My mother had the novel, Lord Vanity (1953) by Samuel Shellabarger* , on her shelves, via maybe her brother's gift? I remember the first time I read it, in the summer before I started fourth grade, having already devoured all the books I was able to bring home from the Wahpeton Leach Library, on our weekly trip to town, to makes purchases and visit the grandparents.
What a revelation this novel was! It may have been the first 'adult' novel I ever read, and it was, I think, the first historical novel I ever read. I loved it. It was my introduction to so much.
Naturally I had no idea what any of it was about. But the characters and their adventures and relationships came through clearly though I was ignorant of the historical milieu against which they were played. My favorite fiction ever since has been a good historical novel. Alas that so little is being written today. I don't count books like Girl With A Pearl Earring, for instance, as a 'real' historical novel. It's a lovely novel, and beautifully written and it was a joy to read. But there was no swash -- I loves me my swash and intrigue, betrayal and honor. The closest to delivering what I like so much these days has been Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Tales, though I fear he's turning it into a series. Quality and delight inevitably fall off with open-ended series.
The next Shellabarger novel I read -- pulled from the Wahpeton Leach Library, natch, was Prince of Foxes (1947) It turns out Prince of Foxes was made into a movie (1949) -- with -- get this! -- Orson Welles as Cesare Borgia! O joy! I have the dvd. It is lousy weather. I look foward to tonight. Vaquero's off to KGB for the Mark Jacobs radio show, so I plan to have a very personal revel.
Something else we've lost with the loss of historical novels -- they are most excellent portals into reading and studying history itself. I'm certain this is one of the reasons history is seldom taught, or inadequately taught these days -- the loss of the historical novel as a major publishing genre.
*Shellabarger has a connection to the Civil War. Wiki informs us that "Samuel was therefore reared by his grandfather, Samuel Shellabarger, a noted lawyer who had served in Congress during the American Civil War and as Minister to Portugal. Young Samuel's travels with his grandfather later proved a goldmine of background material for his novels." I wonder if I were to read his novels today if I'd notice objectionable attitudes that the Civil Rights struggle made no longer acceptable in fiction of certain kinds?
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4 comments:
Try The Sheriff of Nottingham,, by Richard Kluger.
I take it that you are familiar with George MacDonald Fraser.
I've never been a GMFraser fan; don't like the Flashman character at all. So girly of moi!
Russell Crowe will be the Sheriff in the forthcoming film, The Sheriff of Nottingham to which I am muchly looking forward.
That novel looks very interesting. Dang! The NYPL doesn't have it in the system. Foo.
Love, C.
Well, that was fun.
With Orson Wells in deep décolleté to better reveal his hairy pecs. "We shall walk into Ferrara through a bedroom."
Tyrone Power in hot pants.
All the men except the elderly Duke of Citte de Monte in teeny tiny little skirts.
Not all of them had the calves for the tights. Interesting styles for men back that at the end of the 15th century, with sleeves hanging to the ground and back of the garment cut off at the waist, so looking at a fellow from behind, his ass was framed in billowing silk and satin sleeves.
Love, C.
I recently posted a comment on history/fiction/ entertainment etc. I can't remember when since I've been too busy. Anyway it's at www.dmmcgowan.blogspot.com
I'm interested in the subject because it's what I most like to write. My latest can be seen by clicking on 'Partners' at the above site.
Dave
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