Theodora: Actress, Empress, Saint
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Two of the most famous mosaics from the Byzantine period, from the church of San Vitale in Ravenna,...
True History of the Kelly Gang (2019)
Movie Watch
A fictionalized re-telling of the life and crimes of infamous 19th-century Australian outlaw Ned...
ClareR (5667 KP) rated A Long Petal of the Sea in Books
Jan 14, 2020
This is the sweeping historical story of the Dalmau family, their role in the Spanish Civil War, their escape in to France (which was horrific), and their journey to Chile as refugees on the ship ‘Winnipeg’ arranged by the poet Pablo Neruda.
It’s a devastating and yet heartwarming look at humanity and it’s ability to endure. I hadn’t known about the concentration-style camps that the French forced the Spanish refugees in to after Franco and his right wing party won the Civil War. It looks as though people have always been able to destroy one another in inhuman ways (this is no surprise to me, by the way). We see more of the use of concentration camps in Chile after the military coup.
The main characters, Victor and Roser Dalmau continue to see Chile as their home, over and above Spain. They show us that home is where your friends, family and community are - and that you can make this home anywhere.
This book really is a joy to read. I’ve learnt so much of the history of this time, as well as having the pleasure of just reading a great story.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for my copy of this book to read.
The Pearly Prince of St Pancras
Alf Dole and Jeff Hudson
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Pearly Kings and Queens are one of the quintessential icons of 'old London', originally invented to...
Beyond Trochenbrod: The Betty Gold Story
Betty Gold and Mark Hodermarsky
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Few are familiar with one of the Holocaust's most monstrous acts, the systematic murder of 5,000...
Manson
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After more than forty years, Charles Manson continues to mystify and fascinate us. One of the most...
Rally Point: Five Tasks to Unite the Country and Revitalize the American Dream
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A smart and surprising political inventory for how America can reunite and revitalize in a time of...
Tony Soprano's America: Gangsters, Guns, and Money
M. Keith Booker and Isra Daraiseh
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Widely regarded as one of the greatest television series of all time, The Sopranos is also...
Bellewether
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It’s 1759 and the world is at war, pulling the North American colonies of Britain and France into...
Our Fathers
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Hugh Provan was a Modernist hero. A dreamer, a Socialist, a man of the people, he led Scotland's...