Tags
1800s, 19th Century, American, Civil War, Family, Mute Mondays, Photography, Society, Victorian, War
03 Monday Jul 2017
Posted Historical
inTags
1800s, 19th Century, American, Civil War, Family, Mute Mondays, Photography, Society, Victorian, War
26 Wednesday Apr 2017
Posted Historical
inTags
1800s, 19th Century, Abe Lincoln, African American, American, Animal, Art, Books, City, Civil War, Criminal, England, Fiction, Literature, Medicine, Midwife, Military, Mystery, Norway, Novels, Pre-Reads, Regency, Romance, Science, Scotland, Slavery, Society, Thriller, True Crime, Victorian, Women
Are you ready for this month’s Pre-Reads? April was such a joy to go through! Almost 30 19th century inspired titles were dug up for both fiction AND non-fiction. -So rare! Below are sixteen of the most highly reviewed titles from a completion of Library Journal, Publisher’s Weekly, Kirkus Review, Baker and Taylor Amazon. The summaries and reviews are taken directly from these sources. All titles debuted this month. Be sure to check your local library (digital or otherwise) or bookstore and request your favorite if it is not on the shelf. I have yet to read any of these, but some certainly look good! What will you be reading next? Leave your choices in the comment section. Happy April and Happy Reading!
29 Wednesday Mar 2017
Posted Historical, Modern
inTags
1800s, 19th Century, Abe Lincoln, African American, Based on a True Story, Biography, Books, Christian, Civil War, Crime, Criminal, Detective, Edwardian, Explorer, Fantasy, Fiction, Gothic, Health, Irish, Literature, Medicine, Military, Mystery, Non-Fiction, Novel, Paris, Romance, Sherlock Holmes, Thriller, True Crime, Victorian, Women
Yes! The new Pre-Reads are here! March gave me a large selection to sift through. There were three times the amount of Fiction books to select from. Difficult choices were made. The Non-Fiction also had an adequate amount to choose from. So just know these top sixteen are not the only 19th century related tomes coming out this month. They just happen to be some of the most highly reviewed of the lot within their subgenres. I am quite pleased with this month’s list. Must be the luck of the Irish?
22 Wednesday Feb 2017
Posted Historical, Modern
inTags
1800s, 1900s, 19th Century, 20th Century, American, American West, Arizona, Art, Austria, Based on a True Story, Biography, Books, China, Civil War, Courting, Crime, Criminal, Drawing, Edwardian, England, Etiquette, Explorer, Gentlemen, Jack the Ripper, Leisure, Lewis and Clark, Literature, London, Marriage, Mystery, Novels, Painting, Psychology, Romance, Self-Help, Society, Technology, Texas, True Crime, Victorian, Women
Or as the popular meme goes, “Still a better love story than Twilight,” because today we are talking all about stories. It is time for our monthly Pre-Reads post! If you are new to the blog, here is a little explanation. Each month on the last Wednesday, I tap into my Librarian powers (erm–resources) and comb through copious amount of reviews of titles that are set to debut this month. By nature of the date, I have not read these books nor will I be able to recommend one title over another in good faith. However, I can vouche all these 19th century inspired tomes are highly reviewed. My sources include Amazon, Baker and Taylor Firsts, Kirkus Review, Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly. Below are eight fiction titles and eight non-fiction titles that will be of interest to any Victorian minded fanatic. I like to make sure the suggestions are well rounded to accommodate for a variety of tastes. Naturally, they are put in alphanumeric order, because I am a Librarian. I have made an asterisk to note which titles I have actually purchased for the library which I work at. What books from this month haul is going on your To Read List?
18 Saturday Feb 2017
Posted Historical, Modern, News
inTags
1800s, 19th Century, Adaptation, American, Biography, Canada, Cinema, Civil War, Crime, Criminal, Education, Film, Gentlemen, Golf, Leisure, Literature, Movies, Novel, Scottish, Sports, Television, True Crime, Victorian
One would hope from the popularity of the BBC’s Victoria television series more 19th century films would be in the works or at least close to completion to slack the public’s thirst for historical dramas, whether they be biographical or fictitious. Alas this does not seem to be the case. In fact, my list of upcoming viewing is rather far off. What is most peculiar is there seems to be quite a few debuting this year, but actual release dates are extremely difficult to come by. Ordinarily, I would only list eight shows or cinematic productions what were soon to debut; as in coming out in the next three months. I am only including four titles, which one does not have a definite opening slot. Perhaps in the next two months, the companies will have the courtesy to make an executive decision for debuting times.
Tommy’s Honour
Slated to debut on April 14th, Tommy’s Honour is the story of two timeless dynamic Toms in an intimate, powerfully moving tale of the real-life founders of the modern game of golf. Starring Sam O’Neil of Jurassic Park and The Horse Whisperer fame, Peter Mullan (War Horse) portraying the older Tom Morris, and rising Scottish star, Jack Lowden, last seen in the War and Peace Mini-Series, as the young Tommy Morris. In every generation, a torch passes from father to son.
The Beguiled
Expected to be released in theaters on June 30, The Beguiled is a Western drama during the American Civil War. “While imprisoned in a Confederate girl’s boarding school, an injured Union solider cons his way into each of the lonely women’s hearts, causing them to turn on each other, and eventually on him. This is made entirely more believable with Colin Farrell cast as said soldier. Honestly! House hold names, Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, and Elle Fanning are those lonely women the summary speaks of. To add even more interest to this film, Sofia Coppola adapted and directed it! As a Librarian, I have to add this a book adaption from the novel of the same name by Thomas Cullinan. The movie poster is just scrawling script of the title, to add intrigue, I used Colin Farrell’s best “Mr. Steal-Your-Girl” screen shot here.
My Cousin Rachel
Originally, this film was going to open in February, then it was pushed back to June and now it is moved to July 14th. My Cousin Rachel is a novel adaptation by the author Daphne du Maurier. It chronicles a young Englishman’s revenge plot against his mysterious, beautiful cousin, believing she murdered his guardian. But his feelings become complicated as he finds himself falling under the beguiling spell of her charms. Rachel Weisz stars in the titular role, with Sam Claflin (from the Hunger Game series) and Holiday Granger (made famous from her Lucrezia Borgia role) round out the cast.
Alias Grace
Now for the thrilling television min-series that will debut sometime this year . . . Brought to you by the CDC and Netflix, Alias Grace is based on the true story of Grace Marks, a housemaid and immigrant from Ireland who was imprisoned in 1843, perhaps wrongly, for the murder of her employer Thomas Kinnear. Grace claims to have no memory of the murder yet the facts are irrefutable. A decade after, Dr. Simon Jordan tries to help Grace recall her past. Filmed in Canada, headed by Canadian actress Sarah Gadon (known for her role in the 2014 movie, Dracula), Zacharey Levi (whom we all fell in love with in Chuck series, but might be more wildly known as the voice and physical inspiration for Flynn Rider from Disney’s Tangled), and Edward Holcroft (previously seen in Kinsmen: The Secret Service and Wolf Hall). Anna Paquin makes an appearance. Yet another cinematic adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s book.