repost for @Cuilin:
#BookedInTime
I personally love this time period. So much drama and so much to choose from. Thanks to @rubyslippersreads for suggesting this prompt.
original post:
https://www.litsy.com/web/post/2816268
repost for @Cuilin:
#BookedInTime
I personally love this time period. So much drama and so much to choose from. Thanks to @rubyslippersreads for suggesting this prompt.
original post:
https://www.litsy.com/web/post/2816268
In a novel that gets confusing with its big family tree, where everyone is named Elizabeth, Henry, and Richard, the only name to remember really is Thomas Cromwell. Whether being beaten to the ground by his father early on or being later encircled by royal enemies, the tough Cromwell survives. Without his presence, the book is about a King trying to get a divorce. With him, we‘re watching a fighter from the outside achieve Highness.
Interested enough to continue on with Bring Up the Bodies at least. Still figuring out what I think about this one, and a big part of that is even though we‘re basically in Cromwell‘s head the whole (very long) book, he‘s still largely a mystery. As a reader it‘s frustrating. Curious to see how I feel about it in the next two books.
Working on another “wow I really should have read this by now” book after being shamed by the NYT list 💀
I did it! I read Wolf Hall! 🥳 And I liked it! I didn‘t love it, but I liked it. Enough to continue with the next book. I see why it‘s such a respected work of fiction. I will admit that I did get a little lost in places, but I just went with it and picked up the thread again. Thanks @CBee and #ReadYourEbooks for helping me to finally get to this one!
Though it took a while to acclimatise to Mantel's style, once I got into it, I liked the careful plotting and the interweaving of themes throughout the book.
#chunkstermini
#chunksterchallenge
#chunksterchallenge2024
I‘ve actually done it! I‘ve started reading Wolf Hall! I‘m finding it more accessible than I had feared (she says confidently after reading a single chapter 😂). I‘ve very proud of starting it even if it ends in a bail, as I‘ve intended to read it for so long.
#NYT100bestbooksof21stcentury
Not too shabby, with another 19 still on my TBR list. Thanks to Modern Mrs Darcy for the gift link.
https://modernmrsdarcy.com/links-i-love-461/
I love a list and the list of best 100 in 21st century is fabulous. It‘s interactive so you can “mark up” their list and it has what you might also like and you can delve into literary greats top lists. I credit my book club and my kids fabulous AP Lit teacher for a lot of the ones I read. I loved them all!
Here are my books for this month‘s #ReadYourEbooks numbers and the book fairies REALLY want me to read Wolf Hall! 😂 I‘m actually glad it was picked again this month, as I really do want to give it a go and hopefully will do so finally this month. I‘ve also been meaning to read The Leavers for years, so hopefully this gives me the push to do so.
Here are my books picked for this month‘s #ReadYourEbooks! I‘m glad to have another crack at Flight Behavior, as I almost got to it when it was picked before. But the big question is: Is this the month I will finally read Wolf Hall? We shall see!
A Mother‘s Weekend ( because we deserve more than a day - please note my husband‘s choice in my mug this morning) gift to myself, finishing this tbook. I can‘t say I loved it, but I did love a lot of the banter between TC and his family and friends. It‘s an exhausting look at Henry VIII and the Tudor reign. The author had an interesting ( awkward) writing style using ( overusing) ‘he‘ that I stumbled over and over on
This was worthwhile, but it was also quite a slog. The first section was immediately engaging, but once the narrative shifted to grown-up Thomas, the tone shifted and the pace slowed way down. Mantel had a couple of writing quirks that didn‘t help: she almost always referred to Cromwell just as “he,” which often made it difficult to follow dialogue or internal thoughts vs. spoken words. That said, I admired Mantel‘s recreation of the Tudor era ⤵️
It‘s been a day - 2 pulled fire alarms at school and the littles are already losing their minds cuz of warmer weather so chaos was afoot. I‘m plodding along with this giant tomb - I find this book strange in its telling. I know the ‘he‘ usually means it‘s Thomas Cromwell but every other person is Thomas and when Thomas Avery goes to talk to TC and he walks over to him I guess it doesn‘t matter who he is cuz it‘s Thomas 🤯 somebody
#LiteraryCrew , it‘s time for our discussion! This one is dense, complicated, and slowly meanders through the story. But, peeling back the layers shows the complexity of humanity and of history. Thanks to everyone for trying this one - it‘s not an easy read!
9 questions are posted as spoilers. You can find them on my feed, the book feed, or searching the hashtags.
I will post the #BuddyRead graphic for The School of Mirrors tomorrow!
9. In conjuring Cromwell on the page, what does Mantel create, and what does she re-create from this historical record? Along those lines, how does historical fiction influence the way we look at history? ~from publisher Reading Group Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
8. As the novel ends and Cromwell is at the height of his power, is there anything in his actions that foreshadow his later downfall? Has he become too much like Wolsey? Would the mercurial Henry VIII have been likely sooner or later to turn on Cromwell anyway? ~from publisher Reading Group Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
7. Later in the novel we see Cromwell come to the realization that his home now is either where there‘s business to be done, or with the king. How is this a personal transformation for him, considering what life was like when his wife and daughters were alive?...Why did he change? Is there something sad about this change in him? ~adapted from publisher Reading Group Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
6. What is it that makes Cromwell so driven? Does his ambition stem from a desire to do good, or is it just a survival instinct based on his past? How is Cromwell both personally ambitious and yet generous and unselfish? ~from publisher Reading Group Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
5. What kind of a king is Henry VIII in this novel? What motivates him? Are his
preoccupations solely self-interested, or does he have the good of the country in mind as well? What is it that makes him so susceptible to Anne Boleyn‘s seductions? ~from publisher Reading Group Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
4. What kind of a character is Thomas More in this novel? Does he come off as sympathetic in any way? Why does More choose to die rather than accept breaking away from the Catholic Church? Would Cromwell be willing to die for his beliefs? ~from publisher Reading Group Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
3. Why was Cromwell so attached to Cardinal Wolsey? Was Wolsey more of a mentor or a father-figure for Cromwell? What do love and loyalty mean for Cromwell? ~from publisher Reading Group Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
2. What is the significance of Mantel‘s “occult” history of Britain? How might these legendary traditions have influenced Henry in choosing to marry Anne Boleyn? What role does legend play in the perpetuation of a monarchy? ~from publisher Reading Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
1. This book is the first in a trilogy that follows Thomas Cromwell's rise and fall from power in the Tudor era. It's a Booker Prize winner and later became a series on PBS.
