Edam cheese, those little red-rind Dutch cheeses, and ordered to sell thousands of wheels, and some 370 cases containing ten thousand full-cream cheeses. This might be some people’s dream come true, but not only does Laarmans not know how to run a business, he doesn’t even like cheese! As a visit from his bosses loom, Laarmans traverses the city, exploring its rigid class structure and charming foibles, gently cracking under the pressure of cheese. Though Elsschot had a stellar wit, and delivers the details of this story with deadpan humor, he still manages to build quite a lot of tension into the story, dragging readers along on Laarmans’ quest to sell cheese and recover his life. This book also provides some fascinating insight into the world of historic Belgium, and all its quirks.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this adventure, dear readers!

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Wanderlust Reading List: Time-Traveling Edition!

June 12, 2016 peaadmin

When I am not hanging out behind the circulation desk at the Library and oogling all the books, I teach history at A Nearby University. This summer, I get to teach a course on the History of the British Empire, which is a favorite area of mine to study, and therefore, makes for a really fun class to teach.

Over the course of the semester, I’ve come to a few realizations…first, I know a ridiculous amount of information on the history of the British Empire that will probably never prove useful outside the classroom (unless Alex Trebek returns my phone calls…). Secondly, because my students really enjoy learning through fiction, I’ve been discovering a wealth of new and classic stories from around the British Empire that I though might be fun to share with you.

The great part about a course on Empire, and especially one with as vast and enduring a history as the British Empire, is that you get to read around the world as you study; we’ve read tales from India and Zimbabwe, Ireland to Burma, England itself to New Zealand, from the 18th century through to nearly the present day, exploring stories that give glimpses into native culture, into interactions between those natives and the British, and the ways in which Empire shaped, and forever changed the people who were involved in it.

Of course, there’s no escaping the damage that imperialism caused in many of these places, and one always has to contend with the kind of “rah-rah Empire” books that were especially popular in the late 19th century, with Alan Quartermaine and the Boy’s Own Adventure tales, and while those are useful, especially for understanding how empire looked to the imperialists, what’s really incredible are the local, native voices that we can still discover through the stories they left, and the memories they shared of a time that has passed, but from which we are still, as a species, trying to recover.

So let’s go on a bit of an expedition, shall we, and take a look at some stories from across the history of the British Empire. Here are just a few selections to sooth your Wanderlust (and Time-Traveling Desires!)…for a little while, at least…

Sea of Poppies: This first book in Amitav Ghosh’s Ibis trilogy is set in 1838, primarily aboard the Ibis, a ship owned by a wealthy and powerful opium merchant, and transporting Indian girmitiyas (indentured workers) to Mauritius. Ghosh takes exquisite care detailing the histories of the Ibis’ human cargo, showing just how vast and diverse the British-controlled areas of south-east Asia were, particularly during the opium wars (fought between the British and the Chinese Imperial Navy over Britain’s illegal marketing of opium in China). The trilogy spins out as the Ibis makes it way through hurricanes and human drama to its destination, and Ghosh, who is a master of language and description, makes sure that readers feel each event, not only on their skin, but in their souls.

Three Day Road: Next (in terms of chronological setting) is Joseph Boyden’s stunning novel about two Cree soldiers fighting on the Western Front in the First World War. Boyden based his novel on the story of Francis Pegahmagabow, the most decorated First Nations soldier in the Canadian Army, and also Canada’s most effective sniper during World War One, as well as John Shiwak, an Inuk, who also served as a sniper, and who died at the Battle of Cambrai . But this story is about far more than military exploits. Boyden explores every aspect of Elijah’s and Xavier’s life, from their upbringing on a reservation, and the indescribable harm that mission schools wrought on Cree culture, to their war experiences, and the agony of returning home. As a result, not only do readers get a sense of these men’s incredible spirit, but of their own individual strength, honed through years of oppression and dedication to their families, even as the world around them keeps trying to pull them apart. This book is fairly unique within the cannon of First World War literature, as it gives voice to a group of native peoples who tales, until very recently, have largely been overlooked in traditional histories, but for all that, is wonderfully readable and wholly immersive.

Nervous Conditions: Tsitsi Dangarembga’s debut novel, which was named twelfth in a list of “Africa’s Top 100 Books” (an interesting list, though it continues ignoring the individual countries that make up the continent of Africa) is a partially autobiographical tale of a young girl struggling to get an education. Tambu–the primary character of the novel–is a fierce and determined little girl, who sees, with painful clarity, not only the injustices in the world around her, caused by the racist ideology fostered by imperialism, but also in her family, as her older brother is sent off to an elite boarding school while she is forced to remain at home. Everything changes, however, when her brother dies, giving Tambu the chance to go to school. This is a book that works on a number of levels; as a coming of age story, it is wonderfully moving, and immediately engaging. As a novel of colonialism, Dangarembga doesn’t back down from confronting the system that has limited her people and culture so forcefully. As a memoir, it is very sensitive to its characters, their traditions, and the motivations that drive them to act as they do, making the final, gut-wrenching scene that much more powerful.

