Welcome to Mailbox Monday, the weekly meme created by Marcia from The Printed Page where book lovers share the titles they received for review, purchased, or otherwise obtained over the past week. Mailbox Monday currently is on tour, and this month’s host is Lady Q from Let Them Read Books.
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! I sure did! The Girl was excellent in the Christmas pageant, and I had two days filled with good food, good friends, and of course, good books.
I received one book for review:
Small Wars by Sadie Jones, from Harper Perennial for an upcoming blog tour
A major in the British Army, Hal Treherne is a dedicated soldier on the brink of a brilliant career. He is eager to lead his men into combat; his wife, Clara, however, is relieved when they are posted instead to seemingly peaceful sun-kissed Cyprus. But war erupts over unification with Greece, the island is consumed by violence — and Hal discovers that his military training cannot help him navigate the minefields of moral compromise that lie beneath every battle he fights. Clara grows fearful of her increasingly distant husband. When she needs him most, she finds the once tender Hal a changed man — a betrayal that is only part of the shocking personal crisis to come. (publisher’s summary)
And these are the books I received for Christmas:
What We Knew: Terror, Mass Murder, and Everyday Life in Nazi Germany by Eric A. Johnson and Karl-Heinz Reuband, which The Girl picked out for me all by herself
The horrors of the Nazi Regime and the Holocaust still present some of the most disturbing questions in modern history: Why did Hitler’s party appeal to millions of Germans, and how entrenched was anti-Semitism among the population? How could anyone claim, after the war, that the genocide of Europe’s Jews was a secret? Did ordinary non-Jewish Germans live in fear of the Nazi state? In this unprecedented firsthand analysis of daily life as experienced in the Third Reich, What We Knew offers answers to these most important questions. Combining the expertise of Eric A. Johnson, an American historian, and Karl-Heize Reuband, a German sociologist, What We Knew is the most starting oral history yet of everyday life in the Third Reich. (publisher’s summary)
48 Hours of Kristallnacht: Night of Destruction/Dawn of the Holocaust by Mitchell G. Bard, PhD, which The Girl picked out for me all by herself
Prior to Kristallnacht, Jews had little reason to believe that their physical safety was at risk. That all changed one night in 1938.
“The most detailed and thoroughly researched book yet on the events of Kristallnacht.” — Booklist
“One of the seminal events in Hitler’s goal to destroy European Jewry was the ‘Night of Broken Glass’ — Kristallnacht. Mitchell Bard provides a comprehensive and penetrating account that should be read not only as a history of the Holocaust, but also as a lesson for the future.” — Abraham H. Foxman, National Director of the Anti-Defamation League, author of The Deadliest Lies: The Israel Lobby and the Myth of Jewish Control
“Kristallnacht’s new Book of Lamentations. The power of Mitchell Bard’s 48 Hours of Kristallnacht derives from the stark and vivid words of German Jewish children, who in a single day, saw their well-ordered world suddenly destroyed by the Nazis’ brutality and by the apathy and silence of their neighbors and classmates.” — Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Associate Dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center (from the back cover)
Captain Wentworth’s Persuasion by Regina Jeffers, from my husband
Witty, romantic and insightful, this novel retells the love affair at the heart of Jane Austen’s Persuasion from the perspective of the suitor — Captain Wentworth. Written in the language of the era, Captain Wentworth’s Persuasion re-creates the original style, themes and sardonic humor of Jane Austen’s novel while turning the entire tale on its head in a most engaging fashion. Readers hear Captain Wentworth’s side of this tangled story while gazing into his thoughts and emotions.
Wentworth initially suffers rejection and frustration because the titled Elliots do not consider him good enough for their daughter Anne. Despite her feelings for Wentworth, Anne allows others to persuade her to break off their engagement. Eight years later, when Wentworth returns from fighting against Napoleon’s army, the difficult years of war have reversed fortunes. Now it is he who is rich, having won many prizes in battle, while the Elliots are deeply in debt and in danger of losing their good name.
Will Wentworth seek revenge by choosing another woman over his former love? Can he walk away from Anne, or will the memory of her lips and her touch capture his love once again? (publisher’s summary)
None But You (Frederick Wentworth, Captain: Book 1) by Susan Kaye, from my husband
Eight years ago, when he had nothing but his future to offer, Frederick Wentworth fell in love with Anne Elliot, the gentle daughter of a haughty, supercilious baronet. Sir Walter Elliot refused to countenance a marriage, and Anne’s godmother, Lady Russell, strongly advised Anne against him. Persuaded by those nearest to her, Anne had given him up; and he had taken his broken heart to sea.
When Jane Austen’s Persuasion opens in the year 1814, Frederick Wentworth, now a famous and wealthy captain in His Majesty’s Navy, finds himself back in England and, as fate would have it, residing as a guest in Anne’s former home. Now it is the Baronet who is in financial difficulties, and Anne exists only at her family’s beck and call. For eight long years, Frederick had steeled his heart against her. Should he allow Anne into his heart again, or should he look for love with younger, prettier women in the neighbourhood who regard him as a hero? (publisher’s summary)
For You Alone (Frederick Wentworth, Captain: Book 2) by Susan Kaye, from my husband
Captain Frederick Wentworth, lately returned to England from a distinguished naval career fighting Napoleon, had re-visited the scene of his romantic defeat of eight years previous at the hands of Miss Anne Elliot to find his former love a pale, worn shadow of herself. Attracted by the lively young ladies in the area who regarded him as a hero, he had ignored Anne and entangled himself with Louisa Musgrove, a headstrong young woman who seemed all that Anne was not.
