It was in a letter of 1897, about his cousin James Ross Clemens, that Mark Twain famously noted that "the report of my death was an exaggeration." He...
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In a hospital in New Delhi, forgotten in a small storage room, lies an unclaimed sea chest, locked and untouched, for more than one hundred years old. The sea chest once belonged to a woman named Margaret, one of the first female American doctors. In 1965 another American doctor named Sharif is given the task of searching for Doctor Margaret’s descendents who are believed to be living in Grimsby, Ontario, Canada, and return the trunk to them. But things are never simple, and when the contents of the trunk are revealed, Sharif finds himself embroiled in mystery and intrigue that will propel him into the annals of history. From Russia to India, from Canada to America, from the Charge of the Light Brigade to the Underground railroad, this novel takes the reader on a most unforgettable journey into several sensitive times and places in history.
In this richly researched novel, Waheed Rabbani seamlessly weaves unrelated tidbits of history into one compelling novel. Through the words in Doctor Margaret’s diary, we get a glimpse into a time in America where slavery prevailed and to face inexplicable danger was the only escape. Rabbani knows how to write with detail, painting vivid pictures of items, places, and characters. For anyone interested in these eras of history, then this novel will certainly bring it to life with great vividness.
Dr. Margaret’s Sea Chest is the first book in a trilogy about India’s struggle for freedom – Azadi from the Raj.
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(2 of 3 readers found this comment helpful)
In 18th century Holland, after the tulip trade boom, the Dutch people turn their interests and their hearts to artists such as Rembrandt and Franz Halls. Hendrick Visser is a student of art under Franz Hall. The sale of his paintings would earn him a comfortable living were it not for his compulsive gambling and incessant drinking. His vices continually force his family into a hand-to-mouth existence and always on the edge of devastation and financial ruin. Despite his failings, his wife Anna, and three daughters Francesca, Aletta, and Sybylla, love him and help him through his scrapes. When Hendrick’s wife dies in childbirth, his three daughters become even more vulnerable to their father’s vice-driven whims and desperate acts.
Francesca, Hendrick’s eldest daughter is a talented artist and she has been assigned to study with Johannes Vermeer, a master artist from Delft. Francesca falls in love with Pieter van Doorne, a tulip merchant. Meanwhile, Hendrick looses heavily at gambling. Desperate to pay off his gambling debts, he secretly enters into an arrangement and ransoms Francesca off to unscrupulous man named Ludolf van Deventer who has become obsessed with her, even to the point of committing murder. Not only is Francesca terrified of the man, but she is also repulsed by him.
Aletta is fearful of leaving her future in the hands of her father so she begins to paint, selling her work secretly to a lower class of society. When Hendrick discovers her sub-standard clandestine ventures into the art world, he destroys her paintings and banishes her from his home and his life.
Sybylla seeks escape through marriage into a rich family and is highly materialistic.
The Golden Tulip is a tale about the three sisters and their struggles to overcome the turmoil in their lives caused not only by societal mores and values, but by addiction. Rosalind Laker sweeps her reader into 18th century Holland, successfully bringing to life wonderful vividness and authenticity. She knows well the customs, history, and world of artists during that time. As always, her novels have wonderful three dimensional characters and extraordinary plot twists. Rosalind Laker’s novels never ever disappoint and always make for fascinating reads.
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(3 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
Jeanne Dremont lives in the shadow of the palace of Versailles. As she lays giving birth to her daughter, a group of drunken young noblemen make their way into her home and witness the birth of her daughter, Marguerite. One picks up the baby and promises to return to her one day. Jeanne believes this is pure destiny. She is certain that Marguerite will one day belong to him. When Marguerite comes of age, the young nobleman returns and Jeanne arranges for her to become his mistress. But the country is plagued by religious turmoil and he is forced to flee the country without Marguerite. Marguerite soon meets and marries Laurent, an architect to the King. She bears him a daughter named Jasmin.
