The Hawk and the Dove by Penelope Wilcock If I say this book is about penitence, you wouldn’t read it. It gets worse: it’s about experiencing a brutal assault as a divine blessing. In fact, it’s a delightful, heart-warming glimpse of 14th century monastic life. Over many generations, grandmothers have passed these anecdotes down to…
The Barabbas Legacy by M.D. House Further exciting tales of well-known New Testament characters and their fictitious offspring, as they travel the world, encouraging Christian believers and interacting with the powers-that-be.
Die Unschärfe der Welt – von Iris Wolff Eindrücke vom Buch “Die Unschärfe der Welt” ist eine sorgfältig konstruierte Erzählung über das Leben verschiedener, miteinander verflochtenen Persönlichkeiten aus mehreren Generationen einer deutschen Familie in Rumänien. Sie beginnt zur Zeit des Kommunismus und dauert bis nach dem Sturz von Ceaușescu.
Dominus by Steven Saylor Starting in 165 AD, multiple generations of the legendary Pinarius family of sculptors lead us through 160 years of otherwise rather obscure Roman history. We follow the often very brief reigns of some thirty emperors – often called Dominus. We learn of their military exploits, family rivalries and sexual perversions. But…
The Huguenot Chronicles by Paul C.R. Monk Dramatic events following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes France, 1685. Louis XIV has brazenly revoked his grandfather Henry IV’s treaty, which had granted Protestants substantial residential and religious rights. Now the King is determined to unite the nation in one Church – by force, if necessary. A…
Being Lena Levi by Bobbie Ann Cole Is she Marlene or Lena? For a fourteen-year-old English schoolgirl to discover ‘Mum’ is not her real mother and by birth she is a German Jewess is a life-shattering revelation. And who is the real ‘Mutti‘ is behind her glamorous but rather worldly façade; she’s quite a contrast…
Before The Storm 1685 by Paul C. R. Monk – an object lesson in creative historical fiction writing This free novella covers the same dramatic events as my work-in-progress, GédéGreet Suzon for me. In my opinion, Paul C. R. Monk has not only written a captivating prequel to his trilogy, The Huguenot Chronicles but presents a…
Edge of Eternity by Ken Follett Edge of Eternity – the final book of Follett’s perspective-shattering Century Trilogy – traces the vibrant lives of the offspring of the British, Russian, German and American families that we got to know in Fall of Giants and Winter of the World. Relationships come and go and fates fluctuate, revealing…
Der Duft von bitteren Orangen, von Claire Hajaj Wer Eltern hatte oder selber eine Familie, der weiss, dass es früher oder später zu Meinungsdifferenzen, Spannungen oder sogar Konflikte innerhalb der Familie kommen kann. Wie, aber, wenn sprachliche, religiöse, kulturelle und vor allem ethnische Faktoren mitspielen? Oder kriegerische Auseinandersetzungen zwischen den Herkunftsvölkern? “Unsere Familien werden niemals…
During the first 20 years of the second century AD, Gaius Segusiavus Peregrinus is torque-bearer of the Gallic clan based near Lugdunum (Lyons). As master of the family’s cereal and luxury goods shipping enterprise, he constantly roams Mare Nostrum, visiting the trading posts in Ostia (Rome), Carthago, Alexandria, Antiochia and Ephesos. His faithful wife Fionna…
Another masterpiece of passion and insight! We experience the suspense and tragedy of WWII through the eyes of the offspring of the people we came to know in Fall of Giants, the first book in the Century Trilogy. These children grow up into realistic, passionate characters who travel the world, engage in devious pursuits and…
This is one of the best of Dickens’ works, in my opinion. True, it starts off heavy and bleak, but Mr. Squeers and Dotheboys Hall do play a significant rôle throughout the book. If anything, the digression involving Mr. Crummles and his performing troupe could have been omitted without loss to the story.