Karl's Reading List

Published by Penguin Audio, 2017. Audiobook narrated by the author. I knew next to nothing about Martin Luther before beginning this book, only that he was famous for starting the Reformation and did so by nailing his 95 Theses to the door of a church. There is a lot more to him than that! The thing that struck me most, while listening to this book, was how little Martin Luther intended to be controversial; as Metaxas argues, Luther wrote the 95 Theses in Latin (the scholarly language) because he intended to have a scholarly debate, not a revolution. It was only when his theses were translated into German and distributed by others that he was forced to defend them in public, thus going further than he intended. As things escalated, and Luther made more and more controversial statements (controversial to the ears of the established church of the day), there came a point where Luther gained a real peace with what was happening, because it was 'obvious that God was in it.' If that...

Published as an audiobook by Head of Zeus, 2016. Uploaded to Audible 07-12-2017. Narrated by Scott Brick. First published by Penguin Press: USA, 2004. If you know the musical Hamilton you may also know that creator Lin-Manuel Miranda based it on a biography of Alexander Hamilton he read while on holiday. This is that biography. It is extremely thorough - a few chapters in and Chernow was still filling in details from the opening song. It is also an interesting portrait of a fascinating man, narrated well by Scott Brick in this audiobook version. As a Hamilton fan myself, the element of the book I enjoyed the most was picking out the differences between the stage version and this one, seeing when Miranda had tweaked history a little to fit the themes of the musical or to stream-line things a bit. Aaron Burr, for example, who ends up shooting Hamilton in a duel, is a much more prominent figure in the musical than in the book. We get some mentions of him throughout, but the main interact...

Published by Corgi Books: London, UK, 2003. Originally published 2002. The twenty-seventh Discworld novel (all of which can be read as standalone entries), Night Watch follows Ankh-Morpork watchman Sam Vimes, who has (throughout the numerous Discworld novels he has appeared in) been repeatedly promoted until he has become Commander (a role he sometimes finds tedious). When the book opens, Vimes is helping his colleagues bring the psychopathic Carcer to justice. However, due to a lightning strike on the Library of the Unseen University (home to the wizards of Ankh-Morpork) both Vimes and Carcer are accidentally thrown back in time. Carcer quickly kills the man who taught young Vimes the ropes and who overhauled the Night Watch, leaving Vimes to fill the role himself and become his own role-model. This becomes more difficult as a rebellion against the ruler of the city is brewing, and Vimes knows it won't end well. Discworld is an interesting mix of fantasy and satire, often basing i...

Published by Profile Books in association with National Trust: London, 2012 (2011). This is a very readable history of England, from the time of the early Saxon kings up until the publication of the book in 2011. Jenkins clarifies early on that his focus is on England itself, rather than Britain as a whole, only bringing in other parts of the world as they interact with England. In practice this does mean that Britain often features (particularly once Wales and Scotland are to some degree 'absorbed' into the larger nation) but on the whole a reader of this book would need another resource to find out about those nations. I've always enjoyed English history, and my interest in it grew after working at Westminster Abbey from 2008-2009 during my OE. Although I knew some of the main facts of the various monarchs, particularly post-William the Conqueror, Jenkins fleshes them out well, somehow making certain elements more memorable than I had previously found.  The feud between H...

Published in an omnibus edition as "The Scarlet Pimpernel Omnibus" containing: " The Scarlet Pimpernel "; " I Will Repay "; "Eldorado"; "Sir Percy Hits Back". Omnibus published 1957 (1930). "I Will Repay" first published 1906. The second novel in the Scarlet Pimpernel series, I Will Repay repositions the Scarlet Pimpernel as a supporting character, instead focussing on Paul Déroulède (a French lawyer) and Juliette Marny, whose brother was slain by Déroulède years earlier (in a fair duel) and has been sworn to revenge against the killer by her dying father. In order to aid her chances as revenge, Juliette manages to ingratiate herself into Déroulède's household, and while there finds herself beginning to fall for her host. Try as she might, however, Juliette cannot bring herself to simply ignore the oath she has taken... This, like its predecessor, is a fairly melodramatic work, with this one even more so. Both Juliette and...

