What I am reading...

I am currently reading The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. I am about 2/3 thru the book. Basically, the book is a another spin on the Dracula legend. The story bounces between the narration of a history student named Paul in the 1950s and his daughter in the 1970s intermixing the history of ancient Byzantine, the Ottoman Empire, and the Soviet dominated East Bloc. Each era left its mark on the homeland of Dracula in what is modern day Romania.



A few weeks ago, I finished reading Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. It was an interesting book. It took a little while to get into it, but the story picked up and help my interest to the end . Basically, the story is about English Magic. The author does a good job inventing an entire history of Englich Magic that makes the reader wonder if they missed something during English history class. The time period is during the reign of King George III and the Regency of the Prince of Wales. This time frame also spans the rise and fall of Napolean in France with the long struggle between England and France in center stage. The interweaving of historical fact with magical fiction keeps the story on track without getting too outlandish. I would recommend it. I might even buy it for my sister Susan for her birthday.

Other books that I am currently reading are:

The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin by H.W. Brands

Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Champion of Freedom by Conrad Black