A Poem for the Day: "The Pine Planters" By Thomas Hardy

This morning, on a whim, I picked up Thomas Hardy's novel The Woodlanders again.  Yes, I just read it a few months ago; but it doesn't matter at all, I just felt that I needed to read it again.  Interestingly, now that I have completed reading most of the classical ancient Greek tragedies, I am realizing just how Sophoclean this tragic tale of Hardy's is.  While folks will tell you to read Tess of the d'Urbervilles and Jude the Obscure (and you certainly should), you would be certainly remiss in not reading his beautiful and lyrical The Woodlanders.  To reinforce the point, I am sharing Hardy's beautiful poem, written in 1909, that he mated up with his novel, The Woodlanders.  Can the man write a love poem?  What a lamentation--it simply breaks my heart every time I read this poem...

The Pine Planters

(Marty South's Reverie)

I

We work here together
In blast and breeze;
He fills the earth in,
I hold the trees.

He does not notice
That what I do
Keeps me from moving
And chills me through.

He has seen one fairer
I feel by his eye,
Which skims me as though
I were not by.

And since she passed here
He scarce has known
But that the woodland
Holds him alone.

I have worked here with him
Since morning shine,
He busy with his thoughts
And I with mine.

I have helped him so many,
So many days,
But never win any
Small word of praise!

Shall I not sigh to him
That I work on
Glad to be nigh to him
Though hope is gone?

Nay, though he never
Knew love like mine,
I'll bear it ever
And make no sign!

II

From the bundle at hand here
I take each tree,
And set it to stand, here
Always to be;
When, in a second,
As if from fear
Of Life unreckoned
Beginning here,
It starts a sighing
Through day and night,
Though while there lying
'Twas voiceless quite.

It will sigh in the morning,
Will sigh at noon,
At the winter's warning,
In wafts of June;
Grieving that never
Kind Fate decreed
It should for ever
Remain a seed,
And shun the welter
Of things without,
Unneeding shelter
From storm and drought.

Thus, all unknowing
For whom or what
We set it growing
In this bleak spot,
It still will grieve here
Throughout its time,
Unable to leave here,
Or change its clime;
Or tell the story
Of us to-day
When, halt and hoary,
We pass away.

(1909)

***

The photograph I have included is one that I took late one evening in the Bartholomew's Cobble Preserve near Sheffield, in south-western Massachusetts.  I went back east with my oldest daughter to attend an Edith Wharton biennial conference that was being held in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.  I invite you to 'click' on the photograph for the larger view.  In some respects this photograph reminds of the woodland country that Hardy's Giles Winterborne were living and working in around the little 'Wessex' hamlet of 'Little Hintock.'  I do hope that the poem and the photograph inspire you to read this beautiful novel.  I'd love to hear your thoughts about the novel if you read it.

Reviews: Jean M. Auel's "Earth's Children" Series

If you are looking for something a little different in the way of historical fiction this summer, I have a suggestion. Check out Ms. Jean M. Auel's "Earth's Children" series of books. There are currently five volumes, with a sixth on the way (and potentially a seventh). These books are the bildungsroman of a young Cro-Magnon woman, named Ayla, who lives and travels across much of what is now eastern and western Europe some 30,000 years ago during the Ice Age.

In order, the series includes the following: The Clan of the Cave Bear, The Valley of the Horses, The Mammoth Hunters, The Plains of Passage, and The Shelters of Stone. Collectively, it is an enthralling tale that causes you, more than once, to lean back and spend some time reflecting on our own human origins. While this probably can't be considered great literature, Ms. Auel's books all have well thought out plots and are well written. I just finished reading the entire series for the second time; and I enjoyed it even more this time around.

The first novel, The Clan of the Cave Bear, is particularly fascinating as this tells the story of how the little four- or five-year old Ayla, an orphaned anatomically modern human, is found by a clan of Neandertals in what is now the Crimean Peninsula. She spends the next six or seven years with the clan and becomes one of the clan's medicine women. Ms. Auel does an excellent job of portraying the type of life these archaic humans may have; and it was a harsh one. Ms. Auel is known for meticulously reviewing the latest anthropological and archaeological data as she writes her novels, and this attention to detail is clearly evident. She has carefully crafted a very plausible account of what life may have been like for a group of Neandertals living in a cave on the Crimean Peninsula near the Black Sea. Not only in this first volume, but in all of them, Ms. Auel spends a great deal of time carefully, and quite accurately, describing the ecology and environment of the regions where her characters are living or passing through. There is loads of really interesting information about Ice Age flora and fauna.

The next book is The Valley of Horses, and this is really two novels in one. On the one hand, it documents Ayla's trip north into the frozen Ukrainian Ice Age steppe country as she leaves the clan and sets out to find others like her. The other story told in the novel is the description of the journey of two young men, Jondalar, and his brother, Thonolan, as they travel from what is now western France across Ice Age Europe and ultimately ending up in Ayla's little valley. Ms. Auel has the young men meeting, and interacting with other small groups of humans and Neandertals during the course of their long journey. In the meantime, young Ayla is making some extraordinary discoveries on her own. As you might well imagine, there is a convergence of the two plot lines in the novel with interesting results.



The Mammoth Hunters is the third book in the "Earth's Children" series. This book is largely the tale of Ayla's and Jondalar's time with the 'Mamutoi' peoples (Mammoth hunters) of the Upper Paleolithic Ice-Age steppes of the Ukraine. While the plotting of this novel, in my opinion, did bog down a bit with the amount of time spent on the romantic triangle between Ayla, Jondalar, and Ranec, the dark-skinned Mamutoi ivory carver; I was at the same time amazed at the amount of anthropological and archaeological detail that Ms. Auel interpreted and utilized throughout.

There have been significant archaeological discoveries and research carried on associated with several very important Upper Paleolithic sites over the past thirty-years in this region of the Ukraine. Major early human ice-age settlements have been discovered and excavated at Sungir, Mezhirich, Mezin, and Kostenki. All of which indicate the presence of sophisticated peoples that lived in multi-family dwellings and actively hunted the large animals that occupied this incredibly harsh environment. Ms. Auel's novel really does provide a wonderful window into a time period so long past (approximately 30,000 years ago). Her careful attention to detail and historical accuracy is evident and impressive as one reads about how these peoples may have constructed their dwellings, hunted the large animals for meat, gathered plants for food and medicines, and exchanged goods and new ideas with other bands of humans. This novel gives us some valuable insights into a part of that vast rich human heritage during a period of time, so long ago, during the Ice Age in eastern Europe and western Russia.

The Plains of Passage is the fourth novel in the series, and is one of my favorites. This novel picks up with Ayla and Jondalar, Whinney, Racer, and Wolf all leaving the summer camp of the Mamutoi peoples and beginning the long journey back across the Ice Age steppes of the Ukraine to the delta of the 'Great Mother River' (Donau/Duna/Danube River), and thence across eastern Europe all the way back to Jondalar's Zelandonii peoples in what is now southwestern France. Along the way the travelers have all kinds of interesting adventures, with Ms. Auel doing a superb job of describing just how difficult a trip of this magnitude might have been some 30,000 years ago for two human beings.

As she always does, Ms. Auel brings significant archaeological and paleo-anthropological information into her narrative. For example, she has Jondalar being captured and held by a band of peoples known as the "S'Armunai." The fictional S'Armunai camp is actually based upon the Upper Paleolithic site, Dolni Vestonice, in what is now the Czech Republic. While a prisoner of the S'Armunai, Jondalar witnesses a bizarre and enigmatic burial of three young people in a single grave. This strange burial was actually excavated at Dolni Vestonice and archaeologists are still trying determine what the backstory might be. Ms. Auel offers a very plausible hypothesis. If you're interested, 'Google' "Dolni Vestonice triple burial," and you'll find lots of really fascinating information.

Along the trip Ayla and Jondalar have the opportunity to meet numerous bands of other Cro-Magnons, or anatomically modern humans (Homo sapiens sapiens) and also have several encounters with small bands of Neandertals (Homo sapiens neandertalensis). Ms. Auel uses these encounters to shed more light on the differences and similarities among these Ice Age inhabitants and their ways of life in different parts of prehistoric Europe and how they used the different natural resources in their regions. Interspersed throughout the novel is a very interesting portrayal of the mythologies and spiritual practices that may have been important to these peoples; at the apex of which is the notion that all life are considered to be the children of the "Earth Mother."

In some respects, this novel really reflects and represents the great journey of the human race 30,000 years ago during a period of profoundly difficult adversity because of the environmental conditions. Additionally, and somewhat sadly, it reflects the beginning of the end for the very long-lived archaic human species -- Neandertal -- as this amazing closely-related cousin of ours was destined to be completely extinct within the 5,000 years or so, after living on the planet for several hundred thousand years. It is worth reiterating that each of Ms. Auel's novels in the "Earth's Children" series are thought-provoking from the perspective of better understanding our own human origins; as well as just being wonderfully dramatic and entertaining historical fiction; and The Plains of Passage is no exception.


