@jeremybaker.nz

Finished reading: Princes of the Renaissance by Mary Hollingsworth 📚

A delightfully crafted history of some of the leading “princes” of Renaissance Italy and their families. Ties together family,politics, war, literature and art in an insightful combination that reveals a great deal about the era. A highly innovative approach to history.

Finished reading: Death in the Sauna by Dennis Altman 📚

Fantastic gay mystery / crime novel by one of the greats. Highly recommended.

Finished reading: The Fall of Númenor by J. R. R. Tolkien 📚

A new edition of this came out recently and it’s marvellous.

Finished reading: The Sol Majestic by Ferrett Steinmetz 📚

Finished reading: Beowulf by Seamus Heaney 📚

Seamus Heaney’s brilliant verse translation of the Old English original into modern English is widely regarded as one of the best. It captures the verve and vitality of the original for a modern audience, and has played a significant role in a rebirth in the popularity of the poem - including inspiring new interpretations.

Finished reading: Beowulf: a Translation and Commentary, Together with Sellic Spell by J. R. R. Tolkien 📚

Tolkien’s prose translation of the Old English poem “Beowulf” aims to hew closely to the original sense and details of the poem. In this Tolkien’s scholarly expertise in Old English is evident. But it looses some of the poetic majesty of the original - and of Seamus Heaney’s later verse translation.

Finished reading: Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree 📚

Absolutely loved this book. The characters are great and it’s such a gentle, heartwarming story (with enough occasional edge to keep it interesting). And what’s not to like? Retired lesbian Orc mercenary freebooter sets up a coffee house and gathers round her a glorious found family of misfits, including a dire-cat, a genius rat-kin baker, a stone-mason bard who wants to play ‘modern’ music, and also someone to fall in love with? What a story :)

Finished reading: Translation State by Ann Leckie 📚

A surprising and inventive book of science-fiction that explores what it means to be ‘human’ - but metaphorically and literally (within the story). Great characters and a satisfying story and ending.

My unread book stacks are a little out of control.

Having acknowledged I have a problem, I’m doing “No Book Buying August” ❌📚❌ - wish me luck… 😳😢🤪

Finished reading: The Last Heir to Blackwood Library by Hester Fox 📚

Finished reading: Lie With Me by Philippe Besson 📚

A gloriously written story of hidden first love in 1980s provincial France, reminding us of the loss, pain and wasted opportunities created by social oppression. The final pages pack an incredible punch that will stay with me for a very long time.

The fact I was a teenager in this time period and had lived in France only a few years earlier deepened the impact on me significantly. Philippe Besson is incredible.

Currently reading: The Darker Angels of Our Nature edited by Philip Dwyer 📚

A refutation of psychologist Steven Pinker’s 2012 “The Better Angels of Our Nature” by historians of violence. The editor is the Professor of History and Director of the Centre for the Study of Violence at the University of Newcastle, and co-editor of Cambridge World History of Violence.