Chaucer's People: everyday lives in Medieval England

The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer is one of the most famous books in English literature. Liza Picard has written the book, Chaucer's People: everyday lives in medieval England, to provide additional information about the characters and their lives as portrayed in Chaucer's work. The description of the chararacters are divided into  four sections - Country Life, City Life, Religious Life and the Armed Services.

The first chapter deals, not surprisingly, with the Wife of Bath with sections on her appearance providing additional information on clothes worn by women in the fourteenth century; the wool trade as the Wife of Bath was a weaver; matrimony as the Wife of Bath had been married five times; pilgrimages describing some of the many pilgrimage locations visited by the Wife of Bath plus general information about going on a pilgrimage. The Good Wife of Bath by Karen Brooks is a novel based on the character of the Wife of Bath in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.

The chapter on the Ploughman also begins with his appearance then discusses agricultural methods of the period; the Great Pestilence of 1348-9 and its effect on agricultural workers; the Poll Tax to help cover expenses for the war with France; the Rebellion of 1381 or 'Peasant's Revolt'. Appendix A, at the end of the book, provides additional information about the unrest.

Consequently the 23 chapters and the epilogue help the reader gain a greater understanding of the people who went on the pilgrimage in Chaucer's tale but also provides a very readable account of the everyday life of ordinary people in fourteen century England. A must read for anyone interested in this period of English history.

Weirdstone of Brisingamen

The Weirdstone of Brisingamen was the first children's book by Alan Garner and was originally published in 1960. Set in Cheshire on Alderley Edge, an area well known to the author, the reader is taken on an adventure into a world inhabited by an array of characters primarily from Welsh, Nordic and Cheshire myths and legends.

The story begins with the 'Legend of Alderley' - the tale of farmer who encountered a wizard who wanted to purchase his horse. While in the wizard's cave the farmer was allowed to take some precious stones in payment for the horse but he also inadvertently removed the Firefrost.

When Susan and Colin stayed on a farm with Gowther and Bess it soon became obvious that strange and possibly dangerous forces were gathering in the area. While the children explored the Edge they encountered Selina Place who tried to entice the children into her car. On another occasion they were chased by the svart-alfar (goblins) until the wizard, Cadellin, rescued them, showed them Fundindelve and told them about the missing Firefrost - the Weirdstone of Brisingamen.

When the stone was stolen Susan and Colin are determined to find it to return to Cadellin. During their often dangerous adventure they encounter dwarves, witches, goblins and elves among the host of magical and mythical characters. The sequel to this story is The Moon of Gomrath.

Buried Treasure: What's in the English Parish Chest

Published by Unlock the Past, Buried Treasure by Paul Milner provides information about records available in some English counties that may provide information not readily available in the major genealogical databases.  

Most parishes in England have records that have been stored, often for cenuries, regarding activities and the lives of people living in the parish. Birth, death and marriage records are normally readily available however other records kept by the Church may also be useful for some family history enquiries.

Records can include Settlement and Removal records relating to people who have become a recipient of assistance from the Poor Laws and Acts of Settlement (usually relating to a person's place of birth); Bastardy records relating to illegitimate births; Apprenticeship records - those apprenticed by consent and those bound out by parish authorities; Vestry Minutes; Churchwarden Accounts and Churchwarden Expenses; Lists of Jurors; Constable Accounts - the constable was responsible for maintaining law and order in the parish; Militia Records; Confirmation Lists; Church restoration list of donors.

The author provides a guide for locating parish chest records as well as a list of 10 things to remember when using parish chest records. There is also a bibliography and index.

The Twelve Jays of Christmas

Christmas is coming with the arrival of Donna Andrews' latest Christmas book, The Twelve Jays of Christmas. As you would expect it is a lot of fun. 

The story begins several days before Christmas and it is snowing. As well as visitors from Meg's extended family Meg and Michael have the 'pleasure' of having a cantankerous artist in residence in the library. His job is to paint pictures of birds for Meg's grandfather's new book and is currently camped at Meg's house having refused to work in the allocated place set up for him at the zoo. Then there are the two wombats in the basement, part of a biofluroscent project being undertaken by Meg's nephew, Kevin, for Meg's grandfather.