Well, we have now come up to the last book in the series, so far. The Shelters of Stone is entirely set in what is now southwestern France and the region occupied by Jondalar's peoples, the Zelandonii. Ayla and Jondalar have finally reached the end of their long journey, and can now become mated and finally settle down. In usual Jean Auel style, she has incorporated much of the state-of-the-art anthropological and archaeological data and evidence from the great cave dwellings that have been found in that area -- including the great Caves of Lasceaux, with the amazing art painted on the limestone walls inside the caverns. This book also goes into much greater detail about the potential social and cultural interactions that may have existed among the great number of human occupants of these huge cave dwellings. Just as it is today, it is difficult providing adequate food, water, and other necessities of life for a large number of people concentrated in a relatively small area. I really found her fictional depiction of spiritual awareness among these upper paleolithic peoples to be interesting. I can certainly see how Ice Age shamanism and spiritualism could have naturally evolved into the more organized religions that we see around us today. Frankly, I am not sure that there is a difference at all.

I think this series of books -- The Earth's Children series -- are important. This series has enabled all of us to enjoy a fictional, but fairly accurate, account of a small portion of the rich human heritage that we all share. Reading these books one cannot help but to stop and think about just what it was that allowed the human species to succeed and expand around the planet; whilst all of the other species in the genus Homo are now long extinct. Reading these books makes one ask the questions -- What is it that makes us uniquely human? When, why, and how were animals first domesticated? What role did modern humans play in the extinction of the Neandertals?

With recent advances in anthropology and genetics we are slowly beginning to answer some of these questions. For example, it is fairly certain that anatomically modern humans and Neandertals probably interacted. In fact, it was recently announced, upon the completion of the sequencing of the Neandertal genome, that humans from Europe and some parts of Asia have DNA of which 4-5% is unique to the DNA of the Neandertal genome. In other words, Neandertals still lives inside some of us today! So, it is quite likely that we did more than just sit around the fire and toast marshmallows. Geneticists are also looking at the mitochondrial DNA of dogs in an effort to determine approximately how long ago we began to domesticate them. Ms. Auel's books track right along with much of this research. Throughout the series, she has many Human-Neandertal encounters and interactions; she gives us some pretty reasonable hypotheses for how horses and dogs may have been domesticated and put to work; and she also does a wonderful job of developing scenarios associated with advances in tool-making and use, finding medicines and treating the sick or injured.

Read these books! First, they are fun. Second, I guarantee you'll learn a lot about yourself, your species, your planet, and the species that have lived before us. Finally, I think there are some important lessons for the future in here too. It is not entirely clear what the long-term ramifications of climate-change and global warming will be yet; but I am convinced that it may become a more difficult planet for humans to occupy and survive upon.

In closing, if this series is something you are interested in and you read, you might also be interested in two quite fascinating, and well-written non-fiction books.

Desolate Landscapes: Ice-Age Settlement in Eastern Europe, by John Hoffecker, February 2002, The Rutgers Series in Human Evolution.

The Early Upper Paleolithic Beyond Western Europe, Edited by Kris Kerry, June 2004, University of California Press.

Reads & Reviews: November 2009 through May 2010

It has been a while since I had the opportunity to sit down and add some new books and reviews to my blog. I have been remiss, and very busy with work, etc. It has not, however, stopped my reading. Since my last update in October 2009, I have read some wonderful books, and I look forward to sharing some of the highlights with you! So, without further ado, let's get on with it.

1. Christina Rossetti: A Literary Biography, by Jan Marsh -- Jan Marsh’s monumental biography of the Victorian poet, Christina Georgina Rossetti, entitled, Christina Rossetti: A Literary Biography, while difficult to acquire, was a fascinating and eminently worthwhile read! This extremely well written biography leads the reader through Christina’s interesting and complicated family life, as well as providing significant insight into the development of her poetic craft, and the intellectual stimulus behind much of her work. Christina, born in 1830, was the youngest of four children, and wrote her first poem as a birthday present for her mother when she was eleven. Her elder siblings, Maria, Dante Gabriel, and William were also accomplished writers; and in Dante’s case, he was an incredibly talented artist as well.

I largely read Marsh’s biography of Christina concurrently, in a side-by-side fashion, with the Penguin Classics edition of Christina Rossetti: The Complete Poems, and it made the experience ever so much richer. It would be easy to pigeon-hole Christina Rossetti as simply a religious poet, but that would be very short-sighted. Yes, she was very pious, and was incredibly devoted to her faith and the High Anglican church she was raised in. Her poetry though, while complex, lyrical, and imaginative, reflects the trials and tribulations of a young woman’s feelings whilst growing up in Victorian England. Over the course of her life, Christina wrote more than 1,000 poems that weave together her fantasies, experiences, feelings, moral upbringing, social conventions, and her deep and abiding faith together in a body of work that is virtually unparalleled among poets, including those that preceded or followed her.

It was also interesting to learn just how involved she was with Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s creation, in 1848, with his friends, of the avant-garde artistic movement that became the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (PRB). This initial group included William Holman Hunt, James Collinson, John Everett Millais, and Christina’s other brother William Michael Rossetti. Several of the artists, including Dante, also wrote and published poetry, and Christina was invited to publish her early poetry in the PRB periodical, “The Germ.” The young Christina also sat as a studio model in several of Dante’s beautiful paintings. More importantly, while Christina did not always approve of the life-styles and activities of many of the members of the PRB, she was intellectually challenged and stimulated by the round-the-clock philosophical and artistic discussions that the members engaged in. Both of her brothers, especially Dante Gabriel, were fully committed and active supporters and promoters of her poetry and provided extensive literary and critical advice over the course of her career.

I found it fascinating to learn that during Christina’s lifetime, because of her own talents, and the literary connections of her family, Christina met and spent time with Robert Browning, Algernon Charles Swinburne, Jean Ingelow, Adelaide Proctor, Charles Dodgson (“Lewis Carroll”), and a whole host of other poets and writers. The biography also includes several photographic family portraits taken by Charles Dodgson, as well as numerous sketches and paintings of Christina and other family members by her brother, Dante. She was known to be a prolific reader and letter writer, and wrote scores of short stories and essays, both secular and religious; and Ms. Marsh has drawn upon much of this prose and correspondence in fleshing out the details of Christina’s life.

Ms. Marsh’s biography provides one of the most detailed looks into the day-to-day life of women in Victorian London, and the dependence that many single or widowed women had on the men in their family for their support. After the death of Christina’s father in 1854, her brother William essentially became responsible for the care of his mother and his two unmarried sisters. Christina, over the course of her life, rejected two serious proposals of marriage; the first from James Collinson, of the PRB; and the second from Charles Bagout Cayley. It appears that the reasons for these rejections were that neither man shared the same religious beliefs that she adhered to. While both of her brothers had complicated relationships with women and did eventually marry; neither Christina, nor her older sister, Maria, ever married. That lack of a long-term romantic love is a topic that Christina’s poetry returns to time and time again.

As Christina’s poetic voice matured, she began to submit her works for publication. Her first substantial book-length publication was “Goblin Market and Other Poems” in 1862. Goblin Market was immensely popular and well-received by the critics, and seems to have established her as a poet of some note in both Britain and the United States. This brought her wide-spread fame and allowed her to contribute to the Rossetti household income and support her charity work. In fact, upon the death of Elizabeth Barrett Browning in 1861, Christina became the natural successor to the informal title of 'female laureate.' Over the course of Christina’s literary career she was able to have published several books of collected poems; including “Sing-Song: A Nursery Rhyme Book” for children, a delightful collection of short poems and riddles that recalled her days as a little girl in the rambunctious Rossetti family.

Ms. Marsh’s biography does a terrific job of illuminating the personality and character traits of this woman, her interactions with her immediate family, and the wide network of friends that she had. Marsh also sheds insight on Christina’s many years of charity work at the St. Mary Magdalene Penitentiary in Highgate. While it was not a prison, but a ‘home’ with a fairly structured routine, she worked with women who had had children out of wedlock, or had been abandoned, or were active prostitutes coming off of the streets of London. Again, much of her poetry seems to reflect many of the life experiences that she would have become aware of during the course of her work with these women. Finally, in middle-age her declining health became much more of an issue for her. For years she battled ‘Graves Disease’ (a thyroid condition); and later, the breast cancer that ultimately claimed her life in 1894 at the age of 64.

