Nevermore: Paleo Living, Bible Culture, Angel's Game, and more

The Cultural Handbook to the Bible by John J. Pilch prompted some lively discussion at the Nevermore Book Club.  The basic premise is that the Bible is often read and interpreted without an historical/social context of the time. Our modern understanding of some concepts is very different.  Even some physical observations of events would have a different meaning for us than it would for those living at the time the ancient texts were recorded.  The writing is lively and accessible.

Similarly, Paleofantasy: What Evolution Really Tells Us About Sex, Diet, and How We Live by Marlene Zuk examines the currently popular notion that many human problems can be resolved by returning to the ways of our distant ancestors.  Zuk points out that many of the assertions of how humans are meant to live are based on the idea that humans haven’t evolved in thousands of years, but offers evidence to the contrary.  For example, in earlier humans the ability to digest milk was limited to unweaned children.  Adults were all lactose intolerant until changes in a gene enabled adult humans to continue to consume dairy products.  This trait has spread rapidly through the human population. The book will be of special interest to those interested in some of the changes humans have undergone, and who want to read about same in an entertaining way.

Cruel Harvest by Fran Elizabeth Grubb is a heart-breaking memoir of growing up as the abused daughter of a migrant farm worker.  She tells her story in simple terms, but the themes of surviving, overcoming and ultimately forgiving are powerful. Our reviewer found it painful to read but ultimately uplifting.

Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth is another memoir, this one of a young woman’s work as a midwife in London’s East End in the 1950s.  She was one of a group of midwives who worked with the nuns of the area to provide medical and social services to a disadvantaged population.  Worth has a gift for bringing characters and events to life. Our reviewer raved about book, finding it both moving and humorous.  She highly recommended it.  (Note: the book was so successful in the UK that Worth produced several sequels.  It has since been dramatized as a TV series which ran on PBS here.)

Finally, one member wanted to recommend a book she found light and fun:  The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Daniel is a young writer in Barcelona in the 1920s who makes a bargain with a mysterious publisher who wants him to write “a book which will change hearts and minds.”  Before long, he begins to believe that he has made the most dangerous deal of his life.  The book is a gothic fantasy, darker than his first, Shadow of the Wind, to which Angel’s Game is a sort of prequel.

"Downton Abbey still stands. . .

Reviewed by Jeanne

“… and the Crawleys are still here.”  These lines spoken by actress Shirley MacLaine summed up the feelings of millions who have been following the story of Lord Grantham's family, their friends, and their servants. While the story is more soap opera than history, the show does give viewers a bit of insight into life in the early 20^th century.  Whether you’re taken by the class dynamics, the shifting social mores, the incredible costumes and sets, or the whole family saga, we have books that will add to your enjoyment. They're also a good way to pass the time if you're on reserve for the DVDs of the first two seasons!

World of Downton Abbey features wonderful color photos, additional information on the cast and characters, and an overview of British society at the time.  The informative text is by Jessica Fellowes, niece of TV series writer and creator Justin Fellowes.  There is some production information, but the book is more concerned with story and setting which makes it a treat for Downton fans.  In fact, it was so well received that a second book, Chronicles of Downton Abbey, came out in 2012.  Also by Jessica Fellowes, this book picks up after the “Great War,” as the Roaring Twenties begin.

Filming for the series is done at Highclere Castle, home of the Earl of Carnarvon.  The real family has a fascinating story of its own:  the Fifth Earl sponsored Howard Carter in his Egyptian excavations that resulted in the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb. His second wife, Lady Almina, was an heiress who opened Highclere as a hospital for wounded officers during WWI.  (Downton Abbey’s Cora is very loosely based on Almina.) Her story is told in Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey which was written by Fiona Carnarvon, the present Countess of Carnarvon.

If you’re interested in the real story of those in service at the time, then try Below Stairs:  The Classic Kitchen Maid’s Memoir That Inspired “Upstairs, Downstairs” and “Downton Abbey” by Margaret Powell.  Her personal story of life as a kitchen maid in a London house in the 1920s caused a sensation when it was originally published in 1968. It remains one of the most memorable books about the era as seen from a member of the working class. 

Unsurprisingly, the popularity of the series is inspiring other novels set in the same time period.  Ashton Park by Christian author Murray Pura is the first in a series about another family of a Great House, set during World War I.  As to jacket copy says, “Join the lords and ladies, servants, and household staff of Ashton Park as they face the perils of war and affairs of the heart.”  Just in case you don’t see the similarities, the line below it reads, “If you’re a fan of Downton Abbey, you’ll enjoy your visit to Ashton Park.”

Downton viewers who tuned in early may have been attracted to “Call the Midwife,” a new series based on the memoirs of former nurse Jennifer Worth who worked in the East End of London after World War II.  At the time, about half of the births were home births; living conditions were dreadful; and medical care was scanty at best.  Worth’s book Call the Midwife became a bestseller, and it was followed by two more.  Worth was praised by the Literary Review as “a natural storyteller” and her book as being “gripping, moving, and convincing from beginning to end.”