A Work in Progress

A Thursday (not) Thirteen: Girls Dressed as Boys

A couple of days ago I mentioned that I have a fascination with stories about girls dressing as boys.  While I realize there is a whole gender bending aspect to this phenomenon, for myself it's more an historical interest.  You've probably heard the saying that "well-behaved women rarely make history"?  It often seems that women have been stuck on the sidelines when it comes to adventures and escapades.  At least historically, though not so much today, thankfully.  One way to get around the dilemma of being female and stuck in petticoats was to switch from skirt to pants, long hair to short.  In essence a woman had to be someone she wasn't in order to open up otherwise closed avenues.  Sometimes she had to pass herself off as a man in order just to survive.  

This of course started me thinking of the stories I'd read where girls dressed as boys, or if you will, women as men.  I'm afraid I couldn't come up with thirteen novels, however.  I suspect there are loads out there that I haven't thought of or read.

This year there was Shakespeare's Twelfth Night with a shipwrecked Viola who as a woman alone finds it easier to move more freely about a foreign country dressed as a boy.  Needless to say, that caused just a little bit of havoc.

I've already noted Chandra Prasad's On Borrowed Wings about a young woman who takes the opportunity of a scholarship won by her brother (who died in an accident) in order to make a better life for herself outside the smally quarry town she was raised in.

Litlove suggested a Belinda Jack's George Sand: A Woman's Life Writ Large.  I read Sand's novel Indiana  a year or two ago.  Sand dressed as a man in public, which was no doubt highly scandalous, but allowed her access to venues where women were prohibited from entering.  (Must read this one!).   

Kingston by Starlight by Christopher John Farley is based on the true story of pirate Anne Bonny who goes to sea dressed as a boy.  I expect this happened quite often.

Clare Langley-Hawthorne's first Ursula Marlowe mystery, Consequences of Sin has Ursula dressing as a man as she travels by ship (alone) to Venezuela during her inquiries into the murder of a friend. 

In Jonatha Ceely's Mina a young girl whose family has perished in the Irish potato famine of the 1840s can only find work in a great house if she dresses as a boy.  She becomes the cook's assistant and embarks on a series of adventures/journeys that will eventually take her all the way to America.

Lastly, I'll be reading Georgette Heyer's The Corinthian soon.  In this unusual Heyer novel a young heiress decides she's not going to marry the man chosen for her (well, perhaps that part's not so unusual), and to make her escape she dresses as a boy. 

Dare I ask if anyone's read a book with a girl leading the adventurous life as a boy, so I can fill out my list?  I wonder how many women disguised as men fought in the Civil War (or other wars for that matter?).  I bet there must be examples going as far back as the Classics!

What are the chances?

What is it with Robert Goolrick's A Reliable Wife?  I came across this title via Library Thing.  It was a book offered as part of their Early Reviewer's Program and caught my eye.  Set in rural Wisconsin in 1909 it's about a mail order bride, but not the cheesy sort of story you might imagine.  This one sounds very Gothic in flavor where neither of the pair is exactly as expected.  The LT blurb mentioned "echoes of Wuthering Heights and Rebecca", which completely sold me.  As there were only 15 copies to be had I went to the public library's online catalog and got in line....behind about 45 other people.  What had they heard that I hadn't?  Usually I'm pretty up on new books, but this was the first mention of it I had encountered.  Went back to LT and put my name in the hat after all--not expecting to have a ghost of a chance of getting one.

Lo and behold, guess what I found out today?  Out of 1,465 members requesting a copy, I actually was picked and should (fingers crossed now) be receiving one.  What were the chances of that happening?  Then I read this review (only read the first paragraph as I am looking forward to reading the book and don't want it spoiled):

"Don't be fooled by the prissy cover or that ironic title. Robert Goolrick's first novel, A Reliable Wife, isn't just hot, it's in heat: a gothic tale of such smoldering desire it should be read in a cold shower. This is a bodice ripper of a hundred thousand pearly buttons, ripped off one at a time with agonizing restraint. It works only because Goolrick never cracks a smile, never lets on that he thinks all this overwrought sexual frustration is anything but the most serious incantation of longing and despair ever uttered in the dead of night."