The most important aspect of Jan Marsh’s biography is that the reader comes away with an understanding behind Christina’s most powerful works -- the muse behind the words. The reader has a better sense of the role that her life experiences and her faith played in the development of her major poetic works. In that vein, I really want to recommend some of my very favorite poems of Christina’s that really illustrate what a technically and lyrically accomplished poet she was, including the following: Goblin Market, The Convent Threshold, The Prince’s Progress, The Ghost’s Petition, The Months/A Pageant, Monna Innominata (a sequence of 14 sonnets), An Echo from Willowwood, The Dead City, Ruin, and In an Artist’s Studio.

In conclusion, Jan Marsh’s many years of researching and writing about the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, and the women associated with that movement (she also wrote a book entitled, “Pre-Raphaelite Sisterhood”) has eminently prepared her to write this superb biography of one of the greatest poets of the Victorian Era – Christina Georgina Rossetti. In many respects, the book reads like a novel, is well illustrated, and includes a prodigious amount of Christina’s eloquent poetry that reinforces the connections, and relationships that Ms. Marsh believes motivated Christina’s poetic muse. This was an important book for me, and has caused me to appreciate Miss Rossetti’s poetry all the more, and I truly urge you to find a volume of this remarkable woman's beautiful poetry.

2. The Children's Book, by A.S. Byatt -- Well, A.S. Byatt has done it yet again. She has written a novel, in The Children's Book, that rivals her earlier Booker award winner, Possession. The Children's Book made the shortlist for the 2009 Booker award, and I certainly can understand why. This is the sweeping saga of a cast of characters from several families, and follows them through the late-Victorian period, through the Edwardian, and through the horrors of the First World War.

In Possession, Byatt leads her reader through the world of Victorian poetry, folk tales and mythology, academic research, competition, and the complexities of romance. Similarly, in The Children's Book the reader is swept up into the world of folk tales, mythology, children's stories, pottery making, puppetry; all of which revolve around the lives and loves of the book's main characters. There are literary nods to the Grimm Brothers, Rudyard Kipling, George Eliot, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, the Rossettis and Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, the arts and crafts movement, and so forth.

This world, though while dreamy and imaginative, borders on the macabre at times; almost as though it were, in fact, something out of the Grimm Brothers. Allegories abound in the pottery-making, the porcelain glazes, the dance of the marionettes and hand puppets, the writing of of the children's fairy tales - there are dark and light threads that follow all of the main protagonists through the course of the novel. The novel reflects, through the eyes of the Wellwoods and Fludds, the tremendous political and social changes that occurred in Britain and Europe at the close of the Victorian Era and into the early years of the 20th Century culminating with the loss of nearly an entire generation in the trenches on the battlefields in Europe.

The novel is relentless, like a river, it pulls the reader along; following the currents and flow of each of the children as they move from their fairy-tale childhoods into the colder, sobering realities of becoming adults and parents themselves. Once started, I simply could not put this book down; and I know that I will read this again and again. This is another masterpiece from the pen of one of our greatest living authors. Bravo, Ms. Byatt, Bravo!

3. The Aubrey-Maturin Series, by Patrick O'Brian -- This is a magnificent series of historical novels set during the Napoleonic wars of the mid-1790s through 1815. These novels revolve around Royal Navy Captain Jack Aubrey and his particular friend, naval surgeon, and doctor, Stephen Maturin. The twenty completed novels in the canon encompass nearly 7,000 pages; and are, in my humble opinion, some of the finest historical fiction ever written in the English language. At first blush, a lot of folks might be tempted to write this series off as just a more modern 'Hornblower' series. It is anything but! Patrick O'Brian's favorite author was Jane Austen, and her influence upon his writing is omnipresent. While this series has searingly exciting naval combat action, it is really a long narrative encompassing a great friendship, the lives and loves of all involved, the natural science of the world that they travel, the politics of the day, and a great amount of espionage and intrigue. These books offer it all; and have the benefit of completely and totally engaging the reader in the world of the Age of Sail when 'Britannia Ruled the Waves.' I thought that I would include my reviews of the first three novels in the series in order to give you a taste of what these novels are about.

Master and Commander is the first, the very first, novel in Patrick O'Brian's magnificent magnum opus, the Aubrey-Maturin series. As I said above, in my opinion, there is no finer historical fiction written in the English language; made even more special with Patrick O'Brian's use of the vernacular and careful attention to details and historical accuracy. This book introduces the reader to Jack Aubrey and his 'tie-mate' Dr. Stephen Maturin. It is in this novel that Lt. Jack Aubrey is appointed 'Commander' of His Majesty's Sloop Sophie and begins wreaking havoc amongst French and Spanish merchant shipping in the western Mediterranean Sea. This book is the foundation upon which 19 more complete volumes follow featuring these two men, their loves, their adventures, their ships and shipmates as they take every conceivable measure possible to defeat Napoleon and his minions around the world. A word of caution -- to truly and fully appreciate this immense saga, it is my opinion that each novel be read in order as there are several great connected story arcs. If you feel particularly 'lubberly' whilst reading, I strongly encourage you to add Dean King's wonderful and comprehensive lexicon, A Sea of Words that provides detailed definitions and descriptions of all-things nautical, medical, and natural sciences-related. This lexicon is virtually indispensable if you are a new reader of O'Brian. In conclusion, Master and Commander is a fantastic read, as is each of the succeeding novels in the series.

The second novel in the series is Post Captain and is one of the best too. While Master and Commander kicked off the series with terrific writing and action, this volume really develops the characters in a most Austenesque fashion (and has its fair share of action and adventure too). In Post Captain we truly come to know and care for Jack Aubrey, Stephen Maturin, Sophie Williams, Diana Villiers, Barret Bonden, and Preserved Killick. Jack Aubrey has his ups and downs during the course of the novel, but the good-hearted fellow makes well in the end. O'Brian does a masterful job of placing the reader in the age and the minds of these marvelous characters; and one simply finds oneself turning page after page after page as one voyages on with Captain Aubrey and his shipmates!

H.M.S. Surprise will always be one of my favorites too; and the reason is that it is in this volume where we first meet the "bluff, weatherly, and stout" little 28-gun frigate H.M.S. Surprise. Surprise, her crew, Captain Jack Aubrey, and the ship's doctor, Stephen Maturin embark on a long voyage to delivery His Majesty's Envoy, the elderly and frail Mr. Stanhope, to the East Indies, with stops in India, and interspersed with some terrific naval actions at sea.

One of the most riveting examples of combat/tactical sailing maneuvers I've ever encountered is superbly described by Patrick O'Brian on pp. 288-298. The naval action that follows, to a large degree, mirrors the real-life naval battle of Pulo Aura of 15 February 1804; which pitted French Admiral Linois's squadron's attack upon the East India Company's annual China Fleet convoy. Somehow O'Brian, in this passage, has made hundreds of square miles of open ocean and the tactical movements of the French squadron and Jack's Surprise unfold like a new leaf for all to see and easily understand. I found myself almost holding my breath as I read it. Very exciting stuff!

Also, throughout the novel we are again treated to O'Brian's brilliant writing associated with the growing love-relationships between Jack and Sophie, and that between Stephen and Diana Villiers. H.M.S. Surprise is a most worthy addition to this grand historical fiction series!

***

Okay, now maybe you are beginning to get the flavor of these beautiful books. This is a series of books you'll want acquire, read thoroughly, guard zealously, and re-read every few years. They really are that good!

4. The War for All the Oceans: From Nelson at the Nile to Napoleon at Waterloo, by Roy and Lesley Adkins -- Staying with the Napoleonic wars, I acquired and read a copy of the Adkins' non-fiction historical account of the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic wars. While I enjoyed this book quite a lot, it was not nearly as good as I had hoped. The Adkins have done a terrific job of collecting and organizing all of the personal vignettes and anecdotes associated with the Royal Navy's 20+ years of naval warfare with France and its allies during the Napoleonic wars. I think I might have liked a bit more of the strategy and tactics (and maps) associated with the major fleet actions; and I think the book was badly served by leaving out a more detailed description of the Battle of Trafalgar. The Adkins literally spent about a page and a half on Trafalgar, and then had the chutzpah to include a footnote reference to their book on Trafalgar. All in all though, I am glad that I read The War for All of the Oceans as it gave me a firmer historical foundation and a context in which to place some of the activities and adventures described by Patrick O'Brian in his brilliant Aubrey-Maturin series of historical naval fiction.

5. Vienna 1814: How the Conquerors of Napoleon Made Love, War, and Peace at the Congress of Vienna, by David King -- If you're at all interested in modern European history, and looking for a bit of a racy tale too, then this book is for you. David King is to be commended for crafting such an elegant and engaging work that really does read like a novel. Vienna 1814 details the doings of the Congress of Vienna, held in Vienna, Austria, in late-1814 and early-1815, its expressed purpose to restore Europe following the abdication of Napoleon to Elba and the end of nearly 20 years of war across Europe. Kings and Queens, Princes and Princesses, and diplomats from all across Europe gathered together to try and bring order from the chaos and advance a long period of peace. The problem was that every nation came with its own hidden agenda and only looked to further its own national interests.

