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Historical Fiction December 2020
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| Eli's Promise by Ronald H. BalsonGermany, 1946: Despite the betrayal of his employee-turned-war-profiteer Max Poleski, Polish Jewish businessman Eli Rosen and his son Isaac have both survived the Holocaust and managed to reunite. With no sign of his wife Esther however, Eli begins the daunting task of searching for her in a sea of displaced people.
Chicago, 1965: Eli learns that Max is up to his old ways, exploiting political corruption and the Vietnam War for financial gain. Seeing a chance to stop the destruction of more lives, Eli's new plan is to bring Max to justice by any means necessary. |
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The Chanel Sisters : A Novel
by Judithe Little
What it's about: raised by pious nuns, Antoinette, the younger sister of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, escapes to Paris, where her shared effort to launch a fashion brand is challenged by discriminating conventions and the horrors of World War I.
Starring: the sisters Chanel and revelations about their upbringing.
Read it for: revealing details about not only the beginnings of the infamous CoCo, but her sister.
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Spellbreaker
by Charlie N. Holmberg
What it's about: Born with illegal spell-breaking powers in a world where corrupt wizards advance the causes of the wealthy, Elise supports underground resistance efforts before striking an unlikely bargain with a elite magical student.
Starring: Elsie Camden, Victorian wizard who can break spells by touch. which is not a dangerous skill in the magical world.
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| Death and the Maiden by Ariana Franklin and Samantha NormanWhat it is: the long-awaited final entry in the series of novels that began with Mistress of the Art of Death.
Starring: Italian-born physician Adelia Aguilar, first brought to England by king Henry II to investigate suspicious deaths using her medical training.
About the authors: This posthumously published novel was completed by journalist and film critic Samantha Norman, the daughter of original author Ariana Franklin. |
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Dark Tides : A Novel
by Philippa Gregory
Time for a sequel: finds 17th-century London warehouse owner Alinor reuniting with a man from her past while reaching out to her brother in war-torn New England for proof of her son’s survival.
Read it because: Historical fiction from the Old and the New World are spun expertly in the hands of the author.
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| Actress by Anne EnrightWhat it is: a character-driven account of the larger-than-life personality and career of Irish acting legend Katherine O'Dell, as told by her novelist daughter Norah.
Read it for: the engaging portrait of well-meaning but complex Katherine, who struggles to navigate fame and single motherhood in an era without models for either.
About the author: Irish writer Anne Enright's previous novels include The Green Road and Man Booker Prize-winning The Gathering. |
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| Marlene by C. W. GortnerWhat it's about: the compelling professional and personal lives of legendary German-American actress Marlene Dietrich.
Why you might like it: Gortner revels in the details of formative eras in Dietrich's life, from the seductive and seedy cabaret scene of Weimar Berlin to the star-studded USO tour she participated in during World War II.
Try this next: The Only Woman in the Room by Heather Terrell, which tells the story of Austrian actress and scientist Hedy Lamarr and her unique contributions to the war effort. |
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| Isadora by Amelia GrayWhat it is: a moody and character-driven depiction of iconoclastic dancer and choreographer Isadora Duncan, set primarily in 1913 just after the drowning deaths of her two young children.
Read it for: the lyrical writing style, which perfectly fits the drama and sensuality of the woman herself.
Reviewers say: Isadora is "a mythic, fiercely insightful, mordantly funny, and profoundly revelatory portrait of an intrepid and indelible artist" (Booklist). |
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The Pull of the Stars
by Emma Donoghue
What it's about: A novel set in 1918 Dublin offers a three-day look at a maternity ward during the height of the Great Flu pandemic.
Why you might like it: Totally relevant during our current pandemic, though it puts life into perspective.
Reckonings: this novel deals with the Great War's fallout, the Catholic church's role in orphanages and how women are treated in the medical field in the 1918 pandemic.
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The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
by Kim Michele Richardson
What it's about: During Kentucky’s Great Depression, Pack Horse Library Project member Cussy Mary Carter, a young outcast, delivers books to the hillfolk of Troublesome Creek, hoping to spread learning in these desperate times, but not everyone is keen on her or the Library Project.
Read it for: while Cussy Mary is not a real character, the pack horse librarians were a real group of brave women who delivered library books and other useful materials to rural areas of Kentucky.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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BRAZORIA COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM 912 N. Velasco Angleton, Texas 77515 (979) 864-1505bcls.lib.tx.us |
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