Published by Tor Books: New York, NY, 2006. The first book in the 'Mistborn' trilogy: ' The Final Empire '; ' The Well of Ascension '; ' The Hero of Ages .' Brandon Sanderson is an author I have heard about for a long time, without ever having read his books, until now. With fantasy fiction - and particularly fantasy fiction written for adults - some books can get quite dark or sordid, and so I can be wary committing to a large book by an untested author. However, recently YouTube began recommending to me a series of lectures about writing given by Brandon Sanderson, and as I have been listening my way through them (very interesting and helpful advice for a wannabe author like myself) I have become more interested in giving his books a go - particularly once I learned he was Mormon and therefore has relatively conservative morals. So I got out Mistborn from the library. And I really liked it. Set in a world where the 'Lord Ruler' has reigned for ...

Published by Printer Industria Gráfica: Barcelona, Spain. First published by Hodder & Stoughton in 1913. This classic adventure is set in the era of Revolutionary France. The titular Scarlet Pimpernel is the code-name for a mysterious Englishman who leads a group of young English aristocrats to risk their lives rescuing the aristocracy of France from the guillotine. As the story gets underway, Marguerite Blakeney, the French-born wife of the dim-witted but jovial Englishman Sir Percy Blakeney, finds herself blackmailed by the villain of the piece, the 'accredited agent' for France, Chauvelin. In order to spare the life of Marguerite's brother, Armand St Just, Marguerite must work for Chauvelin to help him discover the Scarlet Pimpernel's secret identity. Only if Chauvelin is able to learn this information will he surrender to Marguerite the letter that incriminates her brother in the Scarlet Pimpernel's schemes.  Marguerite is an interesting character. Being a s...

Published by Orbit Books/Hachette Book Group, Inc.: New York, NY, 2009 (2008). Book Seven of 'The Saga of Seven Suns' series: ' Hidden Empire '; ' A Forest of Stars '; ' Horizon Storms '; ' Scattered Suns '; ' Of Fire and Night '; ' Metal Swarm '; ' The Ashes of Worlds '. Aaaand, this is it! The final book in the Saga of the Seven Suns! Wow...  The majority of this book is devoted to paying off the various character arcs that remain and finishing off the various villains that still live. By the end we have happy endings for pretty much every surviving protagonist, and the galaxy is safe from every single threat that still remained at the beginning of the book. Some of the plot threads wrap up in ways that are a bit unexpected, but overall this is a book that is simply powering towards its ending. Characters do some odd things in order to be where the author needs them to be, either to further the plot or to be killed off (...

Published by Chatto & Windus: London, England, 2002. Translated by Esther Tyldesley. When I started the Alphabet Soup challenge, I knew that some letters would have a few less options to choose from, and felt that X would probably be the hardest. As I approached this letter I did occasionally glance ahead, and would see one or two books at most on display at any one time. In the end, when I went to get a book out for X there was only one fiction book currently in the library by an X author. Skimming through it I was unimpressed, so I browsed through non-fiction for only the third time in this challenge.  The Good Women of China is a collection of biographical stories told by Xinran, who for eight years ran a radio programme in China called Words on the Night Breeze dedicated to telling the stories of Chinese women. Fifteen such stories, including Xinran's own upbringing, are presented here, including some so traumatic that she was never able to share them on air.  The f...

Published by Howard Books: New York, NY, 2013. This novel is a fictionalized account of the life of Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus. Author Lee portrays Judas not as a out-and-out traitor, but more someone that just doesn't get what Jesus is all about. He is somewhat sympathetic - much is made of the fact that in Matthew 26:50 Jesus calls Judas "friend" - and even the betrayal itself is reinterpreted as an attempt by Judas to save Jesus rather than condemn Him. This doesn't entirely align with the Judas we see in Scripture, although technically all the 'beats' of Judas that we get in the gospels are covered. As one example, Lee softens Judas's thieving from the moneybag - it does happen but only for reasons that Judas deems as important to Jesus. So, with a main character that doesn't quite match the historical figure, Iscariot is an odd beast of a novel. In some ways I found myself struggling to 'buy in' to the story as I foun...

