Please welcome author Mary Sharratt during her blog tour for her October 2012 release of Illuminations, and see the bottom of the post for a book giveaway of Illuminations!
The Soul is Symphonic: The Music of Hildegard von Bingen
Born in the Rhineland in present day Germany, Hildegard von Bingen (1098–1179) was a visionary nun and polymath. She founded two monasteries, went on four preaching tours, and wrote nine books addressing both scientific and religious subjects, an unprecedented accomplishment for a 12th-century woman. Her prophecies earned her the title Sybil of the Rhine.
873 years after her death, Hildegard was canonized in May 2012 and will be elevated to Doctor of the Church in October, a rare and solemn title reserved for theologians who have made a significant impact.
But to most people today, Hildegard is known best for her soaring ethereal music.
The first composer for whom we have a biography, she composed seventy-seven sacred songs, as well as Ordo Virtutum, a liturgical drama set to music.
Her melodies are completely unlike the plainchant of her era—or anything that has come before or since. Likewise her lyrics are highly original and feel fresh to us even today. She was the only 12th century writer to compose in free verse.
A Benedictine superior, Hildegard and her nuns sang the Divine Office eight times a day. She believed that song was the highest form of prayer—the mystical power of music reunited humankind to the ecstasy and beauty of paradise before the fall, connecting the singer directly with the divine, and joining heaven and earth in a great celestial harmony.
Singing the divine praises was absolutely central to Hildegard’s identity as a nun. But late in her life, the great composer and polymath was silenced.
Hildegard and her nuns were subject to an interdict, or collective excommunication, when they refused to disinter a supposed apostate buried in their churchyard. As punishment for their disobedience, they were forbidden the sacraments, the mass, even forbidden to sing the Divine Office.
It was the prohibition against singing that hit Hildegard the hardest. She wrote a passionate letter to her archbishop in protest. “The soul is symphonic,” she told him. She also warned him that by forbidding her and her daughters from singing God’s praise, the archbishop himself risked going to an afterlife destination where there was no music, ie hell.
Hildegard’s words seemed to give the man pause for thought. He lifted the interdict just a few months before her death in 1179.
“There is the music of heaven in all things,” Hildegard wrote. “But we have forgotten to hear it until we sing.”
I find her song Caritas Abundant in Omnia (Divine Love Abounds in All Things) to be particularly stirring. Hildegard conceived of Caritas, or Divine Love, as a feminine figure, an aspect of the Feminine Divine:
Caritas habundat in omnia
Divine love abounds in all things.
She is greatly exalted from the depths to the heights,
Mary Sharratt’s Illuminations: A Novel of Hildegard von Bingen is published in October by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and is a Book of the Month and One Spirit Book Club pick. Visit Mary’s website: www.marysharratt.com
Synopsis of Illuminations: Illuminations chronicles the life of Hildegard von Bingen (1098–1179), who was tithed to the church at the age of eight and expected to live out her days in silent submission as the handmaiden of a renowned but disturbed young nun, Jutta von Sponheim. Instead, Hildegard rejected Jutta’s masochistic piety and found comfort and grace in studying books, growing herbs, and rejoicing in her own secret visions of the divine. When Jutta died some three decades later, Hildegard broke out of her prison with the heavenly calling to speak and write about her visions and to liberate her sisters and herself from the soul-destroying anchorage.
Like Anita Diamant’s portrayal of Dinah in The Red Tent, Mary Sharratt interweaves historical research with psychological insight and vivid imagination to write an engaging and triumphant portrait of a courageous and remarkably resilient woman and the life she might have lived. Deeply affecting, Illuminations is a testament to the power of faith, love, and self-creation.
To enter the giveaway for your own copy of Illuminations, please comment here with your email address. What intrigues you about Illuminations?Open to USA and Canada followers of HF-Connection, contest ends on 10/8/2012 and will be announced 10/9/2012 on the release day of Illuminations!