Michael and the boys are away for a short holiday involving snow actitities so Meg is kept busy juggling with expected and unexpected problems. Life becomes more complicated when a body is found in the library.

Meg's extended family rally around to help her solve challenges that arise, including the loss of power to the house for some time. Needless to say all problems are resolved in time for everyone to enjoy a festive Christmas.

The Anglo-Saxons: a history of the beginnings of England

When the Romans left Britain around 410, raiders from other parts of Europe took their place. From 449 the Angles and Saxons began to arrive and and many made Britain their home. Over time the people living in many parts of England were later known as the Anglo-Saxons living with and often fighting against the Britons. From 789 the Vikings began their raid on parts of the English coast and settled in some areas. 

At this time, England was divided into different regions and with a new enemy there were many battles to defend land from the newcomers. In 937 Athelstan and his army defeated Vikings and Scottish armies at the Battle of Brunanbruh and he is generally referred to as the first King of a united England. There were many changes of power until the Norman Conquest in 1066. [British History Timeline - Angle-Saxons and Vikings]

In The Anglo-Saxons: a history of the beginnings of England Marc Morris has written a comprehensive account of this turbulent period of British history. The author examines how England became a Christian country plus the recreation of towns, and the establishment of shires and boroughs. We learn about some of the leaders at the time including King Offa, Alfred the Great, Aethelstan and Aetheled the Unready as well as many of the religious leaders and queens. The story can only be told from the available resources and many of the records have been lost.

The book has extensive notes and bibliography plus index as well as many illustrations (colour and black and white) and maps.

The Curlew's Eye

Set on a property south of Darwin in northern Australia, Karen Manton has made the scenery and the weather the major features of  The Curlew's Eye as she tells the story of Joel, Greta and their three sons who have returned to Joel's family property. The plan is to restore old buildings and create a cabin so that the property can be sold and used as tourist accommodation. For the young boys this is an adventure but Greta soon realises that for her husband, not only does returning to the property bring back bad memories but that she knows little of his earlier life.

Coming from southern Australia, Greta has difficulty acclimatising to life in the northern outback, including the extreme weather, the environment, bushfires and being observed by the native curlews. This is complicated further when she tries to discover dynamics between Joel's family members and the real story concerning events in her husband's past. Her experiences on the property also force her to remember and come to accept tragic events in her past. This atmospheric family saga is another welcome addition to Australian fiction.

The Madness of Crowds

Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, first published in 1841 by Charles Mackay, is a collection of essays investigating why groups of people can believe ridiculous and sometimes dangerous things. The book is mentioned several times in the novel as well as providing the novel's title. Considering some of the events and theories expounded in the world recently, much of Mackay's book would appear to remain relevant.

It is winter in Three Pines between Christmas and New Year and Chief Inspector Armand Gamache receives an unusual request to arrange security for a speaker at the local university. He becomes concerned when he realises that the speaker is Professor Abigail Robinson, a statitician who has examined the effects of COVID-19 on the country's economy and has come up with a solution that is not only immoral but threatens to divide the country.

Armand wants to have the lecture cancelled without success and part way through Professor Robinson's talk there is a distraction in the crowd followed by an attempt to murder the speaker. Days later, on New Year's Eve, when the members of the Three Pines community are celebrating, a body is found in the woods. Armand, Jean-Guy Beauvoir and Isabelle Lacoste investigate. 

Investigating this crime proves far from easy especially as more is revealed about the past lives of the most obvious suspects. The detectives are not just solving a crime. To do so, they need to try to understand why people become involved in horrendous deeds then attempt to justify their actions through subsequent good deeds. They also need to explore their own beliefs and feelings and yet  rationally investigate the crimes laid before them. There is also the need to unravel the thin line between free speech and hate speech.

