We fell under the leadership of those who would compromise with truth in the past in order to make peace in the present and guide policy in the future. —W. E. B. Du Bois, Black Reconstruction in America It is strange…that the friends of truth and the promoters of freedom have not risen up against […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/online/2023/06/17/the-long-war-on-black-studies/
Google is effectively one large index, at least according to Fara Dabhoiwala, who reviews a history of the index in the June 22, 2023, issue. And like the Internet, he writes, the development of this research tool inspired a great deal of anxiety “that flighty, superficial modes of accessing information were supplanting ‘proper’ habits of […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/online/2023/06/17/subjects-and-concords-fara-dabhoiwala/
Sophia Rose is here with another novel in the Lady Darby Mystery series. A Fatal Illusion by Anna Lee Huber shares an attack at a family reunion. Grab a cuppa and see what Sophia loved about this story.
A Fatal Illusion
by Anna Lee Huber
Series: Lady Darby Mysteries #11
Genres: Mystery
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Rating: 
New parents Lady Kiera Darby and Sebastian Gage look forward to introducing Sebastian’s father to his granddaughter, but instead find themselves investigating an attempt on his life…
Yorkshire, England. August 1832. Relations between Sebastian Gage and his father have never been easy, especially since the discovery that Lord Gage has been concealing the existence of an illegitimate son. But when Lord Gage is nearly fatally attacked on a journey to Scotland, Sebastian and Kiera race to his side. Given the tumult over the recent passage of the Reform Bill and the Anatomy Act, in which Lord Gage played a part, Sebastian wonders if the attack could be politically motivated.
But something suspicious is afoot in the sleepy village where Lord Gage is being cared for. The townspeople treat Sebastian and Kiera with hostility when it becomes clear they intend to investigate, and rumors of mysterious disappearances and highway robberies plague the area. Lord Gage’s survival is far from assured, and Sebastian and Kiera must scramble to make the pieces fit before a second attempt at murder is more successful than the first.
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The anticipation of a fragile family reunion is disrupted when Sebastian’s father and his servants are attacked on the Great North Road. Sebastian, Kiera, and Lord Henry rush to his side during his medical crisis and to solve the mystery of why Lord Gage was targeted.
A Fatal Illusion is the eleventh of the Lady Darby early Victorian historical mystery series. While each presents a standalone mystery, the books build on what came before as far as relationship development.
In A Fatal Illusion, highwaymen attack Lord Gage’s coach at a rugged remote location and deliberately attack him while he was cooperating. Sebastian and Kiera know there is more to this than robbery. There is a local Robin Hood-like gang operating, but this is something more ominous. The local constable is willing to help them investigate, but they are up against a community who support the highway gang because they rob the rich and distribute to the poor. Even the doctor’s household where they stay seems to have secrets.
Besides the mystery, Sebastian, Kiera, and Henry face the struggle of trying to maintain the fragile connection and possibly build something more with Sebastian’s irascible father who ignores Henry and belittles Sebastian while trying to get a rise out of Kiera. Kiera has hope that the family situation can change when she sees the way her father in law responds to his granddaughter.
I’ve always loved how this series delivers a suspenseful and twisting mystery with a good atmospheric setting while digging deep into the character development and the relationships between the characters. This one focuses strongly on the background of Lord Gage. Why he is the way he is and why someone is trying to kill him is at the heart of the story. He is not an easy man and has hurt Sebastian and his half-brother Henry deeply, but I was impressed how, along with his family, I was able to understand him better.
The action moments mixed with a few good twists kept me flying through the pages. I liked knowing which mysteries in the story were significant to the case, but I was glad to have all the answers by the end. As usual, the historical backdrop is well-seated in actual history and lore that enhanced an excellent story.
Those who love historical mystery really need to give this series a go.
Amazon | Audible
Anna Lee Huber is the Daphne award-winning author of the national bestselling Lady Darby Mysteries, the Verity Kent Mysteries, the Gothic Myths series, and the forthcoming anthology The Deadly Hours. She is a summa cum laude graduate of Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, where she majored in music and minored in psychology. She currently resides in Indiana with her family and is hard at work on her next novel
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Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.
Source
Original source: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2023/06/a-fatal-illusion-by-anna-lee-huber.html
A Literary Smorgasbord: Memoir, Fiction, and Poetry is a collection of writing covering a broad range of styles and, and memories. What were some ideas that were important for you to share in the book?
