How many of these posts can I start with “And we’re back”? Another month, another recent reads. If you follow me on Instagram (and you should), you can check my recent reads highlights for more books that I haven’t posted here yet. I also totally meant to post this the first week of the month, not the last…
Crown of Blood: The Deadly Inheritance of Lady Jane Grey by Nicola Tallis
I snagged this new biography of Jane Grey and rather enjoyed it. It examines her life and how she came to be the “Nine Days Queen.” Nicola Tallis did a good job of making the book informative and comprehensive without it being too dull.
Ballplayer by Chipper Jones
I read Chipper’s memoirs the weekend of his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Reading it feels more like a conversation, so I zipped through it. If you are a Braves fan or a baseball fan, this book is a must read. It covers the life and career of one of baseball’s greatest switch hitters. Chipper also doesn’t shy away from the awkward topics like his affairs and the end of his first marriage. As a huge Chipper and Braves fan, I loved it.
1777: Tipping Point at Saratoga by Dean Snow
I bought this thinking it was a narrative history similar to David McCullough’s 1776. It was not. Instead, 1777 is a solid military history of the campaigns at Saratoga and the eventual grand American victory. I honestly didn’t know that what we now know as Saratoga was actually two separate battles that took place a few weeks apart on the same territory. If you enjoy military history, this will be an enjoyable read for you. I learned a lot from it.
Queen Elizabeth in the Garden: A Story of Love, Rivalry, and Spectacular Gardens by Trea Martyn
I grabbed this on a rare trip to Barnes & Noble where I found a book I didn’t already own. It examines the gardens of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and William Cecil, Lord Burghley, and the roles those gardens played in their rivalry. Dudley, arguably Elizabeth’s greatest favorite and her (possibly) true love, and Cecil, her greatest statesman, developed a professional relationship and rivalry in the close confines of Elizabeth’s court. As with the other Tudor monarchs, Elizabeth spent parts of the year traveling around the country and visiting her other homes and those of her friends and nobility. Dudley and Cecil built increasingly spectacular gardens to wow the queen and outdo each other. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it for people interested in diving deeper into Tudor culture.
To Marry an English Lord: Tales of Wealth and Marriage, Sex and Snobbery by Gail MacColl and Carol McD. Wallace
Fans of Downton Abbey will probably like this book. It’s a history of the “cash for class” phenomenon that took American heiresses across the Atlantic to marry European aristocrats. I honestly really enjoyed this and found myself laughing out loud at the witty writing. The authors also featured in the Smithsonian Channel’s “Million Dollar American Princesses,” so you will see a lot of the same stories (with varying levels of detail) and the same women.
What are you reading now?
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