THE SIX WIVES OF HENRY VIII by Alison Weir

4 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: Twitter/X

In a Nutshell: Non-fiction account of the lives of the six queens

There is no doubt that this book is an exceptionally well-researched tome, with many quotes from those who were there at the time; this gives invaluable weight to those of us fascinated by these six women.

I did detect a certain bias; Weir has little good to say about Anne Boleyn, portraying her as a woman ruled by her ambition before anything else, though she mentioned the good works which Anne undertook without fanfare.  This, to me, made some of the other assumptions about her character seem less likely.  There is, of course, no doubt that Henry VIII was an overgrown child-monster who treated every one of them appallingly at some point during their time with him, but I've always believed (perhaps naïvely, I don't know) that Anne was as in love with Henry as he was with her.

I liked Weir's thoughts about Jane Seymour, that she was not just pushed forward by her family, but had calculated ambitions of her own.  I have long thought this, that she was not the retiring innocent flower of legend.  Catherine Howard I felt got a raw deal from this book, as it concentrated on her wanton ways rather than the fact that, as a child brought up without parents and siblings, she was preyed on by older men.  However, so much that we think or think we know about these famous ladies cannot be proven, so perhaps I read it with as much bias as that with which I considered it to be written - it's hard to assess!

I enjoyed reading this book, though I admit to skip reading some of what I considered to be rather laboured detail about the various political situations, though I can understand why it was included.

It's good, but I was a little disappointed in parts.

I, RICHARD PLANTAGENET by J P Reedman @stonehenge2500 #TuesdayBookBlog

5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: Recommendation - can't remember who from, alas; Amazon tells me I downloaded it in 2021.  I was looking down my Kindle Unlimited library to decide what to return; when I saw it, I wondered why I had not read it before!

In a Nutshell: Part 1 of a trilogy about Richard Plantagenet, later to become King Richard III

This book covers Richard's childhood, from little more than infancy to the age of fourteen.  It is told in the first person, which I always like best for historical fiction based on fact.

I loved this book, so much that I downloaded the next two before I'd finished it (and am already reading #2).  J P Reedman has written Richard as I imagined him: a loyal, intelligent, studious and serious boy, wise beyond his years in many respects.  The other Yorks and those close to them were also portrayed exactly as I see them - Edward IV the golden, kingly warrior, whose over-confidence and appetites could sometimes be his undoing; the gluttonous, garrulous George, Duke of Clarence; dashing, intense Richard, Earl of Warwick.  Quiet, reserved Anne Neville, flirtatious Isabella, and the ambitious Elizabeth Woodville.

I know the story of this period of history well, so I was most interested to see how various events would be depicted through Richard's eyes.  J P Reedman has artfully executed developments that occurred outside Richard's orbit; there are no clumsy monologues from other characters to let the reader know what is happening, few unrealistically overheard conversations.  This is the history as Richard would have seen it; some events of importance are hardly mentioned, because they would not have meant much to a child.

It is clear that much research about the time has gone into this book, though it is never intrusive.  Instead, it immersed me in the period.  I loved reading about the journeys from one place to another, what the country was like at the time, and about the halcyon days Richard spent at Middleham castle under the tutelage of Warwick.

Incidentally, I have often wondered what Edward IV would have made of his grandson and great-granddaugher: Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.

Highly recommended - now, to resume my reading of Book 2!

.... and here's one of the articles about his remains being found under a Leicester car park around 10 years ago: Skeleton of Richard III Found in England.

DESPERATE PASSAGE by Ethan Rarick

5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: it was recommended in the acknowledgements in The Hunger by Alma Katsu, as one of the books she had used for her research.

In a Nutshell: Non-fiction - account of the Donner Party's fatal crossing of American by wagon train, in 1846/7.

I was gripped by this book all the way through.  It tells the story of a party of pioneers travelling from Illinois to California in 1846, to start a new life.  But they made 3 fatal mistakes: they set off too late, they travelled too slowly, and, instead of taking the traditional route up into Oregon and down into California, they took a short cut, the 'Hastings Cut-Off', little knowing that Lansford Hastings, who was trying to lure more Americans into Mexico-owned California, had never actually tested the route himself.  Somewhere between a third and a half of the pioneers perished en route.