Laurent loves Jasmin, his only child, and there is nothing that he can deny her. Raised in the proximity to the palace, Jasmin ultimately meets the new young King of France. A mutual friendship develops between them. Their closeness comes to the attention of the Deputy Ruler. He forces her to marry a dishonored courtier named Sabatin. e two are banished from court and from Versaille to a secluded country home.
Sabatin is a dark, morose, angry man who blames Jasmin. He is a cruel man who treats her badly and rapes her regularly. Even worse, he keeps her in seclusion, forbiddng any contact between Jasmin and her parents. Years pass and in desperation, Marguerite and Laurent send a painter to her home in the country. Love soon blossoms. The painter cannot stay forever, and he soon must part. Unbeknownst to him, Jasmin is pregnant. Fearful for the life of the baby she carries, she keeps the pregnancy secret from Sabatin. When Jasmin gives birth to a daughter, she sends the child to a a family who lives in the country a comfortable distance away.
Violette grows into a beautiful young woman, angry at Jasmin for depriving her of a more prominent life. Sabatin dies and Jasmin rushes to reclaim her daughter, but Violette has run away from home. Jasmin seeks her daughter, but never finds her. Years thereafter, Jasmin’s banishment is lifted and she is permitted to return to Versaille once more where she finally reunites with her lost daughter, now a woman grown.
Violette has not led an easy life. After a trail of abuse, she became mistress to the king and bore him a child. The King arranged for her to marry an Austrian nobleman, but her new husband refused to accept her baby who she has named Rose. As a last resort, Violette seeks out her mother to hand the child over to her to raise.
Under the loving care of her grandmother, Rose lives a contented life. At the tender age of sixteen, she is commanded to become lady-in-waiting to the new queen, Marie Antoinette. She learns that it was her late father who arranged this for her. When she learns the secret of her true parentage, she blames her grandmother.
Four generations of women live and dance in the shadow of the palace of Versailles. It is an intricately told tale starting with the creation and splendors of the French court and culminating with the turbulence of the French Revolution. The novel is a testament to historical detail and a tribute to the brilliance of author, Rosalind Laker.
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(0 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
The cruelty and aftermath of Monmouth's rebellion left havoc in the wake of many a noble's life and family. For Helena Woulfe, the daughter of a wealthy Exeter nobleman, the complete destruction of her previous privileged life became her reality.
Shunned by society because of her rebel father and brother after the bloody defeat in the battle of Sedgemoor, Helena leaves behind her destitute family. Somewhere amid the devastation is her father and brother and she is determined to find them and bring them home.
But while she is away, misfortune once again strikes her family. Soldiers enter her home to arrest her traitor father. When he cannot be located, they tear the family home apart and confiscate it on behalf of the crown. During the ransacking, her mother loses her life. Helena and her younger brother, Henry, flees to the safety of a family who are willing to give them shelter, but as danger draws ever closer, Helena and Henry depart for London where it is easier to hide among the large crowds. Labeled as a traitor's daughter, Helena does her best to restore her life, but her family's reputation continues to haunt her as King James wants revenge on all who opposed him.
Through all the death and destruction of her life, Helena finally meets Guy, a young man who offers her love and security and hope to restore her respectability.
Anita Davison has skillfully brought to life the realities of this brutal time in England's history. Well researched, the novel evokes strong emotion pertaining to the rebellion and the state of the country afterwards. I enjoyed the perseverance and strength of the characters, especially that of Helena. A tremendous novel that accurately depicts the era.
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(0 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
One of the most horrific times in England's history began in 1685. They people dubbed this era "Duking Days" because it all began when Charles II's illegitimate protestant son, the Duke of Monmouth, and 81 of his men sailed into Lyme Regis harbour accompanied to wrest the British crown from his uncle, James II. The Duke of Monmouth managed to gather 6000 to help him fight for his cause. Poorly armed and badly disciplined the rebels seized Somerset. The rebels declared Monmouth 'King' in Taunton market place.
During the battle of Sedgemoor, Monmouth's army failed. The King Charles' men captured Monmouth cowering in a ditch and brought him to trial. The King executed Monmouth for leading the rebellion. Even so, the bloodshed continued. The King executed hundreds of rebels and transported hundreds more to the West Indies to toil on the sugar plantations.
