January-March 2013 Theme Read: The Renaissance

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January-March 2013 Theme Read: The Renaissance

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1Samantha_kathy
dec 5, 2012, 4:56 pm


Cast of the television series The Borgias, set in Renaissance Italy

The Renaissance was a time in which survival became easier and as such many more people had the time to devote themselves to other areas of life. Art, new inventions and discoveries were the product of that, making this period in history a very rich one in terms of progress. However, it was also a period of religious prosecution and excesses for the rich and famous of their days. Because these changes did not begin at the same time in every region, the Renaissance can be anywhere from 14th century until 17th century. As such, I would say the focus for this theme is 16th century; since the next theme will cover the 17th century and the previous one included 14th and 15th century. However, especially for Europe this is flexible, if you find a book with a very Renaissance theme, by all means read it! Also, Renaissance is not really a term that’s applicable outside of Europe, so I picked 16th century books for that in the list of suggestions.

Some book suggestions – with their time period/focus in brackets:

Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant (16th century England)

Armada by Robert Carter (Elizabethan England)

The Queen’s Sorrow by Suzannah Dunn (set during the reign of Mary Tudor of England, a.k.a. Bloody Mary)

Kathryn: In the Court of Six Queens by Anne Merton Abbey (Henry VIII and his six wives)

To Shield the Queen by Fiona Buckley (penname of Valerie Anand) (Elizabethan England, 1st in the Ursula Blanchard mysteries)

That Sleep of Death by Philip Gooden (1st in the Shakespearean mysteries)

The Anatomist by Federico Andahazi (16th century Italy)

Doctor Copernicus by John Banville (Copernicus, astronomer who discovered the earth orbits the sun)

The Ground Is Burning by Samual Black (early 16th century Italy; Cesare Borgia, Niccolo Machiavelli & Leonardo da Vinci)

Zayni Barakat by Gamal al-Ghitani (16th century Cairo)

Kabuki Dancer by Sawako Ariyoshi (16th century Japan)

The Miniaturist by Kunal Basu (16th century Mughal empire)

Guardian of the Dawn by Richard Zimler (16th century Portugese Goa, Inquisition)

My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk (16th century Istanbul)

Visit the Quarterly Theme Reads Wiki Page for more information and add your own books for this quarter’s theme!

2Samantha_kathy
dec 5, 2012, 4:57 pm

My Planned Reads:

A new year, a new time period to discover. Sacred Hearts is on my TBR list; other than that I'm keeping my options open.

3kiwiflowa
dec 7, 2012, 1:52 am

On my list for 2013 is Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies so this challenge fits in perfectly.

I'm also considering The Blue Flower by Penelope Fitzgerald

4Roro8
Redigeret: dec 8, 2012, 2:53 pm

After seeing the picture of the Borgias at the top of this thread I am thinking that perhaps I should take my two Borgia reads out of the Oct-Dec theme and move them to this one. I was focusing on the actual time period which went to 1500 and the Borgia novels I read we're both in the 1490's. But If they fit the renaissance theme ....... What do you think?

5Samantha_kathy
dec 8, 2012, 3:07 pm

They can count for both, since they're in set in a transition time period. Italy's Renaissance starts pretty early, which is why there's overlap with the Middle Ages. If you already read them, I'd leave them in the Oct-Dec theme, and just pick up a new book for this time period in Januray. Plenty of choices to go around anyway!

6Roro8
dec 8, 2012, 6:36 pm

Great. Thanks Samantha.

7Samantha_kathy
dec 13, 2012, 1:08 pm

I received Elizabeth I by Margaret George today, as a belated birthday present. It's perfect for this theme! It's about "the virgin queen" Elizabeth Tudor, set in 1588, and about her rivalry with her cousin Lettice Knollys. And as it says on the back "their rivalry soon involves everyone close to Elizabeth - from the famed courtiers who enriched the crown to the legendary poets and playwrights" emphasis mine. So it fits right into the Renaissance spirit.