This very well-written book focuses on the efforts and activities of Austria's Prince Metternich, Russia's Tsar Alexander, England's Lord Castlereagh and Duke of Wellington, Prussia's Chancellor Hardenberg, France's Talleyrand, and a whole host of papal legates, minor plenipotentiaries and ministers. These men also brought their wives and mistresses to Vienna. There are also numerous cameo appearances of many of Europe's wealthy, artistic, and intellectual elite; like Beethoven, Antonio Salieri, Jacob Grimm (of the Brothers Grimm fame), and so forth. Throw into the mix that the conference also attracted every scoundrel, rogue, courtesan, and spy and you have the perfect recipe for political intrigue, espionage, and sexual seduction on a scale never before seen.

While the diplomats struggled and schemed in their negotiating sessions during the day, in the evening they attended great parties and balls hosted by the various embassies, or salons, scattered across the Viennese landscape; with each country trying to outdo the other in cuisine and grandiose entertainment. Flirtations, secret liaisons and seductions, and even flagrant affairs were common among the participants. Mr. King includes a tremendous amount of background material on each of these fascinating men and women that makes it very easy for the reader to see that they were just like the "A-List" celebrities of our time. It is also easy to see where authors like William Makepeace Thackeray, Georgette Heyer, and so many others, got their inspiration. Personally, I think that this book would provide terrific fodder for a script for a very entertaining (and slightly smutty) period drama miniseries on one of the cable channels -- an early 19th century "Peyton Place."

Even with the diversions of all of the fancy balls and entertainment held during the several months of the Congress of Vienna, the European nations did reach some important multi-national agreements and milestones. They restored or recognized, in large part, many of the small kingdoms and countries that existed prior to Napoleon's conquests. They also redrew borders, and added or took away land and resources from one nation and gave it to another. In a fashion they endeavored to ensure that the rule of "public law" (international law) would be implemented and applied across the continent. An enlightened and consensus position was also adopted that condemned and prohibited the institution of slavery among the signatory states.

Russia and Prussia were probably the big winners, with much of Poland falling into the hands of the Tsar, and much of the Rhineland being taken from France and added to Prussia. Creation of this large 'German' confederation was thought by the diplomats to be a moderating influence on future European affairs; a decision that would haunt the continent in less than 100 years in the future with the horrors of World Wars I and II.

David King's book climaxes with the escape of Napoleon from his exile on the island of Elba, his return to Paris, and his marshaling of hundreds of thousands of Frenchman to his flag. In response, the book describes the rapid mobilization and militarization of the Allies in their fierce determination to defeat Napoleon and the French Army for the last time. The Duke of Wellington rides to Brussels, assumes command of the Allied Army, and meets Napoleon on the battlefield of Waterloo. Napoleon is defeated and this time he is exiled to the island of St. Helena, an isolated chuck of rock in the middle of the desolate South Atlantic Ocean.

This book is important for anyone looking to better understand the Europe of the 20th and 21st centuries; but unlike many histories, this book is anything but dusty, musty, or dry as it has the added benefit of being incredibly engaging and loads of fun to read too. My only gripe? I wish it were longer -- I wanted more! I highly recommend David King's Vienna 1814: How the Conquerors of Napoleon Made Love, War, and Peace at the Congress of Vienna.

6. Lucia In London, by E.F. Benson -- Fabulous! Funny! A very witty and entertaining read. This slim volume is all about a zany cast of characters from a little town in the English countryside and the adventures they share. Gossipy, slightly snarky, light, and just laugh-out-loud hysterical! There are five or six novels by E.F. Benson featuring the 'Great' Lucia and the doings about Riseholme, and I want to find them all! This was a wonderfully written little novel, and not a 'tarsome' moment in it!

7. Shirley, by Charlotte Bronte -- Charlotte Bronte's Shirley is one of the most beautiful, enriching, and satisfying novels that I've read in 2010. A novel borne from tragedy, Charlotte published Shirley in 1849; and while writing the novel, her brother Branwell died in 1848; followed shortly thereafter by the death of her sister Emily also in 1848; and then, horrifyingly, by her remaining sister, Anne, in 1849. In fact, it is believed that the characters of her two primary female protagonists in the novel, Caroline Helstone and Shirley Keeldar are modeled after her sisters Anne and Emily, respectively. Shirley was Charlotte Bronte's second published novel, following Jane Eyre which was published in 1847.

Shirley is not the 'bildungsroman' of a Jane Eyre; nor is it the description of the unrequited feelings of a Lucy Snowe in Charlotte's novel, Villette. Shirley, in my opinion, is a 'romance' (and more than one) within a detailed and descriptive portrayal of Yorkshire society and culture in 1811 and 1812 near the end of the Napoleonic wars and during the period of the Luddite riots in portions of the newly industrialized United Kingdom. This novel is gritty, earthy, hardy and hearty, and fully representative of the Yorkshire men and women of the moor country of northern England.

While Shirley is full of the romance and passion of Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte serves up her heroines and heroes in a much more realistic and prosaic fashion. Perhaps not so witty, or lyrical, as Austen's, Charlotte's characters are so well described as to be very full of life and passion that I began to palpably experience their fears, anxieties, joys, desires, and sadness. One quickly becomes taken up with the lives and feelings of young Caroline Helstone, her uncle, the Reverend Helstone; Miss Shirley Keeldar, and her mysterious older friend, Mrs. Pryor; the mill-owner, Robert Moore, his sister Hortense, and his older brother, the tutor, Louis Moore. We also meet a collection of somewhat roguish curates, a pair of matronly 'saints,' and some wonderful examples of the hard-working Yorkshire working class folk. This is an equal-opportunity' novel when it comes to characters.

As a reader, one might be inclined to feel that the novel starts slowly, and maybe it does; yet, it is necessary. Charlotte Bronte starts setting the scene by carefully and descriptively introducing her characters: the men and women of her imaginary Yorkshire County of Stillborough (or, 'Still'bro'), the clergy, the mill-owners and businessmen, the workers and their families, and the landed gentry all begin to take their proper place as the novel unfolds. After a chapter or two, the novel's plot begins to build, like a storm at sea, with periodic 'rogue waves' containing great drama and pathos combined with the 'lulls' of Ms. Bronte's beautiful descriptions of her character's interactions and experiences with the Yorkshire pastoral, i.e., Caroline's and Shirley's flower gardens; the dells, oak forests, and runs; and the ruins of the abbey in Nunnwood (a great name for a forest with a ruined abbey!). I loved and was intrigued with the novel's contrasting of the darkness or bleakness of the perceived impacts associated with the mechanization of the mills on the Yorkshire business and working class, and the emotional strength, tranquility and serenity gained by the characters in their frequent forays into the countryside and interludes with Nature.

The story is told through the use of different literary devices and voices too. Sometimes Charlotte Bronte uses the omniscient third-person narrator; sometimes the first-person introspective or reflective voice is used; and she even uses the journal entries and written word of her characters to tell the story. Knowledge about events and things said, or seen, are sometimes withheld or not shared with the reader. This tends to give the novel a sense of mystery and imparts a very realistic feel, and reflects how information was actually shared and acted upon by men and women during this period. So, in some sense, while Shirley can be perhaps construed as a novel about the different levels of society in a culture, it is clearly also about differences between the sexes, and the men and women living and loving in that same society and culture.

In the main, however, the novel really swings back and forth from the perspective of two of fiction's finest female protagonists -- the shy and sensitive Caroline Helstone; and her close friend, the bold and fearless Shirley Keeldar. We watch, with satisfaction, as Caroline becomes more confident and assertive, and as Shirley becomes more settled and less impetuous. The reader is treated to the experience of the growth of their sophisticated relationship and friendship with one another; and we begin to realize the real effect and meaning of their relationship and its impact upon those within their sphere of influence. Conflicts and misunderstandings are made right, and intentions and true feelings are made clear and acted upon.

The novel is really about change -- changes in the individuals, changes in relationships, changes in how men and women perceive themselves, and changes in the way of life in a community. It is also about linkages -- linkages of people via relationship and friendship, linkages of couples in love and marriage, even the re-establishment of a relationship long thought lost, and the linkage of the working class with new ways of manufacturing and production.

In conclusion though, this novel -- Shirley -- is about love. It is about the power of love, a steadfast love, and an unrepenting love. This is a powerful proto-feminist statement too; unrelenting in its patronage of the value of women in society and in the basic human relationship between a woman and a man. These are women you can admire and respect -- and love. I loved this novel and rank it very high in the pantheon of all of the great books I have read.