The Wind that Shakes the Barley: So, this isn’t a book, I know. However, it’s been the favorite of my class to date this semester, so I couldn’t not include it on this list. This film, written and directed by Ken Loach, tells the story of the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921) and the Irish Civil War (1921-1923) through the eyes of the O’Donovan brothers and their comrades. Cillian Murphy plays Damien, the idealistic younger brother, whose life-long goal of being a doctor is utterly derailed when he sees firsthand the violence of the British on the people of his hometown. This is a challenging, brutal, and surprisingly human film that really gets to the deeply personal motives behind the Irish independence movement, and the effects of that struggle on those who fought it on both sides.

So, enjoy, felling Wanderers–and safe travels!

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The Romance Garden!

June 2, 2016 peaadmin

Today, dear patrons, we return to the Romance Garden, where our genre experts and aficionados bring you some highlights of the romance genre…because, as we love to say around here, every mind needs a little dirt in which to grow…..

Bridget: Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren

I have this weird issue where if I hear from too many sources that something is really good, I instinctively avoid it. Which is kind of dumb, I admit, and usually means that I catch on to a reading trend later than most, simply out of sheer mule-headed stubbornness. This is one of the reasons it took me such a ridiculously long time to discover that everyone was right, and that the two-woman writing team that makes up the pen name Christina Lauren are, indeed, fantastic romance writers.

In this debut we meet Chloe Mills, a incredibly driven and thoroughly ambitious MBA student, who is determined to make a name for herself, even though she is only an intern. There is only one thing standing in her way–Bennett Ryan, her new, supremely arrogant, utterly inconsiderate (and, naturally, insanely handsome) boss. Things were fine when Bennett was working from Paris, but now that they are in the same room together, things are taking a turn for the very heated, and very quickly. But when their animosity turns into something much more…intimate, both Bennett and Chloe find themselves in wholly new territory. Both are terrified of what their feelings for each other might mean, and what the implications might be for their careers, but the only other option is walking away….

This book succeeds on a number of levels–first, and foremost for me, is the level of honesty that Bennett and Chloe achieve fairly early. There are few things in this world that annoy me more than characters who can’t (or won’t communicate) in an adult manner, but these two kept it very, very real throughout the story, which put the emotional aspects of their relationship front and center throughout. Secondly, I love that we get to see them at their worst. That may sound a little mercenary, but you know there’s something real going on when two lovers can deal with food poisoning and still want to hang out with each other. And no one, but no one, does reunion scenes better than Christina Laurens, so by the time that we all get to the end of this tale, there is no doubt that Chloe and Bennett are the real deal. For those who like their romance quite spicy and very salty, this is a sure bet.

Kelley: The Legend of Lyon Redmond by Julie Anne Long

When Lyon Redmond and Oliva Eversea set eyes on each other for the first time, the force of their attraction generates a star-crossed romance that will impact their rival families for years to come. Knowing their parents will oppose a courtship, Oliva and Lyon meet secretly for months and their friendship quickly develops into something much more. You can probably guess what happens next: Lyon asks his father to support his marriage to Olivia, Dad says no, and then Olivia is faced with a “run away with me tonight or this is goodbye” ultimatum that separates the young lovers for years to come….

Which brings us to the beginning of the book. Olivia Eversea, an expert at eluding suitors, has finally decided to tie the knot. When word of her impending marriage reaches long-departed now-pirate Lyon Redmond, he is inspired to make a return visit to England for an opportunity at some closure with the woman he never stopped loving. What follows is a fantastic tale of kidnapping, tropical islands, passion and, of course, second chances.

Unknowingly, I started at the end of this story, and what I mean by that is that The Legend of Lyon Redmond is the 11th and last book of Long’s Pennyroyal Green series. The book worked well as a stand-alone, but it’s easy to see where Lyon and Olivia’s siblings’ stories would make wonderful novels of their own. Overall, I thought this was a fun page-turner romance, but I was disappointed in the epilogue which involves a 200 year jump that feels like it comes out of nowhere. Despite the epilogue, I would still recommend the book, and do plan to check out some of Long’s other Pennyroyal Green titles.

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