Tag: Non Fiction

Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson (The Bloggess)

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson (The Bloggess)

Be still my heart….finally someone who understands, finds humor in, and can articulate life’s little f-ed up moments that happen to us all…..well to some of us more than others!

The Bloggess is known for her sardonic quick wit and dark situational humor. She compiled a list of  “Things Most People Have Never Experiences of Could Have Ever Possibly Imagined, But That Totally Happened to Me” and woven these special little stories together creating a brilliant and hilarious novel.

This is a difficult novel to review, mostly because it is the kind of book you just have to read to understand how truly awesome this book is. It is truly a diamond in the rough.

Continue reading “Review: Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson (The Bloggess)” →

Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Gen Lit, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff

by The Lib Bitch6 Comments on Review: Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff

For each of us the name Cleopatra conjures up many vivid images… sensuality, seduction, beauty, the exotic, wealth, excess, Elizabeth Taylor.

While the legend of Cleopatra is prevalent, what has been buried over time is this incredible woman’s real tale. What we know of her today comes to us through the writings of pissy old dead guys.

In her book Cleopatra: A Life, Stacy Schiff attempts to sift through these accounts, many of which are brimming with Roman propaganda, to reveal a woman even more impressive than her modern day persona. I like to think of her as the O.B., the Original Bitch.

Cleopatra became Queen of Egypt at the age of 18, which meant she oversaw an entire nation’s people, economy, military, and foreign relations… yeah no big. As if that weren’t impressive enough, let’s take a look at some of the things she accomplished in her less than 4o years on Earth: Continue reading “Review: Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff” →

Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Gen Lit, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: The Journal of Countess Francoise Krasinska by Klementyna Tanska Hoffman

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: The Journal of Countess Francoise Krasinska by Klementyna Tanska Hoffman

Charming towering spires, castles, and palaces litter Poland in the 18th century which makes it the perfect backdrop for a fairytale romance. In The Journal of Countess Francoise Krasinska by Klementyna Tanska Hoffman we explore the true life fairytale romance of Francoise Krasinska and the Prince Royal, Charles Duke of Courland (Poland/Lithuanian region).

Klementyna Tanska Hoffman pens this historic account of the Countess Francoise courtship and hasty marriage to the Duke. Though it is a second-hand account of the events, they are historically accurate and offer a unique insight into the royal court during the Georgian era.

I am not familiar with Eastern European history….at all, so I was a little weary about reading this book when my friends over at Onesuch Press suggested I read it. However I knew it was a short read (about 120 pages) and since I love courtly history, I felt that by reading this, I might have the perfect excuse to build my historic base, and I was right!

I love reading primary sources and first hand accounts, especially of courtly life. I was surprised to see not much has changed in the world since 1759 (which is where the Journal opens). Girls still write in their diaries about boys they like, and they still hope upon hope that, that boy is looking at them….then the wish comes true! He returns said maidens affections and marries her, living happily ever after…..or so the story goes. Though that is not the case for the Countess. Continue reading “Review: The Journal of Countess Francoise Krasinska by Klementyna Tanska Hoffman” →

Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Gen Lit, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: A Magnificent Obsession: Victoria, Albert, and the Death That Changed the British Monarchy by Helen Rappaport

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: A Magnificent Obsession: Victoria, Albert, and the Death That Changed the British Monarchy by Helen Rappaport

The romance between Prince Albert and Queen Victoria is legendary–a love that bordered on obsession. Helen Rappaport’s latest non-fiction book, A Magnificent Obsession: Victoria, Albert, and the Death That Changed the British Monarchy explores how a fairy tale romance turned into a dark melancholy that altered the course of the British monarchy.

I won an ARC of this book through Goodreads. Non-fiction is normally not my review genre….non-fiction is more The Lib Bitch’s area than mine :). But I love Queen Victoria and was thrilled when I won the giveaway.

I haven’t read a lot of books on Queen Victoria but I know the love story like I know any classic fairy tale. I love all things Victorian era and went to the Albert and Victoria exhibit in London a couple of summers ago….and I love the movie The Young Victoria also! So needless to say I was really excited to read this book. Continue reading “Review: A Magnificent Obsession: Victoria, Albert, and the Death That Changed the British Monarchy by Helen Rappaport” →

Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Gen Lit, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford

by The Lib Bitch1 Comment on Review: The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford

What is a “weekend” you ask?… Like you I’m having Downton Abbey withdrawls, so I turned to Nancy Mitford to give me a fix.

Nancy was one of the famous Mitford sisters, members of an aristocratic and eccentric English family who became quite famous for their exploits.

There is a very interesting biography about them that I plan to tackle at some point by Mary S. Lovell called The Sisters: The Saga of the Mitford Family. Nancy Mitford bases many of her fictional characters and stories off of her infamous family.

The book I picked up is called The Pursuit of Love (for all of you cover whores out there it is worth reading for the cover alone). I had read a few reviews about the book before reading it myself, and everyone commented on how funny it was. My hopes were high. It wasn’t what I was expecting, however this short book really grew on me. Continue reading “Review: The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford” →