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North America

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Misfit
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Joined: August 2008
Location: Seattle, WA

Post by Misfit » Fri September 12th, 2008, 9:23 pm

[quote=""Divia""]hmm. Do you think I would enjoy it?[/quote]

You just might. Some of the sex is a bit too much for me (but you can skip it). Each one is 500 + pages so be warned, but she really covers a lot of US history in an almost 100 year period, and it was interesting setting her characters in Maryland which was a border state during the Civil War and her characters were very anti-slavery. I've got reviews posted on Amazon if you're interested.

She's got another I just read set in San Francisco and Washington Territory that I really enjoyed, plus one set in old California that I'm going to start soon. Most of her books can be picked up pretty cheaply at Abe if you can get them at the lib or ILL.

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Divia
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Location: Always Cloudy, Central New York

Post by Divia » Sat September 13th, 2008, 3:26 am

Maybe this is a loaner from the lib.

Hmm, how accurate is she when it comes to the historical details. And yes I'd like a link to your review. ;)
News, views, and reviews on books and graphic novels for young adult.
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Misfit
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Location: Seattle, WA

Post by Misfit » Sat September 13th, 2008, 1:20 pm

[quote=""Divia""]Maybe this is a loaner from the lib.

Hmm, how accurate is she when it comes to the historical details. And yes I'd like a link to your review. ;) [/quote]

Give a try for a loaner, if they tell you no tell them to get linked with King County-- I know I've received ILL's from as far away as New Hampshire and Oklahoma -- and no shipping charges either. I would assume they reciprocate in kind and KCLS does have quite a catalog, including these three books.

Reviews,

Wild Swan
Swan's Chance
A Season of Swans

As far accuracy it seemed well researched to me and I didn't spot any gaffes, but then it's not my period as it is yours. I've read another of her's, The Tiger's Womanset in old San Francisco and Washington Territory which is more in my neck of the woods and she sure seemed to have a good working knowledge of the areas and the logging and banking industry at the time. It's not a casual writer who would have such an extensive knowledge of the founding fathers of Seattle, let alone the San Juan Islands.

Another interesting series I came across recently you might look at. Yes, they are romance but again she packed a lot history of the US post Civil War leading up to the 1890's. I learned a whole lot more about Grant's presidency then I ever did anywhere else. Out of print but at a penny a book what the heck. Author is Patricial Gallagher.

Castles in the AirNo Greater Love
On Wings of Dreams

Helpful votes always appreciated :D :p :)

chuck
Bibliophile
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Joined: August 2008
Location: Ciinaminson NJ

Post by chuck » Fri September 19th, 2008, 2:22 am

[quote=""MLE""]Some really good western and Native American-themed HF
From Sea to Shining Sea
by James Alexander Thom
Follow the River, same author.
Ride the Wind, Lucia St. Clair Robson
These is my Words, the Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine by Nancy Turner
Blood Brother by Eliott Arnold -- about the Apache Chief Cochise. Hard to find, but worth it.
The Big Sky, Guthrie
YA: Sign of the Beaver, Elizabeth George Speare
The Man who Rode Midnight, can't remember the author
And who could forget Louis L'Amor and his invincible, ever-resourceful Sackett clan?[/quote]

MLE.....I think "The Man Who Rode Midnight" was written by the great western author Elmer Kelton.....
Last edited by chuck on Fri September 19th, 2008, 2:47 am, edited 3 times in total.
Reason: add on

chuck
Bibliophile
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Location: Ciinaminson NJ

Post by chuck » Fri September 19th, 2008, 2:45 am

Very difficult to choose...so many favorites.....

Kenneth Roberts.....
Northwest Passage
Arundel
Rabble in Arms
Oliver Wiswell
lydia Bailey

Neil Swanson....
Unconquered

Virginia Bernard....
Durable Fire

Howard Fast....
April Morning

Steven Harrigan......
Gates of the Alamo

McKinley Mackantor......
Andersonville
Spirit Lake

Thomas Berger...
Little Big Man

Steven Le May...
The Searchers
Last edited by chuck on Fri September 19th, 2008, 2:54 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Spitfire
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Post by Spitfire » Fri September 19th, 2008, 4:13 pm

I'm a fan of James Alexander Thom. My favorite is Follow the River. They even made a terrible "made for tv" movie of his novel, which I had to buy just because. Ha, ha!
Last edited by Spitfire on Fri September 19th, 2008, 4:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: good spelling...not!
Only the pure of heart can make good soup. - Beethoven

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Divia
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Post by Divia » Sat September 20th, 2008, 3:22 pm

Enemy Woman..just bought it today.
News, views, and reviews on books and graphic novels for young adult.
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Leyland
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Post by Leyland » Sat September 20th, 2008, 6:11 pm

Here's a link to Jimmy Carter's Revolutionary era novel The Hornet's Nest. I still have it on my TBR shelf, so I can't really recommend it or not to anyone at this time. http://www.amazon.com/Hornets-Nest-Nove ... 841&sr=1-5

I noticed a lack of customer reviews, so maybe no one else has read it!
We are the music makers, And we are the dreamers of dreams ~ Arthur O'Shaughnessy, Ode

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Lady of the Forest
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Post by Lady of the Forest » Sun September 21st, 2008, 1:36 am

[quote=""Calgal""]Though not exactly historical, Water for Elephants astonishes as it recreates both the traveling circus and depression era America with flashes forward to modern times. Sara Gruen's work is both imaginative and gripping, full of action, satire, and nostalgia. Pretty much the most enjoyable historical I have read since The Girl with the Pearl Earring with its combination of grittiness and lyricism.[/quote]

I have recently finnished Water For Elephants and it is an amazing book. I thought it was just brillaint, and I thought the author really brought the chracters to life. It was so moving.

I really need to read Girl with the Peral Earing. But the movie came out before I could get around to reading the book and I wanted to see the moive, and well I always end up putting off reading books when I see the movie first.
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Misfit
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Location: Seattle, WA

Post by Misfit » Sun September 21st, 2008, 3:20 pm

I finished The Proud Breed by Celeste De Blasis and posted a review here. For those interested in old California it's worth checking out.

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