Book Bargains - April 2016

Some interesting finds from April 2016:

• John Marsden: Volumes 2 & 3 in his series beginning with "Tomorrow When the War Began"
• Jeremy Potter's "A Trail of Blood" - a "princes in the tower" mystery
• Peter Hyams' "Capricorn One" - love a great conspiracy theory
• Laurie Devine's "Crescent" - tale of four girls living in Palestine between 1958 - 1982
• Diane Haeger's "The Ruby Ring" - story of the artist Raphael and his muse
• Catherine Junks' "Inquisitor" - tale of murder, lust & betrayal in 1300s

The Most Successful Literary Hoaxes in History

The Most Successful Literary Hoaxes in History — Barnes & Noble Reads

Whether or not you enjoy a good hoax depends on your perspective; put simply, if you’re the victim, you probably won’t be amused. But, as they say, time heals all wounds, and a truly worthy hoax can be appreciated for its genius once enough time has passed. Here are eight literary hoaxes that were so successful, you simply have to admire them.

Blog post by Jeffrey Somers

Mysterious 'Man in the Iron Mask' Revealed, 350 Years Later

Mysterious 'Man in the Iron Mask' Revealed, 350 Years Later

A 350-year-old French mystery has been unmasked: In his new book, Paul Sonnino, a professor of history at the University of California, Santa Barbara, claims he has uncovered the real identity of the mysterious Man in the Iron Mask.

In "The Search for the Man in the Iron Mask: A Historical Detective Story" (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016), Sonnino leads the reader through historical records, correspondence regarding the prisoner and other aspects of his investigation.

See also History: Who Was The Man In The Iron Mask

See also: Goodreads: The Search For The Man In The Iron Mask

The last Hindu ruler of Kashmir inspires new novel

The last Hindu ruler of Kashmir inspires new novel

The brave Kota Rani played a critical role at a historic inflection point in Kashmir's turbulent history and the tale of this last Hindu ruler of medieval Kashmir inspires a new novel.

"The Last Queen of Kashmir", set in 14th-century Kashmir, by Rakesh K Kaul is a sweeping saga of a civilisation in peril and also the story of one of the greatest queens of the land.

The beautiful and regal Kota had once known love and dreamt of happiness but that was before the murder of her father and before she became Rani.

As invaders and immigrants disturb the tranquility of her land, Kota looks for a way to protect her people but at some personal cost. She weathers the political intrigues and power-play of the court and succeeds in preserving the splendour and diversity of her society.

See Also: Deccan Chronicle Review

In Search of the Irish Dreamtime: Archaeology and Early Irish Literature

In Search of the Irish Dreamtime: Archaeology and Early Irish Literature

JP Mallory describes this book as a companion to his The Origins of the Irish, from 2013, in which he sketched the emergence in the early medieval period of a people who were recognisably Irish. In that book he briefly examined the legendary history of Ireland as written down in early-medieval times by clerical scholars who prized the vernacular traditions of poetry, myth and legend and gave them an honoured place side by side with the Latin learning of the church.

Review by Michael Ryan in The Irish Times

7 Books That Will (Probably) Never Be Printed Again

7 Books That Will (Probably) Never Be Printed Again | Mental Floss

In an age where readers can get their book fix via downloads or overnight shipping, it can be easy to overlook the fact that not everything is available on demand. Thousands of titles remain off-limits in both digital and analog form for a variety of reasons—some controversial, others due to the author's wishes. Take a look at seven titles you’re unlikely to find on shelves anytime soon.

Jane Tylus Lectures on Secrets of Siena

The Wesleyan Argus | Jane Tylus Lectures on Secrets of Siena, Promoting Her New Book

Last Thursday, April 21, the Department of Romance Languages and Literature invited Jane Tylus, a visiting professor in the Italian department at Yale, to talk about her newly published book, “Siena, City of Secrets.”

“[Her work is] an exemplary hybrid between academic text, intellectual memoir, and travelogue,” said Assistant Professor of Italian, and Medieval Studies Francesco Marco Aresu.

Over the course of two hours, Tylus introduced and described the various obstacles that she encountered in the writing of her book. Tylus shared her personal relationship with the medieval town and through the help of a slideshow took those in attendance on a virtual tour of Siena. Although she described the physical characteristics of the city at length, she seemed even more amazed by the culture and hospitable nature of its residents.

'Passion of Dolssa'

'Passion of Dolssa' explores the lives of medieval religious people | News OK

Author Julie Berry's  most recent young adult novel, "The Passion of Dolssa" , was released April 12. The book is set in the 1200s and describes the lives of a group of people in France during the Catholic Crusades.

Dolssa, the protagonist and novel's namesake, is introduced early in the book and is immediately established as a spiritual woman who would go to any lengths to know God better. A friar has labeled her as a heretic, so Dolssa must run for her life. A tavern-keeper and matchmaker named Botille finds Dolssa on the brink of death, takes her in, nurses her back to health and discovers that Dolssa has healing powers. But it becomes clear that neither Dolssa nor Botille is safe from the wrath of the friar and the church.

11 Books Inspired by Shakespeare

11 Books Inspired by Shakespeare

It’s been 400 years since William Shakespeare shuffled off his mortal coil on April 23, 1616. To honor the Bard of Avon, we’ve compiled a list of some of the greatest novels influenced by his vast endowment of words. From comedy to tragedy, family foibles to mistaken identity, and every facet of love from the bitter to the sweet, perhaps no one else in the past four centuries has left such a compelling and malleable legacy for writers, and readers, to sink their teeth into ---> HuffPost Books. 

See also: William Shakespeare's Origins