Category Archives: Non-Fiction

Non-Fiction Find: Reborn in America

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I just purchased this for a reference book on a historical figure I am studying. There’s not much out there on this interesting early 19th century enterprise. Reborn in America: French Exiles and Refugees in the United States and the Vine and Olive Adventure, 1815-1865 (Atlantic Crossings) The history of the Vine and Olive Colony in Demopolis, Alabama, has long… Read more »

Queen Victoria and the Men Who Loved Her: Recollections of a Journey

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Just found one of my favorite authors had a new book out in 2019 that I missed! BOOK DESCRIPTION We are in England sometime during the early part of the 20th century. A chance encounter with a group of unusual and talented people on a train journey reveals an insight into the life and times of Queen Victoria, one of… Read more »

1,000 Books to Read Before You Die

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There’s a feature in the November 2018 issue of Book Page, Choose Your Words Wisely, in which the author of 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die, James Mustich, explains his intent on his huge undertaking. “…[it] is neither comprehensive nor authoritative; it is meant to be an invitation to discovery and a tool to prompt conversations about books and… Read more »

review: Martha Berry: A Woman of Courageous Spirit and Bold Dreams

Martha Berry: A Woman of Courageous Spirit and Bold Dreams by Joyce Blackburn This young adult biography was first published in 1968 and reissued in 1986 with photos and an author’s postscript. Martha Berry was the founder of The Berry Schools (later called Berry College) in Rome, Georgia. She had an early interest in the “mountain people” at the foot… Read more »

review: The Secret Kingdom

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The Secret Kingdom: Nek Chand, a Changing India, and a Hidden World of Art by Barb Rosenstock, Illustrated by Claire A. Nivola This story follows a boy named Nek Chand as he grows up in the village of Barian Kalan in the Punjab region of what is now Pakistan. He had an ideal childhood, learning his people’s history and legends… Read more »

Emily Post: Daughter of the Gilded Age, Mistress of American Manners

This one is non-fiction, but caught my eye today. Looks like an interesting biography…her life would make an intriguing novel! Emily Post: Daughter of the Gilded Age, Mistress of American Manners by Laura Claridge BOOK DESCRIPTION “What would Emily Post do?” Even today, Americans cite the author of the perennial bestseller Etiquette as a touchstone for proper behavior. But who… Read more »

review: Alexander Hamilton: The Making of America

Alexander Hamilton: The Making of America by Teri Kanefield Alexander Hamilton is much in the news lately, particularly with the Broadway play in such demand, and the current political atmosphere. This young adult biography is approximately 200 pages and includes a birth-to-death account of the life of this extraordinary founding father. It covers many important topics, such as mercantilism, checks… Read more »

review: Country Folklore 1920’s & 1930’s

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Country Folklore 1920’s & 1930’s …and That’s the Way It Was by Louise K. Nelson This gem of a book offers invaluable resources for writers of the Depression Era in the rural areas of the South. Because the author lived through the times, the information is firsthand and authentic, if somewhat simplistic. The repetitive nature of the writing is due… Read more »

review: Courage & Defiance

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Courage & Defiance: Stories of Spies, Saboteurs, and Survivors in WWII Denmark by Deborah Hopkinson “Only a drop in the ocean, that’s what they say. Well now, the ocean consists of drops.” – Mogens Fog An emotionally affecting story based on a collection of survivors’ memoirs, this WWII account focuses on the resistance efforts in Denmark during the five years… Read more »

author interview: Leslie Carroll on Notorious Royal Marriages

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1. There are more than 50 books and 20 articles cited as sources for Notorious Royal Marriages. The research involved is mind boggling, though you have written and published two non-fiction books. What is your typical schedule when researching and writing? Do you research as you go? First Arleigh, I’d like to say thanks so much for this interview. I’m… Read more »

guest post: Leslie Carroll on Royal Pains

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I’m pleased to welcome Leslie Carroll with an article related to her non-fiction book, Royal Pains: A Rogues’ Gallery of Brats, Brutes, and Bad Seeds. ROYAL PAINS NOT IN THE BOOK Royal Pains: A Rogues’ Gallery of Brats, Brutes and Bad Seeds Arleigh and I had fun discussing the subject of my guest post and she decided she’d like me… Read more »

review: Georgette Heyer’s Regency World

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Georgette Heyer’s Regency World by Jennifer Kloester Whether you’ve read Georgette Heyer or not–or even if you don’t plan to–this book is an enlightening read for history enthusiasts or those simply wishing to learn more about the Regency era. Heyer’s novels are referred to throughout, but with plenty of details as to how they relate to the facts and information… Read more »