Now, because of his careless behaviour and Louisa’s heedlessness, his future appeared tied to her just at that moment when it became painfully clear that Anne was still everything he truly wanted. In honour, he belonged to Louisa, but his heart was full of Anne. What was he to do? (publisher’s summary)
The Oxford Illustrated Jane Austen: Volume VI, Minor Works edited by R.W. Chapman, from Serena and her husband
This collection of all Jane Austen’s minor works printed from her manuscripts, includes three volumes of high-spirited early efforts (written at about fifteen); Lady Susan; the fragments The Watsons (thought to have been a sketch for Emma) and Sanditon, written in the last year of her life; and a number of impromptu comic verses, and three prayers. (from the publisher’s summary)
It by Stephen King, from Serena and her husband (even though she knows I am completely creeped out by clowns, she insists we will read this book together in 2011)
It’s a small city, a place as hauntingly familiar as your own hometown. Only in Derry, the haunting is real. . .
They were just kids when they first stumbled upon the horror. Now they are grown-up men and women who have gone out into the big world to gain success and happiness. But none of them can withstand the force that has drawn them back to Derry to face the nightmare without an end, and the evil without a name. (publisher’s summary)
What books did you add to your shelves recently?
Disclosure: I am an Amazon associate.
© 2010 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.
Aww love the pressies from your husband, Persuasion rocks 🙂
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Yes, it does! 😉
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Looks like you got some wonderful books as gifts. You must have a great family. Enjoy them!
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I do have a great family, though my husband would prefer to buy me something other than books, but he does it anyway because he knows that’s what I like best. 😉
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Ooh, I had no idea about the Wentworth books! Adding them to my wish list 🙂 Good present buying by your hubby!!
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Mary Simonsen actually told me about those books when we were discussing the lack of Persuasion retellings. Can’t wait to read them, and hope you get a chance to as well.
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I think I have seen Small Wars around before. I love the cover! You got some great gifts.
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Thanks! I agree about the cover.
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I hope you’re ready for a 1,000 page book about a clown! LOL Happy reading.
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I hope so, too, though I did say I wanted to read a horror book that was actually scary. Be careful what you wish for, LOL!
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Some lovely books here – the Kristallnacht one specially must be a good read.
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I’m reading the other WWII book from my daughter, but I will read that one after it. It really does look good, and she did a great job picking out books for me!
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Ahhh! IT scares me. Actually I can’t read very many of his books, I’m too chicken.
I’m glad you had a wonderful holiday Anna! Merry Late Christmas and Happy New Year! :O)
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Hope you had a wonderful holiday as well, Dawn!
I’m scared to read It, too, but I’m really looking forward to being scared. I have some pretty high expectations for the book. I’ve read too many horror novels that are billed as scary and are really just cheesy.
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All these look SO good!
Here is my Monday: Mailbox/What Are You Reading? post!
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I think so, too. 😉
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Hope you enjoy all of them 🙂
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Thanks, Veens!
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Nice group of Christmas presents. Although I usually like Stephen King, I haven’t read ‘It’ either… clowns creep me out too.
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I think I’ve only read one other book by Stephen King and it was only okay. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. That’s the only one I remember reading by him. It is supposed to be really scary. Hopefully I can put my fear of clowns aside and pick it up!
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Nice set of books – looks like a good mix of light and heavy reading.
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Thanks, Dar. I think I’ll need some light books for sure after reading It. 😉
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Small Wars sounds great and all of the Wentworth books look good! Thanks for linking up to Mailbox Monday. Happy reading!
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Thanks, Lady Q! I’m excited that I spent my Christmas with Captain Wentworth, my favorite Austen hero. 😉
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Quite the haul there! 🙂
I love that cover for the Sadie Jones book. Will be on the look out for your review.
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It will be posted next month.
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What a great variety of books! I am drawn to WWII and Holocaust fiction and non fiction. I’m looking forward to your reviews.
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I’m drawn to those as well, so much so that my 10-year-old daughter knows to buy them for me!
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Wow, that’s a full mailbox. I hope you enjoy all of your books! I had a pretty awesome mailbox myself.
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Thanks, Teddy! I will have to check out your post. With all the holiday stuff, I am so behind in blog reading!
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What a bunch of great books! My kids wouldn’t buy me books this year; they simply point to my TBR piles and say, “Mom! Really?” LOL! Enjoy them all!
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LOL I hope you managed to enjoy Christmas anyway. 😉
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Small Wars, 48 Hours of Kristallnacht and What We Knew sounds interesting! Haven’t read Stephen King in years. Enjoy!
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I’ve been reading What We Knew off and on since Christmas day. It’s a fascinating book so far. Thanks for stopping by!
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Captain Wentworth! My [2nd] favorite Jane Austen hero! 😉
Looks like you got some amazing books this week! Happy reading!
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Thanks! Mr. Darcy was my favorite until I read Persuasion a few months ago.
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Geesh…I don’t know how I missed your Mailbox post! Sorry- it looks like you got a lot of great reads this past week. Several of them are new to me books. I will be looking forward to hearing about them in the future!
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No worries! I’m so far behind on blog reading. Hopefully it didn’t get buried in old posts that are turning up in Google Reader as I continue my blog improvements.
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i’m sensing a persuasion theme here 🙂 looks like you got some great things for war through the generations, too! 🙂
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Yes, there certainly was a Persuasion theme. I only wish there were more retellings of that novel, but they’re nearly all P&P.
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I got Small Wars for review too and am really looking forward to it!
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I will keep an eye out for your review!
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