Review 686: Dark Renaissance

Dark Renaissance: The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare's Greatest Rival by Stephen Greenblatt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This book is set in the late16th century, a biography of Christopher Marlowe, although the title nor subtitle mentions that. It appears that he was a collaborator with Shakespeare not a rival, or at least that's not how it was presented in this book.

However, the biography of Marlowe, or at least what is known of him, and the details of his plays was fascinating. There is much more detail about Shakespeare’s life than Marlowe’s, but there are remnants that can be pieced together.

Marlowe was a bit of a genius, son of a cobbler in Canterbury he managed to get a scholarship to Cambridge. He stayed on after the initial degree, working on a Master’s for a couple more years of school. During this time he apparently started working as a spy for the government, spent time in France and generally was away from school more than was allowed. He was not to graduate, except a letter appeared from the Queen’s Privy Council that said, give him the degree.

Instead of becoming the anticipated clergyman, as the scholarship he won had expected, Marlowe went to London and wrote more plays (something he had started as a student). Perhaps he was also still working as a spy for the government. This time period was quite dangerous, the Queen with Walsingham’s spy network attempted to root out all Catholics or plots to overthrow her.

The plays Marlowe wrote were subversive, and the writing was in a new style, which helped to transform art of which Shakespeare benefited. Several of Marlowe’s plays were discussed in detail, which I did appreciate as I have no familiarity with them.

Marlowe was killed at age 29 under mysterious circumstances. Those details are described along with what may have happened. As with many other parts of the book many words such as perhaps, or maybe are used.

Review 685: The Last Kingdom

The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Last year on a whim at a used books store, during a sale I bought several books in this series by Bernard Cornwell. The ancient setting somehow looked appealing. Getting this deep into an author and series unknown to me is not something I typically do. But why not, it helps support a local independent bookstore.

After completing this first book, I am fine with continuing the series, even though I generally don’t read series (although exceptions abound).

Set in the late 9th century Uhtred son of Uhtred is captured by the Danes while trying to avenge the death of his older brother, and his father. Uhtred was still a boy, and Ragnor was amused by this boy’s attempt to attack him. So Ragnor adopted Uhtred.

This first book covers Uhhred’s early life, until being a married man with a young boy of his own. Uhtred became one of those men whose loyalty lies with both the Saxons of Britain and the invading forces of the Danes. He is steeped in the customs of both cultures and religions, as well as languages. It makes for a very interesting story line.

Review 684: Before I Go to Sleep

Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Memory is always an interesting topic to me since it is ever changing and often two people will remember the same event differently to some extent. But what if you can’t remember much at all. This book is about someone who loses most of her memory entirely. Who are you if you don’t remember what happened yesterday, or last year, or the last twenty years?

Christine has that problem. She wakes up and is confused, shocked by where she is and who is sleeping next to her. Her husband has to tell her his name, they are married, and the other basics of her life.

Now Christine is keeping a journal, writing down what she learns. She doesn’t remember so her doctor calls her early every morning and tells her where to find her journal. For now, the doctor treating her and the journal are secrets from her husband. As Christine is slowly realizing, he lies to her. Something isn’t right.

The book moves fairly quickly, and I was propelled along with it, wanting to know what is going on. I figured some of it out much earlier than the book let on, so the last portion was a bit drawn out for me. Overall, it was a decent read.

Review 683: A Man Most Driven

A Man Most Driven: Captain John Smith, Pocahontas and the Founding of America by Peter Firstbrook
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I thoroughly enjoyed this biography of Captain John Smith. He led an amazing life, particularly for one who began life as a farmer’s son. His family had some means, as they had a servant and help with the farm, and Smith was sent to school, when poorer families needed the help at home. Early on Smith was interested in having “brave adventurers”.

The experiences of John Smith, particularly with establishing Jamestown in 1606 came from his writings. Smith wrote his own biography and several different accounts of what happened in Jamestown during his life. To go over all of the mishaps and many ways Smith narrowly avoided death would take too long.

Early on in his life he sought his adventurers by joining to fight against the Spanish in 1597, then a few years later trying to become a crusader fighting against the Turks. Not being Catholic only slightly dampened those “adventures” as he was involved in plenty of fighting. Enough to where the Prince of Transylvania awarded him a coat of arms and a small pension and rank of Captain. After being captured and enslaved, killing his master and escaping, Smith decided his adventures on the continent was enough.

