For umpteen pages in Charlotte Brönte’s Jane Eyre there lurked a shadowy ghost that was revealed slowly to be the monster that was Rochester’s first wFor umpteen pages in Charlotte Brönte’s Jane Eyre there lurked a shadowy ghost that was revealed slowly to be the monster that was Rochester’s first wife, not that the Rochester Jane first met could be mistaken for Mr. Rogers. Jane was met by two people who despised each other and had it in their hearts to hate the world. Because his wife was from The Indies it was not expected by early Victorian England that she should be acceptable under any circumstances, but this one was really, really bad. Hard to explain why, but easy to believe.
Author Jean Rhys (Ella Gwendolyn Rees Williams) was also born in The Indies, and was sent away to England where she encountered prejudice because of her origin and the island accent she could not change to “proper English.” Did I mention she was half Scottish and half Welsh? A genuine Celt, not a nice thing to be in England, really. She became a rich man’s mistress for a while, barely survived an illegal abortion and eventually entered the world of avant garde Bohemians.
Why did Rhys become interested in Rochester’s nightmare wife? The character she creates in Sargasso is very much like herself. Creole. Mother from an island plantation family. Father an English transplant to The Islands. Completely disrespected once in England. Birds of a feather, eh? I think she wanted to defend her island sisters and at the same time create in her mind a fictional heroine damaged by English arrogance and stuffiness. It was to be the resurrection of Bertha Antoinetta Mason as a human being. Rhys returned to beginnings, to Antoinette Cosway as a young girl who suffered the indignity of being a female, from an economically fallen plantation family, despised for their poverty by their fellow creoles, despised by their former slaves because of their slavery past and their poverty, openly called “white niggers.”
Mother marries an Englishman, Mr. Mason who isn’t a bad chap, really, who marries mum for her money and the plantation. Antoinette has a mentally deficient brother, Pierre. Former slaves’ anger boils over and they burn the house, killing Pierre. Mother suffers mental problems. Mother marries Antoinette off to Edward Rochester, another Englishman looking to marry into island wealth, such as it is. Edward and Antoinette marry, but both carry mental baggage which spins out of control to the point that Rochester derisively renames his wife Bertha Antoinetta to antagonise her and her few island friends. Eventually he decides to cut bait and return to England with this festering near-corpse of a wife that he has partially destroyed. It should never be forgotten that she and the islands also destroyed him until “redeemed” by Jane.
The book strikes me as incomplete. It was partially written just before Rhys suffered a heart attack and finished it two years later after a long recuperation. On the other hand, the book concentrates on the crucial years of Antoinette’s life, the portions that formed – and destroyed – her. Very efficient.
The book is heralded as a critique of colonialism, which has been a vicious curse, indeed! The pompous British view of the islands and islanders she portrays is crushing. Englishmen fishing for wealthy wives to alleviate their poverty, very much like the “Penny Princesses” that rescued the fortunes of wastrels such as Lord Randolph Churchill, Winston’s father, who married Jenny Jerome. Not to forget the colonial views of England toward the Irish, Scots and Welsh that may have been on Rhys’s mind – she DID change her “Rees” name to the Welsh spelling “Rhys.”
It is also acclaimed as a feminist novel, and it is. But given the treatment of women in the Western World, it is an exemplary exploration of how women were openly regarded at the time of the story and more subtly still regarded today by many. That story can’t be explored too many times.
The Goodreads quantitative scoring seems to be average or below for such a “classic,” but written reviews seem to divide more sharply. Perhaps only those who feel strongly about the book, positive or negative, are inspired to write their praise or disgust. It is not a perfect book, but it gets the story across in elegant style. ...more
The Tower of London ravens are many things – rare, fascinating, a tourist attraction, and historic symbols. But most important – they are keeping EnglThe Tower of London ravens are many things – rare, fascinating, a tourist attraction, and historic symbols. But most important – they are keeping England from falling apart. Or so the legend goes.
