King Arthur: The Truth Behind the Legend

Rating: 4 Stars

Review:

First and foremost, any digging at this point to find Arthur will only result in conjecture. It's been too long and any evidence is almost certainly long gone. However, the author is convincing in that I'm now quite sure an Arthur did exist. Not as we think of Arthur in mythology now, the Once and Future King who will some day awaken and reclaim his throne, but a living, breathing warrior king who united his people (as best he could) against the invaders.

I found this a rather easy read and enjoyed it. I also enjoyed that the author didn't aim for one theory, ignore others, and make the evidence fit what he thinks. He explored several options, while naturally indicating which one makes the most sense to him. Nicely done.

Unsinkable: The Full Story of the RMS Titanic

Rating: 4 Stars

Review:

I don't think I'll ever stop being obsessed with Titanic. The teenager in me won't allow it. The problem is, whenever I read a book about the tragedy, I inevitably see the officers, crew, Mr Andrews, Ismay, and assorted passengers as portrayed in the movie, and not who they actually were. Darn you, James Cameron!

I've heard this one compared to 'A Night to Remember' quite often, and I've not read it yet - thought it's very near the top of my book pile. While I myself can't compare the two yet, I will say this book was well-researched and provided ample information, so that even someone like myself who knows quite a bit already, found out new facts.

I like that the author addresses the Californian specifically. It baffles me even 100+ years later that help was there within reach, all those people could've been saved. And yet the crew was too afraid of their tyrant of a captain to attempt a rescue. 

In the end, it is always the same, as is to be expected. Ismay is giving orders to Smith, she's going too fast, there's miscommunication over ice warnings, too few officers know the gravity of the situation, lifeboats launched half-full, and so on and so on. Even after all these years, it first make it any less tragic. All those people lost, men, women, and children, for no reason.

One thing I'd like to have seen was more pictures. I know there are several in existence outside of what was offered here - officers, etc., having seen them in other books. It's just nice to have a face to go with a name - otherwise those actors from that movie keep popping into my head.

It saddens me that eventually Titanic herself will disappear, the very last remnant of a bygone age. But she is where she should be, remaining where she sank, undisturbed for the time she has left,

Additionally: I made Eleanor listen to "My Heart Will Go On" today. She digs it. She does not dig my singing. Fair enough.

Alias Shakespeare

Rating: 2.5 Stars

Review:

While Sobran makes a compelling case, he is entirely condescending throughout - often times making assumptions in the same way that he belittles Stratfordians for. It was a chore just to finish this one when muddling through that, which is sad to say, because Oxford himself is so intriguing - regardless of whether or not he is the man we know today as Shakespeare.

The evidence presented is certainly thought-provoking. While I personally will hold to my belief that Shakespeare was Shakespeare, I enjoy reading the evidence that anti-Stratfordians have to offer. Some make interesting arguments and present interesting evidence. Hopefully others do it in a less condescending way. This is not a terrible book as a whole, the most frustrating thing was not the theory, but the author himself. If the authorship question is of interest to you, give this one a try.

The Pope's Jews: The Vatican's Secret Plan to Save the Jews from the Nazis

Rating: 3 Stars

Review:

I read less and less about the Holocaust these days, I just can't - it's seems to be that way about anything heartbreaking since I became a mom. It's impossible to not imagine it being your family, your child.

That being said, this was a complete 180 of anything I thought I knew of Pius XII. Granted, all I really knew if him was that he was 'Hitler's Pope' - yet that always seems strange to be, as Catholics were among the many groups rounded up by this murderous regime and sent to their deaths. Yet I never really questioned the moniker because it's been the loudest and really, only, viewpoint offered of him in my lifetime. This book will offer something quite different, and works to bring to light the plans and networks used by the Vatican to save as many Jews as possible.

Could he have done more? Of course. Many people could have and should have done more. But here we finally have an account of what was actually done - far more than 'nothing', as previously proclaimed.

As for the text itself, it's a bit slow in some places, and the sheer number of names can be overwhelming. A list of important players is offered at the beginning, but even that is useless at times if you go to look someone up and can't remember what their affiliation is, so you're still forced the read through every band until you find who you're looking for.

Certainly recommended for those interested in the Holocaust. While I can't say I'm 100% on board with this yet, and I may have to do further reading myself, it certainly portrays Pius XII far differently than what we've been taught.

Chaucer's Tale: 1386 and the Road to Canterbury

Rating: 4 Stars

Review:

One year. That's it. In that year all the pieces fell into, or out of, place. But either way you look at - and most will decidedly say out of place - without the events of 1386, would we have one of the greatest English works ever written? Would we revere Chaucer the way he deserves, as THE FIRST English author/poet? Maybe, maybe not. No doubt these humbling and likely humiliating events in 1386 wore on Chaucer, and it's almost tragic that he's never see the fruits of his labor, or even make a single penny off of it.

This is an interesting text, looking at Chaucer and the world he inhabited in 1386. It is by no means exhaustive - though how much can/will we ever know, 600+ years on? The author sets the scenes nicely, almost too nicely with plenty if addition information about the people moving around Chaucer at the time. You could argue it was too much 'other' information, not directly tied to Chaucer himself, but much of it set up important events to come. And with this volume itself being roughly only 255 pages, it's not as though it was a burden.

While you may not learn anything new from this one if you're already well-versed in the life of Chaucer, it's still an interesting read - in fact I read it in just an afternoon. Recommended for those interested in both the time period and the man himself.

