The Book Blog

Over the last couple of weeks, I have developed a new special interest of sorts in the Franklin Expedition, a failed British Naval mission whose goal was to find the Northwest Passage over Canada to the Pacific Ocean. Over the middle 1840s, this expedition, undertaken by the crews of the ships Erebus and Terror, left England and traveled part of the way through the seemingly uninhabitable Arctic sea and landscape of northern Canada (“seemingly” because there were and are, of course, people indigenous to this region), and subsequently was never heard from again.

In the decades following the disappearance of the Erebus and Terror crews, and in fact over the last nearly two centuries since then, rescue teams, and later explorers and researchers, discovered that all 129 men on both ships perished within about three years of their departure.

Through interviews with local Indigenous people, as well as historical, anthropological, archaeological, and forensic research of the sites where remnants of the expedition have been found, it has been concluded that many of the men died of lead poisoning, scurvy, infection, and starvation, as well as generally being ill-equipped to survive the extreme cold of the Arctic. There is also substantial evidence that at least some of the men on this expedition resorted to cannibalism, though whether victims were killed or died of natural causes is difficult to determine.

I first learned about the Franklin Expedition through the AMC limited series The Terror, which was recommended to me by a friend. I greatly enjoyed the series, and when I learned that it was based on a book, I went searching for that as well, and discovered that it was written by a favorite author of one of the faculty members who regularly attends Book Club on the Palatka Campus.

Dan Simmons’ The Terror is a fictionalized take on the Franklin Expedition, pitting the crews of the two ships against not only the cold, poor rations, and each other, but also a large, polar bear-like monster called Tuunbaq, whose purpose is to protect the Native people of the region where Erebus and Terror find themselves stranded. I’m only about halfway through the more than 700-page book, but so far it is a thrilling and fascinating story which perfectly melds horror and history.

In my further reading about the Franklin Expedition, I learned of another novel which presents the life story of a fictionalized Captain Sir John Franklin from his early career through his demise at the age of 59 on his final expedition through the Arctic. I have not yet read this book, but for those interested, this is The Discovery of Slowness by Sten Nadolny, available to read for free on the Internet Archive.

Fans of Margaret Atwood—author of The Handmaid’s Tale, Alias Grace, and numerous other books, short stories, and poems—might be interested in her short story “The Age of Lead,” which tells the story of a woman named Jane (named after the wife of Captain Franklin, commander of the Franklin Expedition) and her relationship with a man named Vincent, whose memory she is burdened with yet refuses to let go of. This story is told through a series of flashbacks remembered by Jane about Vincent as she watches a documentary about the Franklin Expedition alone in her apartment. This story may also be read on the Internet Archive, in Atwood’s book of short stories titled Wilderness Tips.

Another fictionalized telling of the Franklin Expedition story which I’m interested in reading later this year is The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley. The Ministry of Time is about a woman who travels back in time to 1847 and falls in love with Lieutenant Graham Gore, a senior officer on the Franklin Expedition, who died in late 1847 or early 1848. Bradley’s book comes out on May 7, 2024, and I’ve already pre-ordered it for its Amazon summary alone, which describes it as “[a] time travel romance, a spy thriller, a workplace comedy, and an ingenious exploration of the nature of power and the potential for love to change it all.” (Though, this description of the book’s protagonist is also great: “an unmarried woman who regularly shows her calves, surrounded by outlandish concepts such as ‘washing machines,’ ‘Spotify,’ and ‘the collapse of the British Empire’… ‘[but] with an appetite for discovery, [and] a seven-a-day cigarette habit”). This book apparently has everything, and even if it’s a complete trainwreck (or shipwreck?), it sounds like it will be a wild ride!

If you’re interested in learning more about the Franklin Expedition from a more fact-based angle, the SJRSC Library and the Internet Archive have a number of nonfiction titles on the topic, as well as on other polar expeditions. Two leading titles, which I am currently reading and would recommend are Owen Beattie’s Frozen in Time: The Fate of the Franklin Expedition (available on the Internet Archive), and David C. Woodman’s Strangers Among Us (available through the SJRSC Library, linked below).

