Twelve Days of Tudor Christmas

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

I have to admit I love the Lucy Worsley documentaries about British Royals.  I think the first one I saw was on Henry VIII’s six wives, but I have since seen several others, courtesy of PBS and sometimes BPL (Bristol Public Library, of course) and enjoyed each one.  I like Worsley’s enthusiasm for her topics, and as a historian herself, I feel I can give more credence to her statements.  At the very least, she will have evidence to back them up, as opposed to someone who is just reading the statements supplied by the script.  She is also the Chief Curator for the Royal Palaces, including the Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace, so she has some hands-on experience.

This year I re-watched (and re-re-watched) her presentation of “Twelve Days of Tudor Christmas.”  Yes, these are the fabled Twelve Days of Christmas, starting on December 25 and continuing to January 6. In this presentation, she demonstrates how Henry VIII would have celebrated.  I was vaguely familiar with some of the customs, such as the Lord of Misrule or mumming, but there was a lot that was new.

Then as now, food was an important part of the celebration and we get to see the sorts of dishes that Henry would have enjoyed.  Worsley gamely (pun somewhat intended) samples boar and beer (without that foreign, unwholesome addition of hops), participates in entertainment, and explains the rules of gift-giving.  (Hint:  probably a good idea to give Henry a really nice present. Anne Boleyn nailed it.)

There’s also some information on how the non-royals observed the holidays, including decorating with greenery and the seasonal interaction between landlord and tenant. These could be very precise— it was a contract, in fact, with a list of what the landlord would give and what the tenant would give in return. 

But the bulk of the program covers Christmas as celebrated at Court, with most of the participants appearing in period appropriate costume.  The show was also filmed on-site at still functional kitchens at Hampton Court and at the palace.  It’s also very much centered on Henry, drawing from his detailed household records to paint a picture of the holiday. 

That’s a lot of ground to cover in less than an hour, so if I have a criticism it is that it should have been longer.  It was also a lot to absorb, so I watched it three times.  I would get distracted by looking at the costumes or gawping at the boar’s head dish and miss some (to me) fascinating tidbit. I will never think of Boar’s Head brand meat in quite the same way again. . . .

If you enjoy Christmas or Tudor lore, this is the show for you!

Nevermore: Waking Up White, Alexander Hamilton, Before She Disappeared, An Elderly Lady Must Not be Crossed

 

Reported by Garry

The books brought to Nevermore this week ran the gamut from historical fiction to farce and romance to murder mystery. We always have a great selection of books to discuss!

Waking Up White and Finding Myself in the Story of Race by Debby Irving was the first book discussed this week. The author grew up privileged in a wealthy suburb of Boston.  Sheltered and rather oblivious to the social inequalities around her, it took Irving years to realize why her efforts at inclusion and diversity were failing. In 2009, she had a life-altering moment that changed how she saw herself and her relationships. Our reader found this a well thought out, insightful book and recommends it to anyone who would like to reexamine their own position of privilege.

Alexander Hamilton’s Guide to Life by Jeff Wilser was the next book reviewed. This light-hearted but well researched biography of one of the most important figures in American history is laid out chronologically and discusses Hamilton’s approach to life with wit and heart, while still being historically accurate. Our reader is a big fan of Alexander Hamilton, and credits him with shaping the United States into the country that it is today. She says that this 336 page book is an easy read that examines and elucidates the life-approach of this influential Founding Father, and highly recommends it.

 

Our next reader took on the classic Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. This novel, first published in 1818 (and one of the first examples of science-fiction), tells the story of the young Victor Frankenstein, a scientist who creates a sentient creature from harvested body parts. The book varies distinctly from the now iconic 1931 film starring Boris Karloff. Shelley’s literary “Creature” is intelligent, sentient and capable of discussions and existential reasoning. The story also takes place in a wider variety of locations than depicted in the film. Ostensibly about a scientist and the creature he creates, this novel raises questions about the nature of sentience, the responsibility of scientists for their creations, and the rights of self-determination of “created” life-forms; questions that, more than 200 years later, are becoming ever-more relevant. Our reader highly recommends this eerily prescient, immensely influential book.

