5/24/2023 0 Comments Pull of the stars book reviewEven as people were killing each other on the battlefields of the First World War, an even more deadly killer was spreading from person to person through love, kindness, touch. The 1918 influenza was a devastating pandemic. Trying, against horrendous odds, to deliver healthy living babies. It was a surprisingly emotional journey following Julia through her day as a nurse, trying to keep fevers down and despair at bay. It takes place over only a few days and barely moves outside of the single room in which Nurse Julia Power cares for those who are pregnant and in quarantine. It's a book that goes a lot deeper than you may first expect. The Pull of the Stars is set in Ireland in 1918. Because I keep reading these books that were written pre-COVID and pandemics seem to be stalking me.Īnyway, I really liked this understated exploration of healthcare, illness, maternity, and all kinds of power abuses. Serious question: were there always this many books about pandemics? Is this like one of those things where you learn about something you'd never heard of before and then, suddenly, it's EVERYWHERE. Here we are in the golden age of medicine- making such great strides against rabies, typhoid fever, diphtheria- and a common or garden influenza is beating us hollow.
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The harsh treatment Artemisia receives from society after this scandal sadly echoes what modern rape survivors experience today often the woman is blamed and/or viewed as a whore. The book starts with a trial concerning the rape of the artist by a teacher/family friend, and from what I’ve read, this incident(s) did indeed occur. However, what Vreeland excels at is not painting (hah) Artemisia as a victim in her own life. However, Vreeland sometimes uses modern-sounding language in her dialogue which I could have done without in order to keep with the tone of the time. She was the first woman to gain acceptance into Florence’s academy of Art. These delectable descriptions and way of looking at the world brought me back to when I used to draw and paint more regularly, and even inspired me to start drawing with more frequency.Īrtemisia’s life seems modern to today’s readers, and that’s because it was. Vreeland is apt to highlight color and form throughout the book, as read from Artemisia’s perspective. It’s hard not to be, as it was rare for a woman during that time to paint for money and for powerful nobles like the Medicis. I first learned about Artemisia in an Art History class in college, and was instantly fascinated by her. The Passion of Artemisia tells the story of real life 17th century Italian painter Artemisia Gentileschi. Here I consider a corpus of 29 works, from 1898 to 2008, that meet my strict criteria for 'Arthurian historical fiction'. 'dark-age') setting follow the medieval traditions (of myth, folklore, chronicle, and romance) by sending Arthur and his warriors beyond the shores of Britain. Many modern works of Arthurian fiction with an historical (i.e. Arthur or Ambrosius?) and sensibly concludes that neither Historia Brittonum nor the Annales Cambriae can be viewed as reliable historical evidence, and that that the case for an historical Arthur is ‘unproven’. Finally it carefully unpicks the primary sources and demonstrates a number of problems concerning dating, later interpolations, inconsistencies, lack of clarity due to brevity (e.g. It concisely distills all the relevant arguments and compares and contrasts various viewpoints. The discussion is conducted using a framework for examining the texts, their wider historical and literary contexts, the authors’ motivations and the texts’ usefulness as historical ‘evidence’. This discussion considers the Arthurian elements presented in De Excidio, Historia Brittonum and the Annales Cambriae and analyses to what extent these may be indicative of the religious and political motives of their authors, rather than simplistically accepted as early primary sources recording reliable ‘evidence’ for an historical Arthur. 5/24/2023 0 Comments Avedon by Norma StevensNo one knew him better than Norma Stevens, who for thirty years was his business partner and closest confidant. But the Richard Avedon the world saw was perhaps his greatest creation: he relentlessly curated his reputation and controlled his image, managing to remain, for all his exposure, among the most private of celebrities. He possessed a mystique so unique it was itself a kind of genius – everyone fell under his spell. He also went on the road to find and photograph remarkable uncelebrated faces, with an eye toward constructing a grand composite picture of America.Īvedon dazzled even his most dazzling subjects. Over six richly productive decades, he created landmark advertising campaigns, iconic fashion photographs (as the star photographer for Harper’s Bazaar and then Vogue), groundbreaking books and unforgettable portraits of everyone who was anyone. Richard Avedon was arguably the world’s most famous photographer – as artistically influential as he was commercially successful. 5/24/2023 0 Comments Emmaline's Bodyguard by NNSRecorded at Strange Weather studios in Brooklyn, New Had recorded in her bedroom up until this point, she went headfirst into the studio with only two days Section - in addition to guitarist Ryan Mondak. Keyboardist Bobby Sparks II, bassist Ben Williams, drummer Jason “JT” Thomas,Īnd a string quartet - live, Emmaline’s violin is the central string Jazz musicians like trumpeter Maurice Brown, saxophonist Jacques Schwartz-Bart, Tapping into more contemporary R&B and soul, as wellĮmmaline pulled together her own big band for the album, featuring seasoned Track - autobiographical reflections from the time she was 18 through 20 - even Like Bill Evans, Chet Baker, Erykah Badu and Lalah Hathaway. Together or having listening parties around artists Her craft from an early age, with the family frequently playing music Emmaline says living in the country really helped her concentrate on Was a jazz pianist her mother, Julie, was a singer. InĪddition to her musical siblings, her father, Russ, Indiana, Emmaline grew up in a musical family. The age of 4 and was considered a child prodigy - she eventually narrowed her Initially studying violin - which she started playing at Prestigious Conservatory of Music, Emmaline considers herself a jazz singer,įirst and foremost. 