8. North and South, by Elizabeth Gaskell -- I immediately preceded my read of Gaskell's North and South by reading Charlotte Bronte's Shirley (reviewed above); as they both tend to address the issues of life and love in the north of England and the interactions and differences between the gentry, the manufacturers, and the working class. Both novels involve quite serious romantic themes between gentlewomen and generally self-made Middle-class men struggling to forge prosperous businesses in the age of industrialization. Shirley is set somewhat earlier; near the end of the Napoleonic wars and the Luddite Riots; while North and South is probably set some 20 years later.

In comparing the two novels, I believe that Ms. Gaskell has painted the more complete portrait of the class and social issues of life in an industrial town in northern England. I think it is fascinating that Gaskell chose to use the eyes of the young, well-educated, Miss Margaret Hale to illuminate, for the reader, the initial strangeness of the fabric and peoples of industrial Milton; a landscape as foreign to Miss Hale as it is to the reader.

Margaret, her mother and father, and their house-keeper relocate from a quiet little rural village in southern England to the smoky and bustling northern town of Milton; a veritable beehive of factories, business and commerce, and extreme conditions endured by the workers and families that man the factories. As one reads the first quarter of the book it is almost as though the reader must shift their viewpoint from that of 'living' technicolor of the pastoral south to an almost noir-ish and starkly black and white of the industrial brick and mortar north. It is almost jarring and unsettling; but I quite imagine that it was a quite realistic portrait of the differences between these two disparate regions.

Another important reason that I wanted to read North and South is that I have heard that this novel is also Austenesque; and not having read the novel until now, I simply took it as a truism. In my opinion, I think nothing could be further from the truth. Let me explain my thinking.

First, the overall tone of the novel is darker, by far, than anything Austen wrote, including Mansfield Park. North and South is realistically bleak and mainly addresses social conditions across all walks of life in northern England. Austen rarely delves into the social and cultural conditions associated with people running businesses or working for a living. Austen tends to focus on the inter-personal relationships between her characters; and, to my knowledge, does not spend many words on the backstory of any of the servants, laborers, or farmers that briefly appear in her novels. The Mrs and Miss Bates (Emma) and Fanny Price's family in Portsmouth (Mansfield Park) is about as lower class as Austen goes in her novels. In comparison, in North and South Ms. Gaskell brings us, front-and-center, into the gritty and very difficult lives of the Higgins family and the orphaned Boucher children. Elizabeth Gaskell spends a lot of time in the novel describing the horrific working and living conditions of the working class in Milton, and it is not a pretty sight. Austen never does this.

Second, politics is another relatively taboo subject for Austen in her novels; but not so for Gaskell. Elizabeth Gaskell weighs in with a gusto in describing the politics of the time that lead to, in her opinion, many of these gross social injustices that she is writing about. She is concerned about working conditions in the factory (Bessy Higgins and the 'fluff' disease), the use of child labor, the role of unions, strikes, and strike-breaking, etc. The closest that Austen comes to addressing anything political are some very subtle and oblique references to the abomination of slavery (Sir Thomas Bertram's properties in Antigua in Mansfield Park), and the occasional, also oblique, references to the inability of women to obtain an education and employment and inheritance issues. Austen never dwells, in any detail, on these social injustices or inequities though; while Gaskell takes 'em on, one after the other.

Finally, Gaskell's portrayal of the growing romance and relationship between Mr John Thornton and Margaret Hale is handled completely differently than any romantic entanglement described by Jane Austen. Gaskell's portrayal can be sentimental, maybe a little maudlin, sometimes raw, abrasive, and almost uncomfortable at times as Mr. Thornton and Margaret interact day-by-day in Milton and come to know each other. Austen's relationships, even those doomed with 'bad' men, are orchestrated more like a graceful and elegant pas-de-deux. Style, grace, manners, and gentility mean everything to Austen. While gentility and manners are also clearly important to Gaskell (and Margaret and John Thornton!), honesty and unrefined emotion are always apparent. Disgust and hurt are easily portrayed on Gaskell's character's faces, and sharp words can easily follow. In some respects, Gaskell's relationships of Margaret and Mr Lennox, and Margaret and Mr Thornton felt maybe more accurate and realistic; whilst Austen's feel more idealistic. One is not better than the other, they are just different approaches to describing the deep-felt emotions associated with courtship and establishing a romantic relationship between a woman and a man.

In summation, the main observation I make in comparing North and South to the work of Austen is that Gaskell uses the relationship between Margaret and John Thornton to help guide the reader through an emotional and moral evaluation of the social and cultural issues that she is addressing in the novel. Austen, in contrast, uses her romantic relationships to address the natural and normal interpersonal communication issues of the people around her that she knew so much about. Austen's is a much more narrowly focused and personal novelistic point-of-view. Gaskell's point-of-view is much more Dickensian, broad and panoramic.

In closing, I enjoyed reading North and South! It was wonderful companion to Charlotte Bronte's Shirley, and it was loads of fun to think through my own comparisons of Gaskell's romances to those of Jane Austen's. In my opinion, this novel is well worth reading and is an important brick in the wall of literary Victoriana.

9. Cranford, by Elizabeth Gaskell -- What a sweet, elegant, witty, and gentle little book this is. Cranford is really a series of quasi-connected vignettes involving a group of spinster women in a quiet little town in the south of England. Each of the tales is full of little details about the little things, even bordering on minutiae, that are so important to a group of very close friends. There are laugh-out-loud funny moments, and there are poignant, even sad, moments too.

Having now read Cranford I now know why people are eager to see a similarity in some of Elizabeth Gaskell's writing to that of the earlier Jane Austen. I saw touches of this in Gaskell's Wives and Daughters, but it is much, much more evident in this book. Also, for those interested in the fashions and dressing habits of women in the 1830s through the 1850s, this is the book for you. One of the appendices in the back is wholly devoted to the women's fashions of the time of Cranford with wonderful illustrations.

When you are looking for some peace and quiet, and the ability to sit back and smile and chuckle to yourself, pick up a copy of Cranford. I think this would make a terrific book for a bookclub to jointly read and discuss. I highly recommend this book!

10. Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen -- This book is one that I try and read every couple of years; and it probably couldn't hurt to read it even more frequently! All I can say is that this is just a marvelous 'laugh-out-loud' book that deserves to be read umpteen times. If you have a friend in low spirits, give 'em a copy; it'll be sure to bring 'em around!

Every time I read it I can only marvel at the wit and craft that Austen has applied to this fabulous novel; it is nothing short of brilliant! During this most recent read I really concentrated on the thought-processes and maturation of Lizzy's feelings as she works through her relationship with Mr. Darcy from start to finish. Also, it seems that with the exception of Catherine Morland's mother and father in Northanger Abbey, that Austen created in her novels, in the main, some truly abominable and inept parents. While Mr. Bennet is clever-tongued, he is an atrocious father and indifferent husband; and Mrs. Bennet -- well, what can be said there that hasn't been said? Ughh!

I know that this may seem heretical to ardent Janeites, but I don't think that Pride and Prejudice is Austen's very best effort. Don't get me wrong, this novel is certainly in my top-twenty; but I believe that Austen honed her craft over time and delivered her real literary masterpieces in Emma and Persuasion. I surmise that if we polled Austen on this issue, she'd agree. Is Pride and Prejudice the novel to introduce a new reader to Austen for the first time? You betcha! They'd be hooked from the first sentence; just as I was! It is a wonderfully clever romantic novel that happens to be very funny, and provides these terrific character studies of people of whom we all know in our own lives today.

***

Well, we have reached the end of the more memorable books that I've enjoyed reading over the past few months. I'd love to hear from you too, if you have any comments or thoughts on the books I've read and the reviews I've written. Your feedback is important to me! I'll see all of you soon! Cheers!

Reads & Reviews: September & October 2009

I am finally settled back in a groove back here in southern California after my long 3,000 mile photography road-trip in mid- to late-September. I realized that it is time to update the blog with all of the books I've read, I'm reading, and those in the queue. I found some great new stuff too.

1. Freedom & Necessity, by Emma Bull and Stephen Brust - This was a fabulous book; and I have no qualms recommending this at all. I really have to give it up to Emma Bull and Stephen Brust on this one. The epistolary style; comprised of correspondence, journal entries, and newspaper articles; works perfectly with the plot.

