"The First Princess Of Wales" by Karen Harper

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I must surely be on a Karen Harper binge! After reading "The Queen's Governess" by Karen Harper last week I decided to read another or her titles, "The First Princess of Wales". I was not disappointed. Although this paperback, published n 2006, sports a hefty 624 pages I have finished it in several days of "bedtime" reading. I have never been a fan of romance novels but it appears that I must be becoming one! I remember when I managed bookstores that I would cast derisive looks at the Harlequin Romance series when they arrived to be shelved. Now here I am reading a book whose title was once "Sweet Passion's Pain"! arghhhh!

This book tells the story, albeit, highly fictionalized, story of Joan of Kent (29 September 1328 – 

7 August 1385)- beloved of Edward, the 'black prince' of Wales15 June 1330 – 8 June 1376). Set during the tumultuous period when threat of war with France was always on the immediate horizon, the tale includes all of the "biggies": love, betrayal, seduction, intrigue, family feuds and war.

I have read reviews of this book that say that it is "over-written"& "historically flawed". I can agree with both of the assessments to a degree. The book is written in a very easy to read style - there are no

pedantic interpretations of history here - and I have read as real historical fiction. In that light I found this book to be an easy, delightful read - and yes, a romance at that. I do think that it offers a true flavor of the period although the hero and heroine are depicted rather as the quintessential lover's -as if Ms. Harper distilled the essence of what a romantic hero and heroine might be.

Was this book worthy of any rewards? No. Was it worthy of a few idle hours of escape? Definitely! If your are looking for a truly historical account of Joan of Kent and her love Prince Edward, look to another venue - but for escapism and distraction I think this is a fine, most enjoyable journey of a read! Ms. Harper even postulates an interesting and amusing historical reason for the term "knights of the garter"!

"The Queen's Governess" by Karen Harper

 

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I had anxiously awaited the publication date for this book and was so pleased when it arrived at my door!  I love Amazon's pre-order capability - but I do still spend quite a bit of my at my local Indie bookstore - since I would not ever want to lose them!

This book is told through the voice of Elizabeth Tudor's governess, companion and friend, Kat (Katherine) Champernowne Ashley (Astley). The book recounts the story of Kat's life and spans the years 1516-1560; a tour through the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Lady Jane Grey and Mary Tudor. We follow Kat's story, beginning with Kat as a poor young girl living in the wilds of Devon with a step-mother she hates.  We follow Kat as she is first noticed for her with and intelligence by Lord Cromwell - himself and up and coming 'player' in the Tudor Court- and we follow her journey as she rises withing the ranks of the Court.

Some people may have heard about the locker ring that Elizabeth I wore until her death in 1603. It had been thought to have been simply a ring until it was removed from her hand and was found to contain portraits or Elizabthe as a toddler and her mother, Anne Boleyn. Common history has it that Elizabeth herself commissioned this ring to be made - but the book take's up another potential story for the ring. What if it had been designed for Anne Boleyn herself?

This book fleshes out the story behind Kat, a woman who was pivotal in Tudor history but about whom we know very little. Subplots of intrigue, tragedy, love and redemption are all superbly interwoven in the pages of this delightful book. Karen Harper's research was so well done that this is a thoroughly believable read that I could not put down. I had to give it 5 starts because I could not stop reading it, the history is so well researched and the characters were so real! 

Karen Harper is also the author of "The First Princess of Wales", "The Last Boleyn" and, "Mistress Shakespeare" among many others. For lots more information go to her website!

"The Swan Thieves: by Elizabeth Kostova

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I was so excited to hear that this book was almost ready to ship! I had had it on "pre-order" since I had been able to add it to my cart on Amazon. "The Historian" had been one of my favorite books of all time and I had high hopes for this book as well.

