In June, we will be reading a historical novel.
Please post your nominations here by April 30th.
***This poll will close on May 31st.***
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In June, we will be reading a historical novel.
Please post your nominations here by April 30th.
***This poll will close on May 31st.***
I nominate Fifth Business by Robertson Davies.
How about Gore Vidal's Julian?
Katherine by Anya Seton.
I love historical fiction
It is hard to pick just one to nominate but I am going to go with
The Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin
Nominations so far:
1. Fifth Business by Robertson Davies
2. Julian Gore Vidal
3. Katherine by Anya Seton
4. The Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin
I have wanted to read a Walter Scott novel for the longest time. I'll suggest Waverly but if there is another people would recommend I can switch.
I thought about nominating Ivanhoe
I am not actually a big fan of historical novel, to be honest.
I'm not a big fan of the historical novel, either, but Katherine would probably get my vote as I've read other books by Anya Seton and enjoyed them.
Dark Muse,I loved "Ivanhoe"; maybe I would love the one you mentioned, Virgil....why not nominate either?
It is in BBC's Big Read list as well so it would be great for me to get it out of the way :DQuote:
Originally Posted by MissScarlett
I didn't know it was in BBC's Big Read, but it's always sounded pretty good to me. I'm sure it would get my vote. ;) I don't particularly like historical fiction, but Katherine sounds pretty good.
I haven't acutally read the one I nominated yet, so I could not say if I think you would like it or not. I read something about it which sounded interesting and so I nominated it to motivate me to read it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Janine
the wikipedia page classifies les mis a historical fiction lol
As a rule I'm not either, but I've recently read up a little on the evolution of the historical novel and realized it is part of the tradition. And why not start with the beginning and Walter Scott. I don't know which Scott novel to pick but I always hear of Waverly being spoken of. I was hoping Kilt would help out here. SO since I have not heard I will nominate Waverly.Quote:
Originally Posted by Scheherazade
I am confused; Dark Muse, did you officially nominate "Ivanhoe"? It is one of my favorite novels. It looks like Virgil now nominated the other Scott novel, "Waverly". In that case, can two Scott novels be nominated? I would nominate "Ivanhoe", as well. I don't know a thing about "Waverly".Quote:
Originally Posted by Dark Muse
No I haven't nominated Ivanhoe it was one of the many books in HF that I have and considered but I choose another book that I got last year that I have been wanting to read
I would like to nominate THE PLOT AGAINST AMERICA by Philip Roth. Thanks.
I love historical fiction, and Katherine is one of the greatest there is. I haven't read it for years, but it's a masterpiece of the genre. I don't know of anyone who has ever read it who has not fallen completely head over heels in love with it. I love historical novels where I can learn a lot about the period and the history, and the fact that it's based on a true story is compelling. There is a huge difference between novels like this, and those that are just light novels "dropped" into a period of history with no real thought about the time, where it just serves as a backdrop to a romance. I loved Ivanhoe too. There is such a fantastic selection of brilliant historical novels, I wouldn't know where to start. One of the other "greats" is Forever Amber, but that's not my choice. I will have to have a good think, as I would love to join in with this one.Quote:
Originally Posted by MissScarlett
I will nominate "Ivanhoe", because I thought the novel was very good.
I thought of another one that is historical, "Last of the Mohicans", but I am not nominating that one. Someone else can if they feel inclined.
Nominations so far:
1. Fifth Business by Robertson Davies
2. Julian Gore Vidal
3. Katherine by Anya Seton
4. The Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin
5. The Plot Against America by Philip Roth
6. Ivanhoe
Yoo hoo, I nominated Waverly back in post #16. :D
I nominate The Boy in the striped Pyjamas
Can I withdraw my nomination and change it for The Colony of Unrequited Dreams by Wayne Johnston? Or, if that is impossible, can someone else just nominate this?
