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Recent reading
Apr. 6th, 2017 10:05 pmDoc by Mary Doria Russell
Reread, in preparation for reading the sequel Epitaph. Aaaah, I love this book so much. It's my favorite of hers. I didn't have any special interest in the historical characters beforehand (Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp), but Russell makes them and everyone around them just come alive. There's something so warm and generous and human in her writing, and there are emotional payoffs in this book that really feel like they are earned. And I am a sucker for characters who are earnest and try to do the right thing (and sometimes fail). (Also, I wonder what the author's thing for Jesuits is? There are Jesuits in all her books, regardless of whether they are set in the 19th century American West or WWII Italy or in space).
The Late Middle Ages by Philip Daileader (series of lectures from the Teaching Company)
Bit less of a focus on social change and demographics and such, and more on political history, compared to the previous one. Still interesting, though.
Reread, in preparation for reading the sequel Epitaph. Aaaah, I love this book so much. It's my favorite of hers. I didn't have any special interest in the historical characters beforehand (Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp), but Russell makes them and everyone around them just come alive. There's something so warm and generous and human in her writing, and there are emotional payoffs in this book that really feel like they are earned. And I am a sucker for characters who are earnest and try to do the right thing (and sometimes fail). (Also, I wonder what the author's thing for Jesuits is? There are Jesuits in all her books, regardless of whether they are set in the 19th century American West or WWII Italy or in space).
The Late Middle Ages by Philip Daileader (series of lectures from the Teaching Company)
Bit less of a focus on social change and demographics and such, and more on political history, compared to the previous one. Still interesting, though.
