Missive #401 Published 2 December 2024

I read this book as a substitute for Golden Gate Country that is the sixth in the American Folkways series which I think was written especially for the series since the author was more of a novelist versus a non fiction writer. If you read The Californians for its history it is not a bad book; somewhat historical fiction mixed with what I think was some autobiography. I have included below the book promo for Golden Gate Country which describes what was in the book that I could not find to borrow.

Missive #398 Published 28 November 2024

This was the third book that Dos Passos wrote that is included as #8 in the Mainstream of America Series with all of them being easy reading history. I read his first book in the series which was #5 then read #18 in the series not knowing it was part of it. I like his non fiction much more than his novels.

Missive #397 Published 27 November 2024

Adams was an early pioneer of the post-holocaust novel. His Horseclans novels are precursors to many of today's attempts at this type of story, many of which do not exhibit his painstakingly detailed world view or extraordinary plot follow-through (many of his Horseclans books are so interlinked that they make sense only when read in order; he did not create many "stand alone" books in the series).

Hallmarks of Adams' style include a focus on violent, non-stop action, meticulous detail in matters historical and military, strong description, and digressions expounding on various subjects from a conservative and libertarian.

Missive #396 Published 26 November 2024

It is the autumn of 1367. Master Hugh is enjoying the peaceful life of Bampton, when a badly beaten man is found under the porch of St. Andrew's Chapel. The dying man is a chapman — a traveling merchant. Before he is buried in the chapel grounds an ancient, corroded coin is found in the man's mouth. Master Hugh's quest for the chapman's assailants, and his search for the origin of the coin, makes steady progress – but there are men of wealth and power who wish to halt his search, and an old nemesis, Sir Simon Trillowe, is in league with them.

Missive #395 Published 25 November 2024

Sharpe’s first story as an officer takes him to the daunting fort of Gawilghur. This is also the last of his Indian adventures. Sir Arthur Wellesley (the future Duke of Wellington) was never at his shining best when he had to lay siege to great fortresses…

Missive #392 Published 20 November 2024

The book seemed to have been written to some formula. The plot was barely discernible and the characters appeared to be pale imitations of what they might once have been. I felt it was a sketchy novel, trying to link historical facts with rather weak links. Well-written but not exciting. — Customer review