5/24/2023 0 Comments Malorie by josh malermanMalorie has a harrowing choice to make: to live by the rules of survival that have served her so well, or to venture into the darkness and reach for hope once more. And rumors that the creatures themselves have changed into something even more frightening. Murmurings of monstrous inventions and dangerous new ideas. But getting her life back means returning to a world full of unknowable horrors-and risking the lives of her children again.īecause the creatures are not the only thing Malorie fears: There are the people who claim to have caught and experimented on the creatures. Malorie has already lost so much: her sister, a house full of people who meant everything, and any chance at an ordinary life. Someone very dear to her, someone she believed dead, may be alive. And with it, the first time Malorie has allowed herself to hope. AND DON’T LOOK.īut then comes what feels like impossible news. No solution.Īll Malorie can do is survive-and impart her fierce will to do so on her children. One glimpse of the creatures that stalk the world will drive a person to unspeakable violence. Twelve years after Malorie and her children rowed up the river to safety, a blindfold is still the only thing that stands between sanity and madness. In the “fast-paced, frightening” ( The New York Times Book Review) sequel to Bird Box, the inspiration for the record-breaking Netflix film starring Sandra Bullock, bestselling author Josh Malerman brings unseen horrors to life. “ Malorie is even more of a psychological thriller than Bird Box, and all the scarier for it.” 5/24/2023 0 Comments Fangirl graphic novelI also feel like Elyssa Friedland’s The Most Likely Club doesn’t get enough hype – this was the female friendship story I was craving. Krosoczka (LOVE!) and Class Act by Jerry Craft (a new student fave author). I read 2 YA graphic novels, Sunshine by Jarret J. My favorite reads of the month were Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson, The Hopefuls by Jennifer Close, and basically anything by Curtis Sittenfeld, but specifically Romantic Comedy, American Wife, and Eligible. Never fear, my review is coming here on Wednesday. My absolute, currently favorite book of 2023 was known other than Emily Henry’s Happy Place. April was a bit of a breather from romance, and I really leaned heavy on contemporary adult fiction. 5/23/2023 0 Comments Saul leiter printsIn much of his street photography, Leiter focuses on one individual. And it strangely gives one confidence to know that not all error shots are necessarily bad shots. And while he documented habitual life in New York he managed to capture a strong and defining vibe even photographing monotonous actions.Īs a street photographer, Leiter’s work appears virtually accidental, like throwaway shots capturing blurred moments and out of focus images. His reflex as a painter influenced much of his work, particularly his colour photography. Saul Leiter was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and moved to New York in 1946 to become a painter and photographer. Like most seasoned street photographers, Leiter captures an atmosphere – the uncertainty felt by Americans post World War II in mid-20th century New York. You can almost feel the hot air from fusty subway grates or hear the hustle and bustle of New Yorkers when looking at Leiter’s prints. Leiter’s disposition as a photographer can be summarised by the quote: ‘ It is not where it is or what it is that matters, but how you see it.’ The citation is printed on the gallery wall, which boards his early works integrating blurry shots with stark uses of contrast. 5/23/2023 0 Comments Mine till midnight by lisa kleypasBut as their irresistible attraction blazes, an enemy from her past threatens everything and everyone she holds dear. No matter how Amelia tries to avoid Cam, fate keeps throwing them together. He’s tough and streetwise with a romantic streak, the kind of man Amelia has never dared to dream of. And Amelia, who’s always refused to lean on anyone’s shoulder, finds herself turning to a sexy dark-haired stranger for help.Ĭam Rohan, with his Romany heritage and mysterious past, is even more of an outsider than the Hathaways. But when reckless brother inherits a title, the Hathaways are flung into the unfamiliar world of the English peerage. Miss Amelia Hathaway, a beautiful and strong-willed spinster, has looked after her unruly younger siblings ever since the death of her parents. A revised and updated edition of the first book in legendary New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas’s beloved historical romance series featuring the unforgettable Hathaways: a family of misfits trying to navigate their way through the hazards of the British aristocracy 5/23/2023 0 Comments The land series aleron kongWelcome back my friends! Welcome back.to The Land! Well he'll look right back, stare that horror in the eye, and say, "Yes sir, the check is in the mail!" Faced with all the dangers of the deep dark, what will Richter say when the buried horrors of The Land come a calling and asked if he's paid his dues? The only problem is that this monster of a man is being pursued by monsters, a demon, and his own foolish choices. Now, surrounded by miles of darkness and tons of crushing rock, Richter has to find his way back into the light. What no one but the abandoned chaos seed knows is that he narrowly avoided the curse of the lich Singh, a curse that still hangs above his head. Sion, leader of the Mist Village, was left with only pain and regret as Richter was claimed by the abyss. The battle of the dead was won, but at a great cost. The eighth novel of the internationally acclaimed Chaos Seeds saga.Ī mesmerizing tale reminiscent of the brutality of Goblin Slayer and the majesty of Game of Thrones. |