In each new book it is good to meet the members of the Three Pines community once more as they support each other through joyous or difficult times.The books in this series are not just crime novels. They are a study of individuals living and supporting each other in a close community. There are also snippits of poetry, philosopy, art and politics scattered throughout the novel futher providing readers with a three dimensional understanding of the characters. This book is another addition to a great series.

Treasure and Dirt

In Treasure & Dirt Chris Hammer has given us another complex outback thriller set in northern New South Wales near the Queensland border. The setting for the book including the sand and especially the heat, play an important role in this story about the investigation of the death of Jonas McGee, a local miner. Near the outback settlement of Finnegan's Gap the body of the opal miner is found at the bottom of the mine shaft. Not only is he dead but he has been crucified. 

Detective Sergeant Ivan Lucic arrives in the town from Sydney to investigate with the assistance of Detective Constable Nell Buchannan who has travelled to the area from Bourke. Two members of the forensic team also arrive on the plane from Sydney with Ivan Lucic.  However one member of the team remained in Sydney. 

Detective Inspector Morris Montifore has been ordered to remain in Sydney to answer charges brought by Professional Standards following a case that he and Ivan had recently successfully solved. It soon becomes obvious that Ivan may also be under suspicion. Meanwhile there is a case to be solved.

This is not the first crime to have been investigated by Sydney police at Finnegan's Gap. Morris Montifore and another detective had investigated the suspected murder of a young man, associated with a religious sect, fifteen years earlier but were recalled before investigations were concluded.

During their investigations, Ivan and Nell become aware of questionable activities occurring at large mining complexes in the area. It is soon evident that there are many secrets from the past which may affect the investigation. Ivan and Nell meet a range of eccentric characters, some involved in other crimes, but their main concern is solving McGee's murder.

There are many twists and turns as the investigators attempt to unravel what is really happening in the community. Another great Australian crime novel by Chris Hammer.

The Riviera House

Set in France during the Second World War and in 2015, The Riveira House by Natasha Lester introduces the reader to an aspect of the German occupation of France - one that involves the theft of paintings and other works of art from galleries and private collections, especially those owned by Jewish families.

In 1939 we meet Eliane Dufort who initially works at Le Louvre until many of the artworks are removed from Paris to try and keep them out of the hands of the Germans when they invade Paris. She then works with Rose Valland at a smaller gallery used by the Germans to store their stolen loot before sending the items back to Germany. Eliane and Rose work under cover to try and keep a record of the stolen paintings and where they have been sent. It is hoped that after the war the items may be returned to their rightful owners.

Eliane lives with her family who run a brasserie in Paris. When it is known that the Germans will take Paris, Eliane's family leave the city to seek safety in the countryside while Xavier, an artist and her lover, takes his father back to England. Her brother, Luc, is working for the Resistance and is often away.

In 2015 Remy Lang retreats to a home that she has inherited on the French Riviera. Remy runs a vintage fashion business online which she plans to continue to operate as she grieves for the loss of her husband and daughter, killed in a car accident. When she discovers an art catalogue recording French artworks stolen during the Second World War, Remy is surprised to see a picture of a painting that she has at her family home in Sydney.  Helped by Adam, a photographer, she investigates the history of the painting and learns more about her family history.

The Riviera House is a work of historical fiction and romance. It is also a study of grief and learning to create a new life while still remembering good times from the past.

Other books by Natasha Lester based on events in France during the Second World War include The French Photographer, The Paris Seamstress and The Paris Secret.

Although this book is a work of historical fiction, many of the charcters are based on real people including Rose Valland. The author's note at the back of the novel provides interesting information about the writing of the book.

The Mystery of Mrs Christie

In December 1926 the author, Agatha Christie, went missing for eleven days resulting in a large police hunt. Much has been written about the disappearance but the author never discussed it. Amnesia was given as the reason but speculation still exists as to what really happened.

Marie Benedict has written a novel, The Mystery of Mrs Christie, based on the disappearance of Agatha Christie, providing a possible explanation that may, or may not, be true. The story is in two interleaving parts. 'The Manuscript'  purports to cover events between 1912 when Agatha first met Archie Christie and the day of her disappearance in 1926. This document was meant to be opened only if she never returned. The second section of the book describes events that occurred in the eleven days that Agatha was missing including her husband's reaction to his wife's disappearance.