San Miguel by TC Boyle
Viking Adult / Penguin September 18, 2012
Hardcover, 384 pages
1880s and 1930s, San Miguel (Southern California)
Reviewed by Genevieve Graham; 4 stars
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Women, a historical novel about three women’s lives on a California island.
On a tiny, desolate, windswept island off the coast of Southern California, two families, one in the 1880s and one in the 1930s, come to start new lives and pursue dreams of self-reliance and freedom. Their extraordinary stories, full of struggle and hope, are the subject of T. C. Boyle’s haunting new novel.
Thirty-eight-year-old Marantha Waters arrives on San Miguel on New Year’s Day 1888 to restore her failing health. Joined by her husband, a stubborn, driven Civil War veteran who will take over the operation of the sheep ranch on the island, Marantha strives to persevere in the face of the hardships, some anticipated and some not, of living in such brutal isolation. Two years later their adopted teenage daughter, Edith, an aspiring actress, will exploit every opportunity to escape the captivity her father has imposed on her. Time closes in on them all and as the new century approaches, the ranch stands untenanted. And then in March 1930, Elise Lester, a librarian from New York City, settles on San Miguel with her husband, Herbie, a World War I veteran full of manic energy. As the years go on they find a measure of fulfillment and serenity; Elise gives birth to two daughters, and the family even achieves a celebrity of sorts. But will the peace and beauty of the island see them through the impending war as it had seen them through the Depression?
Rendered in Boyle’s accomplished, assured voice, with great period detail and utterly memorable characters, this is a moving and dramatic work from one of America’s most talented and inventive storytellers.
San Miguel, a windswept, miserable, lonely island in the middle of nowhere, shapes the lives of three very different women in this beautiful example of Historical Literary fiction. This is not a romance and not a particularly plot-driven story, and while some traditional fiction readers may find this more of a meandering read, the bleak canvas of San Miguel is painted with a vivid depth of colour.
We know from the first chapter that our first storyteller, Marantha, isn’t going to make it. She is dying of consumption, living a painful, guilt-ridden existence which her husband believes will be improved by moving their family to the fresh air of San Miguel. She’s become a bitter, pinched creature, but TC Boyle dives into her twisted heart and finds the yearning she tries so hard to kill.
On the island, Marantha’s life worsens tenfold, and yet she finds in herself a resolve she’s never known before. Her daughter, Edith, will do anything to escape San Miguel. She watches her mother die, watches their lives fall apart, and refuses to allow her life to be squeezed into the same constraints. Her romantic ature takes her into the arms of an awkward boy who will never know more than San Miguel’s harsh shore, and her impulsive nature leaves him behind to dream about her.
Fifty years later, Elise (unrelated to the other two women) moves to San Miguel with her husband, Lester, who loses his mind during their time spent on the island. She does all she can to maintain a normal, roductive life, even bringing their family somewhat of a celebrity status when she shares their unconventional education of the couple’s two daughters. Lester’s insanity is fed by a burning need to feel useful, which he is not. When WWII approaches, his desperation drives him to a terrible end.
TC Boyle’s prose is simply beautiful. His characters are powerfully honest and the settings are drawn with such impeccable detail it is impossible not to get sucked into all three stories. The reader is placed, whether they want it or not, on the lonely island of San Miguel. I, for one, both loved and hated the island, both pitied and raged at the characters. Boyle’s gift is reaching so deep into the reader’s mind and heart that it’s impossible not to be affected.
Reviewer Genevieve Graham started writing when she was in her forties, inspired by the work of the legendary Diana Gabaldon. Her first two novels, “Under the Same Sky” and “Sound of the Heart” were published by Berkley Sensation/Penguin US in 2012 and have met with enthusiastic reviews. The third in the series, “Out of the Shadows” will be released Aug/Sept 2013. Genevieve writes what she calls “Historical Fiction” rather than “Historical Romance,” meaning she concentrates on the stories and adventures, and she doesn’t turn away from the ugly truths of the times. Romance binds her stories together, but it is not the primary focus. Genevieve also runs her own Editing business and has helped dozens of authors with their novels.
