Tonight I will share a few books that I have recently read or am currently reading.
I will start with Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga. This book is set in Rhodesia, which is today Zimbabwe. The story is about a young girl who goes to a mission school and the trials she goes through. The book is a great look at the opportunities that education provides in spite of harsh conditions and deep set cultural challenges.
I really enjoyed reading this book and will have to look for the two sequels that have been written.
Searching for the Amazons: The Real Warrior Women of the Ancient World by John Man was an interesting read. This book looks at different myths about the Amazons and also different cultures where there were women warriors. There was some great information in this book, but also some confusing chapters that didn’t quite seem to go along with the subject.
Stranded at Plimoth Plantation: 1626 by Gary Bowen caught my eye at the library while I was looking in the children’s non-fiction section for books about the French and Indian War. Sometimes if I want to get a quick overview of a subject this is the section to find a book that will give a good basic introduction.
This book had some great illustrations of how life was in Plimoth Plantation in 1626. The book is the journal of a boy who is stranded there after the boat he was traveling on to Virginia was wrecked. The book is an interesting look into like in the plantation and I could easily imagine how my ancestors who lived there at that time went about their daily lives.
A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare: 1599 by James Shapiro is the book that I am currently reading at lunch while at work. The book explores Shakespeare’s life in this pivotal year for him. I am really enjoying it so far and I am learning more about what London was like at this time. Especially the literary world as it covers what books Shakespeare had access to at that time as he looked for material to write his plays.
To the Edges of the Earth: 1909, the Race for the Three Poles, and the Climax of the Age of Exploration by Edward J. Larson is about a pivotal year for exploring the extremes of the earth. The books looks at the quests for the North Pole, South Pole and K2 which were all made in 1909. I am finding the book very interesting and learning more details behind some of these famous explorations.
You may wonder why the quest for a highest point in 1909 was for K2 instead of Mount Everest. The simple answer is that Everest was inaccessible because China would not let outsiders into the country.
I am almost half way through the book and am really enjoying the adventure.
Now back to reading 🙂
Steven
Braman's Wanderings 