What Are You Reading? March 2013

Brenna · Post by **Brenna** » Mon March 11th, 2013, 12:16 pm

[quote=""SCW""]Well I've just discarded one of Jean Plaidys novels about Charles II. Can anyone recommend any books on this monarch?
I'm contemplating reading The Kingmakers Daughter by Philippa Gregory- has anyone read it?[/quote]

The Countess and the King by Susan Holloway Scott (James II)
Antonia Fraser's NF on both Charles are pretty good
Exit the Actress by Priya Parmar (although I didn't really enjoy this one, others did)
Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor-less about Charles II, more about that time period. Really good though
The Darling Strumpet by Gillian Bagwell (this one and Exit the Actress are both about Nell Gwyn)

:Sarita: · Post by **:Sarita:** » Mon March 11th, 2013, 1:45 pm

I'm reading Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson

It's good, although not quite as good as the book I read before, another by Kate Atkinson called Human Croquet <3

J.D. Oswald · Post by **J.D. Oswald** » Mon March 11th, 2013, 4:16 pm

Just finished Lustrum by Robert Harris (does anyone know if there will be a third book in the series?). Also been listening to an audio book of Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers with Ian Carmichael as Lord Peter Wimsey. Great fun and I'd forgotten how good the dialogue is.

JaneConsumer · Post by **JaneConsumer** » Mon March 11th, 2013, 11:02 pm

[quote=""Brenna""]The Countess and the King by Susan Holloway Scott (James II)
Antonia Fraser's NF on both Charles are pretty good
Exit the Actress by Priya Parmar (although I didn't really enjoy this one, others did)
Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor-less about Charles II, more about that time period. Really good though
The Darling Strumpet by Gillian Bagwell (this one and Exit the Actress are both about Nell Gwyn)[/quote]

I second the rec for Forever Amber. (I haven't read the others.) Also, while not biographical fiction about Charles II, I believe he makes an appearance in An Instance of the Fingerpost, which is one of my all-time favorites. Consider it an intellectual's mystery.

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Mon March 11th, 2013, 11:49 pm

[quote=""Brenna""]The Countess and the King by Susan Holloway Scott (James II)
Antonia Fraser's NF on both Charles are pretty good
Exit the Actress by Priya Parmar (although I didn't really enjoy this one, others did)
Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor-less about Charles II, more about that time period. Really good though
The Darling Strumpet by Gillian Bagwell (this one and Exit the Actress are both about Nell Gwyn)[/quote]

Ditto Forever Amber. I couldn't get past 50 pages or so of Bagwell's book. I understand Nell led a rough life, but it was just too in-your-face for my tastes. YMMV.

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Tue March 12th, 2013, 12:05 am

[quote=""Brenna""]The Countess and the King by Susan Holloway Scott (James II)
Antonia Fraser's NF on both Charles are pretty good
Exit the Actress by Priya Parmar (although I didn't really enjoy this one, others did)
Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor-less about Charles II, more about that time period. Really good though
The Darling Strumpet by Gillian Bagwell (this one and Exit the Actress are both about Nell Gwyn)[/quote]

Susan Holloway Scott has also written novels about some of Charles II's mistresses and, of course, Charles is a prominent character.

The French Mistress: A Novel of the Duchess of Portsmouth and King Charles II (about Louise de Keroualle)
The King's Favorite: A Novel of Nell Gwyn and King Charles II
Royal Harlot: A Novel of the Countess of Castlemaine and King Charles II (about Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland, Countess of Castlemaine)

MLE (Emily Cotton) · Post by **MLE (Emily Cotton)** » Tue March 12th, 2013, 12:07 am

[quote=""SCW""]Well I've just discarded one of Jean Plaidys novels about Charles II. Can anyone recommend any books on this monarch?
[/quote]
Child of the Sea, by Elizabeth Goudge.
I'm reading Twisted Vines, a Shakespeare in the Vineyard Mystery, because it's set in my little town and I enjoy the vineyard plays we produce here. So far it's a delight.

SCW · Post by **SCW** » Tue March 12th, 2013, 11:15 am

Thanks for all the recommendations for the Charles II books. I've read Forever Amber - stupidly gave it away though.
Now to search on Book Depository for some of the others

emr · Post by **emr** » Tue March 12th, 2013, 12:29 pm

I started Cold Days by Jim Butcher but he's trying too hard to be funny. Not very happy with it. So I started March Violets by Philip Kerr as well. Quite good.

emr · Post by **emr** » Wed March 13th, 2013, 12:14 am

The Turncoat by Donna Thorland