Mata Hari (an Indonesian word meaning sun) was such a sensation in her day that almost a century later we still recognize her name, whether we know her as a vamp, an exotic dancer, a spy, or a naughty postcard model. Mata Hari was born Margaretha Zelle in Holland in 1876. She was married at 17 to an alcoholic army officer named McCloud who was 20 years older than she. He was posted to Java which was in Dutch hands during that period.
As the novel opens, we find Mata Hari in a French prison accused of spying for the Germans as Agent H21. The story takes the reader back and forth between her time in prison and her previous life. Her contacts in prison are three; her doctor, her inquisitor and a nun who views Mata Hari with deep sympathy. Mata Hari supposedly was a double agent also working for the French. Up until the time of her death by a firing squad, she denied working for the Germans. It was only after World War II that evidence was produced that proved that she was in fact passing information to the Germans.
The Mata Hari of this novel is childlike and dreamy. There seems nothing in her passive character to connect her to the danger of being a spy, nor does she seem to possess the intelligence to work as a double agent.
One wonders how she went from being a mother of two and housewife to being an exotic dancer and courtesan renowned throughout Europe. Certainly her marriage was a rocky one. If the story is to be believed her husband beat her and both of her children became mortally ill while in Indonesia. Her daughter survived, but her son died or a vague infectious illness. There is some indication that the children could have contacted syphilis from a parent, though Mata Hari always claimed they had been poisoned by their nanny.
Mata Hari eventually left McCloud and took up with a secession of men. Before she left Java, she learned exotic dancing from the natives and took this with her to France where she became a popular stage dancer practiced in the art of striptease. Whether her spying really had any impact on French and German relations, she was nevertheless executed by a firing squad in 1917. She faced her executioners bravely, refusing a scarf to cover her eyes.
Yannick Murphy writes lyrically and presents Mata Hari as a sympathetic character that was caught up in an unfortunate situation during a time when there were few ways for single women to earn a living. She remains a woman of mystery and intrigue.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Friday, May 3, 2013
THE WOMEN JEFFERSON LOVED by Virginia Scharff (non-fic)
There have been numerous biographies written on Thomas Jefferson. Virginia Scharff's book, by looking at Jefferson through the eyes of the women who surrounded him, adds another dimention to this crowded field. By the time I had finished reading this book, I felt differently about Jefferson; it adds another piece of understanding this brilliant, complex and difficult man. In the United States, we are quite familiar with the respect rightly accorded to Jefferson as a great political phosopher and a founding father of our democracy. Along with Madison, his idea of what the United States should become more closely resembles what eventually evolved, than the ideas of Adams or Hamilton. However the main thrust of Schraff's book is a look at Jefferson from the disstaff side and he is measured in a different light entirely.
Jefferson's attitude and ideas about womean and their place in his world is quite a contrast with the relationship of John and Abigail Adams and their equal and mutual respect for each other. Thomas Jefferson or his heirs burned all letters between him and his wife, Martha Wayles. There is also an absence of correspondence with his mother, Jane Randolph, so there is a good deal of speculation by Scharff when discussing these relationships. Because numerous letters exisit between Jefferson and his daughters and grandaughters, the chapters on them are more fully developed. There is nothing to help us understand how Sally Hemings felt about her relations with Jefferson. All of the women in the book are important in forming a clearer picture of Jefferson. Of prime importance were: the influence of Jane, his mother, as his father died when Thomas was only 14 years old; his wife, Martha, as they shared a great love which drove him to a period of depression when she died of childbirth at a young age; Sally Hemings, his slave mistress, whose relationship with him began when she was only 14 and lasted to his death; and his daughter, Patsy, who continued to pamper and cosset him after her mother's death to the detriment of her own marriage.
To understand Thomas Jefferson totally is impossible, but to have a clearer picture of who he was, it is important to understand the Virginia society which nurtured and acted on his development. Here was a society which could condone slavery and hypocritically discuss the importance of free men. Women's place in society was also clearly demarcated and boundaries never crossed. Jefferson's daughters and granddaughters colluded in keeping the reality of his life hidden. The reality was that he took advantage of a 14 year old slave who was half-sister to his wife, and kept her bound to him throughout his life begetting a shadow family of Hemings children while everyone around him turned a blind eye. He was also demanding and controlling with all the women in his life.
Thomas Jefferson's presidency is not discussed in this book, but his life at Monticello and his other plantation estates gives us a clear picture of his domestic life. He was not a good manager of money and while slave and land rich, the family was bankrupt and always on the edge of poverty. Life was precarious on many fronts. Childbirth was dangerous, epidemics culled the weak, and alcoholism was a widespread problem. Both of Jefferson's surviving daughters were faithful to weak husbands.
