Feb 2009 - What are you reading?

SonjaMarie · Post by **SonjaMarie** » Sat February 7th, 2009, 6:09 am

I thought syphilis originated in Italy.

SM

Telynor · Post by **Telynor** » Sat February 7th, 2009, 12:43 pm

[quote=""SonjaMarie""]I thought syphilis originated in Italy.

SM[/quote]

Nope. It seems that it was indeed Christopher Columbus and his crews that brought the disease back to Spain, and soon afterward, within three years, it had spread to Naples, where it found plenty of host bodies and took off. The Poles blamed the Germans, and called it the German Pox, the Germans blamed the French, and the French and Italians blamed each other. An archaeological dig recently found pre-Columbian bones that had the markings of syphilis in Hispaniola (modern Haiti and the Dominican Republic). It's a fascinating, if a bit gruesome, read so far.

Divia · Post by **Divia** » Sat February 7th, 2009, 3:23 pm

Yeah I always heard it was an American disease and that it went back to Europe with the explores.

Alaric · Post by **Alaric** » Sat February 7th, 2009, 4:18 pm

"Jack Absolute," by CC Humphreys.

I decided to shelve Gates of Fire and re-read it another time.

SonjaMarie · Post by **SonjaMarie** » Sat February 7th, 2009, 5:37 pm

[quote=""Telynor""]Nope. It seems that it was indeed Christopher Columbus and his crews that brought the disease back to Spain, and soon afterward, within three years, it had spread to Naples, where it found plenty of host bodies and took off. The Poles blamed the Germans, and called it the German Pox, the Germans blamed the French, and the French and Italians blamed each other. An archaeological dig recently found pre-Columbian bones that had the markings of syphilis in Hispaniola (modern Haiti and the Dominican Republic). It's a fascinating, if a bit gruesome, read so far.[/quote]

Ahhh thanks! Learn new stuff every day!

SM

Kasthu · Post by **Kasthu** » Sat February 7th, 2009, 9:08 pm

Now on to The Dark Rose, by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles.

Tanzanite · Post by **Tanzanite** » Sun February 8th, 2009, 2:26 am

Abundance by Sena Jeter Naslund

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Sun February 8th, 2009, 9:13 pm

Just finished Signora da Vinci and starting Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin.

I decided to try to alternate the settings of the books I read between England and someplace else in the world. So far, that is working for this year.

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Sun February 8th, 2009, 9:29 pm

I just started The Seventh Son by Reay Tannahill. It's about Richard III.

Ash · Post by **Ash** » Mon February 9th, 2009, 12:24 am

[quote=""Divia""]Yeah I always heard it was an American disease and that it went back to Europe with the explores.[/quote]

Serves them right, since they brought the small pox here, which wiped out entire tribes and nations ( both diseases are devastating, but I don't have much sympathy for the conquerors of the old world)

Started Connie Willis's To Say Nothing Of the Dog, for my Sci Fi/Fan reading group. I'd read it years and years ago, but its still an enjoyable romp. Time Travel and history, what more can you want?