What are you reading? February 2013

annis · Post by **annis** » Sun February 10th, 2013, 6:19 pm

Posted by emr

Can you grow all that hair and keep it without eating?

Apparently, to judge by this picture of Sisi which was her husband's favourite.

Poor guy - he was besotted by her, but she never really cared for him in "that way". He was supposed to marry her sister Helena, but once he saw Sisi, she was the only one he'd have. At 15 she wasn't anywhere near ready for marriage. Classic obsessive anorexia scenario- unhappy young girl placed in a situation where managing her own appearance was the only way she felt she had of controlling her own life.

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Sun February 10th, 2013, 6:34 pm

[quote=""annis""]Posted by emr
Apparently, to judge by this picture of Sisi which was her husband's favourite.

Poor guy - he was besotted by her, but she never really cared for him in "that way". He was supposed to marry her sister Helena, but once he saw Sisi, she was the only one he'd have. At 15 she wasn't anywhere near ready for marriage. Classic obsessive anorexia scenario- unhappy young girl placed in a situation where managing her own appearance was the only way she felt she had of controlling her own life.[/quote]

Saw this painting this past summer at the Hofburg Palace where there is a Sisi Museum. She is a big tourist draw in Vienna. Also on exhibit was her exercise equipment and the knife that killed her.
http://www.hofburg-wien.at/en/things-to ... useum.html

Madeleine · Post by **Madeleine** » Mon February 11th, 2013, 10:04 am

She was lovely.

Madeleine · Post by **Madeleine** » Mon February 11th, 2013, 10:04 am

I'm now reading "Dead Scared" by S J Bolton, modern crime set in Cambridge, England.

emr · Post by **emr** » Tue February 12th, 2013, 8:29 am

A Swarming of Bees by Theresa Tomlinson. It's k so far.

princess garnet · Post by **princess garnet** » Tue February 12th, 2013, 8:32 pm

God's Battalions by Rodney Stark (NF)

Margaret · Post by **Margaret** » Tue February 12th, 2013, 8:47 pm

The novel about Sisi looks like a good one. And that painting with the hair - wild! She doesn't look anorexic in it, but maybe the painter fleshed her out a little, or maybe the anorexia came on later.

I'm in the midst of Parlor Games, a debut novel by Maryka Biaggio. Biaggio is a promising writer, I think, but the main character in Parlor Games (a woman) is a turn-of-the-last-century swindler who is hard to warm up to. I get that the reader is supposed to have fun with her as a classic unreliable narrator, and I do generally enjoy unreliable narrators. But this one is just a little too cold-hearted for my taste.

annis · Post by **annis** » Wed February 13th, 2013, 12:55 am

Posted by Margaret

She doesn't look anorexic in it, but maybe the painter fleshed her out a little, or maybe the anorexia came on later.

Sisi was definitely anorexic, though possibly became worse after her pregnancies. She strove to keep her body at the weight and shape she had as a teenager- hardly ate and exercised for hours every day (when she wasn't having her hair brushed and styled, which took a minimum of two hours daily). She was 5' 8" and never let her weight get above 50k (100lb for the non-decimalised) Ironically at times she developed a type of oedema or swelling related to malnutrition. Her waist had to be no more than 19" and by dint of rigorous tight-lacing, she often reduced it to 16"!

Here's the famous wasp-waist on display in a photo of Sisi on horseback- she was an exceptional rider, and utterly fearless.

Trying to lighten up a bit after lots of heavy-duty fictional murder and violence with a bit of romance. Loved The Rosie Project and now reading Carol Shields' The Republic of Love. Ah well, it is that time of the year

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Wed February 13th, 2013, 1:17 am

The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart...I can't believe that this is my first Stewart book. I've known about her books for ages, but just never got around to reading them. Yesterday I purchased the four Arthurian books in one Kindle book for $6.99!

Margaret · Post by **Margaret** » Wed February 13th, 2013, 1:20 am

Her waist had to be no more than 19" and by dint of rigorous tight-lacing, she often reduced it to 16"!

Shades of Scarlett O'Hara!

The Crystal Cave is a favorite of mine - I've read and enjoyed it many times.