To be honest (no offense Washington Post) I don't find the cover prissy in the least--it was what first made me stop and look, and I like irony under the right conditions.  After reading this I thought 'sheesh', I'm not at all surprised that there were already 45 people in line at the library ahead of me!  Apparently with this novel I'm in for quite a ride read!  I've always had a high regard for Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill as purveyors of good literature, so even though I was a little slow to clue in on this book, I'm very excited to be getting a copy.

I've had very good luck with Library Thing lately, receiving a book a month for the last three months, which means I had better go and get going on the first one, Elaine Dundy's The Old Man and Me.  Such a hardship to be forced into picking up another book to read.   

In Search of. . .

I think I've mentioned that I'm reading C.J. Sansom's Winter in Madrid after a short hiatus.  Normally I can put down and pick up a book without too much trouble, but enough time had passed that I had to go to the beginning again and do a little skimming to get back on track with the story.  Happily I've found it to be just as engaging to continue with as I initially found it (I only set it aside to finish a few other books).   

It's set in post-Civil War Spain with the Second World War raging in the background amidst fears that Franco will enter the war on Germany's side.  The story concerns three men who were once schoolfriends in England, though are now leading very different lives which converge in a Spain still devastated by the civil war.  I'm only a quarter of the way into the book, so there's a lot of story left to unfold and I'm greedily taking it all in.  I will say it is a somewhat complex story that moves around in time and perspective, though I'm enjoying its intricacies.  I need to pay close attention to everything, but I find all the details completely fascinating.

The thing is this.  I love thrillers, and I love historical fiction, but I tend to stay away from most books with any sort of a political bent, meaning I rarely read any sort of spy or espionage story.  One of the characters in this novel is a 'reluctant' spy, so it throws the story into a whole different light and I find I'm really enjoying it and wonder what I've missed by avoiding this genre.  I can't remember the last time I read what might be considered a traditional spy/espionage story.  Not a single John Le Carre, not even one Ken Follett, none of Alan Furst's novels.  So my question is: what are some really good spy novels?  I'm sure I could Google and come up with a list, but it's always nice to read a book that has been read and appreciated by someone you trust.  Any suggestions?  And any novels with female spies?  As always, thanks in advance for any help.

This Week's Library Loot

 

This is actually two weeks' worth of library books, but I've still got quite a stack going, don't I.  It's hard to decide which book to choose first, and I usually go with the one that needs to be returned first (and can't be renewed).  This time, though, I was drawn to Jude Morgan's An Accomplished Woman, which has a very Jane Austen feel to the story (reminiscent of Persuasion, my favorite Austen novel).  It's a fluffy sort of read and I expect to zip through it pretty quickly.

My other finds include Anne Michaels' The Winter Vault, which is set in 1960s Egypt where a newly wedded Canadian couple sets up house on a Nile River boat.  The husband is an engineer helping restore the temple of Abu Simbel.  According to the blurb this is "a love story of extraordinary depth and complexity, a mesmerizing tale that juxtaposes historical events with the most imtimate moments of individual lives."  The author is an award-winning poet, so I expect this to be a good read.

I now have Barbara Vine's latest, The Birthday Present.  I am a great fan of Barbara Vine's novels, but I wasn't sure this one would be for me as it deals with British politics.  From what I've heard, though, it's as gripping a read as I've come to expect from her.  Again she delves into the deep recesses of the psyche this time bringing us "a exploration of obsessive desire."

I really liked Vanora Bennett's last novel.  Her newest, Figures in Silk, explores the 15th-century world of silk-making.  It's set against the War of the Roses, so I imagine there will be lots of cut throat politics to keep me entertained.

Andrew Taylor's Bleeding Heart Square was the book I was supposed to get via Library Thing's Early Reviewer Program, but it never came.  I really want to read this one, however, so I got in line at the library.  It's supposed to be a sophisticated literary mystery.  It's set in 1930s London--my time and place of choice these days.