8wandering_star
dec 19, 2012, 9:17 am

ooh, some good recommendations on the non-European reads...

9Trifolia
jan 1, 2013, 1:39 am

I'll join this Theme Read with The scarlet city by Hella S. Haasse, set in 16th century Rome, focussing on the life of Giovanni Borgia and his environment.
I'd also like to finally finish My Name is Red, and tackle Wolf Hall. Maybe this thread will give me the encouragement I need.

10Roro8
jan 2, 2013, 4:32 am

>9 Trifolia: I am interested to hear what you think of The Scarlet City, I like a good Borgia book.

11cfk
jan 2, 2013, 10:01 am

"The Pirate Queen: Queen Elizabeth I, Her Pirate Adventurers, and the Dawn of Empire" by Susan Ronald is a wonderful book about Elizabeth's struggle to secure her reign and the security of England. Even though this is non-fiction, I found it to be a compelling read.

12ccookie
jan 4, 2013, 9:51 am

I am planning to read Mistress Shakespeare by Karen Harper. It is a book I happen to have, don't know where it came from and it fits this theme and also fits into some other challenges that I have for January.

13Samantha_kathy
jan 4, 2013, 10:11 am

There's a lot of interesting titles passing by. And I have to say, it's surprising how many titles I have on my TBR stack that fit this time period. At first I thought I was going to have to go with a library book from my TBR list, namely Sacred Hearts. Then I bought Elizabeth I in December and figured I could use that one. Now I've re-arranged my books and discovered I also have The Confessions of Catherine de Medici and Dissolution, which will both fit this theme. Plenty of reading material right in my own home - I just had to look!

14DeltaQueen50
jan 8, 2013, 10:14 pm

I am waiting on my book to come in at the library. The Smile by Donna Jo Napoli is a YA story involving Leonardo DiVinci and the painting of The Mona Lisa.

15DeltaQueen50
jan 16, 2013, 1:14 pm

Finished The Smile by Donna Jo Napoli. It was good, and covered all the details, but being a YA it lacked some of the detail and passion that I wanted. My fault for going with a YA.

16Roro8
jan 16, 2013, 10:01 pm

Have you tried I, Mona Lisa by Jeanne Kalogridis? It was quite good.

17DeltaQueen50
jan 19, 2013, 1:46 pm

I'll add that one to my list, thanks Ro.

18Roro8
jan 20, 2013, 6:01 am

I have started Malice of Fortune by Michael Ennis. The opening indicates that the story is based "entirely on actual events", so it should be historically accurate. It is set in 1502, a Borgia mystery.

19Samantha_kathy
jan 20, 2013, 7:52 am

18> Based on actual events and historically accurate are not necessarily the same. I can base something on actual events - say, the Cultural Revolution in China - but since I don't know anything about China, I'm not going to be writing something historically accurate without a lot of research. I might get my events right, but if I have my Chinese people eating with forks and knives from a pizza, it's not accurate at all. *Yes, a fairly ridiculous example, but you get my meaning, I hope*

20Roro8
jan 20, 2013, 10:19 pm

Yes very good point. I'll see what I think when I'm done.

21Roro8
jan 24, 2013, 5:07 pm

I have finished The Malice of Fortune. It includes many well known people from the era as feature characters such as Machiavelli, Cesare Borgia, Leonardo Da Vinci. An interesting book but not one I would rave about.

22Roro8
jan 24, 2013, 5:13 pm

19> On completion of the book the author notes that "as an academically trained historian and professional journalist, I prefer to wander through the detritus of history on my own.". I am not a history expert myself but it seems that his credentials and note at the end indicate this author was well researched, as evidenced when reading the book (at times rather dry with historical information demonstrating the author's knowledge).

23Roro8
jan 28, 2013, 6:53 am

It looks like I am hogging this page now so I am reluctant to post again but I have finished In A Treacherous Court by Michelle Diener, set in 1525 England. A fast paced historical mystery with a bit of romance and chopped up dead women. That is the brief version of my review which is on the book page.