This is an exciting historical mystery set in 1849 in Victorian England. It is loaded with political intrigue, budding romances, murder and mayhem, and a healthy dose of Hegelian philosophy. In and amongst the very engaging fictional characters, Emma Bull and Stephen Brust have realistically inserted some well-known historical figures. The novel does an excellent job of educating the reader on the Chartist's movement that caused significant angst among members of Her Majesty's government, as well as in other European monarchies. One can tell that Bull and Brust did their homework in developing the plot; it just feels right and seems completely plausible. Finally, Susan Voight is one of the most likable, brilliant, and witty heroines I've encountered in a novel in a long, long time. She is a giant in this novel! I will definitely read this book again!

2. Beowulf, translation by Seamus Heaney - This was incredible! First of all, the story was told in the spare, sparse, and gritty language of Seamus Heaney's bilingual translation of the Anglo-Saxon original. Second, the plot of this elegiac poem was absolutely epic. The horror of Grendel and his Dam was palpable; and the heroism of Beowulf and his spear-fellows timeless. Finally, the ability to carefully study Heaney's translation, alliteration, and interpretation and then compare it to the Anglo-Saxon was almost surrealistic. It was an amazing experience to have the ability to look at and study the root language of modern English.

My younger brother recommended the Heaney translation to me, and now I know why. This has become a poem I intend to visit, and revisit, many, many times in the years to come. From the perspective of my personal enjoyment of poetry, reading Beowulf has been transformative. Reading Beowulf has led me to go back and reinvestigate the ancient Icelandic poetry of the Poetic Edda (or "Elder Edda"), including the Volsungasaga. From epics like Beowulf and the Poetic Edda, it is abundantly clear what a profound influence these early writings have had on the literature of the English language.

In conclusion, I cannot believe that it has taken me this long to actually sit down and read this beautiful poem. All I can say is "Bravo!" "Bravo!" to the original eighth or ninth century poet, and to Seamus Heaney for his beautiful relatively new presentation of this early treasure of the English language.

3. The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun, by J.R.R. Tolkien - As soon as I found this hardbound edition in the bookstore, I snapped it up. This 350-page book contains J.R.R. Tolkien's interpretation of two of the ancient epic poems from the Poetic Edda (or "Elder Edda") of the Icelandic peoples. Tolkien's son, Christopher has compiled and edited his father's work on the "Lay of the Volsungs" and the "Lay of Gudrun." This is earthy and spare poetry; rich in story and tradition; and provides a tangible connection to our ancestors and their mythology more than a thousand years ago.

This is a book to read, re-read, and study; and, I have to say, it somehow feels canonical, as "Beowulf" is considered to be. Christopher Tolkien's notes and comments on his father's work help place these poems in their proper context. Finally, I see that some of the ideas and concepts developed in Tolkien's fiction (e.g., The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion) are the direct result of his life-long fascination and study of the Poetic Edda. I highly recommend this book; it is real a treasure!

4. Perdido Street Station, by China Mieville - This was an awesome book! First, Mieville elevates the sci-fi/steampunk genre to an entirely new plane of existence. It is almost as though Charles Dickens were writing with a view to the future. The characters in Perdido Street Station are some of the most amazing you'll encounter in fiction. The horror associated with the main plot of the novel is virtually beyond imagination, and is some of the most terrifying stuff I've ever read. I simply could not put this down once I started; even though there were times when I was absolutely scared spitless! This book may not be for everyone; but it has left an indelible mark on me. I look forward to reading the next two novels in this series of three set in the world of Bas-Lag. Somehow the energy of China Mieville's writing feels right for the time. This is some seriously good stuff!

5. Isis, by Douglas Clegg - A gripping, poignant, and truly macabre tale. The perfect read for late-October, or when you feel the need for something on the scary side. Douglas Clegg has given us a superb retelling of the Osiris and Isis myth, set in Cornwall during the Victorian Period. This is no tale for young children either; it is gritty, realistic, and terribly bittersweet, with moral lessons throughout. The scenes and plot remind me a bit of Poe, but the writing is superb and brings to mind Edith Wharton's ghost stories. This little novella is one to read aloud to family and friends while safely ensconced in a warm living room in front of the fire. The illustrations are beautiful and complement the plot exquisitely.

6. The Affinity Bridge, by George Mann - This was rollicking good fun to read! Is it great literature? No; but then it is not meant to be. It is a wonderful page-turner, with engaging characters, a superb mystery plot, and set in the interesting alternative world of a 'steampunk' Victorian London. This is the first in a series of three proposed mystery novels featuring Sir Maurice Newbury and his fetching assistant, Miss Veronica Hobbes. Fun stuff to read, and I look forward to reading the second in the series, "The Osiris Ritual."

7. The Court of the Air and The Kingdom Beyond the Waves, by Stephen Hunt - In my humble opinion, don't waste your time (or money) on these two books. Here are my thoughts on the first two books in Stephen Hunt's 'steampunk' world.

"The Court of the Air" - I liked the cast of characters in this novel (there's a lot of 'em), and the plot was, at times, intriguing. I can't quite put my finger on what it was, but the novel never really fully engaged me. I read it with an eye toward simply finishing it, and moving on to something else. I was kind of hoping for an epic experience similar to Susanna Clarke's brilliant, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. In my opinion, this is not it. If your looking for some really serious steampunk, go directly (do not pass 'Go') to China Mieville's three-volume Bas-Lag series.

"The Kingdom Beyond the Waves" - A middling effort by author Stephen Hunt. I liked this even less than his debut novel, "The Court of the Air." While some of the characters were interesting, the plot really seemed overly contrived. Not too much else to say about this book. I think I'll take a pass on reading the third volume which has yet to be released in the U.S.

***

Here's what it is in the queue to be read in the very near future:

1. Christina Rossetti: A Literary Biography, by Jan Marsh - The author of several books on the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood has written what is acknowledged to be the seminal biography of Christina Rossetti, one of my all-time favorite poets. I have been carefully reading and studying Christina's poetry contained within my copy of the Penguin Classics edition, Christina Rossetti: The Complete Poems. So, I am very much looking forward to reading this biography and going back through her beautiful poetry. If you're interested, I have several earlier blog posts here discussing Rossetti's poetry.

2. The Children's Book, by A.S. Byatt - This is the latest novel written by A.S. Byatt, one of my favorite modern authors. Byatt is the author of the Booker-award winning Possession. The Children's Book was also shortlisted for the 2009 Booker Award (won by Hilary Mantel for her novel, Wolf Hall, about Thomas Cromwell in the Tudor Court). Apparently, Byatt's novel spans a period of time from the late-Victorian period, through the Edwardian, and through the First World War; and follows several generations in two families in England. I am very much looking forward to reading this novel.

3. The Poetic Edda - The Poetic Edda or Elder Edda is the collection of ancient Icelandic alliterative poetry containing much of the mythology of the early Norse peoples. It is generally thought that this poetry was written late in the first millennium, and existed as an oral tradition. It is from these beautiful poems that J.R.R. Tolkien received much of his inspiration for many of the primary elements in his tales of Middle Earth. Additionally, the Poetic Edda was the source of inspiration and material for Richard Wagner's operas in the Ring Cycle. Having read Beowulf, I am very much looking forward to reading this collection of ancient Norse poetry.

4. Ice Land, by Betsy Tobin - In the same vein, this recent fantasy novel by Tobin incorporates a lot of the mythology from the Poetic Edda, described above. I have heard that this is a fun book that describes life in Iceland in the 700-800 A.D. time frame and involves the eruption of the great Icelandic volcano, Hekla.

5. The Faerie Queene, by Edmund Spenser - I have been derelict for most of my adult life for not having read this ageless epic poem. Harold Bloom said, "One is tempted to maintain that a reader who cannot apprehend Spenser's voice as being, at its best, the voice of poetry itself is not capable of reading adequately any poetry whatsoever." About the knights and ladies in The Faerie Queene, the great Irish poet, William Butler Yeats, felt that they were fastened "with allegorical nails to a big barn door of common sense, of merely practical virtue." Suffice it to say, that Spenser's The Faerie Queene is high on my teetering To-Be-Read pile.

6. The Complete Poems of Anna Akhmatova - I have heard nothing but wondrous things about the poetry of Anna Akhmatova (1889-1966), is one of the best known Russian poets of the 20th century. She was also known as "The Queen of the Neva," and was a member of the "Acmeists" or "Guild of Poets." The Acmeists were a confederation of Russian poets that met in The Stray Dog Cafe in St. Petersburg in the early 1900s before the Russian Revolution. Akhmatova's poems range from short lyrical poetry to her long epic, Requiem, about the Stalinist purges. I have a feeling that I am going to enjoy her poetry immensely.

7. The Complete Poems of Emily Bronte - I have read several of Emily Bronte's beautiful poems; and I am now ready to embark on a wholesale reading and analysis of all of her poems. I read her single novel, Wuthering Heights; which I recognize for its Byronic and Gothic passion and intensity, but have always been profoundly unsettled by the horrifying dysfunction in the relationship between Cathy and Heathcliff. Whilst Charlotte and Anne Bronte also wrote poetry, it is my opinion that Emily was, far and away, the better poet of the three sisters. Stay tuned, I'll let you know in a month or two.