Yet back in England he was not content to manage the farm, so he used his contacts in London to join the Virginia Company of London, or London Company and went to the new world in 1607. A good portion of the book is about this time, as it is very significant. Yet this is already getting long.

One of the aspects that I appreciated with this book is the author goes to lengths to determine if what Smith had reportedly done actually happened. Smith perhaps embellished and a braggart about his accomplishments and experiences.

This was a well written book. I started reading the print book, then realized I had bought an audiobook as well, and listened to a good portion of the book as well, as the narrator did an excellent job. However, there was material in the print copy you cannot get in audio with a few maps and images throughout.

Many things can be said about Captain John Smith, and one for certain is without him, Jamestown settlement would not have survived. He was crucial for the success of the first English settlement in the New World.

This will be one of my top reads for the year. 

Review 682: Upward Bound

Upward Bound by Woody Brown
My rating: 3.75 of 5 stars



This is a fictionalized autobiography, but with many viewpoints. The author and main narrator is autistic and has trouble communicating, only his mother understands him by using a letter board. Seeing a clip of Brown and his mother using the board and communicating, it appears that she interprets heavily, so maybe there are actually two authors for this book.

Despite that, the book on it’s own is heart-felt. It shows how people with disabilities can connect even when they have a hard time verbalizing words. One of the characters is so heart-breaking as he tries to communicate with blinking but no one seems to notice.

The book has the point-of-view with several of the people who go to Upward Bound, a day-care facility for adults with disabilities. The book also includes several of the people who work there, and one who does not. This one is a worker at Target, where the Upward Bound group visits every Friday morning.

There isn't a plot, but there is a trajectory of sorts, and through the different voices one can understand what this place is like. And the book while emotional, is not all heavy, there is some bits of humor as well.

I listened to an audiobook of this and it has a different narrator for each character. Most do not repeat, except for the fictionalized author, he appears for a few chapters.

Later edit: The author is most likely the named author's mother. If interested look up facilitated communication.

Review 681: Dreams and Hypotheticals

Dreams and Hypotheticals by K.E. Wilkinson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was interested in this book due to something in the description that mentioned “precognitive dreams” (due to some interest in dreams). And yes, this book is about that, and a bit more.

It’s 1990 and the first year in college for Emma in Tallahassee as a music major, playing trumpet. She is a brazen young woman and the book starts with her asking a hypothetical question that people think is surprising and makes her ask others and so it expands way beyond what she would have done on her own. The question is: “This is a hypothetical question not an offer, would you sleep with me?” Turns out Emma is still a virgin, but she used this question to learn something about the people she asks.

Each chapter begins with a quote then a short snippet from her journal. Early on we find out that she’s had a few dreams that end up becoming true, and one that has repeated she expects will also come true frightens her a little. When she meets Robert she feels this is the one from that dream. She feels something with him that confuses her.

As the book goes on it discusses her college life, but goes deeper and deeper into this strange relationship with Robert. It becomes a push and pull with those two. Odd things seem to happen and involve another friend, Owen.

The book is overly long, it could be cut in half and been the same book. It goes over the same type of scenario time and again and it becomes a bit tedious. The ending of the book does nothing to save it either.

Perhaps my rating is a bit generous, but it’s really not bad for a self-published book.

Review 680: Unbearable

Unbearable: Five Women and the Perils of Pregnancy in America by Irin Carmon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book looks at being pregnant in the United States post revoking Roe v. Wade, where abortion is now nearly impossible in many states. Unfortunately, some state laws are going even further, which give more consideration to unborn, even when the woman's life is endanger.

The focus in this book is not about women being forced to carry to term babies they did not want. Instead it is about how these changing laws give preference to the babies in gestation over the mother’s health.

The book follows five women throughout multiple pregnancies and how the laws and being pregnant has effected each of them. Unfortunately, there is also a huge divide of care based on color of skin, and wealth (of course).

The book is shocking and appalling, to say the least. For these women profiled, and women in similar locations and situations, their life is endangered every time they get pregnant.

The book is too heavily centered on Alabama and New York City. It may have done better to expand to a couple other areas in the country.