24Samantha_kathy
jan 28, 2013, 8:28 am

22> Forgot to respond to this. I've found that credentials don't necessarily mean a well-researched book, but I agree that from the author's note at the end you usually can tell if the research was good or not. I like author's notes that tell me what was true and what was changed by the author, and also what is ambiguous or simply not known so it was made up by the author - preferably with a nice "why I think this happened like this" explanation. Also, love it when they give me some references (or all!) they used.

23> You're not hogging the page :D. You're just way ahead of everybody ;). Your latest book sounds good but I am manfully avoiding your full review, in fear I might end up adding another book to my TBR list.

As for me, I'm currently reading Elizabeth I by Margaret George and so far I'm liking it. It's my very first book about the Tudors, any of them, but I like it. Then again, Elizabeth I has always been one of my favorite Queens.

25cfk
jan 28, 2013, 9:42 am

Just realized that I hadn't posted my reads for this category. I have read and enjoyed Fiona Buckley--To Shield the Queen and one other, but by the third, her adventures were becoming a bit much. I know that fiction is supposed to stretch or escape reality and I'm fine with that--up until it becomes too much. Perhaps I can return to the series at a later date.

26Roro8
jan 30, 2013, 4:57 am

>24 Samantha_kathy:. I read Margaret George's Helen of Troy and thought it was a great book. If you like her Elizabeth I I am definitely going to read it. Maybe for our March Tudor theme. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

27ccookie
feb 2, 2013, 8:44 pm

Haven't gotten to Mistress Shakespeare yet but still hoping to get started soon. Too many other books on the go!

28countrylife
feb 7, 2013, 1:44 pm

Finished Jepp, Who Defied the Stars by Katherine Marsh. Setting: 1590s Brussels and Denmark. Subjects: astronomy, astrology, court life, dwarves, fate. (4.5 stars)

29cfk
feb 9, 2013, 6:13 pm

I read "I Mona Lisa" for the challenge. This is a large book, but compelling enough to make the pages fly. Set during the renaissance in Florence, it follows the conflict between the family of Lorenzo de Medici and the Pazzi family which used Savonarola as a weapon to over throw them.

30DeltaQueen50
feb 9, 2013, 7:36 pm

It's good to see you back, cfk!

31Roro8
feb 9, 2013, 8:11 pm

>29 cfk: Hi cfk, I have read that one a while back. I liked it too.

32christina_reads
feb 11, 2013, 12:22 pm

I'm planning to read Juliet by Anne Fortier this month, which seems like it could fit within the Renaissance theme, although I won't be sure until I read it!

33cfk
feb 15, 2013, 9:10 am

Thanks for the greetings! I had been side tracked with reading which didn't fit our theme. I do like this one. One of my favorite was "The Mists of Avalon" which I've read at least a couple of times.

I did finish "The Killing Way" by Tony Hays--saw it on this thread, I think. The Arthurian story was a bit different from those I've read over the years, focused more upon the down and dirty of politicking and power plays. The story played out well, but I found it less than satisfying. I know that the bad guys don't always get there just desserts, especially in maintaining the balance of power, but political expediency just wasn't satisfying in this case.

Besides, I'm not convinced that getting your political enemies out of the way by putting them on guard duty at a far border with your 'real' enemies is especially wise. A bit like inviting one set of invaders in (the Saxons in this case ) to fight off other invaders and then getting mad when they turn on you.

34Roro8
mar 2, 2013, 3:12 am

I have started reading Elizabeth I. It feels a bit like cheating though as it will fit here and in our monthly theme for March "Tudors". Oh well, I'm sure that will also be the case for everybody else too.

35Samantha_kathy
Redigeret: mar 2, 2013, 7:27 am

34 > Don't worry about it! I'm "cheating" as well with Elizabeth I and Dissolution.