Scharff does justice to another side of Thomas Jefferson that is important to know. There is a genealogy table at the front of the book, but no birth and death dates beside the name. There is an addendum that supplies this, but I found myself flipping back and forth as she does not scatter many dates in the body of the book. I recommend this book to be read to add another dimension to understanding Jefferson. There are plenty of starting points for discussion for book groups, not the least is the issue of Sally Hemings and the disparity of the children she had with Jefferson and the family he shared with Martha Wayles Jefferson.
Jefferson's attitude and ideas about womean and their place in his world is quite a contrast with the relationship of John and Abigail Adams and their equal and mutual respect for each other. Thomas Jefferson or his heirs burned all letters between him and his wife, Martha Wayles. There is also an absence of correspondence with his mother, Jane Randolph, so there is a good deal of speculation by Scharff when discussing these relationships. Because numerous letters exisit between Jefferson and his daughters and grandaughters, the chapters on them are more fully developed. There is nothing to help us understand how Sally Hemings felt about her relations with Jefferson. All of the women in the book are important in forming a clearer picture of Jefferson. Of prime importance were: the influence of Jane, his mother, as his father died when Thomas was only 14 years old; his wife, Martha, as they shared a great love which drove him to a period of depression when she died of childbirth at a young age; Sally Hemings, his slave mistress, whose relationship with him began when she was only 14 and lasted to his death; and his daughter, Patsy, who continued to pamper and cosset him after her mother's death to the detriment of her own marriage.
To understand Thomas Jefferson totally is impossible, but to have a clearer picture of who he was, it is important to understand the Virginia society which nurtured and acted on his development. Here was a society which could condone slavery and hypocritically discuss the importance of free men. Women's place in society was also clearly demarcated and boundaries never crossed. Jefferson's daughters and granddaughters colluded in keeping the reality of his life hidden. The reality was that he took advantage of a 14 year old slave who was half-sister to his wife, and kept her bound to him throughout his life begetting a shadow family of Hemings children while everyone around him turned a blind eye. He was also demanding and controlling with all the women in his life.
Thomas Jefferson's presidency is not discussed in this book, but his life at Monticello and his other plantation estates gives us a clear picture of his domestic life. He was not a good manager of money and while slave and land rich, the family was bankrupt and always on the edge of poverty. Life was precarious on many fronts. Childbirth was dangerous, epidemics culled the weak, and alcoholism was a widespread problem. Both of Jefferson's surviving daughters were faithful to weak husbands.
Scharff does justice to another side of Thomas Jefferson that is important to know. There is a genealogy table at the front of the book, but no birth and death dates beside the name. There is an addendum that supplies this, but I found myself flipping back and forth as she does not scatter many dates in the body of the book. I recommend this book to be read to add another dimension to understanding Jefferson. There are plenty of starting points for discussion for book groups, not the least is the issue of Sally Hemings and the disparity of the children she had with Jefferson and the family he shared with Martha Wayles Jefferson.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
AT LAST by Edward St. Aubyn (fic)
At last I read Edward St. Aubyn's final book (I think) in the series of Melrose novels. I have reviewed the previous novels in a blog in 2012. St. Aubyn is one of my favorite writers despite the gritty content of his novels which deal with abuse, addiction and destructive behavior. If you haven't read the other books in this series, you should not begin with this novel. You need the previous books to understand the characters and their various transformations with the passage of time. "At Last" and the other Melrose novels are the closest the reader may ever come to examining the dysfunction of certain Upper Class British, unless you count the British press/Murdoch bugging scandals and the Chipping Norton set who aren't really Upper Class anyway, despite playing at it.
As "At Last" opens time has passed since we last left Patrick in pretty awful straits. Somehow he has resurrected himself and seemingly found some peace without resorting to spiritual psycho-babble. The novel is constructed around his mother, Eleanor's funeral in the course of one day. As the ceremony drones on, we become voyeurs into the thoughts of the various characters from the previous novels, some close to death themselves, others resurrected and redeemed.
St. Aubyn maintains his amusing sardonic voice and insights into his appalling childhood of abuse, both physical and mental. We again meet Patrick's understanding wife, Mary; his precocious and observant sons, Robert and Thomas; the self-absorbed and ironically funny Aunt Nancy and Nicholas Pratt; as well as some other peculiarly funny specimens of humanity. At the same time we have a closer look at Eleanor and her own dysfunctional background. If all this sounds too dreary, it isn't. St. Aubyn who admits he draws on his own background, writes with such skill and talent that despite the dark content, his novels are fascinating and addictive. If you have read his other novels, I don't have to tell you that you cannot stop without reading this addition to Patrick Melrose's history and you will not be disappointed.
