1 comments about A Dublin Girl: Growing up in the 1930s.

1. Elaine Crowley weaved a wonderful story that did combine humor and pathos in a way that left the reader hopeful...to the very end. I imagine Ms. Crowley as being an extremely grounded and delightful person, in spite of the "hard times" she endured during her childhood years. And isn't that always the "best" gift we can give to ourselves/offer to others? Rather than staying stuck in her own bitterness, anger, resentment and/or rage---it's nice to see an author "get into it" (when "it" isn't very pleasant at all!), but come through it victoriously. She's someone I would have liked to know personally; her family is no doubt extremely fortunate to have her. Mary in Northville, MI

2 comments about The Real James Herriot: The Authorized Biography.

1. -James Herriot was a country animal doctor who recanted his life into stories, which became All Creatures Great and Small and other books and audios. His son, Jim Wight, upon his father's death, composed a tribute to a man we all thought we knew in The Real James Herriot. The abridged audio version is narrated by TV's James Herriot, actor Christopher Timothy. His familiar tramping of the characters and Herriot's words makes him the perfect choice to read this veneration.



2. This is a most enjoyable book allowing a glimpse into the life of one of my favorite authors. It was interesting to learn about the situations that molded the life of James Herriot (Alf Wight).

No comments about Benjamin Disraeli: Scenes from an Extraordinary Life.

No comments about Brunel: The Man Who Built the World (Phoenix Press).

No comments about The Life of Horatio Lord Nelson.

2 comments about Sindh Revisited: A Journey in the Footsteps of Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton.

1. While rifling through her stack of borrowed library books, during my brief visit to Sarnia earlier this month, one book stood out and beckoned me to read it. Written by one of our very own (i.e Canadian), Christopher Ondaatje, not to be confused with his brother of "The English Patient" fame, "Sindh Revisited" is what its subtitle speaks of: "A Journey in the Footsteps of Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton."

   Though Burton, the 19th century adventurer, too, went looking for the source of the Nile, it was Burton's own account of his experiences covering the western seaboard of India, between 1842 - 1849, which became the basis of Ondaatje's quest to mirror a similar trek. Ondaatje is a devout admirer of Burton having read all that has been written about him as well as Burton's own accounts. To capture the true essence of his journey, and grasp the geo-social nuances of India's diversity, Ondaatje persuaded Haroon Siddiqi, editor emeritus of "The Toronto Star", to accompany him on his travels. Siddiqi turns out to be an able guide, interpreter and sometimes an effective interlocutor.

   Burton served as a military officer, sometimes surveyor, with the British East India Company (BEIC). He was an accomplished linguist who spoke a number of Indian languages and dialects. rumor had it that he was in reality a spy dispatched to areas still under native control but which were coveted by the BEIC. He openly cohabited with local gals to the great consternation of fellow officers. On many of his trips he easily merged into the local scene, in dress, food, habits, gestures and of course the lingo.

   Though the book is titled "Sindh Revisited", a title similar to that of Burton's book, it is in reality a much more extensive a journey which encompasses Mysore, Goa, Bombay, Baroda, Karachi and some other places of great fascination. Ondaatje gives us descriptive glimpses of what life may have been like during Burton's time and as he would have seen and experienced it, comparing it to present day life in each of these places. He captures the life of some of today's Maharajas (e.g Gaekwar of Baroda) and their painful readjustment into civilian life, a far cry from absolute rulership enjoyed by their fathers or grandfathers. There is a riveting account of a 'mujra' evening in a well-known district of Karachi. Burton fell from General Napier's grace with his reports giving lurid written accounts of boy brothels in Karachi.

   Christopher Ondaatje was born in Ceylon, recieving his schooling and began his career in England, and emigrated to Canada in 1956. In 1967 he founded Pagurian Press. He was a member of Canada's Olympic bobsled team that brought back Camada's only gold medal from the 1964 Olympics. He is the author of The Prime Ministers of Canada, Olympic Victory, Leopard in the Afternoon and The Man Eater of Punanai.

   I wholeheartedly recommend this book to one and all.

   Bhupinder




2. I disliked this book. The author travels to Sindh and revists the places visited by Sir Richard F. Burton, and then writes about his observations. I have 2 problems with this book..

   One is that the authors obsession with prostitution and homosexuality distorts his views of this great land. Secondly, his views are clouded by his sources which are all feudal in nature. One cannot experience Sindh without looking at the lives of the everyday people. I for one wasn't impressed by the fact that the authors hosts in Sindh were the biggest criminals and landlords of the province.

   Finally, it is silly for the author to keep pointing out that Burton was well known for his controversial report about homosexuality in Karachii. We got that the first time he mentions it.

