Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant (2009)
Sarah Dunant has written two other books that take place during the Italian Renaissance ~ The Birth of Venus and In the Company of the Courtesan. I couldn’t put either of those books down. Unfortunately, Sacred Hearts doesn’t live up to the same standard.
Sacred Hearts is set in a Benedictine convent in 16th Century Ferrara, Italy. The novel portrays the very stark life of the nuns confined within the walls of the convent. Many of the nuns living in the convent entered for purely secular or practical reasons. It was not uncommon for large aristocratic families to send their younger daughters to lead a convent live. Families often could not afford a dowry for more than one daughter, and it was too expensive to keep the young, single women at home. Convents provided a convenient career for these young women, whether it was a life they would chose or not.
The novel focuses on two nuns, Suora Zuana, the middle-aged dispensary nun, and Sarafina, the teenaged novice, who pined for her music-teacher lover. Serafina was forced into the convent when she rejected the wealthy suitor selected by her family in favor of the love of her own chosing. Thus, separated from the secular world and her lover, Serafina spends her first few days screaming and crying in her cell until Suora Zuana take her under her wing.
Suora Zuana was herself once an unwilling novice. She understands what Serafina is going through in her transition from the secular world into the religious life. Serafina, however, devises a way to communicate with her lover and plots an escape.
Dunant describes the daily life of the convent. All actions are focused on the good of the convent, thus the women have given up all freedoms and devote their entire loves to the total obedience of the Abbess. Even speaking during the Great Silence is cause for atonement.
Serafina is rebellious. Although she had a great deal of musical talent in the secular world, she refuses to sing once she has entered the convent. Suora Zuana allows here to help out in the infirmary, where she learns about herbs and potions. Will this new knowledge help her to escape her fate?
While the book provided an interesting glimpse of convent life in the 1500s, and while it is clear that a great deal of research went in to building the foundation of this novel, I found the premise of the novel unsatisfying. Sarah Dunant is a wonderful writer, but this book doesn’t live up to the expectations of her previous writings.
Read: May 30, 2010
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Books Set in Africa: Kenya
Nowhere in Africa by Stefanie Zweig (1996, English Translation 2004)
Nowhere in Africa is an autobiographical novel about a Jewish family who left the Nazi regime in 1938 for a Africa. Walter Redlich left first, thinking he could earn money to send for his family. Instead, he found himself on a rural farm, far from the city. His letters to his wife counsel her on what to bring when she and her young daughter set off to join him.
In Germany, Walter had been a respected lawyer. In colonial Kenya, he is the overseer of a farm, working without pay. His wife was a spoiled and pampered woman, who, instead of bring an icebox per her husband's instructions, packs an evening gown and good china. While the new environment is extremely hard on the parents, young Regina finds herself in a wonderland. She quickly makes friends with Owour, the farm's cook, and learns Swahili. Soon, she has lost her grasp of the German language, although her parents struggle with the English of the British who are ruling the country and the Swahili of the indigenous people.
Jews fleeing Nazi Germany found refuge all over the world. Until I read this book, however, I was not aware that Kenya was a safe haven. The ruling British, however, were not always sure how to handle the Jewish refugees. Once Britain entered the war, all Jewish men were rounded up and placed in internment camps. Women and children were gathered and housed in posh hotels in Nairobi. The British did not have any understanding of Jewish customs, and insisted on feeding the women and children lavish meals of shellfish and non-kosher meats prepared by the best cooks in the city. The British could not understand why the food remained untouched. The author's description is told with humor.
Although the English translation/style is a bit difficult to read at times, Nowhere in Africa is a fascinating story that give a difference glimpse of life during the Holocaust.
After the war, Walter was desperate to return to Germany. The author's second autobiographical novel, Somewhere in Germany, continues the family's story after returning to their homeland.
Read: May 26, 2010
Nowhere in Africa is an autobiographical novel about a Jewish family who left the Nazi regime in 1938 for a Africa. Walter Redlich left first, thinking he could earn money to send for his family. Instead, he found himself on a rural farm, far from the city. His letters to his wife counsel her on what to bring when she and her young daughter set off to join him.
In Germany, Walter had been a respected lawyer. In colonial Kenya, he is the overseer of a farm, working without pay. His wife was a spoiled and pampered woman, who, instead of bring an icebox per her husband's instructions, packs an evening gown and good china. While the new environment is extremely hard on the parents, young Regina finds herself in a wonderland. She quickly makes friends with Owour, the farm's cook, and learns Swahili. Soon, she has lost her grasp of the German language, although her parents struggle with the English of the British who are ruling the country and the Swahili of the indigenous people.
Jews fleeing Nazi Germany found refuge all over the world. Until I read this book, however, I was not aware that Kenya was a safe haven. The ruling British, however, were not always sure how to handle the Jewish refugees. Once Britain entered the war, all Jewish men were rounded up and placed in internment camps. Women and children were gathered and housed in posh hotels in Nairobi. The British did not have any understanding of Jewish customs, and insisted on feeding the women and children lavish meals of shellfish and non-kosher meats prepared by the best cooks in the city. The British could not understand why the food remained untouched. The author's description is told with humor.
Although the English translation/style is a bit difficult to read at times, Nowhere in Africa is a fascinating story that give a difference glimpse of life during the Holocaust.
After the war, Walter was desperate to return to Germany. The author's second autobiographical novel, Somewhere in Germany, continues the family's story after returning to their homeland.
Read: May 26, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Books Set in the United States: Alabama
All Over but the Shoutin', by Rick Bragg (1997)
All Over But the Shoutin’ is ostensibly about the author’s mother, but it is really a love song to her.