As "At Last" opens time has passed since we last left Patrick in pretty awful straits. Somehow he has resurrected himself and seemingly found some peace without resorting to spiritual psycho-babble. The novel is constructed around his mother, Eleanor's funeral in the course of one day. As the ceremony drones on, we become voyeurs into the thoughts of the various characters from the previous novels, some close to death themselves, others resurrected and redeemed.
St. Aubyn maintains his amusing sardonic voice and insights into his appalling childhood of abuse, both physical and mental. We again meet Patrick's understanding wife, Mary; his precocious and observant sons, Robert and Thomas; the self-absorbed and ironically funny Aunt Nancy and Nicholas Pratt; as well as some other peculiarly funny specimens of humanity. At the same time we have a closer look at Eleanor and her own dysfunctional background. If all this sounds too dreary, it isn't. St. Aubyn who admits he draws on his own background, writes with such skill and talent that despite the dark content, his novels are fascinating and addictive. If you have read his other novels, I don't have to tell you that you cannot stop without reading this addition to Patrick Melrose's history and you will not be disappointed.
Friday, April 19, 2013
MISTRESS OF THE MONARCHY by Alison Weir (non-fic)
This biography of Katherine Swynford has an unfortunate title. It sounds like a bodice ripper, but rather it is a scholarly study of Katherine Swynford, Duchess of Lancaster and the history of her time. More accurately, it is also a biography of John of Gaunt, who was the third son of Edward III of England. Without John of Gaunt there would be little knowledge of Katherine, in fact we might not even have known of her importance in the history of the English throne. Most the factual knowledge we have of her is derived from the records of John of Gaunt and the numerous grants he made to her. The story of Katherine and John spans the years 1350 to 1403, the years of Katherine's life.
Katherine de Roet was born in Hainault where Philippa, the wife of Edward III, was born. As a youngster Katherine's father brought her and her sister, also a Philippa, to the British court to serve the English Queen. Philippa de Roet eventually married Geoffrey Chaucer, of "Canterbury Tales" fame. She and Katherine remained close throughout their lives.
Like many who became fascinated by Katherine Swynford, many years ago I read the fictionalized romance of John and Katherine by Anya Seton. This study by Alison Weir, despite being non-fiction, is every bit as exciting as the novel. Weir is meticulous in her scholarship, citing many original sources. She deals in facts and leaves room for the reader to continue to muse on the whys and wherefores. I even found her chapter notes interesting. Although there are not many known facts about Katherine, Weir turns what is known into a fascinating story .
Katherine grew up at court and at a young age married a knight, Sir Hugh Swynford who fought along side John of Gaunt in the wars against the French. They had four children who lived, early death always a danger in medieval times.
John of Gaunt, 10 years older than Katherine, was married to Blanche of Lancaster and though it was an arranged marriage, it was apparently a love match as well, which was unusual for that period. Their oldest son became Henry IV and his decendents became the Yorkist monarchs of England. Sometime after Blanche's death John fell in love with Katherine. As she was not considered highly born, they were unable to marry, and she became his mistress. They had four children together whose surname was Beaufort. Their decendents were the Tudor monarchs.
John's second marriage was a political one; he married Constance of Castile. The marriage was part of an alliance against France. Theirs was not a happy marriage, and John's romance with Katherine continued for twenty more years with one short period of separation. Their love was long and enduring. When Constance died, John, despite strong public approbation, married Katherine. Unfortunately they only had four years as man and wife, but their children were legitimized by the Pope, thus enabling them to inherit titles and wealth.
During his lifetime, John of Gaunt was the most powerful and richest man in England. His descendants with his first wife Blanche, and those with Katherine, were a powerful influence on the history of England and Europe. His children with Constance became rulers in Spain and Portugal. Several American Presidents were also descendants of John of Gaunt.
So, this is the bare bones from which the romance of Katherine and John is constructed. If you have an interest in English medieval history, you couldn't have a more thorough guide than Alison Weir. I highly recommend her book. If you are only looking for the romantic interpretation of their story, read Anya Seton's book, but be aware it is not entirely accurate, though well written.
Katherine de Roet was born in Hainault where Philippa, the wife of Edward III, was born. As a youngster Katherine's father brought her and her sister, also a Philippa, to the British court to serve the English Queen. Philippa de Roet eventually married Geoffrey Chaucer, of "Canterbury Tales" fame. She and Katherine remained close throughout their lives.
