THE LOST TUDOR PRINCESS by Alison Weir (non-fic)

Like all of the historical books by the prolific Alison Weir, this book is meticulously researched.  Weir makes history come alive. She is an expert in Tutor England, and if you have read and enjoyed her other books on this infamous family, you will want to read this one.  It covers the life of Lady Margaret Douglas who was the niece of Henry VIII. It was impossible to have grown up Tudor and not be involved in numerous plots. Luckily for Margaret both King Henry and her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I were in the end forgiving of her many falls from grace.  That is not to say, that Margaret didn’t suffer mightily.  She bore and lost a number of children, she was imprisoned in the Tower of London more than once.  Her son, Lord Darnley, was married against the wishes of Queen Elizabeth to Mary, Queen of Scots.  This took a deal of scheming on Margaret’s part.  Like all the Tudors, Margaret was a brilliant woman.  An ill-advised early love affair ended in disaster, but there exists a wealth of poetry written by Margaret and her lover, Thomas Howard. Throughout her life, Margaret remained optimistic and active in society.  She remained faithful to the Catholic faith and lived on the edge of danger most of her life.
Alison Weir has written an interesting and lively account of a woman who has largely been lost to history.  I highly recommend this book to all who love English history and the Tudor period.

WAKING LIONS by Eyelet Gundar-Goshen (fiction)

This book held my interest from start to finish.  A neurosurgeon has been more or less banished to a small desert town in Israel after a professional disagreement at his hospital in Tel Aviv.  He is married to a police detective and has two sons, none of whom are happy in their dusty outpost.  Late one night after a long day at the hospital, he is letting off steam in the desert by driving fast and recklessly.  Unfortunately, he hits and kills a man in a deserted area.  Thus begins a plot which tangles him in a web of lies to his wife as he desperately tries to extricate himself from  a blackmail  scheme where he is forced to treat illegal Bedouins who are being exploited by unscrupulous employers. The story revolves around attraction and love, guilt, morality, privilege, and touches on all the problems and politics we are grappling with in the modern world.  All the while, Eitan’s wife is working to solve the desert murder.  
This is a terrific book and one of the best I have read this year.  I highly recommend it to all readers and reading groups.  There is much to ponder.

THE PUNISHMENT SHE DESERVES by Elizabeth George (fiction/mystery)

Faithful readers of Elizabeth George will be happy to meet up once again with Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and his sidekick Sergeant Barbara Havers. It is hard to believe this is the 20th book in which this duo has appeared.  Most of this book belongs to Barbara Havers who is the star in solving a crime in Shrewsbury, a market town on the border with Wales. Besides the local crime they are sent to solve, a large chunk of the book is devoted to the drinking habits of their superior, Chief Inspector Ardery. It is always fun to witness the relationship between Lynley and Havers who couldn’t be more unalike.  Though I must admit while I was wild about George’s earlier detective fiction, by the end of this too long book, I was becoming weary of both characters.  The last few books in this series have disappointed me.  Perhaps it is time for George to move on and begin a new series.

NOTES FROM THE HYENA’S BELLY by Nega Mezlekia (NF)

A memoir of growing up in Ethiopia, this book was written early in 2000.  If you are unfamiliar with Ethiopia and its history, this book will send you to your computer looking for more information on one of the oldest societies in the world.  Nega Mezlekia describes growing up as a mischievous boy who often got into trouble with his friends.  We learn about his schooling, his rebellious teens, and as the country falls into chaos and revolution, his experience of joining a terrorist militia group.  His family’s life falls apart after the murder of his father and the tale of their survival falls on Nega’s shoulders and forms him as he grows into manhood.  Reading this book, piqued my interest in a country rich in tradition and history. It is a fascinating look into a land that is among mankind’s earliest civilizations.

ASYMMETRY by Lisa Halliday (fiction)

I enjoyed this first novel by a new writer.  It is intelligently written, and as its title infers, it involves two disparate stories leading the reader to ponder on their connection.  The first section takes place in Manhattan just as American is becoming involved in the Iraq War, and is reflective of Halliday’s own life experiences, though the author denies it is anything more than fiction.  An aspiring writer meets  a famous and respected older author, falls under his spell and begins an affair with him.  The older author resembles Philip Roth with whom Halliday was at one time involved.  Alongside this is the story of an Iraqi-American man who is detained at Heathrow Airport in London while on his way to see his brother. The contrast of two different cultures and the experiences of the two main characters form the central issues of the novel.  Both stories illustrate unequal powers between men and women, war and its victims. The clever way the stories connect is brilliant and thought provoking. I highly recommend this novel for its originality, outstanding writing and thoughtful issues. It would make a good choice for a reading group.

THE UNRULY CITY by Mike Rapport (non-fic)

In “The Unruly City,” historian Mike Rapport presents three cities, New York City, London and Paris and the events which changed their citizens and the face of each city.  Roughly covering the period of unrest between 1765 and 1795, the author integrates and entwines this dangerous time of revolutionary thought and its rapid spread across the European continent and the Atlantic Ocean.  Rapport covers all aspects of city life, commercial, architectural, academic and governmental. We may be familiar with both the French and American revolutions, but it is important to recognize the profound changes that the events in these two countries had on London and England itself. I recommend this book as a well-written, interesting read of how events take on a life of their own and move men to greatness as well as failure.

THE PARIS SECRET by Karen Swan (fiction)

This is through and through a summer beach read.  It has the potential to be an interesting plot but is spoiled by the poorly drawn characters who seem only to care about bling and high fashion.  The author lovingly describes every designer article of clothing her characters are wearing including the designers of each piece. The actual plot, of some important paintings which were stolen in World War II and have only come to light, is readable.  But, the book is marred by the unreality of the characters and the neatly tied up ending.  The only positive I can say is that if you are looking for a light read, you could do worse.