I nominate The Colony of Unrequited Dreams by Wayne Johnston.Quote:
Originally Posted by JBI
Though I haven't read Katherine, I love the writing of Anya Seton and I can't imagine Katherine being anything but superb. She was also a fascinating historical figure. (Katherine, not Anya Seton!)Quote:
Originally Posted by wessexgirl
Quote:
Originally Posted by Virgil
I would be in complete agreement with starting with Scott. The man was fantastic. Ivanhoe is good, but Rob Roy is where its at (completely different from the liam neeson film storyline incase anyone is worried about that - great story about rise of jacobitism)
I've read other works by Anya Seton, and they were good, and I enjoyed them, but Katherine is in a class of its own. I think it was definitely her masterpiece. Katherine Swynford's story, from relatively humble origins to someone whose descendants would inherit the throne, is a wonderful read. Thinking of the novel, it makes me want to read it again, but I will hold back a while, in case I think of something else I haven't read yet.Quote:
Originally Posted by MissScarlett
I noticed that too, Virgil, and I wasn't trying to get ahead of you on which Scott to read. I just noticed a lot of people mentioned "Ivanhoe" and asked if two by the same author could be nominated. I didn't really get any answer on that, so I went ahead and nominated it. I don't know anything about "Waverly", do you? What is the novel about? At anyrate, maybe that can also be nominated.Quote:
Originally Posted by Virgil
I've thought of a few really interesting ones. As a sucker for the Civil War period, (the English one) what about As Meat Loves Salt by Maria McCann? (Absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I'm currently reading this ;)). Or a couple of Victorian thrillers, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, (actually non-fiction, but written like a novel), or The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox? One I absolutely must read is The Casebook of Victor Frankenstein by Peter Ackroyd, involving many of the literati of the time. Ooh, choices, choices.........
Ok, decision made. Can I nominate that last one, the Ackroyd please?
http://entertainment.timesonline.co....cle4627299.ece
I read The Meaning of Night last year. Absolutely loved it.
I didn't know much about Waverly except that when I see Scott mentioned in literary criticism, that seems to be the book most mentioned. I know nothing about Ivanhoe or Rob Roy that Kilt has suggested. I guess for now I'll stay with Waverly until I can do a quick research. Length of book matters to me too; I can't spend the time on a six hundred page novel I'm afraid.Quote:
Originally Posted by Janine
Yes more than one book by the same author can be nominated. It's one nomination per lit net member.
Waverly is Sir Walter Scott's first novel. It's set during the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745 and centers around Edward Waverly, who leaves his aristocratic home in southern England and journeys to Scotland to restore the "rightful" monarchy. Waverly is often called "the first historical novel."
I read it in school. It's good, but Sir Walter Scott can be tedious at times. He's not for everyone, but then, who is?
Sorry about that, Virgil! :)
Nominations so far:
1. The Colony of Unrequited Dreams by Wayne Johnston
2. Julian Gore Vidal
3. Katherine by Anya Seton
4. The Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin
5. The Plot Against America by Philip Roth
6. Ivanhoe[/QUOTE]
7. Waverly
8. The Boy in the striped Pyjamas
9. The Casebook of Victor Frankenstein [/B]by Peter Ackroyd
Last nomination up for grabs!
Ok, I've got time just now to involve myself so: Rob Roy
Yes, I have seen it refered to as the first historical novel. That is why I nominated it.Quote:
Originally Posted by MissScarlett
Having never read Scott I am doing myself a disservice. Anyone who could invent an entire genre that is still going strong two hundred years later deserves attention.Quote:
I read it in school. It's good, but Sir Walter Scott can be tedious at times. He's not for everyone, but then, who is?
I've just read that Michael Cox has died. He had been in ill-health for years, but such a shame. Apparently he wanted to write a third book as there was a second to TMON. I started TMON last year, but didn't finish it as I had to return it to the Library. I do want to try it again though.Quote:
Originally Posted by MissScarlett
The final 10:
1. The Colony of Unrequited Dreams by Wayne Johnston
2. Julian Gore Vidal
3. Katherine by Anya Seton
4. The Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin
5. The Plot Against America by Philip Roth
6. Ivanhoe[/QUOTE]
7. Waverly
8. The Boy in the striped Pyjamas
9. The Casebook of Victor Frankenstein [/B]by Peter Ackroyd
10. Rob Roy
We people who want to read Walter Scott should all agree on the same one or we will divide our vote and surely lose. I don't have a preference so whichever you guys want is fine with me.