However difficult the circumstances are in one’s life, if one continues to set goals and strive to achieve them, one will reach them in one way or another. One cannot plan exactly how things will turn out, but perseverance will get you some way towards the goal. Try and be happy and content with that.
What is the one thing that people point out after reading your book that surprises you?
How good my command of the English language is for someone whose mother tongue is not English. Although my parents did not speak a word of English, I was sent to boarding school at the age of seven. In the then British colony, Ceylon, English was the official language.
What is the one thing you hope readers will take away from your book?
There is no ‘one thing’ as far as I am concerned. Enjoy its literary merit in the variety of forms presented.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/06/17/enjoy-its-literary-merit/
Introducing readers to the charismatic and formidable bull named Cristobal, Cristobal Bull sweeps them into a tale of resilience and self-exploration. Despite his unrivaled strength and popularity within the rodeo circuit, Cristobal yearns for something more, delving into a personal odyssey to uncover true happiness. He travels across captivating destinations worldwide and discovers that external beauty and grandeur fail to satisfy his longing. However, a serendipitous encounter beneath the radiant glow of Lucille Luna alters his course forever.
Cristobal Bull is a captivating and empowering children’s book that takes readers on an enchanting voyage of self-discovery, accentuating the significance of unwavering determination and the quest for genuine identity. Through the captivating narrative of Cristobal Bull, readers are reminded of the indispensable role of pursuing our dreams, ultimately guiding us toward a profound sense of joy and fulfillment.
In a society frequently beset by obstacles and setbacks, this literary gem serves as an illuminating beacon of hope, inspiring readers to forge ahead, make courageous choices, and unveil their authentic selves. Cristobal emerges as an inspiring protagonist with an endearing charm. I admired his courageous pursuit of happiness, even when seemingly possessing everything one could desire.
The vivid illustrations adorning the pages of this book effortlessly engage young readers, captivating their attention from start to finish. What truly sets this story apart is its ability to instill essential values such as courage, honesty, friendship, self-awareness, confidence, and love in the impressionable minds of its audience. The conclusion, featuring Cristobal immortalized as Taurus in the celestial tapestry, beautifully encapsulates the story’s resolution, leaving readers with a heartwarming sense of fulfillment and contentment.
Cristobal Bull by Chris Corbett seamlessly weaves together themes of resilience, self-discovery, and the pursuit of dreams. Its timeless relevance to the contemporary world is unmistakable, offering invaluable lessons that resonate with readers of all ages. With its masterful storytelling and profound message, this book will undoubtedly leave an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of its readers.
Pages: 42 | ASIN: B0C1VQVNNG
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/06/17/cristobal-bull/
Ruan Lingyu: Her Life and Career is a detailed biography of the life on and off the screen of one of China’s most important silent movie actresses. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I’ve been fascinated by Ruan Lingyu since 2018, when I saw her in Wu Yonggang’s 1934 masterpiece The Goddess. I was awestruck by her beauty and incredible talent (she was one of those people who made great acting look easy), and was saddened to learn that she’d died, at the age of twenty-four, by her own hand. Caught in one of those moments where moviegoers briefly forget celebrities themselves are only human, I wondered why someone who seemingly had everything—fame, success, etc.—was so unhappy with her life that she chose to end it. So I started researching her and continued to do so over the next few years.
Initially, I had no plans of writing a book, my only desire being to learn more about Ruan and her films. Of course, I used my research in articles on this woman who’d captivated me, but nothing grand-scale. That is until autumn 2021, when I determined it’d be wasteful to continue holding onto my larger findings; a book also seemed a great way to utilize the extra time I had in the midst of the covid-19 pandemic.
How much research did you undertake for this book and how much time did it take to put it all together?
I had three years of research under my belt when I decided to do the book, and continued educating myself as I wrote over nine months. In addition to studying Ruan Lingyu’s life, I read up on Chinese film history and the history of China in the early twentieth-century. It was important to have an understanding of all three of these things, as they not only ran concurrently but often influenced one another. (Very often, Chinese film content of this time was tailored to—or against—major sociopolitical events and movements.) To gain this knowledge, I collected more than forty books (in English, Chinese, and French—huge thanks to my translators Zhang Le and François Coulombe) as well as a plethora of journals, newspaper articles, etc. I also benefited greatly from the efforts of Christopher Rea, professor of Chinese at the University of British Columbia, and his Modern Chinese Cultural Studies project, which includes a YouTube channel of the same name; he and his team have posted several Ruan Lingyu movies with new and complete English subtitles!