Published by Scholastic Children's Books: London, 2011 (2010). Book Three in the 'Hunger Games' series: ' The Hunger Games '; ' Catching Fire '; ' Mockingjay '. It should be immediately noted that this is a darker book than the other two in the series. No more actual Hunger Games take place, very little in the way of the glitz and glamour of the Capitol. Right from the beginning, Katniss is a refugee in District 13, most of her home District has been destroyed, and she must decide whether to let the rebels use her as a figurehead for their movement. Death always featured in the Hunger Games series as a whole, but now it is on a much larger scale. This is war, and it isn't pretty. Much of the debate in the book is on the morality of war, with Katniss far more reluctant to engage with it than some of the other characters we know - Gale is busy designing traps to be used against the Capitol, for one. The cost of war is also apparent - there are dead...

Published by Scholastic Children's Books: London, 2011 (2009). Book Two in the 'Hunger Games' series: ' The Hunger Games '; ' Catching Fire '; ' Mockingjay '. It's taken me a long time to return to the world of Panem, however I have taught the first book a few times with my year 11 classes since then, meaning that the story is still relatively fresh in my mind. Although I have also seen the movie version of this entry in the series, it was only once and back when it was in theatres, so the plot was vague enough in my mind to still give some surprises. Katniss and Peeta have both survived the 74th Hunger Games and are now living the luxurious life of victors. However, the manner in which they won has made Katniss in particular a symbol of rebellion, and it becomes quickly apparent that she must toe the line or face likely death for her and those she loves. President Snow, the leader of the Capitol, has a particular hatred for Katniss, and begins t...

Published by Penguin English Library: London, England, 2012. First published 1859. This novel is one of the most well-known Dickens titles, and is the one that Dickens himself believed to be his finest work. It is also, ironically, the least "Dickensy" Dickens novel... Most of the Dickens novels have long chapters with grand flowing sentences, humorous descriptions and heavy layers of satire woven throughout. In A Tale of Two Cities, the humour is there but less present, and the chapters are far shorter. It feels as those Dickens was trying something new for this book - a far more 'edited down' style - and it is obvious from his comments that he was happy with the results. The book is well-written (as all Dickens books are), and the more 'minimalistic' style (comparatively) does suit the tale that is being told - involving romance, rescues, redemption, revenge, and revolution, to list some of the Rs. We meet the forgotten and broken prisoner Doctor Manette, hi...

Published by Corgi Books: Great Britain, 1988 (1982). Book Two in 'The Belgariad' series: ' Pawn of Prophecy '; ' Queen of Sorcery '; 'Magician's Gambit'; Castle of Wizardry'; 'Enchanter's End Game'. This second book in the Belgariad continues the adventures of young Garion as he journeys with his Aunt Polgara and Uncle Belgarath, both powerful sorcerers, on an attempt to stop Zedar from delivering the Orb of Aldur to the mad God Torak or the dark sorcerer Ctuchik. As that first sentence shows, this is a full-on high fantasy series, and if strange names and foreign world's aren't your thing, this won't be for you. The book is also a direct sequel, and as with Pawn of Prophecy, it is content to take its time gradually unfolding the plot, rather than letting anything happen at pace.  All of the main characters from the first book are back, including Barak, Silk, and Durnik, and Hettar has now joined the party. In this book o...

Published by The Reprint Society: Suffolk, Great Britain, 1953 (1951). Translated from Italian by Una Vincenzo Troubridge. I didn't really know what I was getting into at the start of this book! A friend at church lent it to me (thanks Natalie!) saying she thought I'd enjoy it, so I had a read. I did enjoy it, but its an odd little thing. After a few short introductory stories told from the point of view of the (fictionalised?) author as a child or a young man, we are introduced to the Catholic priest Don Camillo and his 'little world' aka, the village of which he is priest. Don Camillo is an interesting figure. He is quick to anger, he is not above using threats or deception to get his own way, and he is a powerful fighter. He is also often in dialogue with 'the Lord above the altar' - an icon of Jesus who speaks to him as God. The fact that this is indeed the icon rather than merely 'God anywhere' is highlighted in a few stories, where the Lord's v...