Margaret Bundrum fell hard for the handsome young Charles Bragg and ran off and married him. His experience as a soldier in Korea, however, left him a broken and tortured man. By the time Rick Bragg was born, his father was well on his way to being a mean-spirited and hard-core alcoholic. Mercifully, Bragg spares us the abuse his mother endured from her absent husband. It is clear that this abuse affected the author all throughout his adult life. It has also colored his ability to form long-term relationships with women (although in his 40s, he found the love of his life, married and became a step-father to her son.)
Margaret Bragg struggled to protect her three sons from her husband’s abuse. When the author was about six years old, his father left the family permanently. Still, he remained a huge presence throughout the household. Charles spent what ever money he had on himself, leaving his wife and children with nothing. Margaret was forced to rely in the charity of family to raise her sons. She worked in the cotton fields to earn a few dollars to clothe and feed her young family. She often went without food so that her sons could eat.
Born in the back woods of Alabama, Rick seemed destine for a life echoing that of his father. On impulse, he signed up for a journalism class at a nearby college. Although he could only afford to take one class at a time, this made him a “collage man” and opened the door to a new life. He was offered a job as a sports writer for a local paper. Although the pay wasn’t much, he found his passion. This lead to jobs at other small, local papers through out the south, before landing a plum position at the New York Times.
Bragg had to write this book to save himself. He uses this book to explain to himself and his mother how her sacrifice saved him from becoming his father. Bragg never really knew his father. His brief time with the family was not pleasant. Charles Bragg died when the author was 16. Shortly before his father’s death, Bragg visited him. Bragg acknowledges that, although he felt no grief when his father died, is was grateful for allowing this visit to bring some closure so he doesn’t hate his father. (Bragg has subsequently come to terms with his father in a later book entitled Prince of Frogtown.)
As a reporter, Bragg found himself in some hairy situations, such as the Miami riots and the Haitian revolution. He couldn’t tell his mother about these situations, however, because he didn’t want to worry her. She had enough to worry about with her youngest son, Mark. Mark was the wild son who found himself on the wrong side of the law.
Bragg is incredibly proud of his mother, and rightfully so. When he won a Pulitzer Prize, he wanted his mother to attend the award event. She was apprehensive about going because she didn’t want to be seen before all “rich folks.” Fortunately, she overcame her fears and was able to take her first plane trip and enjoy the spotlight with her son.
Bragg’s proudest moment was when he was able to purchase for his mother a house of her own.
Interestingly, Bragg earns his keep through writing, yet I found that in this book, he used many grammatical phrases that are pure South. My favorite line in this book was: “Sometimes in this world, you don’t get the whole dog. Now and then, you have to settle for the tail.” Rick Bragg didn’t settle for the tail.
Read: May 15, 2010
All Over But the Shoutin’ is ostensibly about the author’s mother, but it is really a love song to her.
Margaret Bundrum fell hard for the handsome young Charles Bragg and ran off and married him. His experience as a soldier in Korea, however, left him a broken and tortured man. By the time Rick Bragg was born, his father was well on his way to being a mean-spirited and hard-core alcoholic. Mercifully, Bragg spares us the abuse his mother endured from her absent husband. It is clear that this abuse affected the author all throughout his adult life. It has also colored his ability to form long-term relationships with women (although in his 40s, he found the love of his life, married and became a step-father to her son.)
Margaret Bragg struggled to protect her three sons from her husband’s abuse. When the author was about six years old, his father left the family permanently. Still, he remained a huge presence throughout the household. Charles spent what ever money he had on himself, leaving his wife and children with nothing. Margaret was forced to rely in the charity of family to raise her sons. She worked in the cotton fields to earn a few dollars to clothe and feed her young family. She often went without food so that her sons could eat.
Born in the back woods of Alabama, Rick seemed destine for a life echoing that of his father. On impulse, he signed up for a journalism class at a nearby college. Although he could only afford to take one class at a time, this made him a “collage man” and opened the door to a new life. He was offered a job as a sports writer for a local paper. Although the pay wasn’t much, he found his passion. This lead to jobs at other small, local papers through out the south, before landing a plum position at the New York Times.
Bragg had to write this book to save himself. He uses this book to explain to himself and his mother how her sacrifice saved him from becoming his father. Bragg never really knew his father. His brief time with the family was not pleasant. Charles Bragg died when the author was 16. Shortly before his father’s death, Bragg visited him. Bragg acknowledges that, although he felt no grief when his father died, is was grateful for allowing this visit to bring some closure so he doesn’t hate his father. (Bragg has subsequently come to terms with his father in a later book entitled Prince of Frogtown.)
As a reporter, Bragg found himself in some hairy situations, such as the Miami riots and the Haitian revolution. He couldn’t tell his mother about these situations, however, because he didn’t want to worry her. She had enough to worry about with her youngest son, Mark. Mark was the wild son who found himself on the wrong side of the law.
Bragg is incredibly proud of his mother, and rightfully so. When he won a Pulitzer Prize, he wanted his mother to attend the award event. She was apprehensive about going because she didn’t want to be seen before all “rich folks.” Fortunately, she overcame her fears and was able to take her first plane trip and enjoy the spotlight with her son.
Bragg’s proudest moment was when he was able to purchase for his mother a house of her own.
Interestingly, Bragg earns his keep through writing, yet I found that in this book, he used many grammatical phrases that are pure South. My favorite line in this book was: “Sometimes in this world, you don’t get the whole dog. Now and then, you have to settle for the tail.” Rick Bragg didn’t settle for the tail.
Read: May 15, 2010
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