Skaife’s easy-reading and interesting story, “told” in one day in the life of the ravens, covers almost every conceivable topic related to the Tower Ravens, ravens in general, and a few notes on all their corvid cousins. On the way he also tells his own story, as a rambunctious kid in Dover, Kent, to his life as a machine gunner and drummer in the British army to his unlikely hiring as a Tower yeoman warder (“Beefeater”) to Tower Ravenmaster. He melds the two stories together to show how his life and the lives of the ravens are now intertwined.
The book is not only a good guide for any foreigner who will be visiting London (you MUST visit the Tower), but also gives some perspective on English viewpoints for those of us who were not raised in that country. More important for everyone not familiar with animal behavior, it chronicles the importance of individuality of each animal, their personalities and intelligence, even their sense of humor; they are not just senseless objects to deal with as we please. It also chronicles the humour of the stolid yeoman warders as they answer questions from tourists:
Q: Where was Anne Boleyn executed? A: Somewhere in the neck region, I believe. (Or other sassy answers)
Well, perhaps a spot of gallows humour, but still charmingly cheeky.
The book is written at the young adult (maybe even pre-teen?) level of reading and comprehension, although it does include a mention or two of executions that will not sit well with all readers, including young ones. And it is a fast read, entirely suitable for travelling where interruptions occur at odd intervals. In the long run, you will undoubtedly like Skaife and his raven tales and come to respect the ravens themselves. ...more
I was interested in this battle as one of my Denison ancestors (also an ancestor of Lady Di) was a member of Cromwell’s elite “Ironside” cavalry, fig I was interested in this battle as one of my Denison ancestors (also an ancestor of Lady Di) was a member of Cromwell’s elite “Ironside” cavalry, fighting (and being wounded) on the left wing of the Parliamentary assault at Naseby. Years ago, before knowing of this ancestor, my family drove past the battlefield but never stopped. Alas,….
Evans provides a thumbnail summary of the battle beginning with an historical sketch of the political scene, military tactics, armaments and their use, the two armies that faced off against each other and then the battle itself, in stages, from the initial movements through the punches, counter-punches, the full royalist retreat and the robbery, mutilation and murder of 100+ of the Irish royalist camp-follower whores (Evan’s word) after the battle. Hmmm…. God’s men carrying out God’s work??? Pretty pathetic bunch morally, although this was pretty much standard practice at the time – destroy the enemy, then rob, rape, mutilate and murder the women camp followers of the losing army. My ancestor was seriously wounded in the battle and I hope he had nothing to do with this. For an exaggerated and sarcastic description of European warfare just a little later, read Voltaire’s book, “Candide.”
If you are an ignorant colonial, as I am, you will want to consult other sources for information amplifying understanding of terms I am certain most educated Brits take for granted. Like “The New Model Army.” Which differed from previous armies in at least 3 ways: First, troops could be used anywhere in Britain, including Scotland and Ireland; second, the troops were professionals instead of temporary local militia; third, soldiers could not be members of parliament. There are many other terms which are “mysterious” depending on the reader’s expertise.
The book includes many illustrations and old maps or photos (few of which are too small to really discern what they illustrate but it’s nice to know they exist if you want to delve more deeply into the battle). The last section describes what will meet the tourist/visitor today (in 2007 at time of publication) – it would have been good to mention these additional resources at the beginning of the book to aid visualization of the battle as it progressed.
If you are a real connoisseur of the battle you will want to go to more detailed sources, but this is a reasonable start. ...more
This is a memoir written by a young British woman who lost her father too early and attempted to refill his place with a goshawk to train and fly in tThis is a memoir written by a young British woman who lost her father too early and attempted to refill his place with a goshawk to train and fly in the ancient tradition of falconry. It is beautifully written, especially the descriptions of places she flew her goshawk, Mabel, in the environs of Cambridge, and elsewhere in England.
The book painstakingly documents the tragedy and its horrendous affect on the author and the long, long process of training the hawk to hunt and return to her. The book raises the specter of grief and what it portends.
The book also compares the author’s experience to that described by T. H. White (author of many books including “The Once and Future King” which was made into the musical and movie “Camelot”) and his attempt to train another goshawk, “Gos,” in the late 1930’s as he fights to overcome his feeling of constant failure in so many of his life endeavors.
