I wound up skipping an August edition of Recent Reads because I spent most of the month finishing one book. After I slugged through that, I’ve picked up the reading pace a bit. Here’s what I’ve been reading.
Good Wives, Nasty Wenches, and Anxious Patriarchs – Kathleen Brown
This is another women’s history work and examines gender roles in early colonial Virginia. Exciting stuff, I know. It didn’t present tons of new information since I’ve read a decent number of books about the same topic. But it was better written and organized. Most books about colonial women look at rich white women, poor white women, slaves, and Native Americans. I liked the flow of this book more than those.
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West – Dee Brown
Dee Brown wrote a Native American version of the settling of the Old West, and it can be hard to read. This book does not have a happy ending. But it’s a very important book to read. I first started this book back in 2010 or 2011 and couldn’t read more than a chapter at a time. Reading what the United States government thought was acceptable is pretty terrible.
The Help – Kathryn Sockett
I bought this after the movie version came out, ohh, about seven years ago. If you’ve seen the movie, you’ll be pretty familiar with the plot. Overall, I enjoyed it, and it was a quick read.
The Lost Tudor Princess: The Life of Lady Margaret Douglas – Alison Weir
One of Alison Weir’s most recent books examines the life of Lady Margaret Douglas, daughter, sister, niece, mother, and grandmother to kings and queens of Scotland, England, and France. Hers was a fascinating if not entirely trouble-free life. If you’re a fan of the Tudor era, be sure to read this biography of a major Tudor player.
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