Unfortunately, I am probably going to buck the tide on this one, but I was very disappointed in it. The narratives were long. The book consists of chapters as told by several people and also through letters. Having the chapters titled by whose character is 'speaking' is a valuable thing because it would be difficult to  follow if it had not been arranged this way. Elizabeth Kostova is a fabulous writer and her narratives are good but I just thought that is book had a lot of filler.  Generally I give a book about 150 pages to interest me. If is hasn't by then I generally lay it aside to wither give away or try again at another time. I keep going though in reading this book because I could not believe that by page 200 I was not spellbound - as I had been with "The Historian". I plowed though this whole book. The end was a bit of a redemption - and the book, for me, picked up towards the end. I am not sure that I am glad or not that I continued reading this book until the end - there are so many wonderful books on my bulging shelves waiting to be read that I know would have kept me enthralled from beginning to end. I think I kept going because I thought that there HAD to be better pages ahead.

I notice on Amazon that there are many VERY positive reviews - so I am, in fact, bucking the majority - but that's the way I call it. Now, I will once again wait with bated breath for Elizabeth's Kostova's next book to be available for pre-order and I am sure that I will order it as soon as I am able to. I hope it will thrill me more.

"Amish Abstractions; Quilts From The Collection of Faith & Steven Brown" Published by Pomegranate Communications

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I have been enamored with Amish Quilts for more years than I care to admit to! My obsession with them began with an exhibit of Amish Quilts at the Whitney Museum in New York City in the 1970’s. I have always thought that Amish quilts represent the height of quilt artistry and I’ve collected books on Amish quilts for many years. I was, therefore, thoroughly delighted when I was asked to review this new book from Pomegranate Communications!

“Amish Abstractions: Quilts From The Collection of Faith &  Steven Brown” is a lush, beautifully printed, book presented by the San Francisco Fine Arts Museums and is, as mentioned above, published by Pomegranate Communications . I have known about Pomegranate as a purveyor of fine cards, book marks and wonderful calendars, but I was not aware of their extensive, very beautiful, line of art books. Their catalog is impressive!

"Crazy Quilt" circa 1930, Arthur, Illinois  78 X 63 " 

Could anything be more modern, abstract or awesome as this Amish 'Crazy Quilt'?! 

The forward to “Amish Abstractions” is written by John E. Buchanan, Jr. Director of Museums/ Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Faith & Steven Brown have written an excellent ‘Collector’s Note’ about their superb collection and the book contains essays ,written by noted quilt historians,that are both interesting and very informative.

Janneken Smucker, quilt historian, presents an excellent, very enjoyable, essay entitled ‘Quilts In Amish Contexts : Traditions and Adaptations’ in which she explains a bit about the history of the Amish, the Amish aesthetic, and how the tradition of Amish quilt making began. This essay offers a compact history of how the Amish began making quilts, initially large scale patterns made from fabrics left over from clothes making - progressing to how the Amish ultimately used more mainstream patterns in their quilt making.

 Below: "Unnamed Pattern" Circa 1930, Crib Quilt 30 X 25"

The eminent quilt historian Robert Shaw has contributed an essay entitled “Fundamentally Abstract: The Aesthetic Achievement of Amish Quiltmakers”. This is a well written essay that describes the evolution of Amish design work and the historical differences between the quilt styles of various Amish sects. From the Lancaster Amish and their brilliant central diamond designs that feature large open spaces filled with beautiful feathered quilting patterns to the Midwestern Amish quilt makers who favored blue & black, used pieced patterns, and used more main stream cottons and other fabrics as opposed to the wools used by Lancaster County quilters – this essay is an excellent preview to the history of Amish quilt patterns.

An essay contributed by Joe Cunningham, another noted quilt historian, is entitled “All In The Details: The Making of Amish Quilts”. It’s a concise, well presented introduction to the history of the quilt patterns that were most often used by the Amish.

 

Above: "Unnamed Pattern" circa 1930, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania  70 X 70 "

What I enjoyed the most about this book is that the Brown’s collection of Amish quilts contains some amazing examples of quilts- some of which I have not seen. The plates in this book offer some prime examples of the large, beautifully quilted, wool quilts of the Lancaster Amish, but there are also some spectacular examples of quilts made from more main stream patterns: Amish crazy quilts, abstracts, nine-patch and variations, ocean waves, hole in the barn door, broken dishes – all ‘main stream’ patterns that, in the hands of the Amish, become works of art. The Amish aesthetic and their utilization of colors make the patterns sing and their use of juxtaposed colors raise the patterns from traditional patch work to artistic masterpiece. I think that the artistry in Amish quilts is what has always fascinated me about them – they are brilliant, bold, aesthetically pleasing and, to my eye, they always represent the epitome of quilt artistry.