The Secret Keeper by Paul Harris sounds like a good page-turning political thriller with the added benefit of being really well written (from what I've heard so far anyway).  So I realize a moment ago I said I wasn't sure about a Barbara Vine book dealing (peripherally anyway) about politics, but here I'm excited about this one?  What can I say, except I don't expect a Vine book to be about politics, but I have a feeling it will be excellent anyway.  This one, too.

Lastly Chandra Prasad's On Borrowed Wings was a book I read a couple of years ago and loved, and I just had an inkling to read it again.   I wrote about the book here.  I have this weird interest in women dressing as men to live different lives, or to live more adventurous lives (historically speaking anyway, since women tended to get stuck at home--not the case anymore).  I'm hoping that Prasad will come out with another novel sometime, but I see nothing in the works.          

So the library mill keeps churning out books.  And I keep requesting them.  I see it as job security for the public library folks.  The more I read, the busier they stay.  Remember to support your public library!

And they emerge from the fabric. . .

 

Nothing bookish today, I'm afraid.  My niece made her First Communion this morning and we had a little reception after.  There's some cleaning up to be done still and then the usual weekend chores to finish.  It's raining like crazy, which I always think is the perfect sort of reading weather, so if I hurry I can get in a few chapters, while I listen to the thunder crashing and the rain pelting the windows. 

I've got a start on my latest needlework project, so I thought I'd share that instead.  I opted for something small and (hopefully) quick.  It's a folk art design that I'll make into a pincushion--complete with little beads around the edges.  It's by my favorite designer, Carriage House Samplings. So far it measures all of 1-1/2" x 1-1/2".  I'm stitching it on 40 count linen.  If you're not a stither, this means there are 40 threads to one inch of fabric--not the densest of linens, but it's pretty close.  I don't wear glasses, but I do use magnifier glasses to stitch on such a small count linen.  I think I like stitching on smaller count linen because flaws in my work aren't readily apparent.  The actual colors are much more subdued in reality than the neon-ish quality in the chart photo.  According to the designer the cushions were inspired by rugs hooked in the early to mid-1800s.  I'm hoping to complete the stitching in the next week or so.  I have a feeling the beading might take longer than the stitching (you may not be able to tell in the photo, but the beads are in loops around the cushion)!  I'll share a photo when I finish.    

Diversity in Reading Meme

I'm nabbing this from Susan, but I'm afraid I'm going to do even worse than she felt she did.  I am a totally predictable reader, staying well within my comfort zone.  Time to take note of my weaknesses.

Name the last book by a female author that you've read.
I'm afraid this is going to be the only easy one for me.  I read mostly women authors.  I recently finished Georgette Heyer's The Talisman Ring.

Name the last book by an African or African-American author that you've read.
Nothing in the last three years--I'm too embarrassed to go back further.

Name one from a Latino/a author.
The closest I can come is Death Rites by Alicia Giménez-Bartlett.  She's actually Spanish.  There was a time not too many years back when every third book I read was by a Latino author, so I wonder if I sort of 'read myself out'.   

How about one from an Asian country or Asian-American?
Not really.  The closest I can come is Peter Ho Davies's The Welsh Girl.  Davies is Welsh/Chinese.  Yes, that is a bit of a stretch, and I read the book two years ago! 

What about a GLBT writer?
Thanks to the Slaves of Golconda, I read Jeanette Winterson's Sexing the Cherry.  I also read Affinity by Sarah Waters earlier this year. 

Why not name an Israeli/Arab/Turk/Persian writer, if you're feeling lucky?
Again, a couple of years ago I read The Calligrapher's Night by Yasmine Ghata, an author of Turkish lineage who now lives in France.

Any other "marginalized" authors you've read lately?
Would Serbian author Zoran Zivkovic count?  Last year I read a collection of his short stories, Steps Through the Mist.

And here I thought I was doing pretty well by reading nine books so far this year that are works in translation.  The thing is they are all European authors.  I guess I need to shuffle my books around a little and try for more diversity in my reading.

Gone Fishin'. . . (Umm, Readin'). . .