Well, that's it for now. I hope you enjoyed this quick tour through the novels and poetry that I have sampled over the past six weeks or so. I'd also like to acknowledge and cite the use of biographical material from the on-line encyclopedia Wikipedia and from Dr. Harold Bloom's recent poetry anthology The Best Poems of the English Language: From Chaucer through Robert Frost.

Finally, the photograph I have attached to this blog entry is entitled, "Golden Grasses" and is a photograph that I took in late fall 2008 on the flanks of Bear Mountain in the southern end of the Sierras here in California. Fall around here, while it can still be warm, is incredibly beautiful; especially in the Sierra foothills. Please feel free to click on the photograph for a much larger view.

***

Reads & Reviews: The Books of August 2009

The dog days of August arrived in southern California and have culminated with the massive "Station Fire" burning something over 145,000 acres (approx. 200+ square miles) in the Angeles National Forest. It has been a smokey mess here in the LA area for well over a week now. With the weather moderating a touch, the firefighters seem to be getting the upper hand on this monster fire. Thank God, and thanks to the tireless men and women fighting this fire!

***

Over the past month and a half I have been 'burning' through some great books too, and having a blast doing it! I thought it might be fun to just chronicle what I've read; by title, author, and a brief description of my impressions.

As an organizational tool, for my own edification, I think I will probably do a posting like this every couple of months. So, without further ado, here's my list of recent reads--

1. Far From the Madding Crowd, by Thomas Hardy - I read this, in serial fashion, with my "Anglophiles Anonymous" group on-line at Shelfari.com. This was an intensely lyrical and emotional book and full of pathos, and one of my favorites by Hardy. It is such a study in human behavior, both good and bad. Instead of the 'normal' romantic triangle, Hardy sets up a plot that involves four main protagonists; Gabriel Oak, Bathsheba Everdine, Farmer Boldwood, and Frank Troy. The three men spin about, ever faster, the beautiful Bathsheba, until the horrifying climax of the novel. Normally, I find that Hardy's novels aren't what folks would categorize as 'happy' (and no pejorative is intended); but all in all, this novel ended well. An excellent novel, and one that I highly recommend (as I would any novel by Thomas Hardy).

2. Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog), by Jerome K. Jerome - This was another group read novel that my Shelfari.com group did this summer. This, not-so-well-known, Victorian novel has been described as a "travelogue." Well, it is nothing of the sort. While it generally describes a boat trip that three young bored men take late one summer, it is absolutely hysterical from start to finish. There are madcap adventures, and sidebar streams of consciousness that yield so much insight into the minds of young middle-class men in Victorian London. Everything from their pre-trip planning, to the day-by-day rowing on the river, and their nighttime camping mishaps are documented. Jerome's ability to capture the personalities of his friends (and the dog) with wit and humor makes this a timeless read. When you're feeling a touch low in spirits, this is the book for you. After just a few pages, you'll be smiling and feeling much better about things. Definitely a book to pass around among friends and family!

3. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, by Susanna Clarke - This book completely blew me away! I was taken into the world of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell on page one, and it was with the greatest reluctance that I turned the last page and was released to rejoin my own world. Susanna Clarke's debut novel is magical, mysterious, dreamy, witty and funny, and incredibly engaging.

The novel is set in Regency England and is a delightful mix of historical and fictional characters. Without sounding trite, the characters are Dickensian, the dialog Austenesque, some of the vision and fantasy of Lewis Carroll, and much of the prose like that of Patrick O'Brian. I can honestly say that this is one of the most unique, fresh, and original novels that I have read in many, many years; and I am already looking forward to sitting down and immersing myself again in this marvelous world that Susanna Clarke has created. If you are intimidated at taking on an 850 page tome, or want more of Clarke's marvelous writing, I strongly suggest reading her wonderful collection of short stories entitled, The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories (see next entry).

4. The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories, by Susanna Clarke - This is a wonderful collection of eight short stories by Susanna Clarke. This little volume was published in 2006, two years after the release of her fabulous debut novel, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. I particularly enjoyed the title story, The Ladies of Grace Adieu as it expands upon one of Susanna Clarke's footnotes from the novel (i.e., Footnote 2, Chapter 43). While this collection is an excellent companion to the novel, it can also serve as a stand-alone introduction to Clarke's style, wit, prose, and imagination. Having read this collection of short stories, as well as Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, it strikes me that, above all, Clarke provides a view of what it means to be English. I think that these are amazing books, and this collection of short stories a welcome addition to her work.

5. The Mother's Recompense, by Edith Wharton - What a hauntingly beautiful novel! One cannot help but empathize with poor Kate Clephane and the life she has lived. After many, many years, Kate re-enters her, now adult, daughter's life, and the New York society she fled so long ago. The problem is that times have changed, and Kate does not well understand the social mores of the new age, her daughter's age, and this contributes to the moral dilemma she encounters.

This novel is vintage Wharton, and like much of her work, contains an intriguing plot twist that I shan't give away. In my opinion, the novel highlights Wharton's assessment of the stark differences between the late-Victorian and early-Edwardian Eras and the early period of the Roaring-Twenties and its impact upon American upper class society. This was a Wharton novel that I'd not yet read, and I'm so glad that I have now!

6. Saki: The Complete Fiction, by Hector Hugh Munro (Saki) - This collection contains all of Saki's laugh-out-loud hysterical, sometimes macabre and creepy, but always engaging short stories and novellas. Once you begin reading, you begin to eagerly look about for someone to read them aloud to. These are simply too wonderful to keep to one's self!

Each story is fabulously well-written and is a self-contained vignette of Edwardian life delivered with delicious wit, humor, satire, and sarcasm. It is such a pity that Saki (Hector Hugh Munro) was killed during the First World War (in 1916), cutting short an incredibly brilliant literary career. Read this book; you'll laugh forever, and read it again and again. Make sure you have an extra copy about to give away to deserving friends and family! Highly recommended!

7. The Forsyte Saga, by John Galsworthy - This is a titanic masterpiece of a multi-generational story of a fictional English family that spans the Victorian, Edwardian, and post-World War I eras. For the first one-hundred pages or so, I found myself having to frequently refer to the Forsyte family genealogical chart; however, by the end of the book I knew all of the characters and their place in the family intimately. Like all families, Galsworthy has created a world of very real and human characters in the Forsyte family; a family bound as much by their name, and at times even their dysfunction. The novel's characters exhibit the full range of emotion and feeling, including: love, greed, hatred, passion, jealousy, lust, truth, honesty, betrayal, and so forth; it is all there within this family - The Forsytes. Once started, I could not put this book down easily; it is that compelling. I fully understand why John Galsworthy was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1932. For those who love novels of, and about, England, The Forsyte Saga is a must read.

8. Angels & Insects, by A.S. Byatt - A.S. Byatt, with Angels & Insects, has created a rich and complex book comprised of two medium-length novellas set in the mid-1860s and 1870s, both of which address themes important to the people of the Victorian Era. The first novella, Morpho Eugenia focuses on the relationships between a family, its friends, servants, and the natural world around them in the English countryside. The tale pivots around the study of society and nature, and then there's the tension and struggle between theology and science that resonates throughout; all of which funnels to a shocking climax involving the relationships between the story's central characters. Once started, it was hard to stop reading. I have to say that not only was the plot amazing, but the prose was just exquisitely beautiful. Byatt cements her reputation, in my opinion, as a superb storyteller with Morpho Eugenia.

The second novella, The Conjugial Angel is a more complicated, but lushly presented, story of the impact of 'Loss' upon a small group of characters brought together around a seance table. The Victorian poetry of Alfred, Lord Tennyson, and the relationships between Tennyson, his sister Emily, and a young poet, Arthur Henry Hallam, who died many years before the story begins, all figure prominently. Elements associated with the supernatural, a tinge of gothic horror, and the theology of Swedenborg all swirl together in this wonderful tale. Be warned though, one needs to read The Conjugial Angel slowly and thoughtfully; like a slice of pecan pie, it is rich and deserves to be savored and enjoyed slowly. Before reading The Conjugial Angel, I strongly recommend that the reader first read Tennyson's beautiful long elegiac poem, In Memoriam A.H.H.; his very personal and emotional tribute to his late-friend, Arthur Henry Hallam.

Fans of A.S. Byatt, or Victoriana in general, will not be disappointed one jot with either of these two novellas. I know that I will be back for a visit again sometime soon.

