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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Books
- Hits: 1784
In which the author makes the case that Sir Francis Drake sailed as far North as Alaska in his circumnavigation of the globe. He makes good arguments and I for one am convinced. Well researched, well written, (although academic in tone), enjoyable even if you disagree with the author's conclusions because, quite frankly, Sir Francis Drake was a fascinating fellow in a very curious world.
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Books
- Hits: 1873
It had a kind of cool cover, I thought I recognized the author - Ian Rankin - ("didn't he write...?", I said to myself, and then: "I'm sure I've heard good things....") and so I began to read it. It's good to keep a toe in on the contemporary literary scene. And the reviews on the back jacket were excellent, but it was really the title and cover that got me...
Did I say literary? Oooops.
It's a detective story. And it adheres to almost all of the stereotypes I have about detective novels. Who, really, reads this stuff? I'd give this read a 5-O Ooooops rating.
Link: Ian Rankin's Official Website, Wikipedia on Ian Rankin.
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Books
- Hits: 1603
Now it is of the period - 1719 - 1720, and adheres to almost all of the ridiculous conventions of the time - disguises, secret rendezvous, the replacing of one party with another in bed, coincidences and mistaken identities, in terms of plot it is not even slightly plausible - not even for the period.
But such is the time.
On the other hand Eliza Haywood was the first novelist to endow her female characters with the same motives and desires as the male ones. Which makes it exceptional. And, add to that her way of putting the most eloquent speeches in their mouths and you have some curious speeches indeed:
"And are you that dull, cold Platonist, which can prefer the visionary pleasures of an absent mistress, to the warm transports of the substantial present?" The Count was pretty much surprized at these words, coming from the mouth of a woman of honour, and began now to perceive what her aim was...
Curious. File next to Chesterfield, Laclos and Casanova...
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Books
- Hits: 1772
OK, I've already mentioned it but thought I'd mention it again. "The True Story of the Kelly Gang" is a great book. But, doing a slight bit of research, it's almost entirely true and Peter Carey had to make surprisingly little up. It was an damned interesting subject before he tackled it.
Now if you want to read more about Ned Kelly, Australian bushranger and folk hero, start here. If you'd like to read Ned as spoken by Ned read The Jerilderie Letter. Neither of which articles are as long as the book, but the facts and testimony are remarkably consistent.
Or just pick up the Peter Carey book.
- Details
- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Books
- Hits: 1817
Now this is great. This is travel literature. For a variety of reasons, which I'll illuminate below:
1) She's speaking of a place that has disappeared. The Tibet she has traveled was razed to the ground by the Chinese in the 1950's, what we have left are only travelers accounts, myths and cheap reproductions.
2) She talks of the miracles she witnesses - the thought projection, creation of doppelgangers, telepathy, internal combustion and other mysteries with some skepticism and common sense. And she reports many of these things as first hand experiences, not just relaying stories.
3) She interprets what she sees without prejudice and with (for the time) a fine balance of common sense skepticism and open-mindedness. You can't ask for more.
4) She illuminates you as to the 99% of Tibetan Buddhist dark magic and beliefs that somehow escaped export to a gullible western public. It's worth knowing, if only so that you can laugh in the face of the next "enlightened" white yogi who tries it on with his chanting of the "on-no-ma-ne-pad-me-ohm..".
And if she's somehow exaggerated or embellished her tales and interpretation of the events, who can blame her? It makes for a far far better story.