Below: "Tumbling Blocks", circa 1925  Ohio or Indiana  72 X 70 "

 

I highly recommend this book for quilt enthusiasts in general but most certainly quilt historians and those who admire Amish design will be especially pleased with the Faith & Steven Brown Amish quilt collection presented in this book. The color plates are very well done and the text portions of the book are excellent reading. I could go on and on about the patterns and color plates in this book – but it is probably best if you just buy the book! All in all, although I seldom provide the rating, I believe that this book deserves five stars!

Above: "Railroad Crossing" circa 1888, Melinda Miller, Walnut Creek, Ohio  89 X 69"

Below: "Ocean Waves" circa 1925, Holmes County, Ohio   89 X 76"

 

Disclosure Note: I received this book in exchange for an honest opinion and review. No other remuneration was received.

"Quilt It With Wool" by Nathalie Mornu

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My deep appreciation for the use of wool in quilts began long ago when I first saw a collection of Amish Quilts made of wool at the Whitney Museum in New York City. Wool, aside from being warm , wool is also a pleasure to work with - and it makes color sing.

I've been involved in the quilting world for many years now and I have wondered why quilting with  wool has not made a comeback. It seems like a perfect fit to me. Voila! This new book "Quilt It With Wool: Projects Stitched On Tartans, Tweeds, & Other Toasty Fabrics" by Nathalie Mornu (Published by Lark Books) is finally beckoning sewing enthusiasts and quilters back into the "make it from wool" fold. Things like penny rugs have made a significant reappearance in recent years and wools have become a prominent fixture at large quilt shows. Richly colored and patterned wools have, it seems, become more available. Wool is,perhaps, a bit more expensive than most quilting/sewing cottons - but colors are rendered so much richer in wool! This book offers a variety of projects that will not require a huge expenditure (you can even use re-purposed wool) but will whet your appetite for all things wool!

Ms. Mornu begins her book with a thorough and informative section about wool's history, wool types  and how to choose wool for the projects in the book. She also  reviews things like what the components of a quilt are; batting, non-wool fabrics & thread selection. A handy reference for putting together a basic sewing kit is included in the front of the book as are some suggested settings for using your sewing machine to work with wools.

The projects  range from a sumptuous gathered wool handbag, a beautifully stitched eyeglass case, a fun and quirky wooley bird mobile, wool earrings, an obi styled belt, an adorned wool capelet, a draft dodger (to keep the cold from under your doors out), stylish pillows, pencil holders (aka a container) to footstool covers. All in all this book contains 23 projects crafted from a variety of wools. The instructions are well thought out and richly illustrated. I was thrilled to see that wools are once again becoming a more mainstream selection for quilts and quilter projects. Start your own adventure and discover the pleasures of quilting and sewing with rich, colorful wools! Give this book a try - I highly recommend it !

Please note: The publisher and author kindly supplied me with a galley of this book for review purposes only. No other remuneration was received.

"The Boleyn Wife" by Brandy Purdy

 

 

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Three covers, two titles, one good book.  "The Boleyn Wife" by Brandy Purdy will be available in February 2010 as a re-issue of the originally self published title "Vengence Is Mine". The photos above depict the original self-published cover, the new US edition cover and, on the bottom, the British cover.

I have always been fascinated by the purported strong relationship that Anne Boleyn had with her brother George. Jane Parker, Lady Rochford, wife to George  Boleyn, Lord Rochford has always been mentioned in the history books as an afterthought. Indeed, I don't think that there is a lot of factual information to be had about Jane Parker - women themselves, unless famous, were more or less afterthoughts in Tudor times!

I am an avid reader of both history and historical fiction - and am always enthralled by anything Tudor. This book was no exception! The book draws on history to tell the tale of Jane Parker  who, through an arranged marriage, became wife to George Boleyn.  Jane paled in comparison to the fiery spirit of Anne Boleyn - George's sister and wife to England's notorious King Henry VIII. As Anne's star rises in the Court, Jane's resentment grows and she begins to plot her revenge. Ultimately, it is Jane's spurious charges, of adultery and incest with her brother George that brings about Anne's downfall. Oliver Cromwell, the Lord Protector is the person that Jane turns to. She unfurls her plot - making allegations to Cromwell that will ultimately cause the downfall of both Anne and George as well as the other courtiers who were alleged by Janeto have been Anne's lovers. Jane erroneously thought that by arranging to have Anne out of the picture she would, at last, have George's attentions all to herself. Wrong! George, always proclaiming his innocence and remaining true to his sister, goes to the block just short of Anne's own appointment with the swordsman.

