
Today's Featured Book:
Wolf Hall
by Hilary Mantel
Genre: Historical Fiction
Published: October 13, 2009
Page Count: 614 pages
Summary:
England in the 1520s is a heartbeat from disaster. If the king dies without a male heir, the country could be destroyed by civil war. Henry VIII wants to annul his marriage of twenty years and marry Anne Boleyn. The pope and most of Europe opposes him. Into this impasse steps Thomas Cromwell: a wholly original man, a charmer and a bully, both idealist and opportunist, astute in reading people, and implacable in his ambition. But Henry is volatile: one day tender, one day murderous. Cromwell helps him break the opposition, but what will be the price of his triumph?
“So now get up.”
Felled, dazed, silent, he has fallen; knocked full length on the cobbles of the yard. His head turns sideways; his eyes are turned toward the gate, as if someone might arrive to help him out. One blow, properly placed, could kill him now.
Blood from the gash on his head—which was his father’s first effort—is trickling across his face. Add to this, his left eye is blinded; but if he squints sideways, with his right eye he can see that the stitching of his father’s boot is unraveling. The twine has sprung clear of the leather, and a hard knot in it has caught his eyebrow and opened another cut.
“So now get up!” Walter is roaring down at him, working out where to kick him next. He lifts his head an inch or two, and moves forward, on his belly, trying to do it without exposing his hands, on which Walter enjoys stamping. “What are you, an eel?” his parent asks. He trots backward, gathers pace, and aims another kick.
Mantel, Hilary. Wolf Hall: A Novel (p. 3). Kindle Edition.
The cardinal’s not used the place since he built Hampton Court. They’ve sent messages ahead, but has anything been done? Make my lord comfortable, he says, and goes straight down to the kitchens. At Hampton Court, the kitchens have running water; here, nothing’s running but the cooks’ noses. Cavendish is right. In fact it is worse than he thinks. The larders are impoverished and such supplies as they have show signs of ill-keeping and plunder. There are weevils in the flour. There are mouse droppings where the pastry should be rolled. It is nearly Martinmas, and they have not even thought of salting their beef. The batterie de cuisine is an insult, and the stockpot is mildewed. There are a number of small boys sitting by the hearth, and, for cash down, they can be induced into scouring and scrubbing; children take readily to novelty, and the idea of cleaning, it seems, is novel to them.
Mantel, Hilary. Wolf Hall: A Novel (p. 56). (Function). Kindle Edition.
I know a lot about Henry VIII. I know quite a bit about his first wife, Katherine. I’d say I know an enormous amount about his second wife, Anne Boleyn. I’d even say I know tons about Thomas More. But what did I really know about Thomas Cromwell? Not much. Until now.
So, this book. All about Thomas Cromwell. And Henry. And Katherine. And Anne and More. Even though I generally knew the story, every page, every sentence felt new. An excellent book. I honestly cannot imagine anyone who would not be enthralled with this one.
I plan to read the other two books in this series, and then I hope to watch the second part of the Wolf Hall series on PBS, coming on March 23, 2025.
The purpose of THE BOOK BLOGGER HOP is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, and befriend other bloggers. THE BOOK BLOGGER HOP is hosted by Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.
March 14th - 20th - Do you only feature reviews on your blog? (submitted by Elizabeth @ Silver's Review)
I post book reviews.
I post travel pieces.
I post cooking experiments.
I post summaries of my week.
I post anything that interests me.
Here is a long list of secular books I've found in my life that inspire me to try to become a better person. These are a quirky mix of nonfiction with fiction, poetry, and even children's picture books.
Could you pass this list along to some of the folks who are running America right now? Maybe some of them could use inspiration to be better people.
Have you read any of these? Are any of these on your list of books that inspire you?
If you have recommendations for me, I'd love to hear them.
The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim
Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, the Man Who Would Cure the World by Tracy Kidder
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
The Hiding Place: The Triumphant True Story of Corrie ten Boom by Corrie ten Boom
The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz by Eric Larson
Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver by Mary Oliver
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Civility by Stephen L. Carter
The Common Good by Robert Reich
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin
Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Phosphorescence: On Awe, Wonder, and Things that Sustain You When the World Grows Dark by Julia Baird
Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin
How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim DeFede
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom by John O'Donohue
I Really Needed This Today: Words to Live By by Hoda Kotb
Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World's Fastest Human by Kathleen Krull
Germinal by Émile Zola
Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living by Krista Tippett
Martin's Big Words: The Life of Martin Luther King Jr. by Doreen Rappaport
The Little Book of Saints by Christine Barrely
The World According to Mister Rogers: Important Things to Remember by Fred Rogers
I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times by Monica Guzmán
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
Every Day is a Gift: A Memoir by Tammy Duckworth
Chooch Helped by Andrea L. Rogers
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter
The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen by David Brooks
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Each Tuesday That Artsy Reader Girl assigns a topic and then post her top ten list that fits that topic. You’re more than welcome to join her and create your own top ten (or 2, 5, 20, etc.) list as well. Feel free to put a unique spin on the topic to make it work for you! Please link back to That Artsy Reader Girl in your own post so that others know where to find more information.