The Terror by Dan Simmons

ISBN: 9780316017459

Publication Date: 2007-12-10

The "masterfully chilling" novel that inspired the hit AMC series (Entertainment Weekly).  The men on board the HMS Terror -- part of the 1845 Franklin Expedition, the first steam-powered vessels ever to search for the legendary Northwest Passage -- are entering a second summer in the Arctic Circle without a thaw, stranded in a nightmarish landscape of encroaching ice and darkness. Endlessly cold, they struggle to survive with poisonous rations, a dwindling coal supply, and ships buckling in the grip of crushing ice. But their real enemy is even more terrifying. There is something out there in the frigid darkness: an unseen predator stalking their ship, a monstrous terror clawing to get in. "The best and most unusual historical novel I have read in years." --Katherine A. Powers, Boston Globe

 

Strangers among Us by David C. Woodman

ISBN: 0773513485

Publication Date: 1995-09-07

In 1868 American explorer Charles Francis Hall interviewed several Inuit hunters who spoke of strangers travelling through their land. Hall immediately jumped to the conclusion that the hunters were talking about survivors of the Franklin expedition and set off for the Melville Peninsula, the location of many of the sightings, to collect further stories and evidence to support his supposition. His theory, however, was roundly dismissed by historians of his day, who concluded that the Inuit had been referring to other white explorers, despite significant discrepancies between the Inuit evidence and the records of other expeditions. In Strangers Among Us Woodman re-examines the Inuit tales in light of modern scholarship and concludes that Hall's initial conclusions are supported by Inuit remembrances, remembrances that do not correlate with other expeditions but are consistent with Franklin's.

To get some kind of winter weather this past holiday season, my husband and I took what I’m calling a “Christmas Spirit” road trip. We hit some well-known holiday hot spots such as Helen, Georgia, and The Biltmore House near Ashville, North Carolina. I’m happy to report that I got my fill of holiday cheer AND got a brief snow flurry in Ashville!

Since we were already on the road, I suggested a quick pit stop in Atlanta to visit the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library. Having never visited one before, I was excited to take the opportunity to visit one that wasn’t too far out of our way. I wouldn’t say that I’m specifically interested in presidential history or even in Jimmy Carter himself, but it seemed like a good opportunity to learn more about him and presidential libraries in general.

A common misconception about Presidential Libraries is that they are much like the libraries we all have visited before. These “libraries” are much more like museums- which is fun- but potentially disappointing to those who may have envisioned a cool collection of a president’s favorite books. When visiting a presidential library, you’ll have the opportunity to learn more about that president’s personal and professional life through archives, exhibits, and special programs.

I learned many things about Jimmy Carter that I previously didn’t know. I was impressed to learn about his human rights work before, during, and after his presidency. Since my visit was around the holidays, I was able to see the temporary Christmas at the White House exhibit. I never thought I’d get to see actual Christmas decorations used to decorate a presidential tree!

Surprisingly, the thing that stood out the most to me during my visit had nothing to do with Jimmy Carter. During Jimmy's presidency, Rosalynn Carter, the first lady, fought for improved access to mental and emotional healthcare in the United States. Her work continued throughout her life, well after the Carter Presidency ended, through The Carter Center (located on the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library grounds).

One exhibit highlighted the book Lincoln’s Melancholy written by Joshua Shenk. Mr. Shenk was the 1998-1999 Rosalynn Carter Fellow for Mental Health Journalism. This fellowship allowed him to research Abraham Lincoln’s documented struggles with mental health and how they shaped his presidency. I was previously unaware of President Lincoln’s struggles with mental health and was fascinated to learn more. I immediately made a note to track down a copy of the book!

Upon completing the book, I can say it was very well-researched. Joshua Shenk did his best to make a very heavy topic as enjoyable to read as possible, but it is in no way a leisurely read. While Lincoln’s depression is the book's overall topic, you learn a lot about his entire life, including his presidency. You can see how Lincoln’s mental health shaped his professional life. Additionally, this book breaks through the common misconceptions of Mr. Lincoln and paints him more realistically. For example, he is well known for disagreeing with slavery from a political and policy standpoint, but you do learn that he was far from anti-racist. I was also shocked to learn about his tumultuous love life and his occasional contempt towards his “high-spirited” wife.

I encourage you to take the opportunity to visit a presidential library if you have the chance. You never know what you might learn!