Ancient Greece: A History in Eleven Cities

Rating: 3 Stars

Review:

This text is by no means in any way a comprehensive history of Ancient Greece. Instead, it is truly an introduction in looking at 11 different cities that existed at one time or another in the Greek World and how they functioned, culturally, socially, militarily, etc. As my own knowledge of this time period is sparse, it was decent and not at all over-whelming. On the other hand, someone who already has a deep knowledge and background will likely not find anything useful.

Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why

Rating: 2 Stars

Review:

It's always kind of funny when an author plagiarizes himself. Having read several of Ehrman's books (recently), there are numerous times in this text where I could skim, because I had already read the EXACT SAME passage in any of the previous books of his that I have just read. Makes it hard to want to keep reading, when it just seems like he is taking bits from other books and making a 'new' book. Basically, he presents the same information in every single book, same ideas, themes, and theories, and just focuses on a different aspect in each of his books. So, the groundwork, the background is already there. He has to do minimal work to come up with the 'new' part to make this book different from that book.

Also! What! Is! With! All! The! Exclamation! Marks!

Seriously, it comes across as kind of condescending, as if Ehrman is saying, "Look here lay reader, you won't understand how important this idea is that I just stated for you unless I follow it up with a !! You need to understand and you won't if I don't point it out for you!!" Of course, I have added a second exclamation mark, so YOU can understand how important my statement is with the initial exclamation mark. Annoying, isn't it? But that is Ehrman, and to get through his books you either have to ignore it, or quit reading. He sometimes writes as though he thinks his readers won't understand. He ACTUALLY makes a point to say that there were no plans or cars or electronic printing options in the ancient world. Seriously? That was a point that needed to be made? Ehrman talks down to his readers a lot, so be prepared for that.

The title is a bit misleading, as it is not JUST misquoting things Jesus said during his ministry. Instead, this book looks at all the different ways and reasons that the Bible has been changed throughout the centuries. This in itself is interesting, and sometimes disheartening, because we will never know the REAL words, as scribes took it upon themselves to change the text - whether accidentally or on purpose.

I guess this book might be 'fascinating' for people who have never read any other work by Ehrman. To me, however, it was just a different focus on many recycled thoughts from his other books.

The Stewart Dynasty

Rating: 3 Stars

Review:

So, up until the last line of the book, literally the last line, I wasn't sure if Ross actually LIKED any of the Stewarts he wrote about. Seriously. He spent 305 pages taking potshots at them throughout history. But then he gives us this, the very, very last line:

"Irrepressible in life, long after their mortal remains have crumbled to dust the remarkable family lives on in the imaginations of all who are fascinated by the extraordinary piece of work that is man."

So, at least he called the family remarkable?

Even so, he also called many ineffectual, even stupid. And can't forget sexual. Apparently pretty much almost all of them were quite, shall we say, amorous. Unfortunately however, the last generations proved to be far less so than their ancestors, and thus the Stewart line came to a quiet end in 1807.

I have felt a deep affinity for Scotland for a long time, yet have known relatively little of the kings who came before Mary Queen of Scots - herself a tragic and maligned figure who can't be solely blamed for her shortcomings as queen. She was, after all the darling of the French court and was doted upon for years before being basically exiled back to her country of birth thanks to her formidable former mother in law, Catherine de Medici. I found this to overall be a decent work of the Stewart family, though I can't say for certain how accurate it all is, as it is the first real study of the Stewarts I have done (besides of Mary herself so far). And there were certainly facts about Mary and her son James VI/I that are no longer considered correct - this text having been published in 1993. Certainly whole books can and have been devoted to individual monarchs of the House of Stewart, so I would consider this an introduction and not an in-depth look. It is, of course, difficult to provide EVERY DETAIL of 600+ years of a dynasty in 300 pages, but this is an interesting attempt to introduce them to new readers.

One detail I can't help but notice, though, one glaring omission: any mention of the King James Version of the Bible. Perhaps I am mistaken, perhaps I somehow missed it among all the milieu of James' court, but I do not recall it being mentioned. Kind of a strange thing, considering it is without a doubt one of the most important books ever published. 

Peter, Paul and Mary Magdalene: The Followers of Jesus in History and Legend

Rating: 2 Stars

Review:

I read Ehrman's books, not for his opinions but for the facts he presents in relation to the New Testament, of which he obviously knows thoroughly. However, our faiths differ greatly, again obviously.

His writing style is easy to follow, but there is so much background information here that he used word-for-word in other texts, that gets a bit tedious. And his habit of repeating himself also gets tiresome.

Here he presents Peter, Paul, and Mary Magdalene as both historical and legendary figures in an accessible fashion, giving each their due turn in the spotlight. I don't put much stock in the Gnostic Gospels, though Ehrman references them frequently. Nor can we really put a lot of faith in other gospels and writing excluded from the Canon as we know it today. But still this makes for an interesting read about three of the most important figures in Christianity - without whom it would not exist had they each not done their part after the crucifixion and in the ensuing years.

Additionally:

Could have seriously done without the trite references to the folk group Peter, Paul, and Mary. It was just kind of annoying - in between the smatterings of Ehrman being trite and condescending himself.

Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography

Rating: 5 Stars

Review:

I don't think the day will ever come that I stop loving Neil Patrick Harris. Really truly. This book proves that time again. He is so talented - acting, singing, magic-ing. Not to mention witty, handsome, and charming.

We all have that celebrity that we hope is just as wonderful in their everyday life as they seem to be in front of the cameras. For me, that's NPH.

Additionally:

This review is so short because I feel weird reviewing autobiographies. It's like you're reviewing their life. Just know: I dig NPH.

And just for good measure, one of the greatest opening acts from an award show, ever.