My Historical Fiction Evolution Part 5

Today I will wrap up my series by talking about technology. But first let’s recap the previous posts:

Part 1: My introduction to historical fiction in elementary school with Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr.

Part 2: Historical fiction close to home with Booky: A Trilogy by Bernice Thurman Hunter and Guest of War Trilogy by Kit Pearson.

Part 3: Learning about the holocaust.

Part 4: Eras of Interest

How today's technology has enhanced my historical fiction evolution

It’s no secret that technology has come a long way in the past 20 years. Hell it’s come a long way in the past year alone. And with that new technology it has brought an enhanced experience for readers.

The internet alone has opened the door to me for more learning opportunities than I could have ever imagined.

All those time periods I have been mentioning, now I can find out more on a topic I have read about, with just a click of the mouse. Websites like Goodreads and Pinterest have made my TBR list never ending and many of those books are of the historical fiction and non-fiction genres.

Goodreads

Goodreads allows its users to create bookshelves to organize their books. I have created several bookshelves for my historical fiction and non-fiction books. Click on the links below to see my shelves:

• Historical Fiction
• World War I
• World War II

Pinterest

One thing I enjoy when reading a historical book is looking up pictures of that time period, the events that occurred and even sometimes the people. My cell phone comes in handy in case I’m not near my computer at the time. I have started to save these pictures in a Pinterest board I created called From the Books I Have Read.

eBooks

There are many books I have read over the past couple of years that I haven’t been able to get a physical copy of, but have been able to obtain in eBook format. This has been a wonderful and cost effective way to get my dose of history.

I read my eBooks using:

• My Kobo
• Kindle for PC
• Adobe Digital Editions

Blogging and Booktube

And of course the blogging community and booktube has been a wonderful source for great recommendations.

My Historical Fiction Evolution Part 4

Welcome back to the next installment in my series about how my love for historical fiction has evolved.

Here is a recap of my previous posts. Click on the links to check them out.

Part 1: My introduction to historical fiction in elementary school with Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr.

Part 2: Historical fiction close to home with Booky: A Trilogy by Bernice Thurman Hunter and Guest of War Trilogy by Kit Pearson.

Part 3: Learning about the holocaust.

Notable Time Periods

Today I will spotlight some of the other different time periods I have discovered through books.

As I got older I began to read adult books (both fiction and non-fiction) and this opened the door to discover more events, eras, cultures and places throughout history. I began to branch out from books set during World War II to include a wider variety that fascinated me just as much.

Some of these books include:

The Russian Revolution including The Romanov’s

Edwardian Aristocrats and the people who worked for them

Old New York City

The Immigrant Experience

Pre-20^th Century America

The Tudors

Among others..

I just love being transported to a different time and discovering all there is to know about. I know that my future reading will only take me farther and I can’t wait to learn more about the past.

In the 5^th and final installment of My Historical Fiction Evolution will focus on today’s technology and how it has enhanced my reading experience.

What are some different time periods you enjoy reading about? Leave me a message in the comments. Recommendations are always welcome. 

My Historical Fiction Evolution Part 3

Welcome to part 3 in My Historical Fiction Evolution series where I discuss my love for the genre and how it has changed over the past 20 years.

Click the links below to check out the first two posts in this series.

To recap:

Part 1: My introduction to historical fiction in elementary school with Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr.

Part 2: Historical fiction close to home with Booky: A Trilogy by Bernice Thurman Hunter and Guest of War Trilogy by Kit Pearson.

After learning about the terrible lasting effects of the atom bomb in Japan and the hardships of those during Great Depression and World War II Toronto, my historical fiction evolution was about to delve even deeper.  

It was my grade 7 teacher who introduced me to the horrors of the Holocaust, when my class watched the film Life is Beautiful. Click below to watch the movies trailer.

This film follows a Jewish man and his son as they are sent to a concentration camp during World War II. The atrocities the Jewish people faced absolutely horrified me, but it also made me want to learn more.

So naturally I turned to my newfound love of history and historical fiction. This would also mark the first time I would read non-fiction.

Now you are probably expecting me to mention The Diary of aYoung Girl by Anne Frank, however I admit that this wasn’t one of my favourite books. Instead I will focus on the following middle grade and young adult books set during this time period:

Surviving Hitler

Surviving Hitler: A Boy in the Nazi Death Camps by AndreaWarren gives the true account of a holocaust survivor as he recounts his harrowing tale. This book is chalk full of pictures, many of which were extremely hard to look at. These pictures made the time period come alive for me.

My Canary Yellow Star 

My Canary Yellow Star by Eva Wiseman was a book I was given in high school by my mom who met the author. Like Surviving Hitler, it follows a young Jewish person (in this case a girl named Marta) as their rights are stripped away by the Nazi regime and sent to a concentration camp.

I have reread both of these books several times over the years (and will continue to do so), but their horrors and message of hope will never dull. It is with books like these that the people whose lives were tragically cut short are remembered. They are also a great learning tool for the youth of today.

Stay tuned for part 4 in my series where my evolution in historical fiction continues.

Are there any books set during the holocaust that you would recommend? Leave me a message in the comments. 

1971- Never a Dull Moment: Rock's Golden Year by David Hepworth

1971- Never a Dull Moment: Rock's Golden Year

By: David Hepworth

Published: June, 2016

Published By: Henry Holt and Co.

