As people began to associate blue with the Virgin Mary, the color became a powerful element in church decoration and symbolism. Beginning with the almost total absence of blue from ancient Western art and language, the story moves to medieval Europe. Pastoureau investigates how the ever-changing role of blue in society has been reflected in manuscripts, stained glass, heraldry, clothing, paintings, and popular culture. In this fascinating history, the renowned medievalist Michel Pastoureau traces the changing meanings of blue from its rare appearance in prehistoric art to its international ubiquity today.Īny history of color is, above all, a social history. The ancient Greeks scorned it as ugly and barbaric, but most Americans and Europeans now cite it as their favorite color. A beautifully illustrated visual and cultural history of the color blue throughout the agesīlue has had a long and topsy-turvy history in the Western world.
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He just came off as tediously stubborn at times. He actually started to bother me after a while, though, with his constant denial-even to himself-that he does not want this life. He’s every other hero who doesn’t want to go on an adventure, but finds that it suits him more than he thought it would. The characters are charming, the setting vivid, and the plot, while very predictable, is entertaining.īarclay is, for the most part, a good protagonist, he’s just nothing really special. This is a cute first installment in a middle grade fantasy series. He decides to fight his destiny and return home to live the quiet life he’d dedicated himself too. So he is horrified when another Beast accidentally bonds with him, forcing him on a journey to a place called Sycomore to become one of the Lore Keepers. People from his town have told Barclay all his life that Beasts are dangerous, and since his own parents were killed by one, he believes them. The orphan Barclay Thorne is training to be a mushroom farmer when he has a chance encounter with a girl and her Beast in the woods. Since this version is just a proof and not the final version, I won’t quote directly and will keep my comments general. I received an advance reader’s copy (ARC) of The Accidental Apprentice by Amanda Foody. Imbuing her story with plenty of mid-century modern decorating and fashion tips, not to mention a steady patter of Doris Day trivia, Vallere debuts a well-paced cozy series. "Make room for Vallere’s tremendously fun homage. As the body count piles up, Madison uncovers a Soviet spy, a campaign to destroy all Doris Day movies, and six minutes of film that will change her life forever. The local detective connects the new crime to a twenty-year old cold case, and Madison's long-trusted contractor emerges as the leading suspect. But when a killer targets women dressed in her signature style-estate sale vintage to play up her resemblance to fave actress Doris Day-what makes her unique might make her dead. Interior Decorator Madison Night might look like a throwback to the sixties, but as business owner and landlord, she proves that independent women can have it all. HUMOR AND DANGER MELD PERFECTLY… "A multifaceted enty of surprises.And what an ending!" – New York Journal of Books Roughly six months have passed since Alexia's "disagreement" with her husband, Conall, over their forthcoming child's paternity saw her decamp to the continent, encounter dangerous Templars hoping to control her preternatural ability, and comes ever-closer to understanding her past and what the future holds for the impossible child she carries within her. Will Alexia manage to determine who is trying to kill Queen Victoria before it is too late? Is it the vampires again or is there a traitor lurking about in wolf's clothing? And what, exactly, has taken up residence in Lord Akeldama's second best closet? Top that off with a sister who has joined the suffragette movement (shocking!), Madame Lefoux's latest mechanical invention, and a plague of zombie porcupines and Alexia barely has time to remember she happens to be eight months pregnant. When a mad ghost threatens the queen, Alexia is on the case, following a trail that leads her deep into her husband's past. Lady Alexia Maccon, soulless, is at it again, only this time the trouble is not her fault. is packed with creative observations on our machine-mediated lives and what this all means for intimacy, solitude, and being connected." - Spirituality and Practice, " Alone Together stands as an entirely accessible, tantalizingly thought-provoking read. "Turkle's emphasis on personal stories from computer gadgetry's front lines keeps her prose engaging and her message to the human species-to restrain ourselves from becoming technology's willing slaves instead of its guiding masters-loud and clear."- Booklist, " decades of teaching technology and daily living add authority to her fine survey!"- Bookwatch, " Alone Together. People with synesthesia experience the world differently, which is not only fascinating, it makes for an intriguing character-especially since we all base our idea of reality on what we see, hear, feel. I can taste recipes for food I’ve never eaten before just by reading them. I have friends who have it-one is a musician who sees the notes she plays as color and light, another hears colors … I myself have what may be a mild form (or maybe it’s just a symptom of my overactive imagination!). You may see letters as colors or smell words you read. It’s not a disease, but rather the way the brain processes information is mistranslated into other senses. Q: What is this rare medical condition, and what led you to include it as part of Ella’s character?