Did you find anything in your research of this story that surprised you?
Because of the handful of her films known to survive, Ruan Lingyu is perceived as a cinematic embodiment of suffering—someone victimized by war, sexism, and social prejudice. Even when she wants to push back—as in 1935’s New Woman—she proves weak and helpless. As I discovered in researching her lost movies, however, there were several instances where Ruan played against this image. There’s a lost picture directed by Bu Wancang called Three Modern Women (1932), which cast her as a take-charge, strong-willed heroine. I also learned of cases where she played outright villainesses—someone who inflicted suffering upon others. I wish someone somewhere would find prints of these pictures—so we can see her play against type. And maybe they will. After all, Love and Duty (1931) was believed lost until a copy was unearthed in Uruguay in 1994; it’s since been beautifully restored and released on Blu-ray in China. So maybe there’s hope for Three Modern Women, White Cloud Pagoda (1928), Spring Dream in the Old Capital (1930), etc.
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from Ruan Lingyu: Her Life and Career?
Part of Ruan Lingyu’s legacy stems from the fact that she died so young—it was, after all, this tragic fact that pushed me to research her so intensely. But in addition to contextualizing what pushed her to self-destruction, I hope my book demonstrates she was more than a famous person who committed suicide. This was an actress of exceptional talent, revered by her colleagues, whose career offers vivid glimpses into what China was like at the time. Early Chinese film history may not be as famous as what’s been produced in Hong Kong, but it’s a fascinating cinematic landscape—and Ruan Lingyu was one of its key figures.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
Patrick Galvan’s biography on Ruan Lingyu tells the story of a daughter born to poor Cantonese parents and her rise to stardom during China’s tumultuous early twentieth-century history. As her personal tale unfolds, major events shape her nation as well as the Shanghai film industry. The book also charts the making of Ruan’s thirty films—including the twenty-one believed to be lost—and the circumstances that pushed her to end her life at the age of 24.
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/06/17/a-cinematic-embodiment-of-suffering/
The Buried King follows an exiled princess who, with the help of her brother and good friend, tries to reclaim their kingdom and save it from a tyrant. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I didn’t really have an inspiration. I was bored one day and remembered books I’ve read at such as the GRACELING series. I decided I wanted to give it a shot and write my own fantasy collection.
How long did it take you to imagine, draft, and write the world your characters live in?
It took me about ten months to create The Buried King. I was inspired to start it while in a psychiatric unit.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I wanted to explore subjects such as the strength of friendship like we see Iin Ash’s loyalty.
Will this novel be the start of a series or are you working on a different story?
The Buried King is part of a series! I am currently working on the sequel now with the tentative title being “The Shadow Dancer.”
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Twitter
Join her on her quest to find Ash and rally her supporters to reclaim the thrown to its proper heir. Follow as she encounters both treachery, deceit, and betrayal in people Elika once trusted and counted on in her royal life; while also learning and growing as she encounters loyalty, faithfulness, bravery and a strength in herself and others she never dreamed existed. This is a story of Elika’ journey encountering heartbreak, grief, betrayal, and yes even death. Along the way learning courage and integrity, honor and humility, and most of all experiencing the life style and true strength in her people… It is an amazing story that draws you in as if you are actually there experiencing every moment right beside Elika.
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/06/17/write-my-own-fantasy/
Kahnilla the Dragon: A Tale of Darkness and Light follows an enigmatic dragon who, while searching for her kin, meets an extraordinary human. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
There was a dragon in my backyard. Really. Here’s a picture of her (she’s about 5 ft long):
Anyway, She gave me the idea to write about a smart dragon who knows what’s what (she knows, for example, not to dig in my garden).
And she cheered me up after I had seen yet another a race riot on the news. I wanted to address hate. But I wanted to do it with a light-hearted approach.
What was the inspiration for the relationship that develops between the characters of Kahnilla and Rory?
Rory needed a real shake-up. I thought, he’s so stiff-minded, the only way this might happen would be via a fantastical event. Maybe this is what many people need. Kahnilla wanted a friend, even though humanity had done so much damage to her kind.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Why people hate, and why they shouldn’t.
The need to think things through.
The need to be aware of users and abusers.
The need for respect —for self, others, and the natural world.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
A novel dealing with assumptions about ancient writings. I hope to publish it near the end of 2023, or early 2024
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | Facebook | Twitter
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/06/17/i-wanted-to-address-hate/