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Historical Fiction October 2017
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| The Vineyard: A Novel by María DueñasIn this sweeping saga by the author of The Time In Between, financial ruin prompts entrepreneur Mauro Larrea to risk what little remains of his hard-won fortune on an Andalusian vineyard. Set in Mexico, Cuba, and Spain during the 1860s, The Vineyard is a good bet for readers who enjoy the atmospheric, romantic historical novels of Isabel Allende and Chantel Acevedo. |
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| The Good People by Hannah KentMisfortune seems to stalk Nóra Leahy, who becomes the guardian of her severely disabled four-year-old grandson, Micheál, after the sudden deaths of her daughter and husband. Soon, rumors begin to spread that Micheál is one of the "good people" (the fair folk). An atmospheric novel that explores the darkness of the human heart, The Good People blends bleakness and lyricism in a way that should captivate fans of Emma Donoghue's The Wonder, which also features an isolated rural community in 19th-century Ireland gripped by superstition. |
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| The World of Tomorrow by Brendan MathewsIn a madcap adventure that should please fans of Roddy Doyle's The Last Roundup trilogy, three Irish brothers -- a convict, a jazz musician, and a seminarian -- escape to the United States after running afoul of the IRA. Set against the backdrop of the 1939 New York World's Fair, this lively debut boasts a cast of appealing characters and the "wit of a 30s screwball comedy" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| Savage Country: A Novel by Robert OlmsteadTo pay off her late husband's debts and save the family ranch, widow Elizabeth Coughlin organizes a bison-hunting expedition in Comanche territory, enlisting her brother-in-law, Michael, to help. What follows is a dramatic story of survival in a harsh and inhospitable landscape. In spare prose that does not shy away from depicting the harsh realities of 1870s frontier life, Savage Country vividly recreates the Great Plains during the period of America's Westward Expansion. Fans of Lin Enger's The High Divide should enjoy this literary Western. |
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| Under a Pole Star: A Novel by Stef PenneyWhaler's daughter Flora Mackie is 12 years old in 1883 when she first crosses the Arctic Circle, igniting a lifelong passion for polar exploration. However, her desire to attend university and dedicate her life to scientific discovery places her at odds with Victorian society. This haunting, character-driven novel by the author of The Tenderness of Wolves, may appeal to fans of the independent and unconventional heroines of Eowyn Ivey's To the Bright Edge of the World and Elizabeth Gilbert's The Signature of All Things. |
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Focus on: Queens of England
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| The Winter Crown: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine by Elizabeth ChadwickAt the heart of this novel is the tumultuous marriage of Alienor (Eleanor) of Aquitaine and King Henry II of England, whose once-passionate union has devolved into acrimony. After 14 years of marriage and eight children, Henry casts aside Alienor in favor of his long-time mistress, prompting a rebellion on Alienor's part that will have devastating consequences for the entire family. The Winter Crown is the 2nd book in a trilogy that follows the life of this formidable queen, after The Summer Queen, which focuses on her first marriage to Louis VII of France. |
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| Elizabeth I by Margaret GeorgeWell-known for her biographical novels about powerful, much-mythologized female rulers (including Cleopatra and Mary, Queen of Scots), author Margaret George attempts to unknot the tangled relationship between Queen Elizabeth I of England and Lettice Knollys, her cousin and rival, whose marriage to Elizabeth's favorite courtier, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, incurs the monarch's wrath. This "meticulously envisioned" (Booklist) dual portrait compares and contrasts the self-sacrificing Virgin Queen, wedded to her beloved England, and the thrice-married, self-serving Lettice, who, as it turns out, may not be that different from her royal relative. |
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Victoria
by Daisy Goodwin
In 1837, 18-year-old Princess Alexandrina Victoria of the House of Hanover becomes Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. No one expects much from a sheltered teenager who collects dolls and still shares a room with her overbearing mother. But Victoria, determined to become the monarch her people deserve, sets out to prove herself as a ruler, aided by Prime Minister Lord Melbourne, who becomes her adviser and confidant. Fans of royalty-themed reads won't want to miss this novel by American Heiress author Daisy Goodwin, who also penned the screenplay for current Masterpiece Theatre miniseries Victoria.
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| Three Sisters, Three Queens by Philippa GregoryAs girls, Katherine of Aragon and her sisters-in-law, Margaret and Mary Tudor, form a strong, if complicated, bond. As adults, they are destined to become bitter rivals as the demands of marriage and politics lead to betrayal. Unfolding primarily from Margaret's (acerbic) point of view, this dramatic novel is a must for Tudor aficionados who enjoy gossip, scandal, and intrigue. |
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| Katherine of Aragon, The True Queen: A Novel by Alison WeirThis opening installment of novelist and historian Alison Weir's Six Tudor Queens series begins as the 16-year-old Catalina de Aragon arrives in England to marry Arthur, Prince of Wales, who dies shortly after their wedding. She then weds his brother, Henry VIII, and theirs is a happy union -- at least initially, until their inability to produce an heir causes Henry's eye to wander. Can't get enough Tudor drama? Next up is Anne Boleyn: A King's Obsession. |
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Evening with Author Michael Korenblit
Tuesday, November 7,
7:00 pm
46th Star Room (Forum) (4107)
Join us as Author Michael Korenblit talks about Until We Meet Again, the true, heart-wrenching story of the love and horror, sacrifice and courage that his parents experienced during the Holocaust. In partnership and collaboration with the Jewish Federation of Greater Oklahoma City.
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Mystery in the Library!
Saturday, November 11,
10:00 am
Rooms A-B (AB)
Who stole the ancient Sardonic Manuscript? Take the role of either a suspect or sleuth in this mystery game to help us uncover the culprit. Space is limited, so sign up today!
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Digital Resources @ Your Library
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Always Available eBooks
These eBooks are always available so you'll never have to wait on a holds list for a title! You can read titles in your browser without having to worry about a checkout period or you can download these eBooks to your computer, laptop, or mobile device and borrow them for a period of 1-14 days, you choose!
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lynda.com
lynda.com contains thousands of self-paced online courses that you can use to learn more about business, CAD, design, education, hardware and software, technology, video, web design and much more. NOTE: To sign in to lynda.com, use your last name as your Library Card PIN.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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