Free of Anne - and her husband, Jane is sent from Court but she is soon brought back to Court to attend to Henry's newest bride, Anna of Cleves. Anna of Cleves is the only one of King Henry's wives prior to his last wife, Katherine Parr, to keep her head because Henry's dislike of her results in Anna's becoming the King's 'beloved sister". Their marriage is annulled -  freeing Henry to marry once again. Henry's next marriage, to the very young Katherine Howard,  finds Jane ready to serve once again and Jane becomes the go-between, arranging clandestine meetings between Katherine and her love, Thomas Culpepper. Ultimately,when the affair is exposed to King Henry,  Jane Parker Boleyn herself along with Queen Katherine, becomes a victim of the swordsman's axe.

This book is, we must remember, historical fiction. When I read a historical fiction book I like to reference the true history to see where the author remains true to the facts and where the true facts diverge and become true fiction. I don't expect a work of historical fiction to read like a history book. It is true that there are places in this book where scenes are invented and/or extrapolated. I anticipate this in a work of fiction. Indeed it is works of fiction that originally spurred my fascination with the Tudor period as a youngster and fanned my desire to read the true historical books about the period later on. I remain Tudor smitten.

I find it unfortunate that the new publisher chose a cover that sports an image that is somewhat tawdry and most definitely not in period garb. It reminds me too much of bodice ripper's like some of the Harlequin series. I much prefer the original, self-published cover - or the British edition's cover. It is an unfortunate fact of a literary life that, once a publisher accepts a book for publication, author's have little input into cover selection. I can't think what the publisher was thinking when they chose this one.

Nonetheless, under the cover this book is an enjoyable read; it's fast paced and will hold your attention. I recommend this book for all 'Tudor-philes' and for everyone who enjoy historical fiction and who can accept it as fiction based on some historical events rather than history that reads like fiction. I think everyone who buys this book will enjoy it quite well!

'Quilts, Baby' by Linda Kopp

please note that all phtos may be doubled clicked for a better view!

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I could use many words as descriptors about this book. Delightful, refreshing, enchanting , appealing -  and, simply, one of the best little quilt books I have come across in a long while.  I was not sure that I would be the best reviewer for this book because I don't make a lot of baby quilts any more. Boy! Am I ever glad I decided to have a look! This is one of those books that screams originality.  The patterns are simple - and simple is a favorite with me - but each quilt also features the addition of something that makes the quilt special, endearing and enchanting.

Just look at some of the names of the quilts in the 'contents' section! Just plain fun! The beginning of the book focuses on a very well thought out 'quilting basics' section. The book is also peppered with great short-cut ideas. A combination of captivating hand drawn images as well as photographs makes reading the directions, for the 'basics' as well as for the quilts totally enjoyable. Quilt directions are beautifully done - exemplars of the quilts are shown  in sketches as well as photographs and you glean information about the special talents of each of the quilt designers featured in the book.

The books contains 12 simple quilt designs - each of which has an added, endearing, element. Folk artsy, colorful, embroidered and unique additions to each design makes these simple quilts stand out. The ideas are, of course, great for a child - but also for the adults in the crowd who look for a touch of whimsy in their lives! The designs are great for beginner's, especially with the wonderful 'basics' chapter to guide them, but also would be winner's for adults as well.

 There are also lots of tips and tricks for applique, embroidery, quilting, bindings and how to add fun elements like small pockets.

This book makes me smile. It makes me want to put more fun back into my quilting. I have always thought that rules are made to be fiddled with (once you know the basics anyway) and this book , I think, proves me right. This is one book that will please quilters of all ages - and I am certain that if you buy it - you will find yourself smiling too!

Note:
This book was provided to me by the publisher for review purposes only - no other remuneration was received