What Are You Reading? July 2013

boswellbaxter · Post by **boswellbaxter** » Mon July 1st, 2013, 3:08 am

I'm reading nonfiction: Julia P. Gelardi's From Splendor to Revolution: The Romanov Women, 1847--1928. Also have Diane Wallis Taylor's Claudia, Wife of Pontius Pilate: A Novel on the Kindle to get back to once I finish the Gelardi book.

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Mon July 1st, 2013, 3:48 am

[quote=""boswellbaxter""]I'm reading nonfiction: Julia P. Gelardi's From Splendor to Revolution: The Romanov Women, 1847--1928. Also have Diane Wallis Taylor's Claudia, Wife of Pontius Pilate: A Novel on the Kindle to get back to once I finish the Gelardi book.[/quote]

Please let me know what you think of the Gelardi book? Which Romanov women does it deal with?

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » Mon July 1st, 2013, 9:21 am

I really enjoyed The Crown, which I finished a couple of weeks ago, and have now started on The Chalice by Nancy Bilyeau.

Vanessa · Post by **Vanessa** » Mon July 1st, 2013, 11:15 am

I shall be starting Parrot and Olivier in America by Peter Carey tonight.

boswellbaxter · Post by **boswellbaxter** » Mon July 1st, 2013, 12:21 pm

[quote=""Susan""]Please let me know what you think of the Gelardi book? Which Romanov women does it deal with?[/quote]

I'm finding it very good so far. It deals with Queen Olga of Greece and Marie Alexandrovna, Duchess of Edinburgh, who were born Romanovs, and Empress Marie Feodorovna and Grand Duchess Marie Pavlovna, who married into the family. Since three are named "Marie," this is one book I wish I had in physical form instead of on Kindle so I could look back when necessary, but the author does a good job of distinguishing them.

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Mon July 1st, 2013, 3:32 pm

[quote=""boswellbaxter""]I'm finding it very good so far. It deals with Queen Olga of Greece and Marie Alexandrovna, Duchess of Edinburgh, who were born Romanovs, and Empress Marie Feodorovna and Grand Duchess Marie Pavlovna, who married into the family. Since three are named "Marie," this is one book I wish I had in physical form instead of on Kindle so I could look back when necessary, but the author does a good job of distinguishing them.[/quote]

I've just started to buy royalty books in Kindle form and I may do so with this one also. Empress Marie Feodorovna was born Dagmar of Denmark and her nickname was Minnie. GD Marie Pavlovna was born Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and her nickname was Miechen. I've read books about the Romanovs where the nicknames were used.

sweetpotatoboy · Post by **sweetpotatoboy** » Mon July 1st, 2013, 8:30 pm

Have just started Jezebel by Eleanor de Jong for my book group. Only a few chapters in and I can tell it's hardly grounded in the most thorough understanding of the Biblical historical era, but it reads easily enough and should be entertaining.

SonjaMarie · Post by **SonjaMarie** » Mon July 1st, 2013, 9:10 pm

[quote=""Susan""]Please let me know what you think of the Gelardi book? Which Romanov women does it deal with?[/quote]

It was excellent, read it last year at this time of the year.

SM

boswellbaxter · Post by **boswellbaxter** » Mon July 1st, 2013, 10:53 pm

[quote=""Susan""]I've just started to buy royalty books in Kindle form and I may do so with this one also. Empress Marie Feodorovna was born Dagmar of Denmark and her nickname was Minnie. GD Marie Pavlovna was born Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and her nickname was Miechen. I've read books about the Romanovs where the nicknames were used.[/quote]

The author does use the nicknames, but not always, of course, so especially in the beginning of the book it could be confusing. Once I got a firmer grasp on who was living where and who was married to whom, it was better.

Nefret · Post by **Nefret** » Tue July 2nd, 2013, 6:37 am

Mary Boleyn- The Mistress of Kings by Alison Weir