The account is fascinating on so many levels: Rarick gives a great insight into the characters of the travellers, and I actually found it easier to follow the large cast in this non-fiction account than in the novel.  I like that he dispelled many of the myths about the relationship between the travellers and the native Americans; for the most part, the latter were helpful, and friendly.  

The already difficult journey becomes tragic in the extreme once the party realises that they have hit the mountains at the onset of winter; a large section of the book is concerned with this part of the journey, with all its horrors; starvation, divisions in the group, failed attempts to cross the high peaks, many deaths, and cannibalism. Rarick has given all viewpoints, taken from those who survived it, the rescuers, and the accounts in the newspapers afterwards.  The last part of the book is spent discussing what was true, what was exaggerated, and the downright lies that were conjured up for the purpose of selling books and newspapers.  Also, he tells what happened to the survivors after their ordeal was over.  

Most tragic of all is the thought that within some of the survivors' lifetimes, new technology would have made their crossing so much easier, saving many lives. 

A terrific book that I recommend most highly.

TREASON IN TRUST by Gemma Lawrence @TudorTweep

5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: I love Gemma Lawrence and have read the rest of this series, of which this is book 5!

Genre: History, Biography, Tudors, Elizabeth 1st.

Treason in Trust covers the middle part of Elizabeth's reign, or some of it ~ not a period of history with which I am familiar, so this was quite a new experience for me with one of Gemma Lawrence's books. 

The attention to detail in this book is as good as ever, and I especially loved the descriptions of London itself and how the people lived, made all the more meaningful because of Elizabeth's well-documented view that she was married to her country, with her subjects her children.  She talks often about the reasons for her remaining single, and her thoughts about the patriarchal society in which she lives ~ an early feminist, indeed.  

I enjoyed reading about Francis Drake, battles upon the seas, the customs, medicines and superstitions of the time ~ and the introduction of the wristwatch: "A clock... for my wrist?" I asked.  "What a novel idea, Robin!"

Much of the novel deals with the problem of the disgraced Mary, Queen of Scots, and the rebellions within her beloved England, as the problems of religious differences rear their ugly heads over and over again.  Death haunts her, as she thinks of all those she has lost, especially as she grows older and succumbs to illness ... and learns of terrible massacre and relgious persecution abroad.

Reading this, you will feel as though Gemma Lawrence knows the older Elizabeth every bit as well as she knew the girl.  There has not yet been one of her historical novels that I don't consider worthy of five stars.

RONALD LAING by David Boyle

4 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
On Goodreads HERE

How I discovered this book:  It was a submission to Rosie Amber's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

The name R D Laing is one that I've often seen around, probably on my parents' bookshelves, too, but I've never really known who he was.  I've long been sceptical about psychiatric diagnoses, so this book piqued my interest.  It's only novella length, so I knew it wouldn't be a huge chore to get through if I didn't like it.  Happily, I did. 
 
Laing was an unorthodox Scottish psychiatrist who challenged methods of psychiatric treatment during the 1940s and 50s, was greatly influenced by existential philosophy and became a cult figure in the 1960s.  This book is not long enough to be a biography; it's more an overview of his life and an examination of his principles, theories and work in relation to the trends of the time.  David Boyle writes intelligently, clearly and in language plain enough for the general reader with no knowledge of the subject.  He gives a few instances of Laing's experiments when working in psychiatric hospitals, such as this one: '...In one ward, he reduced the drugs to practically zero and locked the door.  In the first week of the experiment, about 30 windows were smashed.  Nobody was hurt, so from the second week onwards he unlocked the doors and found there was no rush to leave, and the windows stayed intact...'

Like others of his brilliance, philosophies, era and convention-challenging ideas, Laing sank heavily into the bottle and became something of a caricature of himself.  I was interested in much of what Boyle touched upon, found myself constantly nodding and highlighting passages, and will find out more, I am sure, probably from the bibliography at the back.   This mini-bio ends at 87%, after which there is the beginning of another work by David Boyle, and a list of others, which I was interested enough to look at.

