April Book of the Month: Nominations

boswellbaxter · Post by **boswellbaxter** » Mon February 14th, 2011, 1:44 pm

Since as of today members are voting to keep the Book of the Month, and since some have suggested that the nominating/voting process take place earlier, we're opening nominations for April. This month nominations are open to any historical novel (but try to nominate a book that's widely available, at least in the US and the UK). Please include a description of the book; it helps other members decide ahead of time whether they want to vote for it and makes it a lot easier for the mods when they put the poll together.

The catch is, the nominations will close after six books are nominated or on February 18, whichever is earlier.

LoveHistory · Post by **LoveHistory** » Mon February 14th, 2011, 2:21 pm

I nominate Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell.

"Gone with the Wind, first published in May 1936, is a romantic novel written by Margaret Mitchell that won the Pulitzer Prize in 1937. The story is set in Clayton County, Georgia and Atlanta during the American Civil War and Reconstruction and depicts the experiences of Scarlett O'Hara, the spoiled daughter of a well-to-do plantation owner." (from Wikipedia)

More than the story of a spoiled debutante, Gone With the Wind is a psychological and sociological portrait of the American south at its best and its worst. Historically accurate, with a wealth of information about the war itself, it is considered one of the greatest loves stories of all time.

Vanessa · Post by **Vanessa** » Mon February 14th, 2011, 5:11 pm

Here's my nomination:

Parrot and Olivier in America by Peter Carey
From the two-time Booker Prize-winning author: an irrepressibly funny new novel set in early-nineteenth-century America. Olivier is a French aristocrat, the traumatized child of survivors of the Revolution. Parrot the son of an itinerant printer who always wanted to be an artist but has ended up a servant. Born on different sides of history, their lives will be brought together by their travels in America. When Olivier sets sail for the New World, ostensibly to study its prisons but in reality to save his neck from one more revolution – Parrot is sent with him, as spy, protector, foe and foil. As the narrative shifts between the perspectives of Parrot and Olivier, and their picaresque travels together and apart – in love and politics, prisons and the world of art – Peter Carey explores the adventure of American democracy, in theory and in practice, with dazzling wit and inventiveness.

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Mon February 14th, 2011, 11:09 pm

I am actually rooting for GWTW, but for for fun and so I can complain some more I'll nominate Land of the Painted Caves by Jean Auel. I believe it is available on March 29, both in the US and the UK.

Product Description
The highly anticipated sixth book of Jean Auel's Earth's Children® series, THE LAND OF PAINTED CAVES, is the culmination fans have been waiting for. Continuing the story of Ayla and Jondalar, Auel combines her brilliant narrative skills and appealing characters with a remarkable re-creation of the way life was lived more than 25,000 years ago. THE LAND OF PAINTED CAVES is an exquisite achievement by one of the world's most beloved authors.

Margaret · Post by **Margaret** » Tue February 15th, 2011, 7:19 am

I nominate Alice Hoffman's The Red Garden. It seems to have been published simultaneously in the U.S. and the U.K. - in any case, it's already available from Amazon.co.uk, though it was just published in January in the U.S. It's a collection of linked short stories about the people who live in or visit a small fictional town in Massachusetts beginning with its founding in 1705 into the present day. Though each of the stories works as a self-contained short story, they are so closely linked that the book really amounts to a novel. Alice Hoffman is known for her beautiful prose (which is also very readable and never interferes with the story), and also for her touches of magical realism. The novel is relatively short for a historical novel, so it reads fairly quickly, but there is so much depth in it, I think it would make for a good discussion. Some of the stories would lend themselves to discussion all by themselves, but the book overall is also worth discussing. I've reviewed it at www.HistoricalNovels.info.

Ludmilla · Post by **Ludmilla** » Wed February 16th, 2011, 4:05 pm

I've been telling myself for several years now that I need to re-read GWTW, so I'll just throw in my voice of support for that one. BTW -- perusing Australia's Gutenberg site, I noticed GWTW available there. I find their books often have typo & formatting issues (much moreso than the US site) but it might be worth it to those who read on their PC or other devices.

boswellbaxter · Post by **boswellbaxter** » Tue February 22nd, 2011, 7:17 pm

Nomintations are closed! Will put up a poll tonight.