9. The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde - This novel is a witty, whimsical, slightly daft, inventive and very entertaining read. This is the first novel in a series of five featuring the "literary detective," Thursday Next. While certainly not a prerequisite, it would help the reader's enjoyment to have a good reading background in British literature of the 19th Century; particularly the poetry of Wordsworth, Charles Dickens' novel Martin Chuzzlewit, and Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. In my opinion, Jasper Fforde has written an engaging novel that is actually quite thought provoking. It has alternative history and interesting perspectives on the value and meaning that society places on literature. While I don't know that I will read any of the subsequent 'Thursday Next' novels, I do recommend this fun book to fans of Jane Eyre and the Victorian Era. This is just plain old good escapism and is guaranteed to make you smile more often than not.

10. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, by Lewis Carroll - I have just finished re-reading both of these wonderful novels in my "Anglophiles Anonymous" reading group on Shelfari.com. These books, while they may have originally been written for young Alice Liddell and other children, almost seem to be parables on what it means to be a child, and warn against not ‘growing up’ too fast. For example, it was interesting to notice that Alice quite innocently does not respond to the concept of the ‘abhorrence of death’ the same way an adult would (i.e., when the Duchess is under sentence of death at the croquet party). Also, Alice notices, time and time again, that the creatures of Wonderland are easily offended, or quick to argue (or defend) their point. Alice is always pointing out, “It’s no business of mine!” Further, she mentions several times that “Everybody says, ‘Come on!’ here” and that she “…never was so ordered about before, in all my life, never!” All in all though, Alice is a kind-hearted and thoughtful girl, who tries to mind her manners and be respectful of those she encounters.

Maybe the real message here is that no matter what one encounters in life, all will end well if one is respectful, optimistic, uses even a modicum of common-sense, and manages to maintain an almost child-like insatiable curiosity. I think it might be useful for all of us to make a point of re-reading these two books every few years; just to reacquaint ourselves with our own childhoods and innocence. Finally, I think it is wonderful that the protagonist is a vivacious and precocious little girl; it fits with the topsy-turvey world that Carroll has created, and it also seems important that a young female is the representative human in both books.

I also think that these delightful books really illustrate Lewis Carroll’s love of all things linguistic, mathematical and logical, as well as his fabulous word-play (e.g., puns, palindromes, anagrams, repetitions, and just plain crazy-cool made-up words). There are circular arguments throughout in many of the conversations between the creatures of Wonderland and Alice. The use of numbers is prominent throughout the books. There are interesting numbered sequences of events, or counted items, all over the place.

From a literary perspective, Lewis Carroll parodies or alludes to many of the popular poets of the day, including; Tennyson, Robert Southey, Thomas Hood , and Thomas Moore. To me, it seems pretty clear that Carroll loved poetry, and that he loved to tinker with writing poetry himself. Obviously, he was quite adept at parody as well.

In conclusion, I have thoroughly enjoyed my re-reading of these two books. It had been well over forty years since I last read these books from start to finish. I was absolutely amazed at how many expressions we use, almost daily, that have their origins in these books. Most folks may not realize it, but these two books have left an indelible mark on all of us, and will continue to do so for generations to come. What a treasure they are!

“Children yet, the tale to hear,
Eager eye and willing ear,
Lovingly shall nestle near.

In a Wonderland they lie,
Dreaming as the days go by,
Dreaming as the summers die.

Ever drifting down the stream—
Lingering in the golden gleam—
Life, what is it but a dream?”

11. Excellent Women, by Barbara Pym - This snappy wonderful little novel was my first exposure to the writing of Barbara Pym, and it won't be my last! The novel's protagonist, Mildred Lathbury, is a spinterish woman in 1950s Britain with feelings - real feelings. She wants to 'do the right thing' and make every one around her feel good; sometimes at the expense of her own feelings and needs. This novel is Austenesque in style and prose and devilishly funny at the same time. Once you start reading this little gem you cannot help but keep turning the pages, one after the other. I can't tell you how glad I am to have discovered Pym's books, they are truly special.

12. Some Tame Gazelle, by Barbara Pym - I am in the midst of a group reading of Pym's first published novel in my "Jane Austen" reading group on Goodreads.com. It is a wonderful and witty little novel of two spinster sisters living in a quiet little country village in England. I am truly enjoying the simple earnestness of the two women protagonists and the delightful writing style of Barbara Pym.

13. Possession, by A.S. Byatt - I am in the process of a group reading of Possession in my "Victorians" reading group on Goodreads.com. It has been several years since I last read it; and I have to say that, this time around, I am seeing it in a completely new light. It is a literary masterpiece that is exquisitely plotted and written. Personally, I think Byatt takes on postmodernism via the use of parody and satire. I think she is also paying some measure of homage to the great Victorian authors and poets; and wants all of us to simply read their fiction and poetry simply for what it is, and not deconstruct it too much. She is pretty hard on the processes and techniques of present day academic research too; implying that it has become far too cutthroat and competitive.

I also spent a lot of time very carefully studying the epigraphs leading off most of the chapters, as well as all of the beautiful poetry included in the text. Honestly, I don’t know that I gave much more than a cursory glance to the poetry during previous reads. This time though, I focused on Byatt’s poetry pastiches and discovered just how much it enriched and influenced the novel’s dual plots. It really inspired me to go and seek out the great Victorian Era poetry, including that of Tennyson, the Brownings, Christina Rossetti, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and Charles Swinburne.

Regarding the epigraphs, I really recommend that the reader carefully study each epigraph before reading the chapter; and then upon finishing the chapter, go back and read it again and see if you correctly figured out the true meaning of it. There are little puzzles and clues throughout the entire novel, most of them residing within the poetry sections. This novel is quite like an onion, there's layer upon layer of nuanced meaning throughout. One must pay close attention as one reads.

In conclusion, this is a beautiful love story, achieving a level of romantic passion, emotion, and anguish like that of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, but with the Byronic or Gothic touches of the Bronte sisters. It is clear, to me, why Byatt was awarded the Booker Prize for Possession in 1990; and that this novel is clearly destined to be a classic work of literature.

14. The Best Poems of the English Language: From Chaucer through Robert Frost, selected by Harold Bloom - This anthology is a "must have" for anyone looking for a fairly comprehensive collection of the best poetry in the English language. Additionally, Professor Bloom leads off the volume with his superb essay, The Art of Reading Poetry. Take this book with you on a trip and try and a read poem or two each day; it is an enriching experience. Read a poem out loud to a friend or family member, and you'll enrich their life too. I have slowly come to realize that poetry is arguably the highest art form.

15. Tennyson's Poetry, edited by Robert W. Hill, Jr. - This is a Norton Critical Edition of Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poetry; and is a relatively comprehensive anthology. I searched out this edition of Tennyson's poetry while reading A.S. Byatt's Possession. I have completed a careful reading and analysis of Tennyson's In Memoriam A.H.H. and Maud: A Monodrama, and am now just browsing about and finding 'new friends' and revisiting old friends. I plan to tackle his Arthurian epic, Idylls of the King, at some point in the near future.

16. Complete Poems of Christina Rossetti, edited by R.W. Crump and Betty S. Flowers - This volume of Christina Rossetti's poetry is simply sublime; and contains all of her superb poetry. Of course it contains the thought-provoking epic poem, Goblin Market. Some of my other personal favorites include: An Echo from Willowwood, Song, After Death, The Ghost's Petition; and one of her very best, in my opinion, The Convent Threshold. This collection includes her sonnets, her children's poetry, and all of her intensely spiritual devotional poetry; this book has it all.

Christina Rossetti was the younger sister of the talented Pre-Raphaelite painter and poet, Dante Gabriel Rossetti. In comparing their poetry though, it is my learned opinion that Christina was far-and-away the master. In fact, of all the great Victorian Era poets, I think a case can be made that she may have only been equaled by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, and America's greatest poet, Emily Dickinson. I highly recommend this volume of Christina Rossetti's poetry. You will find yourself returning to it time and again. She is truly one of my most favorite poets of all time.

***

Well, there it is; a busy month of reading I've had, but ever so satisfying! I am planning to read some "steampunk" novels that have been awaiting me. I have two recent novels by Stephen Hunt, and three relatively recent novels by China Mieville that I have been looking forward to reading. I also want to continue with reading the poetry of Tennyson and Christina Rossetti. So, stay tuned; and I wish you 'Happy Reading' in September, wherever you are!

By the bye, the photograph I've attached to this posting is a landscape photograph that I took on April 25, 2008, early in the morning along the banks of the Merced River in Yosemite National Park, California. The massive granite pinnacles in the background are aptly named, The Three Brothers. Look carefully at this image and you'll see that it is actually a reflection, and I've inverted it too. This is one of my favorite images of the last few years; and I thought it might be nice to share this peaceful and tranquil scene with you.

***