'He had a complete lack of interest in any kind of small talk or going through the social motions'.   Hang on while I go and look him up on YouTube...

THE SECRET by Deric Henderson

4 out of 5 stars

True life double murder

On Amazon UK HERE
On Goodreads HERE

I bought this book after watching the TV series The Secret, starring James Nesbitt, as I imagine many have done.  For those who know nothing about it, it's the true story of Colin Howell, dentist and supposedly devout Baptist, who, together with his lover, Hazel Buchanan, hatched a plan to murder their two spouses, Lesley and Trevor.  Though suspected by many, their crimes went undetected for twenty years.

Colin Howell and Hazel Buchanan

Did this have anything to add to the TV series?  Yes, in that one can get a clearer picture of motive from a book. I must admit that I nearly stopped reading it by around ten per cent; the beginning is a bit stilted, with lots of irrelevant detail about Lesley's past, as if Henderson just sat down and typed up his research notes without deciding which had value to the reader; then again, perhaps he was was just honouring a woman who did not get to live her life.  I also felt that he was painting her as almost saintly, but as I turned the pages she seemed less so.  When the story turned to Trevor, there was, again, too much irrelevant detail, but the picture was built up of a simple, goodhearted sort of chap, devoted to his wife who he put on a pedestal.

Lesley Howell and Trevor Buchanan

I found the detail about Hazel Buchanan's life after the murders fascinating; it was clear that she experienced few moments of real happiness for the next twenty years.  Much of this detail was provided by a man she treated badly during a seven year relationship, but there is much to be read between the lines.  As for Howell himself, he is well portrayed as as a narcissist, possibly a psychopath, a manipulative egomaniac whose life was a complicated mess of smoke and mirrors ~ pretty much how James Nesbitt played him!  I was struck by how none of them, despite their supposed religious faith, seemed particularly Christian, aside from Trevor, perhaps...

The Howells in 1991

There is much in the way of quotes from people who knew or were related to the four of them, which was interesting, and it underlines the peculiar world of a small religious community such as theirs. I wanted to know more about the ludicrous Phillipines gold scam in which Howell became involved; that he squandered the family's fortune in this way made me wonder if his sanity was failing, then, or if he wanted to punish himself... many questions are raised throughout.
 

Hazel, appearing at Court

The book is repetitive at times, but this is perhaps inevitable when recounting a story and then the court case that follows.  I'd say that if you found the series as absorbing as I did, you'll be interested to read this; I liked the way that Henderson does not seem to judge too much throughout, just delivering the facts, though at times this made it more like a newspaper article than a biographical story.  It reads better as it goes on, though, and gives insight into the lives of Howell and Hazel and their families post conviction.  Worth getting, if not quite as compelling as I'd hoped.

Howell with second wife, Kyle

UNDER THE BANNER OF HEAVEN by Jon Krakauer

5 GOLD stars

Non-fiction; the Lafferty murders; Mormon religion

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
On Goodreads HERE

If a murderer truly believes that he was instructed by God to kill, does this make him insane? 

In 1984, Brenda Lafferty and her little daughter, Erica, were murdered in a particularly brutal fashion by her brother-in-law, Dan Lafferty, after his brother Ron had a 'revelation' from God instructing him to 'remove' them.  The Lafferty brothers were both Mormon Fundamentalists ~ that is, Mormons who live by the rules laid down by the originator of the faith, Joseph Smith, which includes polygamy.
 

Dan Lafferty

The book starts off with details about the crime, then goes back to explain how Mormonism started, the history of the religion, the general population's reaction to the movement, and the changes that have occured through over the years since its inception, mostly the division between the LDS and the Fundamentalists.  The purpose of this is to explain the psychology behind fundamentalism in this religion, and to show what led the Lafferty brothers to do what they did.

I loved the clever structure of the book, the way it moved from present to past to build up a complete picture of of this 'violent faith'.  I didn't know much about Mormonism before reading this; my knowledge came only from the scarily plastic, smiling faces of the Osmond brothers in the 1970s and the more recent, hilarious take on it by South Park.  Jon Krakauer's book gives what I consider to be a balanced view, some of which details frightening scenarios ~ murder (and massacre), paedophilia, narcissistic delusions, mind control, hypocrisy, false representation of facts.  I read that he took three years to research the book, not only using a variety of written sources, but also interviewing those currently in the faith, those who have left it, been harmed by it ~ and Dan Lafferty himself.  
 