The brutality and blood-spattered aftermath of the battle of Sedgemoor continues to haunt England to this very day. Stories of ghosts abound to this very day. This cruel period compelled author Anita Davidson to pen a novel about a family who struggled to survive during these desperate times.
In Duking Days Revolution, the sequel to Duking Days Rebellion, Helena Woulfe Palmer settles into a new life. Her husband, Guy Palmer, a London Goldsmith Banker, flourishes in business. Trapped in an unhappy marriage, Guy and Helena allow their weaknesses for others turn into unwise liaisons.
Helena's father, Sir Jonathan Woulfe, Helena's father is still missing, his fate unknown.
Her elder brother, Aaron, continues to plot against the Catholic James II. Helena is grows ever fearful for Aaron and longs for him to come home again. Her wish is soon fulfilled. Helena is reunited with Aaron, who not only becomes a member of the new royal court, but also strives to regain their family estates lost during the rebellion.
Her younger brother, Henry enjoys a quiet life as an apprentice to an architect, but suffers greatly when he falls in love with his employer’s daughter, Mary Ann Newman. Mary also loves Henry, but she must enter into an arranged marriage to someone else.
Dark secrets, mystery, and turmoil continue to plague the siblings as they each strive in their own way to carve a new life from the destruction of the revolution. The novel culminates with a poignant ending that leaves the reader both contented and crying out for more.
Anita Davidson has captured the tumultuous period with spirit, accuracy, and brilliant writing. Her characters each struggle to find their own way, with plenty of dark secrets and danger to curse their path. Impeccable research and detail mark this novel as a "must read" for everyone who is interested in this era and who wants to experience how the politics of the time affected individual citizens and forever altered so many innocent and not so innocent lives.
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(0 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
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Doctor Margaret's Sea Chest by Waheed Rabbani
queenmirella, March 18, 2009
In a hospital in New Delhi, forgotten in a small storage room, lies an unclaimed sea chest, locked and untouched, for more than one hundred years old. The sea chest once belonged to a woman named Margaret, one of the first female American doctors. In 1965 another American doctor named Sharif is given the task of searching for Doctor Margaret’s descendents who are believed to be living in Grimsby, Ontario, Canada, and return the trunk to them. But things are never simple, and when the contents of the trunk are revealed, Sharif finds himself embroiled in mystery and intrigue that will propel him into the annals of history. From Russia to India, from Canada to America, from the Charge of the Light Brigade to the Underground railroad, this novel takes the reader on a most unforgettable journey into several sensitive times and places in history.In this richly researched novel, Waheed Rabbani seamlessly weaves unrelated tidbits of history into one compelling novel. Through the words in Doctor Margaret’s diary, we get a glimpse into a time in America where slavery prevailed and to face inexplicable danger was the only escape. Rabbani knows how to write with detail, painting vivid pictures of items, places, and characters. For anyone interested in these eras of history, then this novel will certainly bring it to life with great vividness.
Dr. Margaret’s Sea Chest is the first book in a trilogy about India’s struggle for freedom – Azadi from the Raj.
(2 of 3 readers found this comment helpful)
The Golden Tulip by Rosalind Laker
queenmirella, September 4, 2008
In 18th century Holland, after the tulip trade boom, the Dutch people turn their interests and their hearts to artists such as Rembrandt and Franz Halls. Hendrick Visser is a student of art under Franz Hall. The sale of his paintings would earn him a comfortable living were it not for his compulsive gambling and incessant drinking. His vices continually force his family into a hand-to-mouth existence and always on the edge of devastation and financial ruin. Despite his failings, his wife Anna, and three daughters Francesca, Aletta, and Sybylla, love him and help him through his scrapes. When Hendrick’s wife dies in childbirth, his three daughters become even more vulnerable to their father’s vice-driven whims and desperate acts.Francesca, Hendrick’s eldest daughter is a talented artist and she has been assigned to study with Johannes Vermeer, a master artist from Delft. Francesca falls in love with Pieter van Doorne, a tulip merchant. Meanwhile, Hendrick looses heavily at gambling. Desperate to pay off his gambling debts, he secretly enters into an arrangement and ransoms Francesca off to unscrupulous man named Ludolf van Deventer who has become obsessed with her, even to the point of committing murder. Not only is Francesca terrified of the man, but she is also repulsed by him.