Macdonald’s book also brings to mind the questions of what is a non-human animal as opposed to a human and the nature of our mutual relationships. One relationship is use of animals as psychological crutches – is it fair to the animal? Dogs may be fair game as they are so radically domesticated that they are really part of human life and vice-versa. But how about hawks or other wildlife that are not genuinely domesticated? Recently Russian scientists captured wild foxes and bred them for behavioral traits of domesticity. Within five generations they had at least partially accomplished this goal. How about pigs? Within a few generations they become absolutely feral and have been a pest ever since the Spanish loosened them in the Southeast part of the US. Cats? They become feral rapidly also and are a genuine threat to wildlife, especially small birds.
If you know Cambridge (I lived there for a year) you will appreciate her descriptions of the Cambridgeshire countryside. This book won may prizes and is worth the read, although there were times I wished it were shorter until the end when I wished it were longer or there was a sequel....more
This may sound like a joke, but Thomas Crapper was a significant inventor in Victorian and Edwardian England. Our term "crapper" for the toilet deriveThis may sound like a joke, but Thomas Crapper was a significant inventor in Victorian and Edwardian England. Our term "crapper" for the toilet derives from the ubiquity of toilets encountered by US doughboys filing through England during "The Great War" of 1914-1918. Of interest - the Brits never used the term until it crept back to them from the US. Crapper was a poor kid born in Yorkshire in 1837. At age 11 he walked several hundred miles to London to look for work. Work started at age 7 or 8, so 11 was not outrageously young then. He found work with a plumber, learned the trade and tn years late began his own business. Being of an inventive sort, he tried to improve the toilet mechanism so that flushing would be easy and reliable on the new-fangled indoor privies being placed in wealthier English homes. He did it, and then went on to patent many other inventions that made life easier, usually associated with toilets, but also others such as treads to make stairs safer. His only child died in infancy but he helped employ many other relatives. His pride and joy was receiving a number of royal endorsements (warrants).
This invention may seem like a joke, but Victorian and pre-Victorian inventions or developments made life easier and safer in small increments. Wedgewood produced cheap ceramic dinnerware which reduced bacterial contamination on eating utensils. The cotton gin made cotton cheap - the price dove 80% from 1800 to 1860, so more people could have cheaper clothing, including underwear. Medicine improved by leaps and bounds with the discovery of germs and the development of the science of epidemiology by Dr. John Snow and his work on cholera in London's Soho. And Mr Thomas Crapper helped to make the world a nicer, cleaner less"fragrant" place by instituting a reliable mechanism for disposal of human waste. The author fills the book with many puns and humorous anecdotes: When Queen Victoria saw many sheets of paper floating in the River Cam at Cambridge she asked what they were (toilet paper, of course from open sewer deposits). Dr. Whewell, master of Trinity replied, "Those, ma'am, are notices that bathing is forbidden."