So, I finally read Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. You might be thinking to yourself, that book has been out for a while. Yes, yes it has. It came out in April with the second book, Iron Flame, right behind it in May. Then why did I wait so long to read it? Good question! I waited because I was tired of overhyped “new adult” books that were too grown up to be considered YA and to childish to fully fit into the “adult” category. I wanted to wait to see if, after the initial hype, there would be a chorus of naysayers who started to share that the book wasn’t actually as good as it was supposed to be. So, I waited. By Christmas break, when I never heard anyone say anything bad about this book, I decided the wait was over. And I can honestly say that I’m slightly mad at myself that I waited so long to read it. Because it. Was. So. Good!

If you have never heard of this book, or just don’t remember what it’s about, here is the synopsis found on Goodreads:

“Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.
But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.
With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.
She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.
Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.
Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.”

So now that you know why I hesitated, let me tell you three reasons why I’m mad at myself for waiting so long to read this book. First, this book is action packed. There were no slow world building descriptions that took chapter upon chapter to cover. While the reader learns about the world that is Navarre, it is while the action is taking place. Second, the characters are fantastic. The main character Violet, was a well thought out, overcoming her obstacles based on her own personal strengths, tough as nails, girl. There is nothing more aggravating to me than reading a book with a female protagonist who is supposed to be tough and whip smart and read her make stupid mistake after stupid mistake in order to move the plot along with the male protagonist. Which brings me to Xaden Riorson. Just like my annoyance with flimsy female protagonists, I also cannot stand male characters who are so obviously toxic toward their female counterpart that I want to physically reach inside the book and shake the poor girl. Now, despite the obvious negative points for the ridiculous and very “YA” name, he was a fantastic character. He was smart and cunning without being cruel and pompous about is own abilities. He was just secretive enough to hold some mystery for the reader, and the other characters, and transparent enough that you rooted for him once his secrets had been told. Outside of these two main characters, were side characters who made me laugh, cry (iykyk), and scream with annoyance and frustration. My third and final reason is dragons. I say this as not-typically-reading-fantasy girlie, but the dragon scenes were some of my favorites in the book.

So, all that to say, you should really this book. Now, you might also be thinking to yourself, I bet when she finished Fourth Wing, she immediately picked up the second book, Iron Flame, and started reading. And that my friends, is where you would be wrong. After looking to see when the third book would be out, which hasn’t even been revealed yet, at the time of this posting, I decided to wait. Fourth Wing does end on a HUGE cliffhanger, and I’ve heard rumors that Iron Flame does as well, so I’m thinking that I want to savor this series a little bit and hold off, before devouring the second book.

Have you read Fourth Wing? Did you like it? Did you read Iron Flame? Am I making a horrible mistake again by not reading it immediately? Let me know in the comments! See you at Book Club on February 14^th @ noon!

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

ISBN: 9781649374042

Publication Date: 2023-05-02

A #1 New York Times bestseller * Optioned for TV by Amazon Studios * Amazon Best Books of the Year, #4 * Apple Best Books of the Year 2023 * Barnes & Noble Best Fantasy Book of 2023 * NPR "Books We Love" 2023 * Audible Best Books of 2023 * Hudson Book of the Year * Google Play Best Books of 2023 * Indigo Best Books of 2023 * Waterstones Book of the Year finalist * Goodreads Choice Award, semi-finalist * Newsweek Staffers' Favorite Books of 2023 * Paste Magazine's Best Books of 2023 "Suspenseful, sexy, and with incredibly entertaining storytelling, the first in Yarros' Empyrean series will delight fans of romantic, adventure-filled fantasy." --Booklist, starred review "Fourth Wing will have your heart pounding from beginning to end... A fantasy like you've never read before." ―#1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders from New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Yarros Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general--also known as her tough-as-talons mother--has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders. But when you're smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don't bond to "fragile" humans. They incinerate them. With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother's daughter--like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant. She'll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise. Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret. Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda--because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die. The Empyrean series is best enjoyed in order. Reading Order: Book #1 Fourth Wing Book #2 Iron Flame

 

