History from a Woman's Perspective- A Book Blog

Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Sword of Avalon (Avalon #7) Author: Diana L. Paxson Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy Publisher: Ace Release Date: 2009 Pages: 450 Source: My State Public Library Synopsis: Epic in its sweep and peopled by the remarkable women who have always inhabited Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword of Avalon expands the legendary saga that has enchanted countless readers over the years and is sure to please Bradley's loyal readership and anyone who loves wonderfully told stories of history, myth, and fantasy.        My Review: Sword of Avalon is a sequel to Ancestors of Avalon . It is also a prequel to Mists of Avalon . Anderle is the Lady of Avalon. She is given a task to save an orphan prince who is destined to be king of Britain. In order to help make him king, she must work with a Greek prince to forge a sword fit for a king. Thus, the Sword of Avalon tells of the origins of Excalibur.     I absolutely adore Anderle! She is a very strong woman!

Starring Adele Astaire Author: Eliza Knight Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: William Morrow Release Date: 2023 Pages: 395 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: USA Today bestselling author Eliza Knight returns as she delves into the life of Adele Astaire, who served up smiles and love both on and off the stage—with and without her also famous brother Fred Astaire—along with a determined young dancer with rags-to-riches dreams.      A spirited rising stage star…      Adele Astaire was a glittering, glamorous star, dancing with her brother, Fred, endearing herself to audiences from New York to London. But although she is toasted by royalty and beloved by countless fans, Adele Astaire has dreams of a loving husband and a houseful of children. And when she meets Lord Charles Cavendish, her wishes may just come true—but at what cost?      A determined young dancer …      Ever since Violet Wood could walk she’s wanted to dance on the Lond

Katherine Howard: A Tudor Conspiracy Author: Joanna Denny Genre: Nonfiction, History, Biography Publisher: Pitakus Books Release Date: 2005 Pages: 304 Source: Personal Collection  Synopsis: A riveting new biography of a much neglected Queen - the doomed child-bride of Henry VIII Joanna Denny, author of Anne Boleyn , reveals another sensational episode in Tudor history - illuminating the true character of Katherine Howard, the young girl caught up in a maelstrom of ambition and conspiracy which led to her execution for high treason while still only seventeen years old. Who was Katherine, the beautiful young aristocrat who became a bait to catch a king? Was she simply naive and innocent, a victim of her grasping family's scheming? Or was she brazen and abandoned, recklessly indulging in dissolute games with lovers in contempt of her royal position? Joanna Denny's enthralling new book once again plunges the reader into the heart of the ruthless intrigues of the Tudor court - and g

Anne Boleyn: A New Life of England’s Tragic Queen Author: Joanna Denny Genre: Nonfiction, History, Biography Publisher: De Capo Press Release Date: 2006 Pages: 374 Source: My State Public Library Synopsis: No English queen has enjoyed such notoriety as Anne Boleyn, and none has been so persistently vilified. Even after her execution in May 1536, on trumped-up charges of adultery, her reputation has been pursued beyond the grave, subjected to all manner of accusation. The unsavory account of her life that has come down through history is one shaped by her enemies. Joanna Denny's powerful new biography presents a radically different picture of Anne-a woman who was highly literate, accomplished, and a devout defender of her Protestant faith. Her tragedy was that her looks and vivacious charm attracted the notice of a violent and paranoid king and trapped her in the vicious politics of the Tudor court, where a deadly game was being played between the old nobility and the new, between t

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Rebecca Hazell. She has just released her latest novel, The War Queens . While researching her family heritage allowed her to discover a previously unknown link to Queens Brunhilda and Fredegunda. These women have been judged harshly at times throughout history. Thank you, Mrs. Hazell for the wonderful interview! What inspired you to write a novel about Queen Brunhilda and Queen Fredegunda? I was researching my family tree and discovered that I’m supposedly descended from both of them. Looking them up on Wikipedia , I came up with far more questions than answers and started digging into serious histories. Their biographies, which are full of gaps, fascinated me, especially since a close reading of the most reliable history tells quite a different story from what is commonly accepted about them. I wanted to tell their stories from a fresh point of view that humanizes them. Brunhilda and Fredegunda were not the traditional medieval women th

Mistress Anne Author: Carolly Erickson Genre: Nonfiction, History, Biography Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin Release Date: 1998 Pages: 304 Source: My personal collection Synopsis: As Maureen Quilligan wrote in the New York Times Book Review of The First Elizabeth , Anne Boleyn "was a real victim of the sexual scandals her brilliant daughter escaped, and a subject Ms. Erickson's sensitivity to sexual and political nuance should well serve." Indeed, Carolly Erickson could have chosen no more fascinating and appropriate a subject. Alluring and profoundly enigmatic, Anne Boleyn has eluded the grasp of historians for centuries.      Through her extraordinarily vivid re-creation of this most tragic chapter in all Tudor History, Carrolly Erickson gives us unprecedented insight into the singuarlity of Anne Boleyn's life, the dark and overwhelming forces that shaped her errant destiny, and the rare, tumultuous times in which she lived.       My Review: Anne Boleyn is the most