2 comments about Lady Godiva: A Literary History of the Legend.

1. Who is the most famous Anglo-Saxon (real, ancient Anglo-Saxon) of all? Chances are you can't name a thing the kings Aethelred or Alfred the Great did in their reigns. Chances are you never heard of Leofric, Earl of Mercia, or his wife Godgifu. Undoubtedly, though, you have heard of Godgifu under the name by which she has come down to us, Godiva. You might know her chocolates better than her legend these days, but even on the chocolate box, she rides naked on her horse; a legend like that can never die. The life of the legend is traced in _Lady Godiva: A Literary History of the Legend_ (Blackwell Publishing) by Daniel Donoghue. Godiva has been, and will continue to be, more than a hawker of confections, and this summary of the life of the real Godiva, the origin and transformations of her legend, and the use to which her story has been put, makes clear Godiva's importance.

   Godgifu was pious and generous, especially to the local convents and monasteries. She did nothing that would have made her famous; there is no history that hints of anything resembling the legend, which was only first written down over two centuries after her death. She saved the people of Coventry from taxation by fulfilling her husband's "impossible" condition that she ride naked through the town. The tale that the villagers agreed to keep their windows shut and not look, except for Peeping Tom the tailor who was thereupon struck blind, is a later addition. Peeping Tom didn't even get that name until the seventeenth century. Godiva became a star of processions through Coventry, processions that had previously featured religious items like transubstantiated bread. Donoghue takes us through bad ballads and Tennyson's poem, to Victoria's enthusiasm for the legend, and to the takes on Lady Godiva by Dr. Freud and Dr. Seuss.

   It is clear that Godiva still rides, but her identity has changed for our times. Donoghue shows how the legend has lost the story that concentrated on Godiva's virtue and generosity. There is now no heroism and no coercion. She paraded herself naked, and is understood these days as an exhibitionist. Peeping Tom is only infrequently associated with her legend, and is more a part of legal issues than folklore. Donoghue also explains the attraction of medieval legends in general; Dungeons and Dragons and Harry Potter are part of popular medievalism, which is booming. Serious medieval studies, concerning how this part of our past has been viewed by successive centuries, are still vibrant in academia. This study of a particular legend, clear, serious, and comprehensive, lets Godiva ride on in new intellectual exposure.




2. I enjoyed this book although it is authored by a Professor of English at Harvard University and is therefore written in somewhat ponderous college professor language. This academic jargon isn't helped by the fact that Godiva was a real Anglo-Saxon woman who died in 1067 the year after William Conqueror seized England. "Godgifu," Godiva's Anglo-Saxon name was the wife of Leofric, the earl of Mercia. Godiva's granddaughter became the last Anglo-Saxon queen of England. Godiva was immensely wealthy in her own right and probably much richer than her husband who was primarily a politician. Historically Godiva is recorded as a very pious and powerful benefactor of the church and it's monasteries, whose members also happened to be the chief historians of the Middle Ages. It was not until 150 years after her death that the story of Lady Godiva's heroic horseback ride was recorded in great, and unusual narrative detail by the monk historians of the Benedictine abbey of St. Albans. From that point forward the legend of Lady Godiva's naked, mid-day ride through the village of Coventry has captured the imaginations of audiences for more than a thousand years. The story has changed just as the details of a 1,000-year long children's game of "Pass It On" would change each time the tale was repeated.
   Coventry added Godiva's famous ride to its annual public processions in 1678 and attracted huge crowds of interested spectators from the very beginning. The Coventry re-enactments of Godiva's ride have continued right up to the present time and still attract thousands of interested visitors. Earlier re-enactments of Godiva may well have been part of earlier processions for Corpus Christi that began in England in 1318?
   One of the features of the original legend was that Godiva made her ride to free the citizens of Coventry from a cruel tax imposed by her husband. She eventually tricked him into making a bargain to rid the villagers of the tolls and taxes. He had declared that if she rode naked through the village at midday on market day, then he would cancel the tax. To his stunned amazement, she did exactly that and he had to abide by his bargain. In the original legend, Godiva submits herself to this naked ride for the high purpose of saving the people of Coventry from starvation because of the heavy taxes. She tricks her husband into the bargain because he believed her incapable of agreeing to such public exposure. Her motives are good, and the townspeople show their respect by going into their homes and shuttering the windows so that Godiva's ride is unobserved. Godiva's honor is saved and the people rewarded. Peeping Tom was added to the story much later.
   From that original telling of the legend the motives and details of the ride have changed with the times. The myth has been the subject of countless poems, ballads, stories, artworks and modern reincarnations in new media like motion pictures. The myth has been so well known throughout the western world that Freud, Tennyson, Dr. Seuss, and Sylvia Plath referred to it as a cultural touchstone reference. Plath committed suicide shortly after writing her 1962 poem "Ariel" in which she rewrote the story from a subjective point of view and Godiva breaks free of the bonds of society. The legend of Godiva has changed with the passage of time and major changes in society. Immortal characters such as "Peeping Tom" soon became an important part of the story's fabric, but Godiva has become a hero to feminism as well as the enduring erotic personification of male voyeurism. Throughout the story's history Godiva's deed has been considered unselfish, honorable and heroic rather than scandalous. The beautiful woman riding naked upon a horse through the center of town has become an embodiment of contemporary society's dreams throughout different historical eras. Godiva is more than just the name of a popular brand of chocolate candy; she is a happy fantasy from the Middle Ages world that includes Robin Hood, King Arthur, and Harry Potter. The scholarly arguments about whether or not Godiva actually made such a heroic ride are discussed in great detail. The biggest obstacle to the legend being true is that in the Anglo-Saxon world, Godiva would not have had to ask her husband to cut the taxes of Coventry because she personally owned and ruled Coventry. She could have cut the tolls by her own decree since the village belonged to her alone and had been a part of her family for decades.
   This book does explore almost anything anyone would like to know about the story, legend or myth of Lady Godiva's famous erotic ride. The occasional examples of Middle English spelling and syntax plus the Sylvia Plath poem discussion does require careful and slow reading--like reading Beowulf in the original or an early translation.