Like many who became fascinated by Katherine Swynford, many years ago I read the fictionalized romance of John and Katherine by Anya Seton. This study by Alison Weir, despite being non-fiction, is every bit as exciting as the novel. Weir is meticulous in her scholarship, citing many original sources. She deals in facts and leaves room for the reader to continue to muse on the whys and wherefores. I even found her chapter notes interesting. Although there are not many known facts about Katherine, Weir turns what is known into a fascinating story .
Katherine grew up at court and at a young age married a knight, Sir Hugh Swynford who fought along side John of Gaunt in the wars against the French. They had four children who lived, early death always a danger in medieval times.
John of Gaunt, 10 years older than Katherine, was married to Blanche of Lancaster and though it was an arranged marriage, it was apparently a love match as well, which was unusual for that period. Their oldest son became Henry IV and his decendents became the Yorkist monarchs of England. Sometime after Blanche's death John fell in love with Katherine. As she was not considered highly born, they were unable to marry, and she became his mistress. They had four children together whose surname was Beaufort. Their decendents were the Tudor monarchs.
John's second marriage was a political one; he married Constance of Castile. The marriage was part of an alliance against France. Theirs was not a happy marriage, and John's romance with Katherine continued for twenty more years with one short period of separation. Their love was long and enduring. When Constance died, John, despite strong public approbation, married Katherine. Unfortunately they only had four years as man and wife, but their children were legitimized by the Pope, thus enabling them to inherit titles and wealth.
During his lifetime, John of Gaunt was the most powerful and richest man in England. His descendants with his first wife Blanche, and those with Katherine, were a powerful influence on the history of England and Europe. His children with Constance became rulers in Spain and Portugal. Several American Presidents were also descendants of John of Gaunt.
So, this is the bare bones from which the romance of Katherine and John is constructed. If you have an interest in English medieval history, you couldn't have a more thorough guide than Alison Weir. I highly recommend her book. If you are only looking for the romantic interpretation of their story, read Anya Seton's book, but be aware it is not entirely accurate, though well written.
Friday, April 12, 2013
BEAUTIFUL RUINS by Jess Walker (fic)
"Beautiful Ruins" must have been liked and enjoyed by a number of people because it was in many notable books of the year lists for 2012 as well as receiving several awards. However, I was not one of those who thought this was a great read. There is plenty of action, yet I was bored. It is somewhat comical, but I could not get into the spirit of the book.
The story opens in a speck of a town on the coast of Italy, an impoverished cousin to the beautiful Cinque Terra. It is 1962. An American actress, Dee Moray, who believes she is dying of cancer mysteriously arrives by boat supposedly to meet her lover. She has a bit part in the famous movie, "Cleopatra" which was being filmed in Rome. The owner of the town's only pension called the Adequate View, falls for her. One of the few characters I enjoyed is an old crone of an aunt who stirs the pot up a bit with her mumbling curses.
From here the book jumps around in time from 1962 to present day Hollywood. Other settings include Florence, Seattle, Idaho, Oregon, Edinburgh, et al. Characters appear and disappear. Richard Burton plays a part in moving the plot along. He may have meant to be funny, but only seems a buffoon. Elizabeth Taylor is also lurking in the background. After the passage of 50 years Pasquale (the owner of the inn) and the lovely Dee enter each others orbits.
At any rate, perhaps if it were summer and I was reading on the beach in the warm sunshine, I might find more positives to say about this novel. I soldiered on to the end, but was happy to move on to the next book waiting by my easy chair.
The story opens in a speck of a town on the coast of Italy, an impoverished cousin to the beautiful Cinque Terra. It is 1962. An American actress, Dee Moray, who believes she is dying of cancer mysteriously arrives by boat supposedly to meet her lover. She has a bit part in the famous movie, "Cleopatra" which was being filmed in Rome. The owner of the town's only pension called the Adequate View, falls for her. One of the few characters I enjoyed is an old crone of an aunt who stirs the pot up a bit with her mumbling curses.
From here the book jumps around in time from 1962 to present day Hollywood. Other settings include Florence, Seattle, Idaho, Oregon, Edinburgh, et al. Characters appear and disappear. Richard Burton plays a part in moving the plot along. He may have meant to be funny, but only seems a buffoon. Elizabeth Taylor is also lurking in the background. After the passage of 50 years Pasquale (the owner of the inn) and the lovely Dee enter each others orbits.