 

I'll probably check in later today, but I hope to spend a nice lazy morning/afternoon just reading and relaxing (which means no computer--but will catch up on blog reading this weekend!).  I'm not sure whether I'll concentrate on just one book or dip into as many (or as few) as I feel.  The nice thing about days like these is there is no set plan and I will read whatever at whim.  I was already contemplating what to read last night when I pulled out some books for a photo (hence the darkness outside my window).  Sometimes even the anticipation is nice!  So, I'm off to read...    

Update:  I really do need more days like this.  I unabashedly dipped into my stack of books.  It was like visiting so many good friends and hearing their 'news' (or stories).  It's so warm today that after lunch I even drowsed off for a while.  I think I was lazier than my cats (if that's even possible).  By the way, the Persephone book you see peeking out of the stack is not a new book, it's Greenery Street, which I've been reading for a while.  I think I'm going to make it a priority from here on out and finish it.  It's a lovely story and a perfect one for a lazy day like this.  I also started Jude Morgan's An Accomplished Woman, which is set in the Regency period and seems to be a retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion.  Nobody can top Jane herself, but it seems to be a fun read nonetheless. 

I didn't mean to start Georgette Heyer's A Civil Contract, but I couldn't stop reading after I picked it up to get a little taste for the story.  I've read a handful of her books now, and it's early days with this story, but I think it may end up being my favorite so far.  It somehow seems a more 'mature' story than some of the others I've read (which is not to say I haven't loved the others, but this one feels different).  Recently I picked C.J. Sansom's Winter in Madrid back up (I hadn't set it aside purposely, I just got sidetracked), and I read more today.  Happily my fervor for the story has not waned a bit.  I know this one has gotten mixed reviews, but I'm really enjoying it.  And I also read a few chapters of Nicola Upson's An Expert in Murder, which I am also really enjoying.  It's set in my favorite period--the 1930s and features Josephine Tey as not only herself, an author, but a sleuth as well.  I don't always like books where real people are dropped in as main characters, but in this case I really don't mind.  I've only read one of Tey's novels (liked it very much), but I don't know anything about her personal life.  I don't know what's factual or not, but I like the characters so much, and the period detail is wonderful that I am completely drawn in so far.  Also, it's set in London's West End ( I don't know much about the theater, but I like this sort of education), which is all new to me and has opened up a world that I find fascinating.  

The perfect way to spend a day off.  In case you're curious about the books I mentioned, there are links to them in my right sidebar.      

Miscellaneous Book Notes

 

I finished reading Georgette Heyer's The Talisman Ring, and it was pretty much what I've come to expect from a Heyer novel--all around good fun.  It's a fast paced story with a dash of romance, a generous sprinkling of humor, and even a bit of adventure.  I'll be writing more on it, but Sourcebooks (who passed it along to me) has requested that I not post a review until May, so watch for it in a very few weeks.

I'm going to get a good dose of Georgette Heyer this spring and summer as I have several more of her books lined up.  Cornflower has chosen Heyer's A Civil Contract for her next book group read.  I'll also be reading Cousin Kate and The Corinthian (which I think I've already mentioned) in the next couple of months as well.     

Since I'm on the topic of book groups, the Slaves' next read will be The Slaves of Solitude by Patrick Hamilton (as always, anyone is welcome to join the discussion).  It's another lovely NYRB Classic, which I've had on my pile of books to read for a while now.  Discussion will begin May 31.  

And you probably noticed a couple of new books?  I've been looking forward to Nicola Beauman's biography The Other Elizabeth Taylor (it's a shame it has to have that title, but ET, the actress, has cast quite a long shadow it seems), which is just out this month.  So the question is do I keep reading (or more like get back to) Taylor's fiction first, or just jump right in to the biography?  The eternal question it seems when it comes to reading literary biographies.  I also completely splurged on D.J. Taylor's Ask Alice, which has come highly recommended by Cornflower.  It wasn't a hard sell, as I had already been very impressed by his previous novel, Kept.       

By the way...only one more week until this book is out.  I already have plans to stop by the bookstore after work! 