By writing 'The Manuscript' the author introduces the idea of unreliable narrator also used by Agatha Christie in some of her novels. One theme of the book questions the notion, held at the time, that wives were expected to always put their husband's needs above the needs of other family members.

Whatever the reason for Agatha Christie's disappearance it did not harm the sales of her books making her one of the most popular crime novelists at the time.

When the world's most famous mystery writer vanished - New York Times 11 June 2019

Keys to the Kingdom continued

 Sir Thursday is the fourth volume in the Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix. Additional information about the series can be found in these posts.

At the end of the previous book, Drowned Wednesday, Arthur and Leaf had planned to return home to check what was happening in their world until they discovered that a spirit eater had found a way through the door of the House and was impersonating Arthur back home. Leaf volunteered to return to Earth to locate the item belonging to Arthur that the spirit eater was using to feed its power. Meanwhile Arthur and Suzy remained to try and sort out some of the problems occurring in the House. However when Lord Thursday drafted Arthur into the army for one hundred years, life became even more complicated for Arthur.

In the first half of this novel Garth Nix tells the story by alternating chapters explaining what is happening to Leaf, Arthur or Suzy interspersed with an occasional general chapter. In the second part of the book a chronological occunt of events is provided focussing on Arthur and his encounters with Sir Arthur, part four of the Will and the Piper. Another exciting installment in the series.

Lady Friday is the fifth volume in the Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix. 

The story this time starts when Leaf returns home only to discover that her aunt, along with hundreds of other people, has been transferred to a different world by Lady Friday who has enjoys experiencing the memories of people from Earth. Leaf has to return to at least rescue her aunt. 

Meanwhile Arthur is watching what The Piper is doing to avoid further battles. He also needs to rescue Suzie and Fred who, as former Pipers Children, find themselves once again under his power.

Much of the action of the novel occurs in various parts of Lady Friday's Scriptorium and there are many references to old style binding of books and printing methods. Eventually Arthur locates part five of the Will and also locates the Fifth Key. Arthur plans to return home to ensure that his mother is safe, however he knows that he also has other issues to resolve in the House.

The sixth book in the keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix is Superior Saturday.

In this book we meet Superior Saturday who has ordered her denizens and Piper's children to build a tower of cubes so that she can reach the Incomparable Gardens, commanded by Lord Sunday, situated above the tower. Sorcery is her main tool and she has lookouts to ensure that no other sorcery enters her world to threaten her plans. She is also intent on destroying the sections of the house below the Upper House and causing havoc in the other realms.

Meanwhile the sleepers had returned to Earth, guided by Leaf and Arthur. Not long after their arrival Arthur receives a message from his brother alerting him that part of the city is about to be attacked by the army. Arthur places a shield around the hospital but knowing that this is not a permanent solution returns to the Kingdom to finish his quest and save his family. Leaf stays to try and save the sleepers.

Arthur realises that it is too late to worry about turning into a denizen. He understands that he must use his powers to complete his quest to retrieve part six and part seven of the will and the two remaining keys. Arthur and Susy must find a way into the tower unseen and once again receive help from the Raised Rats. Once in the tower Arthur and Susy encounter a world of bureaucracy and sorcery. In each section of the tower the denizens carry umbrellas of different colours indicating their rank. Arthur and Leaf have to avoid the Sorcerous Supernumeraries and especially the Internal Auditors if they are to be successful in their quest. The book ends with a series of cliff hangers which lead the reader into the final volume of the Keys to the Kingdom.

Lord Sunday 

The seventh and final volume of the series, The Keys to the Kingdom, by Garth Nix continues where book six finished. In the previous books Arthur has rescued the first six keys and parts of the Will but the seventh key and final part of the Will remain to be located and it is unlikely that Lord Sunday will give in easily.