Here Be Dragons (Welsh Princes #1) by Sharon Kay Penman is the winner of our poll for the next read along!
Thirteenth-century Wales is a divided country, ever at the mercy of England's ruthless, power-hungry King John. Then Llewelyn, Prince of North Wales, secures an uneasy truce with England by marrying the English king's beloved, illegitimate daughter, Joanna. Reluctant to wed her father's bitter enemy, Joanna slowly grows to love her charismatic and courageous husband who dreams of uniting Wales. But as John's attentions turn again and again to subduing Wales--and Llewelyn--Joanna must decide to which of these powerful men she owes her loyalty and love.
A sweeping novel of power and passion, loyalty and lives, this is the book that began the trilogy that includes FALLS THE SHADOW and THE RECKONING.
Visit Sharon Kay Penman's site for a more detailed description here.
Based on the all the fabulous reviews on Goodreads, this is going to be an exciting historical read, and I hope you will join us! First published in 1985, some of you may have read it, and we still welcome you during our discussion posts here at HF-Connection later in October, and maybe even you'll be eager for a re-read? This is a chunky book at around 700 pages, so it will take a little longer for some of us, but I was hoping for around two weeks, which is an average of 50 pages every day. But a fellow read along participant suggested stretching it to three weeks in case things come up for some of us.
There are no clear divisions in the text such as 'Parts' so I am just going by Chapter count.
The tentative schedule:
10/13/2012 START YOUR ENGINES!! Be sure to have your copy by this date, so you can start reading.
10/19/2012 Friday: First Discussion post goes up. Try to read up to around Chapter 17, which is page 212 in my edition (shown above).
10/26/2012 Friday: Second Discussion post goes up. Try to read up to around Chapter 37, which is page 453 in my edition.
11/2/2012 Friday: Final Discussion post goes up. This last third of the book will have a few more pages, but perhaps we'll all be racing to the finish and be able to finish about the same time here.
The posts will go up as scheduled, and if you have to catch up and come back later to the post to comment that is fine. There are no rules, but of course we would like to maintain a conversation online about the chapters we hopefully all have just read! And those who have read the book can read again, or comment along, just taking care to not spoil the parts we have not gotten to. Spoilers for what we are scheduled to have read are allowed of course.
I will make another post closer to the Read Along, just to double check who will be reading along and as a reminder to everyone. At this point, you should order your copy of Here Be Dragons so you can participate! Who's on board?
We are ready to get a schedule set for our Fall Read Along at HF- Connection! We had recently thrown out some ideas... and so here we are with the official poll for those who really think they would like to participate! Here are the choices that we have come up with (Click titles to go to their Amazon site):
Katherine by Anya Seton
This classic romance novel tells the true story of the love affair that changed history—that of Katherine Swynford and John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, the ancestors of most of the British royal family. Set in the vibrant 14th century of Chaucer and the Black Death, the story features knights fighting in battle, serfs struggling in poverty, and the magnificent Plantagenets—Edward III, the Black Prince, and Richard II—who ruled despotically over a court rotten with intrigue. Within this era of danger and romance, John of Gaunt, the king’s son, falls passionately in love with the already married Katherine. Their well-documented affair and love persist through decades of war, adultery, murder, loneliness, and redemption. This epic novel of conflict, cruelty, and untamable love has become a classic since its first publication in 1954.
Here Be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman
Thirteenth-century Wales is a divided country, ever at the mercy of England’s ruthless, power-hungry King John. Llewelyn, Prince of North Wales, secures an uneasy truce by marrying the English king’s beloved illegitimate daughter, Joanna, who slowly grows to love her charismatic and courageous husband. But as John’s attentions turn again and again to subduing Wales---and Llewelyn---Joanna must decide where her love and loyalties truly lie.
