In the annals of archaeology one man stands out as a particularly egregious villain. Like various contemporary “visionary” businessmen today, Heinrich Schliemann used his abundant cash to do whatever he wanted and ignored the scientific, expert advice of his day. That didn’t work out well for the archaeological remains of Troy.
Today I’m sharing a review of a book by Luanne G. Smith that I really enjoyed reading. With page-turning effect, The Raven Spell combines vividly portrayed Victorian London, a serial murder mystery, a detective with amnesia, and witches.
Odysseus was the clever Greek hero, even devious. He was a man of mind power over brute force. However, he was no slouch as a warrior, especially with his bow. Smithsonian and Bettany Hughes compare the ancient Greek composite bow to a “hyper-modern” one. How does one of my favorite legendary heroes hold up?
This week I’m welcoming M.K. Tod to my blog. Enjoy her guest post about the Chinese Tea ceremony in honor of her new novel The Admiral’s Wife.
I recommend M.K. Tod’s latest historical fiction, set in Hong Kong in a dual timeline of 1912 and 2016. My review of an engaging deep dive into family dynamics, cultural heritage, and romance.
I was recently asked to put together an annotated list of my personal favorites among Trojan War books. I had fun putting it together, although limiting myself to five was challenging.
The World Heritage Site of Çatalhöyük in southern Anatolia contains the ruins of one of the oldest “cities.” Recent study of Çatalhöyük’s “colorful” skeletons adds a fascinating layer to what we can discern about their communal practices, including relations between the sexes.
During a trip down a research rabbit hole, I first found an article about Mesopotamian magic stones and then a translation of Sumerian poetry that feels tragically appropriate for this contemporary moment when so many must abandon their homes and flee for their lives.
Did the Great Kings (and Queens) of the Bronze Age get together for royal visits? Or did they depend solely on diplomatic letters? In terms of my fiction, did Tesha ever sit down for a feast with Pharaoh? The evidence is tantalizingly fragmentary.
This week, in the company of fellow authors in search of new readers, I’m bringing you two ways to load up on Fantasy novels for free. Both collections are large enough so everyone should be able to find what suits your fancy.