Meanwhile Suzy and Leaf are also involved in the battles that are systematically destroying the Lower and Middle houses, trying to save what is left of the House and the Outer Realms, including Arthur and Leaf's home and families back on Earth. Initially they carry out the orders of Dame Primus, with the help of Dr Scamandros and Giac, to open and enlarge elevators to take the troops to the Incomparable Gardens and into Lord Sunday's domain.

As the story draws to a close Arthur continually strives to remember that he is a boy with feelings and compassion and has to resist the urge to destroy his enemies which occasionally surges through him as his power increases.Once he gains part seven of the Will and the seventh key there are still hard decisions to be made.

NB: March 2022

My eleven year old grand-daughter and I have just finished sharing the reading this series which we started at the beginning of 2021. She became totally involved as the story evolved and identified with the characters, particularly Suzy and Leaf as well as Arthur. As we read the books we discussed how the author created different settings in each book, explored new vocabulary, enjoyed the cliff hangers and talked about what might happen next. When we came to sections primarily with dialogue spoken by Susy or Leaf or both of them, my grand-daughter would make sure that she read those sections. As well as all the action and plot twists we enjoyed the humour throughout the books and how characters or events in earlier volumes reappeared as the story progressed. During this time my grand-daughter has developed from someone who read because she had to into an enthusiastic reader. Thank you Garth Nix.

When we were unable to read together in person due to COVID-19 lockdowns or weekends or holidays, we continued the reading via online sessions.

Meanwhile my nine year old grandson (almost ten), who has occasionally listened to his sister reading parts of the books, has now decided that he also wants to read The Keys to the Kingdom series. We began Mister Monday this week.

Fromage

Food and crime are a good combination and both feature in Fromage by Sally Scott. Kerry Greenwood demonstrated this in her Corrina Chapman series set in a bakery in inner Melbourne some years ago. 

In 1993, when Alex Grant was sunbaking on a beach in Croatia she was recognised by a girl that she went to school with many years prviously. During the conversation Alex is invited to a funeral, an unusual way to spend a holiday, and also visits the Puharich family's creamery where fine cheese is made. Returning to Perth, Australia, Alex is invited to visit the family creamery at Margaret River.

Alex is a journalist and enjoys the opportunity of writing food related stories but also the occasional investigative piece. Her boss encourages her to visit Margaret River and write a piece about the business dealings of the elusive Puharich family in this country. Needless to say Alex's investigations reveal more than she bargained for, including danger, when she wants to discover just a little bit more for her story.

Needless to say there is also the opportunity to try interesting food, especially cheese, and Alex makes the most of it. A note on the back cover of the book declares:

Warning: contains nuts, sulphites, gluten, eggs, uggs, platform sneakers and vats of lactose. 

And did I mention that Alex also loves shoes!

Fromage is the first book in the Alex Grant series and is the first novel by Sally Scott. I look forward to the next installment.

Out of Bounds

Grieving after the death of her partner, Chief Inspector Karen Pirie throws herself into her work - solving cold cases.

When Ross Garvie crashes the car he was driving and killing three of his mates, the resulting blood test shows a DNA connection to the main suspect of the unsolved murder of Tina McDonald twenty years previously. 

While Karen is investigating this link she is informed of the suicide or murder of a young man, Gabriel Abbott, on a bench by Loch Leven. This case had nothing to do with her work until it was revealed that Gabriel's mother had died in a small plane crash twenty years previously and the cause of the crash was never completely resolved. Her interest is further spiked when it is revealed that Gabriel had been investigating his family tree. 

Complications arise in resolving both of these cases as arguments about the legality of releasing information about a person's DNA ensure. It is also argued that families may have rights to the privacy regarding possible crimes of family members in the distant past. Karen's argument that a victim's family has a right to closure, knowing how a loved one died, is not shared by all parties.

Interest from senior police in the cases only occurrs when attempts are made on Karen's life by one of the suspects and it is no longer possible to avoid investigating further.

Out of Bounds by Val Mcdermid is the fourth book in the Karen Pirie series and is another dramatic and thought provoking book to read.