Joseph Anderson

Very easy to read, with an inspiring, no-frills writing style, except in the episodes about his opera. I'm guessing that's the point. Only Laurie is invested in himself. David is a total creeper in my book. His thoughts meander between "yep, guys totally think like that," to "really, bro? You're pathetic," to parts about his concerns for his daughter, which helped maintain some investment in him. The episode with the prostitute at the beginning sums up his arc completely.

The daughter's arc was harder for me. I get that there's a metaphor here, but I had trouble going along with it. Also, the author is a PhD and academic, which made the book feel a little self-confessional.

Anyway, if I read anything else by this author it would be to get a better handle on word craft and the delivery of an idea pared down to the bare bones. I have great respect for the author in this regard. As for the overall themes, it's a little too close to the modern obsession with guilt and the self-loathing of imperialists for my taste. Certainly worth reading though, given its standing in the literary world, etc.

This book is packed with fascinating information from a remarkable era in European history. The narrative never lets up, and the story of this Queen of France, or Queen Mother as she was known, is intense. Life was brutal for nobility in the 16th century: murder, plague, and almost constant war between nations. The poisoning, massacres, and never-ending plotting, all in step with Machiavellian scheming, Black Magic, and consultations with Nostradamus, make for a gripping read. The St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre was sheer lunacy.