ĬJ: As a physician, I’ve long been fascinated by unique medical oddities such as synesthesia. Audiobook Review: By a Thread by Lucy Score.When Real Life Gets in the Way of Blogging.Too bad I’ve never been smart with my heart… But if I push my luck, I’ll end up back on the street. The broody lumberjack wants more from me than another fresh-baked pretzel. It’s no wonder my new landlord is so wary of me.Ī smarter man would ignore those hot glances from Kieran Shipley. I should probably add: Gay AF, and has no filter. I’m tidy, have no pets, and I will feed you homemade bread. But if I let him in, I could lose everything. But the other part wants him to come upstairs and spend the night. Part of me knows I should run far, far away. But back then, I let one of my secrets slip, and he’s the only one who noticed. Eight years ago, Roderick left town after high school. I’m a man with too many secrets, so the last thing I need is a new roommate with a sexy smile and blue eyes that see right through me. Wanted: One roommate to share a 3-bedroom house, split the rent, and ideally not be the guy I can’t stop thinking about. Surprise! Sarina Bowen just announced that she’s been working on a new MM romance, Roommate! What happens when a man from Kieran Shipley’s past blows back into town? You’re about to find out. And, the chocolate element isn't a gimmick to get you to buy the book-it's a major part of the story and plays a big role in all the characters' lives. It's a very emotional (I love emotional books, they give my parched desert of a soul all the feels), romantic novel that captures both the tourist and local sides of Paris. LOVED IT! I stayed up past five in the morning reading it. I'm so glad I did because I loooooooooved this novel. The Chocolate Touch is not the type of book I would normally pick up, but when Kelly from Reading With Analysis recommended it over Twitter, I decided give it a try. Dom wonders if she'll enjoy more of him than just his chocolate-IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN-but will Dom and his lady of mystery ever be able to overcome their pasts in order to create a future together? Then a mysterious woman starts showing up in his salon every day, a woman who clearly enjoys his chocolate. But despite his beautiful salon lined with rose wallpaper and his charming staff, Dom's past makes him feel like a monster who will never deserve love. Dominique Richard is one of the best Master Chocolatiers in Paris (or actually THE best, if you ask him). Raised by a working mother, Butler witnessed from a young age the quiet heroism of survival, as her mother endured cruel treatment from white employers whose homes she cleaned. Guy and Laurice Butler, though her father passed away when she was a young girl. Octavia Estelle Butler was born in Pasadena, California, on June 22, 1947. Not only can we take Butler’s words at face value to understand her devotion to writing and her personality and beliefs, but we can also see the sharpness and incisiveness-even in this small sample paragraph-that characterizes her work. A pessimist if I’m not careful, a feminist, a Black, a former Baptist, an oil and water combination of ambition, laziness, insecurity, certainty, and drive.” I am also comfortably asocial, a hermit in the middle of Los Angeles. Her body of work, including such acclaimed novels as Kindred and Parable of the Sower, is lauded for its trenchant social commentary and continued pertinence well beyond its original publication.īutler’s self-penned author description in an early edition of Parable of the Sower gives us a great picture of the person she was: “Who am I? I am a forty-seven-year-old writer who can remember being a ten-year-old writer and who expects someday to be an eighty-year-old writer. Butler was a renowned Black author who wrote in, and arguably revolutionized, the science fiction genre. “For most of your life.” resonate and stay with Ox through all of the significant moments of his life, until he meets the one person who changes everything. The man’s hurtful parting words to his son, that he’s dumb as an ox, and that Ox is “gonna get shit,” he said. When the book opens, Ox Matheson is a lonely and awkward twelve-year old struggling to deal with his emotions after his father abandons him and his mother. Romantic, funny, poignant… Wolfsong is everything I hope for when I start reading a new novel. Ha! It also dispelled any doubt I had that a human/wolf pairing could or would capture my heart. It’s wonderful for many reasons, not the least of which is my discovery that I like shifter/paranormal romances. To my surprise and absolute delight, my favorite book this year is Wolfsong. I took a risk on a book I’d heard good things about but didn’t think would appeal to me, and oh, reader, I’m so glad I did. Since then, I was certain – convinced really – that no other book could or would top my best of list for 2016 (though Cat Sebastian’s The Soldier’s Scoundrel came close). I loved it and recommended it to everyone I know. Earlier this year I had the pleasure of reviewing The Hating Game by Sally Thorne. |