Prior to reading this book, how much did you know about Cromwell, the Tudors, or any of the events portrayed in the book?
A couple sites of interest:
The HRP site on Thomas Cromwell: https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/history-and-stories/thomas-cromwell/hickl...
⬇
Still reading this chunkster. I‘m not quite 1/2 way into it but I‘m trying to finish this week ( I don‘t think I will manage April 30th)
My husband is half Swedish, and in Sweden they celebrate name days ( definitely not the only country to do this 😉) and I‘m celebrating by having chips and wine with my reading time on a Tuesday. I‘ve spent 3 days in the same grade 5 classroom and I have never been so ‘childsplained‘ to in my life #treatmyself
We‘re two weeks away from this month‘s #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead discussion! I know some of us have found this to be not to be an easy read, and that‘s okay! Even if you‘re not quite into the book or had to put it down, feel free to join the discussion on the 30th.
Any thoughts to share so far?
Attempted to listen while cleaning my house and after a couple of chapters…do not remember a thing about what happened. Don‘t think this one is for me. Enjoy #literarycrew
I had planned to reorganize all of our files and papers and crap ( I ordered new files from Amazon) but if it‘s DEAR Day then I will just do as I‘m told and consider my to do list dropped
Off the TBR and beside my bed now. The first seven pages is the cast of characters and family trees aka my first night reading and I thought “good grief, am I up for this ?!” and promptly fell asleep 😆 last night I got sucked right in with the story proper 🙏🏻
Unintentionally matched my mug to my book this morning. 😁
Via @Librarybelle
Today begins this month's #LiteraryCrew
#BuddyRead !
Read at your own pace throughout the month. I'll post checkins periodically. Discussion on April 30th!
If you would like to be added to this month's tag list, let me know! And, if you would like to be removed from the list (for this month or the main tag list) let me know too!
Today begins this month‘s #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead !
Read at your own pace throughout the month. I‘ll post checkins periodically. Discussion on April 30th!
If you would like to be added to this month‘s tag list, let me know! And, if you would like to be removed from the list (for this month or the main tag list) let me know too!
I think maybe this has sent me down more Wikipedia rabbit holes than any other novel I've ever read. It's truly a masterpiece, but also *a lot* and it's taken me an age to read. So I'm not going to be sorry to finish it (maybe today?).
Repost for @Librarybelle
April‘s #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead is the acclaimed first in a trilogy centered on Tudor England. I‘ve read it before, and it‘s good!
Read at your own pace…I will post periodic checkins throughout the month. Discussion on April 30th.
If you would like added to this month‘s tag list or the group tag list, just let me know! All are welcome!
April‘s #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead is the acclaimed first in a trilogy centered on Tudor England. I‘ve read it before, and it‘s good!
Read at your own pace…I will post periodic checkins throughout the month. Discussion on April 30th.
If you would like added to this month‘s tag list or the group tag list, just let me know! All are welcome!
Debating whether to do fiction or non fiction this month
On our way to NYC to see an exhibit at the MOMA of Georgia O‘Keefe‘s NY paintings, etc. 👏🏻😀🖼️
🪴My most healthy habit is having a good work-life balance and spending lots of time reading, gardening and sewing💚
🍰My most unhealthy habit is a love of cake and bread!
📚I love historical or literary fiction the best
Thanks for the tag @Eggs
#WondrousWednesday
Happy reading everyone
“So now get up.” #firstlinefridays
Decided to finally give this one a try, only to discover two different copies in my tbr pile!
After I got used to the quirks of Mantel's writing along with the fact that every other person in the book is either named Thomas or Mary, I was way more into this book than I ever thought I'd be. Especially considering that it's history, and I already knew what was going to happen. "Omg, will Anne Boleyn become queen?? What is going to happen to Thomas More??" I'm excited to read the second one in the trilogy.
I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join in if you want!
#ABookADay2023
Right now, these are two series I want to read & finish for #serieslove2023
I am starting with book #1 of the Wolf Hall Trilogy, and book #10 of Maisie Dobbs Novels. I think there are 8 left for me to read.
A veritable bargain for those in the U.K. today. All 3 books in the Wolf Hall Trilogy available for £1.99 from Audible, that‘s a lot of listening.
I loved these as audiobooks.
A really beautiful episode on BBC2 tonight from a series a few years ago to remember Hilary Mantel. Such a lovely woman with a fascinating life and mind. It was wonderful to hear her talk about her life, processes and influences as well as hear others talk about the affect of her work too. It will be on BBC iPlayer for catch up. RIP Dame Hilary Mantel ❤️
R.I.P. Hilary Mantel.
https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/british-author-wolf-hall-saga-hil...