 

The latest Frankie Elkin mystery, Before She Disappeared by Lisa Gardner is a thrilling read that our reader particularly liked because it was not “all wrapped up in a bow” at the end. Frankie Elkin is a recovering alcoholic who tries to solve missing person cold-cases. Her new case brings her to a rough Boston neighborhood, where she is searching for a Haitian teenager by the name of Angelique Badeau. Running into resistance from both Angelique’s family and the local Boston police, Frankie puts her own life on the line in order to solve the disappearance. Tightly written with an intriguing female protagonist, our reader quite enjoyed this modern day mystery.

An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed is the second in the Elderly Lady series by Helene Tursten that picks up immediately after An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good. Maud is an 88 year old living in Gothenburg, Sweden, who knows what she wants and will achieve it at all costs. This clever book intertwines six short stories about Maud’s earlier life helping to explain how she came to be the ruthless yet caring person that she is. Doddering when she wishes to be, and cunning and spry when it suits her needs, Maud is far more than meets the eye - a character that will devilishly stick with you for years to come.

Also mentioned:

The Ballad of Laurel Springs by Janet Beard

Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich

Trust Me by Hank Phillipi Ryan

Two Graves by Preston and Child

The Survivors by Alex Schulman

On Animals by Susan Orlean

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

Bloodline by Jess Lourey

There is Nothing For You Here: Finding Opportunity in the Twenty-First Century by Fiona Hill

America’s First Western Frontier: East Tennessee: A Story of the Early Settlers and Indians of East Tennessee by Brenda Calloway

Seedtime on the Cumberland by Harriette Simpson Arnow

Blood and Treasure:  Daniel Boone and the Fight for America’s First Frontier by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin

The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich

Along a Storied Trail by Anne Gabhart

I Take My Coffee Black: Reflections on Tupac, Musical Theater, Faith, and Being Black in America by Tyler Merritt

I’m Possible: A Story of Survival, a Tube, and the Small Miracle of a Big Dream by Richard Antoine White

The Heroine with 1001 Faces by Maria Tatar

The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin

The House Girl by Tara Conklin

Tuesdays with Ambrea: The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec

 

 

Reviewed by Ambrea

 

Punished by Odin for refusing to share her magic sight, Angrboda is burned at the stake three times and pierced through her heart with a spear.  When she awakens, she flees to the farthest reaches of Ironwood and begins her life anew.  Even as she refuses to be drawn back in by the treacherous gods and goddesses of Asgard, her story quickly becomes entwined with that of Loki—the trickster god who returns her heart and claims her love.

The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec is an interesting novel.  Like most novels revolving around characters in Norse myths, readers immediately know how Angrboda’s story will end—with the realization of Ragnarok and the end of the worlds.  Everyone knows what happened to the old gods and goddesses of Norse mythology.  It can spoil the end of a story, especially if you happen to fall in love with the characters.

But Gornichec’s novel is one of those that grabs you and takes you along for the journey, drawing you into the story, regardless of whether you know the destination or not.  It’s fascinating to see Angrboda fleshed out as a character, as a person—as more than Loki’s wife and the mother of Hel, Fenrir, and Jormungandr.  I enjoyed seeing her develop, weaving together the shattered pieces of her memory, falling in love with Loki, making friends with Skadi and Gerd, fighting to save her children.

I truly enjoyed reading about Angrboda and envisioning her story, but, then again, I’ve found I adore retellings of little-known female characters from ancient literature and mythology.  The Red Tent by Anita Diamant, for instance, or Circe by Madeline Miller.  Others include:  Ariadne by Jennifer Saint, Lavinia by Ursula K. LeGuin, or The Memoirs of Helen of Troy by Amanda Elyot.

While I don’t think The Witch’s Heart quite lives up to either Diamant’s or Miller’s novels, I think it manages to blaze its own trail and create an interesting, compelling, and enjoyable story.  Moreover, I really liked the way Gornichec brought together different myths—tales of Hyndla, Heid, Gullveig, and Angrboda—and created a singular, intricate story.

I think my biggest complaint about The Witch’s Heart is the length:  it feels a little too long.  I enjoyed reading about Angrboda and following along with her journey; however, I thought it started to run out of steam about midway through the novel.  I mean, once we recognize the true extent of her tragedies and, more to the point, get our first real glimpse of Ragnarok, it’s difficult to remain invested.  After a certain point, much of her story begins to feel like filler, as we slowly make our closer and closer to the end of the world.

Even so, I think it’s a pretty great novel and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys Norse mythology or female-centric retellings of classics.