1 comments about Michael Collins and Troubles: The Struggle for Irish Freedom 1912-1922.

1. Outstanding. Tim Pat Coogan has a firm grip on the subject. His writing style and passion induced me to read several of his books. I consider Tim Pat a rare writer, one who writes with both passion and fairness. A must read for any student of the 20th century.

5 comments about Lord Minimus: The Extraordinary Life of Britain's Smallest Man.

1. In 1626, the Duke of Buckingham gave a party for King Charles I and Queen Henrietta Maria. The dinner was sumptuous, and the entertainment magnificent. But, Buckingham had an ace up his sleeve. When the ornate pie was set before the queen, out popped a most amazing sight, a seven-year-old boy; he was dressed in a marvelous suit of armor and stood eighteen inches tall! His name was Jeffrey Hudson.

   Jeffrey was born in 1619 to a large, ill-educated butcher, but fate (and the Duke of Buckingham) raised him up to be the constant companion of the Queen of England, even though fate also raised him up to be no more than 30 inches tall at the age of twenty! He loved the queen and stood by her through thick and thin (and it got very thick and thin for Henrietta Maria and her husband), and had more experiences in his life than most people can even imagine.

   Throughout this book, author Nick Page spins a marvelous true story, telling of Jeffrey's experiences and the great happenings that were going on in his world. I found Jeffrey's story to be touching - sometimes heartwarming and sometimes heartbreaking. I also enjoyed the history that the author wove into the narrative, making the era come more alive for me than it ever has before.

   I have two very small complaints against this book. First, the author references three paintings of Jeffrey, but they are not reproduced in color within the book (one is in color on the dust jacket, while another is poorly reproduced in black-and-white). The second one is that I found that the author's periodic references to future events disturbed the flow of the narrative, and somewhat broke the feeling of being transported to another place and time.

   However, outside of those two niggling complaints, I found this to be an absolutely outstanding book. Lord Minimus is an excellent biography, and an excellent portrait of an era. I highly recommend it to everyone!




2. While the story of Geoffrey Hudson, Lord Minimum, is an interesting one and worth reading, the author really succeeds in making Hudson's entire world real and accessible to the reader. I love it when a good book generates an interest in me to learn more about the subject and times, and I'm now interested in reading more about the court of Henrietta and Charles I and his trial and subsequent execution. Nick Page occasionally is a little tedious with his constant foreshadowing of upcoming events, but it was easy to forgive him this because his writing is easy and engaging.