36Roro8
mar 8, 2013, 11:25 pm

I have finished Elizabeth I: A Novel. It was a huge read, not just in the number of pages but the language and names as well. The thing I liked about this novel is that it covered the later years of Elizabeth's life from 55 years old onwards. I have not read much covering this period of her life before. I loved the portrayal of Essex, and his mother Lettice Knolleys.

37DeltaQueen50
mar 20, 2013, 3:33 pm

I have also read Dissolution as it fits both the monthly theme and this quarterly theme as well. I found it to be a very well done historical mystery and I will be continuing on with the series.

38Roro8
mar 24, 2013, 11:24 pm

I have just completed Mistress of the Sea, mostly set on one of Captain Drake's voyages to seek revenge against the Spanish, during the reign of Elizabeth I.

39majkia
mar 25, 2013, 12:48 am

Sorry for not participating in this quarterly read.

I was amazed at how few books I had that fit this category, and the few I had, I'd read. I hope to be more present for the next quarterly read, 17th century.

40Samantha_kathy
mar 29, 2013, 3:04 pm

Finally reviewed Dissolution by C.J. Sansom. It's set in 1537 and fits the Renaissance theme perfectly as the focus is on religious upheavel. My full review is here.

41majkia
mar 29, 2013, 4:09 pm

Dissolution was pretty good. But I thought Heresyand the rest of the series was even better. I do finally have book 2 of the Samsom series and plan to read all of them though.

42Samantha_kathy
mar 29, 2013, 4:17 pm

41 > I'vwe heard from a lot of people that Dark Fire (book 2) is the best so far. It will be a while before I will be able to read that one, though. Mostly because I'd need to buy it (my library doesn't have the series, nor does the ILL system), and I'm trying not to buy books this year!

43Samantha_kathy
mar 29, 2013, 4:57 pm

44Samantha_kathy
mar 31, 2013, 6:15 pm

I just finished The Confessions of Catherine de Medici. I'll have a review up tomorrow, but suffice to say I loved it.

I still have Elizabeth I for this quarter, which I started in January. I made it half-way through the book before the month was up, and then it got pushed aside for other books in February and once again in March. I still plan to finish it - it's a good book that I enjoy reading - and when I do, I'll post a link to the review here. I hope I might finish in April - but that's what I said in February and March as well ;).

45Samantha_kathy
apr 1, 2013, 11:00 am

46Samantha_kathy
apr 1, 2013, 11:03 am

For anyone who has not yet added their Jan-March books to the wiki, now is the time! I will be cleaning up the wiki sometime this week to change to our new quarterly topic, the Seventeenth Century - thread is here.

47cfk
apr 4, 2013, 3:45 pm

I chose to read "The Creation of Eve" after reading a review in one of the lists I follow. Normally I'm quick to set aside stories which start out with the foolish virgin being deflowered, but stuck with this one long enough to realize that it was going to be a really well written story. Oddly enough, I had to read 'The Lives of the Artists" by Vasari in college, but didn't remember the inclusion of a female artist.

Sofonisba was a young, female Italian painter who was briefly tutored under Michelangelo. She became 'the first renowned female artist of the Renaissance,' for early portraits of her family and those of nearby city states in Italy, and was recognized by Michelangelo for her talent. In more recent times, she has been identified as the artist of more important portraits which were originally attributed to other artists because she was not allowed to sign them.

She was hired by King Phillip II to teach his young French bride, Elisabeth, how to paint and to serve as one of her ladies. During this time, though given a relatively secure position, she had little time for painting and could not sign her name anyway because her position with the Queen superseded that of painter.

The late 16th Century was a highly volatile time not only in England where Queen Elizabeth I had a precarious hold on her throne, doing battle with various factions within her realm, the Pope and the European kings, but in Spain as well. King Phillip's control of the Netherlands and factions within his own lands, plus the high cost of maintaining armies and navies in the field were near ruinous. Also, his sole male heir was clearly unbalanced and finally had to be locked away.