March 2017 Book Report

Sweeny Todd the String of Pearls (1846-47) by James Malcolm Rymer or Thomas Peckett Prest

The true authorship of this book is in question, which is why there are two writers credited. I saw the Johnny Depp movie of this and really enjoyed it. The actual book is far creepier. Great example of writing of the period. The book story is a bit different. I loved it. I love the whole dark Gothic atmosphere of it. Great read.

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The Stories of John Cheever (1978)

The short stories range from 1947 to 1978. Good writing. Most of the stories were pretty melancholy though. Mr. Cheever was apparently not a happy man. I would hate the life that most of these people lived.

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Everyday Life in Medieval Times (1968) by Marjorie Rowling

I LOVE reading about Medieval times, but this book was a real chore to get through. Non-fiction more on the lines of a textbook. Very dry. It touched on a lot of aspics but very little actual description. As soon as I finished it, I cut out all the pictures and will use the pages for my altered books.

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Knaves’ Wager (1990) by Loretta Chase

Regency romance. The aloof Lord Julian seeks to seduce the lovely widow Lilith to win a wager with a prostitute. Of course she falls in love with him, and as she is about to give herself to him, Julian realizes that he is in love with her and cannot deal so falsely with her. He loses his wager, but gains a wife and everybody is happy.

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My Life in the Wild (1979) by Ivan Tors

Autobiography of the man behind the great TV shows of the 60s: Gentle Ben, Flipper, Daktari. Very interesting life. I watched those shows back in the day. When you saw the name Ivan Tors, you knew you were getting something good.

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Fair Game (1986) by Daisy Vivian

Regency romance. Lady Augusta’s brother squandered the family money and estate before he died. She takes her nieces under her wing and tries to come up with dowry money for the girls so they can make advantageous marriages. She decides to open a gaming salon at one of the fashionable resorts. Since ladies aren’t supposed to be involved with that kind of life, she gets the patronage of an old friend.