Aletta is fearful of leaving her future in the hands of her father so she begins to paint, selling her work secretly to a lower class of society. When Hendrick discovers her sub-standard clandestine ventures into the art world, he destroys her paintings and banishes her from his home and his life.
Sybylla seeks escape through marriage into a rich family and is highly materialistic.
The Golden Tulip is a tale about the three sisters and their struggles to overcome the turmoil in their lives caused not only by societal mores and values, but by addiction. Rosalind Laker sweeps her reader into 18th century Holland, successfully bringing to life wonderful vividness and authenticity. She knows well the customs, history, and world of artists during that time. As always, her novels have wonderful three dimensional characters and extraordinary plot twists. Rosalind Laker’s novels never ever disappoint and always make for fascinating reads.
(3 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
To Dance with Kings by Rosalind Laker
queenmirella, August 11, 2008
Jeanne Dremont lives in the shadow of the palace of Versailles. As she lays giving birth to her daughter, a group of drunken young noblemen make their way into her home and witness the birth of her daughter, Marguerite. One picks up the baby and promises to return to her one day. Jeanne believes this is pure destiny. She is certain that Marguerite will one day belong to him. When Marguerite comes of age, the young nobleman returns and Jeanne arranges for her to become his mistress. But the country is plagued by religious turmoil and he is forced to flee the country without Marguerite. Marguerite soon meets and marries Laurent, an architect to the King. She bears him a daughter named Jasmin.Laurent loves Jasmin, his only child, and there is nothing that he can deny her. Raised in the proximity to the palace, Jasmin ultimately meets the new young King of France. A mutual friendship develops between them. Their closeness comes to the attention of the Deputy Ruler. He forces her to marry a dishonored courtier named Sabatin. e two are banished from court and from Versaille to a secluded country home.
Sabatin is a dark, morose, angry man who blames Jasmin. He is a cruel man who treats her badly and rapes her regularly. Even worse, he keeps her in seclusion, forbiddng any contact between Jasmin and her parents. Years pass and in desperation, Marguerite and Laurent send a painter to her home in the country. Love soon blossoms. The painter cannot stay forever, and he soon must part. Unbeknownst to him, Jasmin is pregnant. Fearful for the life of the baby she carries, she keeps the pregnancy secret from Sabatin. When Jasmin gives birth to a daughter, she sends the child to a a family who lives in the country a comfortable distance away.
Violette grows into a beautiful young woman, angry at Jasmin for depriving her of a more prominent life. Sabatin dies and Jasmin rushes to reclaim her daughter, but Violette has run away from home. Jasmin seeks her daughter, but never finds her. Years thereafter, Jasmin’s banishment is lifted and she is permitted to return to Versaille once more where she finally reunites with her lost daughter, now a woman grown.
Violette has not led an easy life. After a trail of abuse, she became mistress to the king and bore him a child. The King arranged for her to marry an Austrian nobleman, but her new husband refused to accept her baby who she has named Rose. As a last resort, Violette seeks out her mother to hand the child over to her to raise.
Under the loving care of her grandmother, Rose lives a contented life. At the tender age of sixteen, she is commanded to become lady-in-waiting to the new queen, Marie Antoinette. She learns that it was her late father who arranged this for her. When she learns the secret of her true parentage, she blames her grandmother.
Four generations of women live and dance in the shadow of the palace of Versailles. It is an intricately told tale starting with the creation and splendors of the French court and culminating with the turbulence of the French Revolution. The novel is a testament to historical detail and a tribute to the brilliance of author, Rosalind Laker.