Format Read: eBook, NetGalley, ARC, Kobo

Genre: Non-fiction, Music

Date Read: June 20, 2016

Rating: 3.5/5

I was sent a copy of 1971- Never a Dull Moment: Rock's Golden Year by David Hepworth from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

 In 1971 the events of the previous decade were still fresh in everyone's mind. The Beatles, who much to the dismay of their fans had broken up and were forging their own solo careers. With shifting interests and a troubled economy, how would this change the shape of music? Already established bands struggled to keep up the changes of time and had no choice but to evolve to survive. For the first time in music history the focus was on full albums, rather than the previously lucrative single sales. Meanwhile fresh new talent waited in the wings for their turn to prove themselves as rockers. In David Hepworth's 1971- Never a Dull Moment: Rock's Golden Year, he examines the development of rock and the beginning of what will be the music industry during the span of just twelve months.

 I grew up listening to a lot of good old Rock and Roll and up until the past several years would have preferred to listen to the singles of the 1950s or 1960s. It is only recently that I started to listen to much more Classic Rock. It wasn't until I read this book that I learned the history of this genre and the significance of the year 1971.

This book was divided up between the 12 months that made up the year 1971 and featured prominent events that happened in each one. I liked this set up although because there is so much back information mentioned I often got lost as to which month was the main focus. At the end of each chapter was a list of the top songs from that specific month. The addition of these lists gave the reader a wonderful soundtrack to re-visit. It allowed me to discover many different bands I hadn't heard of and to listen to songs that have since become favourites of mine.

Hepworth also touches on some of the personal lives of the Rocker's he writes about and examines their connections and influences that shaped their careers. Interestingly during that time music fans and the media had little knowledge of what went on behind the scenes. Unlike today when a celebrity can't even leave their house without the world being aware.

This book was really fascinating to me, as I learned a lot about how the music industry began to grow and eventually become what we know it as today. I enjoyed learning of how the trailblazers of the 70s would influence the entire way music is recorded and marketed for the years to come. Unfortunately my attention did waver from time to time, due to the length of the chapters and some of the topics that just didn't interest me.

1971- Never a Dull Moment: Rock's Golden Year is an educational trek back to the early days of what would become the history of Rock. I would recommend it to those who enjoy reading non-fiction about music history.  

The Gift of Friendship: Stories that Celebrate the Beauty of Shared Moments edited by Dawn Camp

Title: The Gift of Friendship: Stories that Celebrate the Beauty of Shared Moments
Edited by: Dawn Camp
Published: February 16, 2016
Published By: Fleming H. Revell Company
Format Read: Hardcover
Genre: Nonfiction, Christian
Date Read: March 29, 2016
Rating: 4/5

I received a copy of The Gift of Friendship: Stories that Celebrate the Beauty of Shared Moments edited by Dawn Camp, from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

The Gift of Friendship is a collection of essay type short stories written by numerous different authors. Each author shares their own experiences throughout their lives with friends and friendships. Some will make the reader laugh, cry and smile. Many of the situations wrote about are very relatible and heartwarming.

I found that many of these stories were geared towards busy mothers in need of a caring friend. Although I don’t fall into that specific set I was able to relate to many of the things mentioned throughout The Gift of Friendship. In fact I had quite a profound reading experience as I made my way through the pages. Although it is fairly short and quick to read, I really took time to reflect on each lesson. It also made me reminisce about friendships past and present.

Along with its inviting cover showing two chairs by a lake, the book as a whole was put together beautifully. Editor and author Dawn Camp is also a photographer and included some of her own pictures to accompany the stories.

The Gift of Friendship really would make for a nice gift. I would recommend it to those who enjoy reading heartwarming relatable stories. 

Minor: Volume One (The Journals of Meghan McDonnell Book 1)

 

 

Title: Minor: Volume One (The Journals of Meghan McDonnell Book 1)
Author: Meghan McDonnell
Published: December 2015
Format Read: Kindle for PC
Genre: Memoir, Non-fiction
Date Read: February 7, 2016

I was sent a copy of Minor by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Minor is the first book published from the authors personal collection of journals. Beginning in 1987 at the age of 8 years old, readers follow McDonnell until the end of high school at the age of 17 in 1997. She chronicles her adolescence, relationships, feelings and experimentation with drugs and alcohol. This journal also serves as a time capsule for the formative grunge scene of the western United States in the 1990’s as there is much mention of popular culture from that time. 

Dear diary...

I enjoy reading books that are written in diary or journal format. I find that it gives a great inside view on the main character, or in the case of Minor, the author herself. This particular journal showed how young teens are heavily influenced by the people around them, most specifically their friends. Growing up in a city with a large population, McDonnell made friends and entered relationships with many different people. And these people opened the door for her experimentation with drugs and alcohol. 

Express yourself.. 

Her experimentation with these vices would lead her parents to send her away to a survivalist program. The time she spent in the wilderness was probably the most interesting part, for me because she really began to express herself in her writing. 

However.. 

Unfortunately I had a hard time relating to McDonnell and her experiences during her formative years. Sure I tried new things like any teen, but not to the extent that she had. 

The people she mentioned throughout this journal, weren’t really described in detail so they became faceless names to me. Although I do understand that these entries were written for her own personal records and therefore at the time, there wasn’t any need to be descriptive. This first journal would also pave the way for the following books in the collection. However I think that it may have been more enjoyable to the reader, had the author included some footnotes to explain portions in better detail. 

In closing..

Because this is a true journal I struggled with how I would rate it. In the end I decided not to give it one at all. Not because I didn’t enjoy it, but simply because how do you put a rating on someone’s life? I would recommend Minor by Meghan McDonnell to other who like reading memoirs and to those who intend to read the entire collection. 

 For more information on this book and the rest of the collection visit the Goodreads links below:

Minor: Volume One

Novice: Volume Two

Limbo: Volume Three