Serg finished reading Anne of the island by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Anne of the island by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Continues the adventures of Anne Shirley and her friends at college.
My usual fare in reading is fantasy and science-fiction, with an occasional foray into historical fiction or biographies.
I recently finished re-reading Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar novels. I also enjoy Jasper Fforde's surrealist humor. And I somehow bored my way through the first book of "The Realmgate Wars".. not bothering with the rest of that series.
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Success! Serg has read 21 of 12 books.
Continues the adventures of Anne Shirley and her friends at college.
Continues the adventures of Anne Shirley and her friends at college.
Continues the adventures of Anne Shirley and her friends at college.
When twelve-year-old Anne Shirley came to Avonlea, she quickly won everyone’s heart. Now, she’s five years older, almost a woman, …
Maomao must help keep Consort Gyokuyou safe during her pregnancy. An imperial consort being with child is supposed to be …
Dismissed from the rear palace, Maomao returns to service in the outer court—as the personal serving woman to none other …
When twelve-year-old Anne Shirley came to Avonlea, she quickly won everyone’s heart. Now, she’s five years older, almost a woman, …
When twelve-year-old Anne Shirley came to Avonlea, she quickly won everyone’s heart. Now, she’s five years older, almost a woman, …
In the East is a land ruled by an emperor, whose consorts and serving women live in a sprawling complex …
"Between two rivers" describes a number of artifacts from ancient Mesopotamia, from the viewpoint of the author. She describes how, as a student, she became fascinated with these civilizations that left us the oldest written records. She then takes us to Ennigaldi-Nanna's museum: an archeological site that, as the name suggests, is likely to have been a museum in the distant past. Artifacts from very different periods were found there, including lists (in clay) describing them. From here, several of these artifacts are discussed, each in their own chapter.
The chapters are lightened up by the author's personal story, focusing on how she relates to the ancient Mesopotamians. For example, she observes how even back then mothers sang lullabies to their babies like she did for her own children. Thus she shows us how the clay tablets and ancient ruins become a window into a once vibrant society. But the …
"Between two rivers" describes a number of artifacts from ancient Mesopotamia, from the viewpoint of the author. She describes how, as a student, she became fascinated with these civilizations that left us the oldest written records. She then takes us to Ennigaldi-Nanna's museum: an archeological site that, as the name suggests, is likely to have been a museum in the distant past. Artifacts from very different periods were found there, including lists (in clay) describing them. From here, several of these artifacts are discussed, each in their own chapter.
The chapters are lightened up by the author's personal story, focusing on how she relates to the ancient Mesopotamians. For example, she observes how even back then mothers sang lullabies to their babies like she did for her own children. Thus she shows us how the clay tablets and ancient ruins become a window into a once vibrant society. But the relation to ancient history seems forced in at least one place. When she describes a set of anatomically correct drawings, she observes that one among them did not have reproductive parts; she then concludes that this represented a nonbinary person. This conclusion seems drawn from preciously little evidence; surely the drawing could also represent a eunuch? Such hastened conclusions make one wonder if other interpretations are informed by 21st century ideals.
Although the artifacts themselves are clearly described, the bigger picture isn't always clear. There is a timeline but it is somewhat hidden at the back of the book; what's also missing is a map. It is clearly a popular-scientific publication with the emphasis on popular.
All in all, it is a pleasant read but it was not the introductory text I had hoped for.
A fresh and fascinating new history of ancient Mesopotamia and the birth of history.
Thousands of years ago, in a …
In the East is a land ruled by an emperor, whose consorts and serving women live in a sprawling complex …