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

Call Number: PS3625.A7384 I76 2023

ISBN: 9781649374172

Publication Date: 2023-11-07

PLEASE NOTE: The limited edition with stained edges is sold out, but we invite you to purchase an unstained edition--same captivating story, same heart-pounding read! Discover the instant #1 New York Times bestseller! Now optioned for TV by Amazon Studios. Accolades for Fourth Wing Amazon Best Books of the Year, #4 * Apple Best Books of the Year 2023 * Barnes & Noble Best Fantasy Book of 2023 (Fourth Wing and Iron Flame) * NPR "Books We Love" 2023 * Audible Best Books of 2023 * Hudson Book of the Year * Google Play Best Books of 2023 * Indigo Best Books of 2023 * Waterstones Book of the Year finalist * Goodreads Choice Award, semi-finalist * Newsweek Staffers' Favorite Books of 2023 * Paste Magazine's Best Books of 2023 "The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity." --Xaden Riorson Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College--Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky. Now the real training begins, and Violet's already wondering how she'll get through. It's not just that it's grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it's designed to stretch the riders' capacity for pain beyond endurance. It's the new vice commandant, who's made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is-unless she betrays the man she loves. Although Violet's body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else's, she still has her wits--and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules. But a determination to survive won't be enough this year. Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College--and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end. The Empyrean series is best enjoyed in order. Reading Order: Book #1 Fourth Wing Book #2 Iron Flame

 

Good afternoon to everyone out there in Book Blog Land! It is my week on the Book Blog this week, and I know how much everyone looks forward to my ramblings! This week I will discuss a book titled “There Was No Alternative: Generation X, Aids, and the Making of a Classic Nineties Record.” Jeff Gomez wrote this book and details the events and people who helped bring together an album called “No Alternative.” The album was used to raise funds and awareness about safe sex and the Aids Epidemic that was being experienced in the United States and around the world.

Gomez begins the book by giving background knowledge of the Red Hot Organization, a charity that helped to raise money and awareness of HIV/AIDS through cultural objects and events. This was the third music compilation put out by the organization. The first two albums were called Red Hot + Blue and also Red Hot + Dance. Both albums featured a variety of artists and were top-selling records in the early 1990s. A New York City lawyer, John Carlin, who had seen many friends get sick and pass from the disease was the man who came up with the idea of the charity records.

John Carlin then joined with Paul Heck, Chris Mundy, and Jessica Kowol to ultimately produce the third Red Hot Organization charity record No Alternative. During the planning of the album, alternative rock music had become one of the most popular forms of music in the United States. Paul Heck worked in New York City and began to recruit bands to donate songs to the record. Chris Mundy had become (at the time) a writer for Rolling Stone magazine and together with Paul they built their wish list of bands.

Each chapter in this book then goes on to discuss each song that was included on the record and the story behind why it was made or how it was chosen. I do not want to spoil any of the book, so I will keep it brief here, but there are some great stories about the bands chosen and the songs they decide to donate to the project. Some of my favorites include the story about the hidden Nirvana track, as well as the story behind the song Glynis by the Smashing Pumpkins.

I will say that one track that I didn’t pay attention to at the time but has captured my imagination now is a song called Effigy, which was originally recorded by Creedence Clearwater Revival. The author of the book, Jeff Gomez says the song was written in protest against the Nixon White House. The band who covered the song on No Alternative was Uncle Tupelo, which was led by Jeff Tweedy who went on to form Wilco.

These are just a few of the stories described in the book. If you are into 1990’s culture and history, this is a must-read.

There Was No Alternative by Jeff Gomez (Contribution by)

ISBN: 9781476689760

Publication Date: 2023-04-12

Grunge. Flannel. Generation X. In 1993, Seattle was the capital of the world, Nirvana was king, and slackers were everywhere. When the Red Hot organization, a group of activists dedicated to raising money and awareness of AIDS, released their third compilation CD featuring the biggest bands of the era--Soundgarden, Smashing Pumpkins, Beastie Boys, The Breeders, Nirvana and more it quickly became the touchstone of a generation.  Rolling Stone called No Alternative a "jaw-dropping compilation of musical gems."  This book takes a look back at what happened to the bands involved with No Alternative. It includes new interviews with the musicians and others behind the record, and chronicles the downfall of an industry, the taming of a devastating illness, and the arrival of another global pandemic. It's about growing up, saying goodbye, and proving once more that you can't go home again (even if that's where you left all of your CDs).