January 2011: What Are You Reading?

annis · Post by **annis** » Sun January 30th, 2011, 4:32 pm

Posted by EC

I've just looked up the reviews of Zulu Hart on Amazon.com, and they're mixed.

Yes, it is a bit clunky though an interesting concept. I'd call it a workman-like adventure - maybe a 3.5 star novel. I think John Wilcox' Horns of the Buffalo did it better. Of course it's tough covering the stand at Rorke's Drift when readers have the wonderful movie Zulu in mind. Less historically accurate, but unbeatable in the high impact stakes

MLE (Emily Cotton) · Post by **MLE (Emily Cotton)** » Sun January 30th, 2011, 7:25 pm

[quote=""SCW""]The Model Occupation by Madeleine Bunting. Non fiction account of the German Occupation of the Channel Islands. I'm surprised there haven't been more novels written about this period in history.[/quote]
You have heard of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, haven't you? Wonderful book.

annis · Post by **annis** » Sun January 30th, 2011, 7:59 pm

There's a great older novel (1951) by Jerrard Tickell called Appointment with Venus, which is set on a fictional Channel island called Armorel, (closely resembling the island of Sark). The story is based on a real incident of the evacuation of Alderney cattle from the Channel Islands during World War II. It was made into a movie of the same name starring David Niven.

Berengaria · Post by **Berengaria** » Sun January 30th, 2011, 8:49 pm

[quote=""SCW""]The Model Occupation by Madeleine Bunting. Non fiction account of the German Occupation of the Channel Islands. I'm surprised there haven't been more novels written about this period in history.[/quote]
Oh, have to put this on my list. Did you watch that series that aired on Masterpiece Theatre? Fictionalized, but riveting. Also, Elizabeth George's A Place of Hidingtakes place on one of the islands, and the murder is related to German collaboration. As well, the very popular novel that consists of letters...something in title about potato peel pie?? Very good read! Sorry I can't remember title! Any help?

annis · Post by **annis** » Sun January 30th, 2011, 9:08 pm

Tim Binding has also done a wartime murder mystery set in the Channel Islands - Island Madness aka Lying with the Enemy

The answer to the title you want is just a post or two above

laktor · Post by **laktor** » Sun January 30th, 2011, 9:15 pm

I've just started Empire by Steven Saylor and so far, I'm finding it even better than Roma!!

Berengaria · Post by **Berengaria** » Sun January 30th, 2011, 11:15 pm

[quote=""annis""]Tim Binding has also done a wartime murder mystery set in the Channel Islands - Island Madness aka Lying with the Enemy

The answer to the title you want is just a post or two above

[/quote]
Yes, I forgot this one. I have it stored away somewhere. The title I was looking for is The Guernsy Literary and Potato Peel Pie Gosh I was just looking at it and I can't remember the rest of the title! Gaaah!

cw gortner · Post by **cw gortner** » Mon January 31st, 2011, 3:43 am

[quote=""Brenna""]Well knowing how much I loved The Last Queen, I have no doubt I will love it! I just wish it didn't take so long to come out in paperback!! But then again, it's something to look forward to. I already have Tudor Secret in my shopping cart![/quote]

I know, the publishers like hardcovers to be on the market for a year. But the trade pb comes out soon, on May 24, so not much longer now.

Hope you enjoy Tudor Secret! It'a a little different from my other books, and I had a lot of fun with it.

annis · Post by **annis** » Mon January 31st, 2011, 5:16 am

Just finished Posie Graeme-Evans latest novel, The Dressmaker, an entertaining Victorian-era family saga along Barbara Taylor Bradford lines. This novel gloriously overflows with Victorian tropes- the Poor but Pretty Waif who also doubles as the Plucky Little Battler, the Faithful Servant, the Consumptive Mother and the Bounder Husband are just a few I identified. A young girl is orphaned at 13, and ends up making her way in London as a fashionable modiste. Deserted and left pregnant by aforementioned Bounder, will she ever find love? Lots of predictable fun, best taken with a glass of wine, box of chocolates and tissue box at hand. In true Victorain fashion there's plenty of melodrama and languishing deaths guaranteed to get you sniffling luxuriously, even though you know your heartstrings are being shamelessly manipulated

SCW · Post by **SCW** » Mon January 31st, 2011, 7:28 am

I've read 'The Guernsey Potato Peel Pie Society' last year and loved it. I want to find out more about the occupation. Will have to look up the other books listed. As I've finished reading The Model Occupation I'm contemplating whether to re-read either Wuthering Heights or Wideacre