![]() ![]() ![]() A counter-narrative to the Western view of history that goes something like this: Ansary attempts to retell world history from the Muslim perspective. Rise of Nation-States: Struggle for Empireīut what about other parts of the world? How do they view world history? That’s where Destiny Disrupted: A History of the World Through Islamic Eyes by Tamim Ansary comes in. ![]() The Revolutions: Democratic, Industrial, Technological.The Enlightenment: Exploration and Science.The Rebirth: Renaissance and Reformation.The Birth of Civilisation: Egypt and Mesopotamia.The prevailing narrative of world history in the West goes a little something like this: That being said, history is just that: a story. I haven’t formally studied history at GCSEs or A-Levels, so most of my knowledge comes from books and the internet (shout out Kings and Generals on YouTube). It’s no surprise to anyone that’s been following this blog that I’m a pretty big history buff and a self-taught one at that. ![]()
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![]() PICTURE-book masters Nick Bland and Freya Blackwood joined forces to win this category with The Runaway Hug, which turns an unremarkable domestic scene into a story that's fun, wonderfully warm and perfect for bedtime reading. Michael Gerard Bauer's Ishmael and the Hoops of Steel, Ship Kings: The Coming of the Whirlpool by Andrew McGahan and my personal favourite, The Golden Day by Ursula Dubosarsky, rounded out the shortlist.Īn additional 16 titles were listed as Notable Books, including works by previous CBCA award-winning authors Steven Herrick, J.C. ![]() The judges called Gardner's book ''a confronting story'', praising it for balancing ''the violence and desolation of Aaron's life in the caravan park with the routine and studied peacefulness of the funeral parlour in exquisite counterpoint''.īill Condon's A Straight Line to My Heart and Robert Newton's When We Were Two were named Honour Books (the latter, a 1916-set road-trip story about two brothers - with shades of Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men - won the Prime Minister's Literary Award this year). ![]() It's a memorable read that manages to be understated while tackling heavy subject matter and delivering believably complex characters. ![]() ![]() ![]() The Farther Adventures sees Crusoe return to his island following the death of his wife in England following the death of Man Friday, his faithful servant, he travels to Madagascar, the Far East, and Siberia, before returning to England ten years later. The Farther Adventures of Robinson Crusoe followed later in the same year, with Serious Reflections of Robinson Crusoe following a year later in 1720 (though this third book was little more than a collection of Defoe’s earlier works which was published under the Crusoe ‘brand’). Defoe wrote two sequels to Robinson Crusoe. As we reveal in our interesting facts about Robinson Crusoe, the popularity of that novel led Defoe to write two follow-up books, published speedily after the original. They also chanted Defoe’s own ‘ Hymn to the Pillory’ in support, and raised a glass to him.ĥ. ![]() ![]() ![]() But far from assaulting Defoe with stones and rotten fruit, the crowd reportedly threw flowers at the writer. He was put in the pillory for one of his seditious pamphlets. In 1703, he was put in the pillory for writing a satirical pamphlet, The Shortest Way with the Dissenters, attacking the treatment of religious dissenters in England. ![]() ![]() Overall it was an entertaining YA fantasy that felt fresh even though it tromps around well trodden YA tropes – kingdoms in peril that can only be saved by these teens, forbidden romance, and magical chosen ones. ![]() At times I’d have to reread sections to see if I had missed something because suddenly there be a dragon! and no one seemed too surprised. There were snippets of the fantastical (aside from the well established jinn) that included dragons, magical bugs, and other magical elements that were popped into the story without further explanation or mention. I’m very interested in this world Tahereh Mafi is building, but I would have liked to see (and considering she had about 500 pages to do so) that the world building had received more attention – feeling more complete, more realized. ![]() Luckily for me I was up for a slow moving, purple prose story even if there were a few times I’d wish the plot could gallop along instead of more description. The writing will be a make-it break-it for you as it is exquisitely detailed with languishing prose. While it’s definitely easy to compare This Woven Kingdom to Chakraborty’s City of Brass series, I’d actually liken it to a Cinderella-esque retelling, complete with elaborate balls and scrubbing floors and falling in love with the Prince … except add in Jinn. ![]() |