At any rate, perhaps if it were summer and I was reading on the beach in the warm sunshine, I might find more positives to say about this novel. I soldiered on to the end, but was happy to move on to the next book waiting by my easy chair.
Monday, April 8, 2013
CANADA by Richard Ford (fic)
Richard Ford is one of my favorite American authors and "Canada" is my favorite of his books. Ford has written through the eyes of a young teen male before. This time we follow Dell Parsons, 15 years old, who tells the story of how an ill-thought out robbery by his immature parents, changed his life forever. Dell, the narrator, is now 60 years old, a teacher of writing, who returns to American to visit his twin sister who is dying of cancer.
The novel is placed in 1960 and rings authentic in its descriptions. I recognize this middle century America; it is as true as I remember it. Just so, is the bewilderment of young Dell as his parents actions lead to consequences beyond his control, that he is incapable of understanding. It is all so real, even Dell's passivity and inertia to control the events that are determining his life and what he is to become.
Dell and his twin sister, Berner, grow up on a series of American air bases, until they find themselves in Great Falls, Montana, where their father, Bev Parsons, decides to settle down and leave the service. Dell at last begins to lead a more normal school existence, and it is touching to see his blossoming interest in chess and beekeeping. Meanwhile, Bev's choices in life are naive and grandiose, and he eventually destroys his family with his crazy schemes.
The book begins with the robbery, and after his parents are arrested Dell is spirited off to Saskatchewan by a friend of his mother. Here the reader begins to feel real anxiety as Dell is thrown in with some shady characters, especially an ex-pat radical, Arthur Remlinger, the brother of the woman who brought Dell to Canada. There is also a particularly peculiar and creepy character named Charley, who the reader will want to rescue Dell from. Yet, through all his subsequent adventures, there is something about Dell that is grounded and the knowledge that he is writing this, having reached adulthood safely, is somewhat comforting. Meanwhile his sister, Berner has chosen to run off to California and chooses a vastly different path in life than Dell.
Ford's writes perfect sentences, clean yet at the same time so full of description, that you don't have to have ever been in Montana to know just how desolate the open scrub landscape can be. When Dell flees to Canada, the reader does as well. All of Ford's characters are well-drawn and complete.
I highly recommend "Canada" to all readers. It is also a good choice for book club readers. It would be on my list of best books of 2012.
The novel is placed in 1960 and rings authentic in its descriptions. I recognize this middle century America; it is as true as I remember it. Just so, is the bewilderment of young Dell as his parents actions lead to consequences beyond his control, that he is incapable of understanding. It is all so real, even Dell's passivity and inertia to control the events that are determining his life and what he is to become.
Dell and his twin sister, Berner, grow up on a series of American air bases, until they find themselves in Great Falls, Montana, where their father, Bev Parsons, decides to settle down and leave the service. Dell at last begins to lead a more normal school existence, and it is touching to see his blossoming interest in chess and beekeeping. Meanwhile, Bev's choices in life are naive and grandiose, and he eventually destroys his family with his crazy schemes.
The book begins with the robbery, and after his parents are arrested Dell is spirited off to Saskatchewan by a friend of his mother. Here the reader begins to feel real anxiety as Dell is thrown in with some shady characters, especially an ex-pat radical, Arthur Remlinger, the brother of the woman who brought Dell to Canada. There is also a particularly peculiar and creepy character named Charley, who the reader will want to rescue Dell from. Yet, through all his subsequent adventures, there is something about Dell that is grounded and the knowledge that he is writing this, having reached adulthood safely, is somewhat comforting. Meanwhile his sister, Berner has chosen to run off to California and chooses a vastly different path in life than Dell.
Ford's writes perfect sentences, clean yet at the same time so full of description, that you don't have to have ever been in Montana to know just how desolate the open scrub landscape can be. When Dell flees to Canada, the reader does as well. All of Ford's characters are well-drawn and complete.
I highly recommend "Canada" to all readers. It is also a good choice for book club readers. It would be on my list of best books of 2012.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
I REMEMBER NOTHING by Nora Ephron (essays)
This is the last book published by the late contemporary writer, Nora Ephron. Most of the essays in the collection had been previously published in columns she wrote for various journals. This is a super airport book. It will afford you excellent company in that interminable terminal; it is light reading and easy to return to after a distraction. It is especially appealing to middle-aged women and beyond. Ephron is able to take the mundane in our daily existence and find the absurd. I found the last two entries, "What I Will Miss" and "What I Won't Miss" particularly moving in the light of Ephron's imminent death. The book is a poignant memorial to a gifted writer and artist.
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