Courtly Love and the Tudor Dynasty

 

Europe was enthralled with courtly love from the time Christien De Troyes wrote about Lancelot and Guinevere. Eleanor of Aquitaine brought the Courts of Love and practice of chivalry to England when she married Henry II. However, the proponents who used courtly love to their advantage and disadvantage were the Tudors.

Jousts, greats feasts and romantic games played major role at Henry VIII’s court, particularly in the later years. Henry had mistresses, notably Mary Boleyn, however, his romance with her sister Anne was in a different category. Anne was trained in the courts of Europe and knew how to entice a man in large part through the games of chivalry. Henry, loving to joust and seeing himself as a knight was caught up in the game. The game became serious when Henry divorced Katherine to marry Anne, but the magic faded, and when she couldn’t produce an heir her days were numbered.

Elizabeth, Henry’s daughter by Anne Boleyn, used chivalry and romantic love to her advantage. The court was filled with her cavaliers. She was the untouchable virgin queen for whom they all strove. It helped her to keep her reign as a single woman supported by her male courtiers.

The book is well researched and engaging to read, particularly if you’re interested in the Tudor Dynasty. It is written as history rather than a historical novel, but for me the reading was easy and went quickly, possibly because I was very familiar with the historical era. If you are interested in courtly love and the Tudors, this is an excellent book.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

Fast Paced Action with Super Thief Riley Wolfe

 

Riley Wolfe, a super thief, specializes in robbing the very rich. Riley’s powers of disguise, agility, and the ability to disappear into thin air qualify him as a super hero. This time Riley is faced with an almost impossible situation. His mother and Monique, an art forger friend, have been kidnapped by Chase Prescott, a CIA team leader, to force Riley to break into the secure residence of a Russian icon collector to steal a tiny jump drive with secret information.

Riley has no choice but to accept the challenge, but the time pressure are almost more than he can deal with. He’s helped in this adventure by Frank Delgado, an FBI agent, and Miranda Shaleki, a hacker friend. They try to locate where his mother is being held. This is an interesting plot line, but can break up the action.

If you like fast paced adventure, this is a fun read. The dialog is amusing and while Riley’s feats are quite impossible, it makes the plot move quickly. There are plenty of twists to keep you guessing.

I received this book from Penguin Random House for this review.

An Ill Fated Arctic Expedition

 

In 1913 looking for fame and fortune, Vihjalmur Stefansson decided that being an explorer was the route he would take. At first he thought of an African expedition, but when an Arctic adventure became available he jumper at it. He hired a well known Arctic explorer, Captain Robert Bartlett, to head the expedition. They left Canada on the Karluk. The ship had seen better days, but Stefansson decided that she would do well enough.

The voyage took place late enough in the season that before they reached their destination, ice enclosed the ship making further progress impossible. Stefansson took most of the able bodied men and the dogs saying that he was going for help, but instead when he reached safety he said the others had probably gotten out also and sent no rescue parties. This left Bartlett and the remaining crew to fend for themselves on a boat mired in ice

This is a very well researched and beautifully written book telling a true story of courage and also one of self-serving connivance. The story is historically accurate and filled with detail. The use of diaries from the members of the expedition was particularly helpful in understanding who the members of the expedition were and how they reacted to the way the expedition ended.

Although the book is an historical adventure, the best part is the character development. Captain Bartlett and Stefansson were quite different leaders. The book is a much a case study of leadership as it is of Arctic exploration. I highly recommend this book.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.

A Cold Case Solved Using Familial DNA

 

In 1987, Tanya Van Cuylenborg and her boyfriend, Jay Cook, were excited to be going to Seattle to make a delivery for Jay’s father. Both teens were very responsible. When they were not heard from for several hours, the families became concerned. The bodies were found in a remote location with no witnesses, no murder weapon, and only a hand-print on the van.

Thirty years later Detective Jim Scharf received the case. With little to go on he turned to laboratory analysis which included the DNA on the biological evidence that had been in cold storage. DNA is now a feature of criminal investigations. The new twist in this case was provided by CeCe Moore. She had become interested in tracing families through genetic information.

When CeCe teamed up with Detective Scharf, this was the first case in which familial DNA had been used to identify a suspect who was later tried. This opened a new avenue for criminal investigations, but it also raises privacy issues. People have become fascinated with finding out about their genetic heritage. A number of companies offer DNA analysis along with an interpretation of the findings. This is fun and educational, but the data bases are there and can be used by researchers as well as law enforcement.

This book was very well done. The cold case illustrates the effectiveness of using familial DNA in tracing criminals. The author goes into the process in some detail. I found this very interesting. However, the problems of unrestricted us of DNA for either research or law enforcement raises ethical issues that need to be addressed.

I received this book from Penguin Random House for this review.

Mining Bezos Communication Skills

 

One of the most important skills for a would be entrepreneur is being able to communicate effectively. The author chose Bezos as an example of a successful entrepreneur. Combing through the twenty-four letters from Bezos to the Amazon shareholders, the author extracted writing skills that can help anyone improve their communication.

The chapters range from telling a story to how to place the critical information at the beginning and end of sentences to leave your readers with the critical points. I found the author’s emphasis on creativity and storytelling one of the most interesting facets of the book. Most writers on business communications focus strictly on what to get across. Thinking about storytelling is a way to involve the reader in what you’re saying. Stories are often the most effective way to make the reader remember your points.

This is a very readable book. If you’re interested in improving your communication skills, it’s a good choice. I highly recommend it.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.

Money is Not Necessarily the Solution

 

Many people believe that if they had more money they would be happy. This collection of books challenges that idea. Money is not the only prerequisite for happiness. What you believe about yourself and your life is equally important. In fact, that’s what allows you to enjoy your prosperity.

This collection of books addresses the issue of becoming wealthy, but more important the mindset that allows you to attain and enjoy wealth. Too often people become wealthy through the lottery, or an inheritance, perhaps a high paying job and find themselves even more miserable than they were before. The windfall didn’t solve their problems with their feelings and beliefs.

This collection of books is dated from the standpoint of being written well over fifty years ago. The phrasing and some of the illustrations are from social activities decades ago. However, the ideas in the book are as pertinent today as they were then. I enjoyed the books. You don’t have to read them in sequence, but if you do I think you’ll catch the thread of what is most important in the collection.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.

A Cozy Bookshop Mystery

 

Ellie Christie is back in her hometown of Last Word, Colorado. She’s excited to restart her life particularly since she’s running her family bookstore,, the Book Chalet, with her sister Meg and their adorable cat, Agatha. Things seem to be going perfectly until a strange man enters the book shop. He’s obviously looking for someone.

He returns that night when the sisters and Gran are holding a séance. He leaves mysteriously and forgets his briefcase which contains an Agatha Christie novel written under the pseudonum, Mary Westmarcott. When the sisters see the man later, they follow him down the mountain in the gondola behind his hoping to see what he’s doing. They never get the chance. Before their gondola lands, a woman tries to enter the gondola the man rode in, but finds him dead. This catapults the sisters into the role of witnesses and sleuths in the best Agatha Christie tradition.

This cozy mystery has all the features to make it a fun read. The scene set in a small town in the mountains reached by gondola is a good background. What makes it even better is that Christmas is coming. The characters are quirky. The sisters are resourceful, and Agatha steals everyone’s heart.

I enjoyed the book. It’s a quick, relaxing read. At times I was annoyed with Ellie. She seemed to be missing clues right under her nose, but it was part of her character. If you love cozy mysteries, this is a good one.

I received this book from Penguin Random House for this review.