Joseph Smith tells sceptical town dwellers that he is God's chosen prophet

Under the Banner of Heaven considers the psychology of fundamentalism in all religions, not just Mormonism, and makes for fascinating reading.  I love the way Krakauer writes, never using twenty words where ten will do, giving an objective point of view at all times (though so cleverly that you can often feel his opinion whispering through the sentences!).  Normally, I would be only mildly interested in reading a book about cults or religions, but this had me gripped.

Joseph Smith interprets the revelations by putting his 'seer stones' into a hat, and Martin Harris writes them down.  Thus, The Book of Mormon

I loved the observation at the end (I hope this isn't a 'spoiler'!) from ex Mormon DeLoy Bateman who said that although he thought that people within the religion were probably happier than those on the outside, "some things are more important than being happy.  Like being free to think for yourself." 

Mormon Fundamentalist chic....  apparently the long plait with the high 'crest' at the front is the accepted hairstyle, and they also wear long underwear under these dresses.

Since writing this, I've watched the documentary Prophet's Prey, by Jon Krakauer and Sam Brower, about the life and crimes of FLDS (Fundamentalist Church of the Latter Day Saints) leader and child abuser Warren Jeffs, and also Sons of Perdition, about three teenage boys who escaped from an FLDS community.  Both fascinating, if you're interested.
  
INTO THIN AIR by Jon Krakauer reviewed HERE

   
INTO THE WILD by Jon Krakauer reviewed HERE

 
MISSOULA by Jon Krakauer reviewed HERE

  
EIGER DREAMS by Jon Krakauer reviewed HERE

 

INTO THE WILD by Jon Krakauer

5 GOLD stars

Biography

On Amazon UK HERE
On Goodreads HERE

Now that I've discovered the books of Jon Krakauer I imagine I'll be giving them all 5 gold stars if they're as good as this one (and Into Thin Air).

Into The Wild is the story of Chris McCandless, aka Alexander Supertramp, a brilliant, idealistic young man who chose to turn his back on the conventional world into which he'd been brought up, and the life his parents hoped he would follow, and live as a wanderer, rejecting society and 20th century civilisation.  In August 1992 his decomposed body was found by a group of moose hunters in the Alaskan wilderness.

In this book Jon Krakauer unfolds Chris's story gradually, starting at the end of his short life and taking the reader back through his travels of the previous couple of years via recollections from the people Chris met, all of whom found him charming, charismatic; many became very fond of him.  Krakauer compares his ideals and experiences to other ill-fated adventurers (such as Gene Rosellini, John Mallon Waterman and Everett Ruess; their tales are described, and fascinating reading they make, too), and explores the psychology of those who are drawn to such lifestyles ~ including himself.  There's a large section about the author's own youthful attempt to climb the Devil's Thumb in Alaska, detailing what drew him to cross the boundaries of safety and 'normality', by way of giving insight into the personality type.

Chris's family background is explored, along with the effect of his decisions upon them and those who grew close to him. Finally, Krakauer convincingly outlines his theories about what actually led to Chris's death.  He was criticised for his original article in Outside magazine, and I think this book must surely have silenced all those who responded negatively to both writer and subject.  He talks of the mixed feelings he had about how he'd dismissed his own father's desired path for him, and compares this to Chris's difficult relationship with Walt McCandless.

"He'd built a bridge of privelege for me, a hand-paved trestle to the good life, and I repaid him by chopping it down and crapping on the wreckage."

This is a terrific book, perfectly put together (I kept applauding the structure all the way through), and it's sympathetic towards Chris without making him out to be some kind of hero.  It's so sad, fascinating, and made me think about so many things ~ I just loved it.  Can't recommend it too highly.  Now, which one next?

INTO THIN AIR by Jon Krakauer reviewed HERE

UNDER THE BANNER OF HEAVEN by Jon Krakauer reviewed HERE

MISSOULA by Jon Krakauer reviewed HERE