The turbulent clashes of two disparate worlds and the destinies of the individuals caught between them spring to life in this magnificent novel of power and passion, loyalty and lies. The book that began the trilogy that includes Falls the Shadow and The Reckoning, Here Be Dragons brings thirteenth-century England, France, and Wales to tangled, tempestuous life.
The Reluctant Queen by Jean Plaidy
In 1470, a reluctant Lady Anne Neville is betrothed by her father, the
politically ambitious Earl of Warwick, to Edward, Prince of Wales. A gentle yet
fiercely intelligent woman, Anne has already given her heart to the prince’s
younger brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester. Unable to oppose her father’s
will, she finds herself in line for the throne of England—an obligation that she
does not want. Yet fate intervenes when Edward is killed at the Battle of
Tewkesbury. Anne suddenly finds herself free to marry the man she loves—and who
loves her in return. The ceremony is held at Westminster Abbey, and the duke and
duchess make a happy home at
Middleham Castle, where both spent much of
their childhood. Their life is idyllic, until the reigning king dies and a
whirlwind of dynastic maneuvering leads to his children being declared
illegitimate. Richard inherits the throne as King Richard III, and Anne is
crowned queen consort, a destiny she thought she had successfully avoided. Her
husband’s reign lasts two years, two months, and two days—and in that short time
Anne witnesses the true toll that wearing the crown takes on Richard, the last
king from the House of York.
From the pen of legendary historical novelist Jean Plaidy comes an
unforgettable true story of
royalty, passion, and innocence lost.
Born into an impoverished branch of the noble Howard family, young
Katherine is plucked from her home to live with her grandmother, the Duchess of
Norfolk. The innocent girl quickly learns that her grandmother’s puritanism is
not shared by Katherine’s free-spirited cousins, with whom she lives. Beautiful
and impressionable, Katherine becomes involved in two ill-fated love affairs
before her sixteenth birthday. Like her cousin Anne Boleyn, she leaves her
grandmother’s home to become a lady-in-waiting at the court of Henry VIII. The
royal palaces are exciting to a young girl from the country, and Katherine ?nds
that her duties there allow her to be near her handsome cousin, Thomas
Culpepper, whom she has loved since childhood.
But when Katherine
catches the eye of the aging and unhappily married king, she is forced to
abandon her plans for a life with Thomas and marry King Henry. Overwhelmed by
the change in her fortunes, bewildered and flattered by the adoration of her
husband, Katherine is dazzled by the royal life. But her bliss is short-lived as
rumors of her wayward past come back to haunt her, and Katherine’s destiny takes
another, deadly, turn.
Please vote in the poll in the right sidebar to cast your choice!!
If you are on a mobile device and cannot vote, please comment and we will count your vote as long as you tell us you are unable to see the poll in the sidebar.
We will probably start reading October 13 and then host some discussion posts along the way after that for a few weeks. Hope you want to join us!
Hello fellow book lovers! I just wanted to step in and say we are indeed still here.. but obviously neglected the HF-Connection this month in favor of real life and our own personal blogs! Summer is coming to an end, and fall is around the corner already!! I hope everyone has had a safe and happy summer.
Just to update you where we have been, Michelle is co-hosting the Wolf Hall Read Along, feel free to jump in during the conversation posts at any time, even if you've read it a few years ago!
Find more information on Michelle's blog, The True Book Addict and at her co-host Kai's blog at Fiction State of Mind. The read-a-long will run from August 4 - September 15. You can find out all the details by visiting the Schedule post HERE. I hope you will join in!
And to celebrate the US release of Elizabeth Chadwick's A Place Beyond Courage, there is a book giveaway for both A Place Beyond Courage AND The Greatest Knight... enter at the book review link here. That one ends 9/3/2012.
Any ideas for a future read along? Some that have been swirling in my head are Katherine by Anya Seton, Here Be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman, and The Crown by Nancy Bilyeau. And always in the back of my mind are titles by Jean Plaidy aka Victoria Holt aka Phillipa Carr... what are you guys in the mood for? I am thinking this would be sometime around October depending on your input! See you in the blogosphere!
