MY READING LIST

September was a much better month reading-wise.  After struggling through the book on Henry VIII for the entire month of August, I was able to finally finish it.

YOUNG HENRY:  THE RISE OF HENRY VIII
by Robert Hutchinson
Published 2011

It was well worth the read, but I am glad to finally have something that is moving along a bit quicker.  I think if I hadn't read the book about the Romanovs (which was also a slow read) right before this book I would have enjoyed it more.  I did learn a lot though, so I consider it good.  Any time I can add to my knowledge I am happy.



THE ENDLESS STEPPE:  GROWING UP IN SIBERIA
by Esther Hautzig
Published 1968

 This book brings back good memories of my childhood.  I remember my sister reading this book and loving it.  She talked me into reading it and I loved it too.  I haven't read this since I was in high school over 40 years ago.  I thought I would like to read it again since I remembered almost nothing about it.  I am so glad I did.  It is the true story of a Polish family that was relocated to Siberia in 1941 for being "capitalists" in a Communist world.  They were not wealthy, but compared to the people in Siberia they seemed to be almost royalty.  So many hard and sad things happened to them.  But it has a happy ending.  And it was a fast read!


BELOW STAIRS:  THE CLASSIC KITCHEN MAID'S MEMOIR THAT INSPIRED UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS AND DOWNTON ABBEY
by Margaret Powell
Published:  1968

How delightful this book was.  It is a memoir of Margaret Langtry Powell who was a kitchen maid and then a cook in London in the early 1900s.  You really do feel as if you are in Upstairs, Downstairs as you read it.  What a hard life these men and women lived.  They were almost slaves in the household they were attached to.  I whizzed through this book in no time not only because it was an easy read but because it was so interesting.  I highly recommend it.


Now on to another book for October.