Full disclosure: I haven't read it. I remember hearing about it when the musical became popular.
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Spoilers What Book Are You Reading?
- Thread starter Huntn
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Fully agree on online library accounts!
I'm not actually reading this at the moment, but I've read it 5 times and it might be my favorite novel of all time.
It's a fictional account of the life of an Aztec prior, during, and after the Spanish Conquest. One of the most brutal, beautiful, and heartbreaking books I've ever read. Extremely well researched and really brings the Aztec culture to life. The narrator is like the Forrest Gump of the Aztec world and the author inserts him into the important events of this time period.
I've also read a couple of other historical fiction novels by this author and all have been captivating. The Journeyer (Marco Polo) and Spangle (19th century traveling circus) are the others I highly recommend.
Warning: contains extreme violence, sex, drugs, etc.
It's a fictional account of the life of an Aztec prior, during, and after the Spanish Conquest. One of the most brutal, beautiful, and heartbreaking books I've ever read. Extremely well researched and really brings the Aztec culture to life. The narrator is like the Forrest Gump of the Aztec world and the author inserts him into the important events of this time period.
I've also read a couple of other historical fiction novels by this author and all have been captivating. The Journeyer (Marco Polo) and Spangle (19th century traveling circus) are the others I highly recommend.
Warning: contains extreme violence, sex, drugs, etc.
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Well, thanks you all the same; that is a period of US history I am not terribly familiar with.
And, when life returns to some semblance of normal, I would love to be able to see the Hamilton musical.
Each to their own.
I used to teach history for a living, and - as someone who used to study, teach, write about and think about - history, I am always open to ways of telling such (historical) stories (narratives) in an interesting, engaging thought-provoking and stimulating manner.
I tried to listen to Hamilton but... I truly don’t like it. Not saying that the actors and singers aren’t good, but it’s not my cup of tea.
That said, the play might prompt people to investigate history (or other subjects) a bit more, it wouldn’t be the first time; one example is Nixon in China and another one is Jesus Christ Superstar. So, I kind of welcome the initiative. I mean, even Shakespeare Julius Caesar might not be the best, historically speaking.
My fear is that for some people having watched Hamilton is becoming a badge of superiority. I met at least three people (one a former coworker I had to talk to every day) that found any possible opportunity to show and tell people they watched Hamilton, to the point of obsession and to the point of being somewhat insulting to those that weren’t interested.
At any rate, it’s art, and they worked hard to get to a product people like, so I must appreciate at least that.
I remember reading "I Claudius" - a classmate had it when I was at school,and gave it to me to read - and thrilling to it. And then, with my mother, I watched the excellent British TV series of the same name, made with a low budget, a superb cast and a wonderful script.
To my mind there is nothing wrong with making history interesting, and entertaining and accessible; at best, it will encourage some people to want to learn more, and to read and study and think about this stuff.
Indeed, both as a student, and later, as a teacher, I used to be astounded at how badly-written - and turgid - some history books actually were, for this is an incredibly interesting subject, yet some texts seemed to strive hard to make it as tedious as possible.
I fully agree. Some books (and teachers) have this uncanny skill of making subjects that could be made alive with just some effort as the most boring subjects one can encounter. I often wonder how many great archeologists, historians, physicists, etc we lost because of horribly written books or awful teachers.
"I Claudius" is on my radar as I am studying Roman-era history in more detail, so I am sure that pretty soon I'll read fictional stuff based on that. I am very glad that the book has your imprimatur.
Actually, taking a lingering look through the rear view mirror of hindsight, it is probably the book that converted me to good "historical fiction"; until then, I read serious history, and serious novels.
I thought it excellent; history, but told as fiction, which retains fidelity to - and respect for - facts.
And: What a rollicking story with a thoroughly plausible - or credible - premise, a compelling, gripping (I could hardly put it down) tale (even Suetonius, writing serious history, while covering similar material couldn't fail to be riveting), - those extraordinary characters, that narrative, not to mention the narrative arc - and where fact cannot e proven, the imaginative explanation has psychological and historical plausibility.
Rest in peace John Le Carré (David Cornwell), who died Saturday of pneumonia at age 89. In recent years, every winter I re-read most of his books in chronological order but had not yet started this year.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/13/books/john-le-carre-dead.html?referringSource=articleShare
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/13/books/john-le-carre-dead.html?referringSource=articleShare
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Agreed: John Le Carré (David Cornwell) was a writer whose very name defined a genre.
Just started the audiobook version of The Russia House by John Le Carré, as some kind of homage.
You might find this one interesting (just finished it.) Ostensibly about warfare in the prehistoric world but ranges much more widely and makes a lot of really good points in terms of their never really being a period in which a 'noble savage' lived in harmony with their environment, rather that there's always been endless resource conflict. This last bit is I think important as perhaps we need to think forwards rather than backwards (to some imagined Rousseau eden) to get out the mess we're in. Anyway, despite it being 20 years old I found it quite thought provoking and would recommend it.
For anyone interested in this subject matter, or topic, this book is as good as I had remembered.
Received notification that another book has arrived fro me in the library - Ron Chernow's biography of Alexander Hamilton.
If you're starting reading fictional Roman stuff, you always, always, have to start with Rosemary Sutcliffe's The Eagle of the Ninth... It's just the way it is I'm afraid
thanks for the recommendation!If you're starting reading fictional Roman stuff, you always, always, have to start with Rosemary Sutcliffe's The Eagle of the Ninth... It's just the way it is I'm afraid