This is a short, popular history book without references but packed with information. It is highly readable and very informative, much knowledge squeezed into a small package. Amaze for friends with material gleaned from the book about toilet types, the origin of the words "crapper" and "loo" and water closet and, of course, the life of Thomas Crapper....more
This book is pure Schama. And I mean that in a very positive sense. It is a strange book, one that hops from island to island, so to speak. It is histThis book is pure Schama. And I mean that in a very positive sense. It is a strange book, one that hops from island to island, so to speak. It is history, but history with a touch of fiction. Not that history is never without fit ion, but here it is admitted. The island hopping has two themes that link it loosely together. There is first death. This is history that everyone knows so can there be a spoiler here/ Maybe, so I'll be circumspect. The deaths begin with General Wolfe who dies in the siege/attack on Montreal in the French and Indian War (1763) and ends in Boston in 1850 or a bit later. The second theme is the closely-knot upper crust society of Boston and Harvard College, especially the medical and law establishments. Everyone is related or knows everyone else. The Wolfe connection is Francis Parkman who writes Wolfe's biography and The "Conspiracy of Pontiac." But Parkman's uncle disappears, never to be seen again. Maybe. Is he dead? Murdered? Is Harvard involved?? Relying on extensive historical documents Schama skilfully weaves these threads together into a very readable if horrifying tale which includes the first use of forensic dentistry in a murder trial. True!!...more
A most interesting book. a view not universally shared with other readers it seems. While sporting a catchy title, the book is a serious history of thA most interesting book. a view not universally shared with other readers it seems. While sporting a catchy title, the book is a serious history of the second wave of women convicts who were brought to Botany Bay to serve two purposes - rid England of an over burgeoning prison population and to bring women to serve as consorts to the male convicts already in Australia. England had already dumped 50,000 prisoners in America and the West Indies, but the American Revolution had cut England's ability to dump its human trash (qualified later) in America, so a new location for "transportation beyond the seas" had to be found. It was Australia. This book describes the voyage of a specific ship, the Lady Julian, its officers and its human cargo, especially through the eys of the ship's carpenter and storekeeper, John Nichols who many years later dictated a book which was soon published bin 1822. The book looks in depth at the women convicts who were the specific cargo of the ship. It describes the English judicial system after England's war loss, which was by modern standards horrific (women counterfeiters were still burned alive) but pretty lenient by Continental standards. Hanging was very common all over Britain but transport was a serious alternative option, to be more lenient but also to allow Britain to colonise elsewhere and gain a foothold on many other world locations. Briefly, the women's histories (in historical context) were described, their penal experiences before leaving England, the voyage and its challenges, descriptions of cities visited, conditions on arriving in Australia (Unpleasant to desperate), and the fates of some of the women and officers. Officers and sailors were allowed to choose a woman to serves mistress for the voyage, leading to 9 births, and some, such as John Nichol, fell in love.
Last, about the women. Some were professional thieves or prostitutes but many if not most were simply women caught in an economic squeeze caused by the return of soldiers from the failed attempt to retain America as a colony. They had filled the place of absent men during the war, then found themselves unemployed and destitute. Theft of petty things became a survival mechanism for many. Others, such as Mary Rose were falsely accused but still ended up in Botany Bay. Polite Englishmen considered them trash, but this was a harsh and often unjust judgment. They were women attempting to make the best of it in an unfair world, but they became the mothers of a nation, Australia
In 1920 Akutagawa Ryunosuke wrote a short story, "In a Grove." published in a Japanese literary magazine. It told the story of a murder as interpretedIn 1920 Akutagawa Ryunosuke wrote a short story, "In a Grove." published in a Japanese literary magazine. It told the story of a murder as interpreted by three different people. The story was later made into a movie, "Rashomon." Pears' novel is a take-off on that idea. An Oxford instructor is found dead in March of 1663. The story of the murder, as is discovered, is told by four different people, two fictitious and two actual historical English personalities. One of the fictitious characters is modeled after an actual person, so perhaps the real ratio is 3:1. The novel is loaded with rich descriptions of Oxford in 1663, the political climate and the intellectual and medical environment of the times. I am afraid to say much more about the plot without pulling a spoiler blunder.
It is a long book written in some semblance of the contemporary vernacular (thankfully with modern spelling) so it is a long slog, made easier because it is well-written. The dialog and narrative flow smoothly and the text is broken into reasonable sections. Still, you will want to put the time aside, free of distraction, so you can fully enjoy the atmosphere, the history, and the political and religious intrigue built into the plots(s)....more
A book I personally like because I was there while he was there, although I didn't know it. The town is marvellous, or at least WAS in 2001. Bought boA book I personally like because I was there while he was there, although I didn't know it. The town is marvellous, or at least WAS in 2001. Bought books there and enjoyed it. Lily, my daughter, planned the trip to Wales and close environs and it was superb. Hay-on-Wye was one of the "superb" things....more
I enjoyed reading this book but found it hard to return to after laying it down. The writing is not smooth, perhaps too dense (somehow I don't think tI enjoyed reading this book but found it hard to return to after laying it down. The writing is not smooth, perhaps too dense (somehow I don't think this is the problem, but..). At the end of the book I did not feel that excitement that comes from witnessing (virtually in a book, of course), a monumental event....more
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