3. This is an extraordinary book. Ostensibly a biography of Jeffrey Hudson, "Britain's Smallest Man," this fascinating work contains hidden depths. Along the way, we get mini-biographies (pun intended) of Charles I, Charles's wife Henrietta Maria, Charles II, and the artist Anthony Van Dyck. We also learn quite a bit about the English Civil War and the Barbary pirates. Even though the book is only 234 pages long, not counting appendices, and even though Mr. Page is providing so much other material, we never feel as though the author is getting sidetracked. "Lord Minimus" remains the center of attention and, considering the paucity of historical data available to the author, we come to know Jeffrey (his actions, thoughts, and feelings) probably as well as is possible. The book is filled with memorable scenes: Charles I, after asking his 11 year old son why he has been crying, receives the following reply- "My grandfather left you four kingdoms, and I am afraid your Majesty will leave me never one."; Charles I asking "The English Methuselah," Thomas Parr (purportedly 151 years old at the time) how he got to live so long received the reply that the old fellow was "doing penance" for having fathered a child out of wedlock when Parr was over 100 years old. (Parr's actual remark was a bit cruder than what I can write in this review. Charles didn't appreciate the wisecrack, by the way, as he was a bit on the puritanical side. Pretty ironic, actually, considering what happened to Charles under the "Roundheads.") I don't want to give too much away, but suffice it to say that Jeffrey led a full life- which included a duel and a 25 year stint as a slave in North Africa (courtesy of the aforementioned Barbary pirates). Oh, I forgot to mention one other area Mr. Page goes into some detail about: the world of 17th century theater. We go behind the scenes with Ben Jonson and Inigo Jones, and learn about some bizarre "tricks of the trade," such as hiring people to shout "Fire!" so the audience will be distracted and not notice scene changes being made! As the author writes, "It was a great idea with only one tiny flaw: there were panics and the whole theater emptied in the stampede for safety." With a minimum of fuss, we are given a maximum amount of very interesting material. Great book!



4. The fact that Jeffery Hudson is a secondary character in his own story is rather disappointing although it is understandable considering the lack of information or documentation on Hudson.

   Most of the writing the author did do on the "Queen's Dwarf" is inferential at best.




5. I am in the midst of reading this book and have not been able to put it down, except when absolutely necessary! This author has a wonderful style of writing that makes this wonderfully rich period in history come to life. It is not dry and dull, it is exciting and full of well presented information. I highly recommend for anyone who wants to learn about life at Court with the King and his young bride, Henrietta Maria. Not only does it give us a glimpse at the life of this extraordinary man, but also at the world around him. 5 stars!

5 comments about Mother Ireland: A Memoir.

1. Ireland is a woman-- womb, cave, bride, harlot, hag-- so, paraphrased, does Edna O'Brien begin her memoir. It is hard to believe this vibrant, lyrical reminiscence of growing up Irish has been out of print for years. O'Brien has created a personal odyssey in seven episodes out of the mystery and mists of Irish life, weaving it into its history and its mythology. Mother Ireland is comparable to Joyce's little books, Dubliners and Portrait of An Artist as a Young Man, in its command and integration of language and spirit. It dances with words, sensuality and the wondrous imagery, juxtaposed against the ever prevalent and monolithic Church and violence in this society. This is a treasure that imbues a unique touch and colouration -- feminine and mystical, earthy and spectral-- into the literary tradition of Ireland's small books.



2. very flowery, slow moving not up to the level of many other Irish writers, not suited to my taste such as history or amusing recollections



3. This is my second book by Edna O'Brien, and it only confirmed my high opinion of this talented writer. Snip: (...).



4. Excellent book. A warm intellectual stream, poetry really. O'Brien writes impressionistically of the history, and her memories of Ireland. Have a glass of wine, and read it through once: a very pleasurable task.



5. I wonder how many readers picked up this innocuous-looking little book thinking it to be another shamrock-bedecked little souvenir from the dear old island. It's coruscating and ambitious. Edna O'Brien eviscerates the sacred cows and spatters the pages with their carcasses. This is from a now-obliterated Ireland of only three decades ago, but much of it reads as if a hundred years ago at least. The opening chapter, in which she narrates the mythic and the historical origins of Ireland, dazzled me with its accomplished polyphony. The photos are typical, I suppose, of the sort that any reader will have before seen, but the captions and the comments that O'Brien appends deserve attention, as do the unfortunately uncredited excerpts from readings that she scatters throughout, especially that of the visit to the Garda (police) house full of drunken men in uniform that is cooly set down in prose out of another O'Brien, pen name Flann.
   
   The only let-down from this was its unevenness. As the book progresses, it reveals more an uncertain tone. Later chapters feel to me unsure of what O'Brien or the editors meant them to convey: autobiography? travelogue? social analysis? memoirs? They gradually coalesce loosely into an account of her own maturity and flight to London from Dublin from the Co Limerick village where she was raised, and are worthwhile, but they do make for quite a change from the opening chapters.
   
   A good follow-up from two decades later would be, if read with a considerable amount of grains of salt, Rosemary Mahoney's "Whoredom in Kimmage: Irish Women Come of Age." The jump from these scenes in 1976 to those in 1994 is amazing, and these have only accelerated since Mahoney's stops. Today's unrecognizably permissive Irish cultural shifts would not have been possible without such as Edna O'Brien, who like Flann O'B, mixed satire and bitterness with affection and pride in the people of their stubborn island.