A Few More Upcoming Reads

 

I've had a few more review copies show up in my mail box (thanks to the kind folks at Henry Holt).  This should be the end of them for a while, I think, which is good as I now have plenty to keep me busy reading.  I'm really excited about this batch (as I am about the others), so much so that I've decided to partake of a little vacation time I've accumulated and take Friday off from work.  I'm hoping I can at least have a nice lazy afternoon reading (and it should be in the mid-80s!, so I may have to spend it on the porch with an ice cold lemonade--typical midwest weather to go from winter to summer in one big leap).  With the weather turning nicer and my yard looking pathetic I won't get away with many more lazy days off, so I plan on enjoying one on Friday.

In case you were wondering exactly which books I got:

Britten and Brulightly by Hannah Berry.  This is a graphic novel, but not just any graphic novel but a "graphic novel murder mystery".  The illustrations are gorgeous--all dark and noirish.  I've been wanting to read more graphic novels, so you can't get much better than this.  I plan on starting with this one, by the way.

Fifty Grand: A Novel of Suspense by Adrian McKinty.  "This knockout punch of a thriller from a critically acclaimed author follows a young Cuban detective's quest for vengeance against her father's killer in a mountain town of Colorado."  Sounds good, no?

Bonnie and Clyde: The Lives Behind the Legend by Paul Schneider.  I'm really excited about this one, as I've heard excellent things about it.  It sounds like it's been carefully researched and Schneider draws on many primary sources for his material.  I have a feeling this will be a case of--reads like a novel, but it's not fiction.  I had just been reading in the Smithsonian magazine that next month marks the 75th anniversary of the deaths of Bonnie and Clyde, bringing to an end their crime spree.  Then I came across this new book and knew I had to read it.

So, all in all, can you tell I'm pleased with my pile of books (and this one, too of course).  

What book(s) are you really excited about reading?     

Holocaust Remembrance Day

April 21 is Holocaust Remembrance Day.  In honor of the day I thought it was fitting to start reading Clara's War: One Girl's Story of Survival based on the wartime diary of Clara Kramer and coauthored by Clara Kramer and Stephen Glantz.  Clara was fifteen when she went into hiding with her family in her small Polish town after the Germans invaded.  A total of eighteen people were taken in by a local Volksdeutsch family (ethnically German) for what would be a harrowing twenty months. 

In the introductory notes Clara writes:

"Writing this book was like walking out of my kitchen door in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and straight into my home in Zolkiew.  Although the events in this book happened over 60 years ago, they have never left me.  As with many survivors, I relive them in the present."

"I am 81 years old, and I am one of the lucky ones.  Ever since the day I left the bunker, I have done my best to live a worthy life.  I have dedicated myself to the teaching of the Holocaust.  The privilege of surviving comes with the responsibility of sharing the story of those who did not."

You can hear Clara speak briefly about her experiences in this short video (just click on the lower left hand button to start the video). 

I've always been drawn to stories about WWII, particularly Holocaust survivor stories.  I realize this sounds strange.  How can anyone enjoy reading about what must be one of the most horrific periods in history?  But in the face of man's inhumanity towards other men (and I'm using those terms generically here), these stories can be curiously uplifting as well.  I mean, when there seems to be no hope whatsoever, help may come from the most unlikely source.  And just what makes a person cling to life so tenaciously to survive against all odds and under the most dire conditions?  I believe it is absolutely imperative that these stories be told and that they're also heard.  Humans have an uncanny knack for repeating their mistakes, so we need to be reminded of our darkest days and just what we're capable of--both bad and good.

So, I totally expect Clara's War to be as "heart-stopping" as it's been described.  It may not always be easy reading, but at least I have the satisfaction of knowing ahead of time that Clara is one of the survivors.  I expect to post along the way as I read, unless of course I simply can't put the book down long enough to do so, and if the prologue is any indication, I expect this to be a gripping read indeed.

For more information on the Holocaust, I highly recommend The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's website, which is an excellent resource.  The diary Clara Kramer kept during the war is part of the museum's permanent collection.