Published by Thomas Nelson and Sons Ltd: Edinburgh, London, Paris, Melbourne, Toronto and New York, Date unknown. First published 1888. This is the second Robert Louis Stevenson book I have read, after Treasure Island , and, like its more famous brother, The Black Arrow shows Stevenson to be a good writer with an ability to keep the reader interested. However, The Black Arrow feels a little more like a product of its time in structure, with a plot that is far more episodic than Treasure Island . It may actually be that in creating a plot that required a journey to an island full of treasure, Stevenson forced himself out of that style for Treasure Island, and that The Black Arrow is more of a 'normal' Stevenson novel! Only time (or another book) will make it clear. As for this novel...  Black Arrow tells the story of Dick Shelton, a young orphan and heir to an estate, being raised by Sir Daniel Brackley, during the time of the war of the roses. The action picks up relatively qu...

Published by Thomas Nelson and Sons Ltd: London, Edinburgh, and New York, date unknown. First published 1900. This obscure book by a fairly obscure author (one who does not even have a wikipedia page at present, and who was actually an English clergyman writing under a pseudonym) has a special connection to me. This book, in fact this copy of this book, was originally given to my grandfather, Leslie Howan, and in turn was read by my mother when she was young. And, as a result, it is the book she credits with inspiring my first name, Karl. It is not a book I have ever read before though. It turns out that Prince Karl is quite a "wholesome" (as Elise described it) adventure story, and one that sucked us in despite being fairly straightforward. Hermann Reichal, his wife Elsa and son Michael live in the Black Forest in Germany, and are preparing for the annual trip down the Raal river on a raft of logs to sell. However, their preparation is cut short by the arrival of Princess El...

Published by Fabbri Publishing Ltd: Barcelona, Spain, 1990. First published 1847. This classic adventure story tells of the Beverley children, who, following the death of their parents, the torching of their home, and the passing of their protector, must make a life for themselves in the New Forest, during the period of English history known as the Interregnum - from when Charles I was deposed (and executed) through to when Charles II reclaimed the throne. Like many books of that era, Children of the New Forest doesn't have much in the way of an over-arching plot, preferring instead to gradually unfold various episodic stories at different paces. Thus, when Edward - the eldest child - makes an enemy of a particular verderer it seems as though this might be a major storyline going forward, however the verderer returns and is dispatched by the middle of the book. In a similar vein, at a certain point the storyline about life in the forest takes a backseat to the political unrest, and...

Published by Penguin Books: Great Britain, 1977. First published 1945. Animal Farm is a very well-known book, but not a very pleasant one. It presents itself as 'A Fairy Story', telling the story of a group of farm animals who rebel against their farmer, taking over the farm and running it for themselves. At first things seem to go well, but as the story progresses (and as the fierce boar Napoleon begins to assert more and more authority over the other animals) things gradually grow harder and harder for the idealistic animals. Orwell's story is a clear commentary on various revolutionary ideals of his day, most clearly communism, with the animals referring to each other as 'Comrade' and claiming to work for the common good. Unfortunately this commentary also includes the levels of corruption and power that those in leadership in those systems often exhibit. By the end of the story all of the 'good' characters have been suppressed, or worked themselves to de...

Do you remember when you first heard of a given book? With Johnny Tremain I can. It was an episode of The Simpsons. One of the earlier seasons. Mrs Krabappel gives Bart the book and tells him he'll enjoy it because the main character gets his arm injured in an accident and it ends up deformed. Bart's reply: "He does? Then they should call this book 'Johnny Deformed'!" Yeah. So, that's all I really knew about this book until I found a copy of it at a friend's house. And yes, Johnny does get his arm injured early on. But there is a lot more to the book than that. Johnny gets caught up in the American Revolution, he befriends a girl 'above his station', and he seeks to solve the mystery of his lineage. The book is well written and keeps the reader's interest, something very important for a book intended for younger readers. It also would help someone studying the American Revolution to learn some of the basic events, and ab...