(0 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
Duking Days Rebellion
queenmirella, August 9, 2008
Duking Days Rebellion by Anita DavisonThe cruelty and aftermath of Monmouth's rebellion left havoc in the wake of many a noble's life and family. For Helena Woulfe, the daughter of a wealthy Exeter nobleman, the complete destruction of her previous privileged life became her reality.
Shunned by society because of her rebel father and brother after the bloody defeat in the battle of Sedgemoor, Helena leaves behind her destitute family. Somewhere amid the devastation is her father and brother and she is determined to find them and bring them home.
But while she is away, misfortune once again strikes her family. Soldiers enter her home to arrest her traitor father. When he cannot be located, they tear the family home apart and confiscate it on behalf of the crown. During the ransacking, her mother loses her life. Helena and her younger brother, Henry, flees to the safety of a family who are willing to give them shelter, but as danger draws ever closer, Helena and Henry depart for London where it is easier to hide among the large crowds. Labeled as a traitor's daughter, Helena does her best to restore her life, but her family's reputation continues to haunt her as King James wants revenge on all who opposed him.
Through all the death and destruction of her life, Helena finally meets Guy, a young man who offers her love and security and hope to restore her respectability.
Anita Davison has skillfully brought to life the realities of this brutal time in England's history. Well researched, the novel evokes strong emotion pertaining to the rebellion and the state of the country afterwards. I enjoyed the perseverance and strength of the characters, especially that of Helena. A tremendous novel that accurately depicts the era.
(0 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
Duking Days Revolution
queenmirella, August 9, 2008
Duking Days Revolution by Anita DavisonOne of the most horrific times in England's history began in 1685. They people dubbed this era "Duking Days" because it all began when Charles II's illegitimate protestant son, the Duke of Monmouth, and 81 of his men sailed into Lyme Regis harbour accompanied to wrest the British crown from his uncle, James II. The Duke of Monmouth managed to gather 6000 to help him fight for his cause. Poorly armed and badly disciplined the rebels seized Somerset. The rebels declared Monmouth 'King' in Taunton market place.
During the battle of Sedgemoor, Monmouth's army failed. The King Charles' men captured Monmouth cowering in a ditch and brought him to trial. The King executed Monmouth for leading the rebellion. Even so, the bloodshed continued. The King executed hundreds of rebels and transported hundreds more to the West Indies to toil on the sugar plantations.
The brutality and blood-spattered aftermath of the battle of Sedgemoor continues to haunt England to this very day. Stories of ghosts abound to this very day. This cruel period compelled author Anita Davidson to pen a novel about a family who struggled to survive during these desperate times.
In Duking Days Revolution, the sequel to Duking Days Rebellion, Helena Woulfe Palmer settles into a new life. Her husband, Guy Palmer, a London Goldsmith Banker, flourishes in business. Trapped in an unhappy marriage, Guy and Helena allow their weaknesses for others turn into unwise liaisons.
Helena's father, Sir Jonathan Woulfe, Helena's father is still missing, his fate unknown.
Her elder brother, Aaron, continues to plot against the Catholic James II. Helena is grows ever fearful for Aaron and longs for him to come home again. Her wish is soon fulfilled. Helena is reunited with Aaron, who not only becomes a member of the new royal court, but also strives to regain their family estates lost during the rebellion.
Her younger brother, Henry enjoys a quiet life as an apprentice to an architect, but suffers greatly when he falls in love with his employer’s daughter, Mary Ann Newman. Mary also loves Henry, but she must enter into an arranged marriage to someone else.
Dark secrets, mystery, and turmoil continue to plague the siblings as they each strive in their own way to carve a new life from the destruction of the revolution. The novel culminates with a poignant ending that leaves the reader both contented and crying out for more.
Anita Davidson has captured the tumultuous period with spirit, accuracy, and brilliant writing. Her characters each struggle to find their own way, with plenty of dark secrets and danger to curse their path. Impeccable research and detail mark this novel as a "must read" for everyone who is interested in this era and who wants to experience how the politics of the time affected individual citizens and forever altered so many innocent and not so innocent lives.
(0 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
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