Recently Read

A few weeks ago I finally finished reading Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything. I got hung up on the part where he started talking about botany and biology. I should have pushed through it sooner because after that he moves into genetics and then it was interesting again. I loved the stories about the chemists and
astronomers and geologists!

In only a few evening, I read The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier, a historical fiction about the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries, which were woven in the late 15th century, and which now hang in the Cluny Museum in Paris. I liked it! And found it to be quite different than the other books in the same genre I have read, but perhaps that is because most of the historical fiction books I have read have the focal point being the royal families, whereas this one is not about kings and queens.

Continuing with the historical fiction books, I have started to read Girl With A Pearl Earring, also by Tracy Chevalier, about the famous painting, by the Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer. The painting (with the same name at the book) was painted in the 1660s, and now is housed at The Mauritshuis in The Hague. Once I am done, I will watch the movie, but I imagine it will not be as good as the book.

After that, I will be reading Falling Angels , also by Tracy Chevalier,
about the Edwardian era, beginning on the day after Queen Victoria’s death in 1901 and ends on the night before King Edward’s funeral in 1910.

The downside of me reading these books is that it makes me want to see all this historic things overseas. I want to go to Paris and see the tapestries! I want to go see the famous paintings! I want the same thing Miranda wants - to go to Buckingham Palace and see the Queen (and the crown jewels). I totally live on the wrong side of the ocean.