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| Gutenberg's apprentice by Alix ChristieSummoned home to Mainz, Germany, by his adoptive father, master scribe Peter Schoeffer becomes the apprentice of Johannes Gutenberg, who's covertly developing a system of movable metal type. Charged with keeping an eye on the wily, unpredictable Gutenberg, Peter initially chafes at his father’s orders but soon recognizes the world-changing potential of Gutenberg’s press when they begin work on an ambitious project: a printed Bible. But in a 15th-century Europe characterized by economic troubles, political unrest, and religious reform, bringing their masterpiece to completion will require back-breaking labor, utter secrecy, and (most importantly) preventing the reckless Gutenberg from sabotaging his own life’s work. |
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| Bitter greens by Kate ForsythBanished from the court of Versailles by Louis XIV and confined to a convent, French novelist Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de la Force finds an ally in Sœur Seraphina, who tells her the story of Margherita, a girl sold to a famous Venetian courtesan for a handful of bitter greens. As the elderly nun spins her fantastical tale, Charlotte-Rose discovers that her fate is inextricably tied to Margherita's. Based on the life of the writer whose fable "Persinette" inspired the fairy tale now known as "Rapunzel," this enchanting debut novel blends the storytelling traditions of 17th-century France and Renaissance Italy. |
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| The high divide by Lin EngerFirst Ulysses Pope abandons his Minnesota farm, leaving behind his Danish wife, Gretta, and their two sons, Eli and Danny. Soon after, the young men embark on a search for their father and vanish into the wilderness. Finally, Gretta strikes out on her own, hoping to find her family during a journey that takes her through the Badlands and into Montana Territory. Like Stef Penney's The Tenderness of Wolves, this family drama is set against the evocative backdrop of the 19th-century North American frontier. |
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| A brief history of seven killings by Marlon JamesInspired by the attempted assassination of musician Bob Marley on December 3, 1976, this latest novel by the author of The Book of Night Women explores Jamaica's turbulent history through multiple, intersecting narratives that introduce more than a dozen characters. Framed as an oral history, A Brief History of Seven Killings features a diverse cast, an evocative and richly detailed setting, and a sprawling story told by a chorus of distinct voices in pitch-perfect dialogue. |
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"A fool's tongue is long enough to slit his own throat." ~ from Kate Forsyth's Bitter Greens
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| An officer and a spy by Robert HarrisParis, 1895: Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish army officer, is convicted of treason, stripped of his rank, and sentenced to a lifetime of hard labor on Devil's Island, French Guiana. Ordered to investigate the incident on behalf of the French military's new counter-espionage force, Colonel Georges Picquart uncovers evidence of anti-Semitism as well as a conspiracy that reaches the highest levels of government. Inspired by the events of the Dreyfus Affair, a real-life political scandal that engulfed Europe in the late 19th century, this gripping tale brings history to life. |
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| Bring up the bodies by Hilary MantelThis sequel to Hilary Mantel's Booker Prize-winning Wolf Hall continues the story of ambitious courtier Thomas Cromwell's career. Having achieved the pinnacle of success as King Henry VIII's chief minister, Cromwell - who used cunning and political gamesmanship to secure the annulment that dissolved the King's marriage to Catherine of Aragon and severed the bonds between the Anglican Church and Rome - must once again appease his sovereign. This time, his task is to replace Anne Boleyn, who has failed to produce a male heir to the throne, with Henry's latest obsession, Jane Seymour. However, dispensing with yet another queen is a tricky business and one false step could cost Cromwell everything. |
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| The dream of the Celt by Mario Vargas LlosaKnighted in 1911 and executed in 1916, Dublin-born diplomat Roger Casement went from hero to traitor in just five years. His investigation of human rights abuses perpetrated by British industry earns him a reputation as a great humanitarian. However, as a fervent Irish nationalist, Casement participates in the Easter Rising and is imprisoned and charged with treason. While Casement awaits trial, his private diaries, containing descriptions of his homosexual relationships, are circulated by the government in an attempt to alienate Casement's supporters, who advocate clemency. Alternating between Casement's early career in the foreign service and his final days, The Dream of the Celt is a fascinating character study of a man whose lofty ideals and human frailties led to his downfall. |
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| Innocent traitor: a novel of Lady Jane Grey by Alison WeirBorn a political pawn, Lady Jane Grey, great-niece of Henry VIII, spends the entire 16 years of her life furthering the political aims of her ambitious family. Ultimately, she surpasses even their wildest hopes when her dying cousin, King Edward VI, names her as his successor. Jane becomes Queen of England, reigning for just nine days before she's deposed by Edward's half-sister, Mary, and charged with treason. This debut novel by historian Alison Weir presents a vividly rendered, richly detailed portrait of an intelligent and perceptive young woman subject to events beyond her control. |
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