LITERARY BLOG HOP - WHAT WORK OF LITERATURE WOULD YOU RECOMMEND TO SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T LIKE LITERATURE?

This interesting, thought-provoking monthly blog hop is hosted at The Blue Bookcase . It's my second post in this regular event joining book bloggers and fond readers (the first one is HERE) . It's a good occasion to share thoughts on reading literature, to discover new blogs and bloggers and to learn something new. This month's question is...

What work/s of literature would you recommend to someone who doesn't like literature? 

1. To read or not to read,  Ay, there's the rub !

When someone says he/she doesn't like literature in my experience it generally means they don't like reading very much. Because if you like reading novels for instance, if you are fond of reading  fiction, what you look for is  ... words , beautifully written words,  which all together make up a story. Stories is actually what you look for. And inside those stories emotions, feelings, thoughts, adventures, lives and people you can rely yourself to and sympathize with. How can you not love literature then? 

What would I recommend to someone who says he/she  doesn't like literature but actually  doesn't like reading? I can't answer. First I should know them, at least a bit. Recommendations are meaningless if you don't know tastes and dispositions, likes and dislikes of the person you recommend something to. 

A HEART FOR MILTON BY TRUDY BRASURE - GIVEAWAY WINNER

The Book

When Margaret Hale hastily rejected the wealthy industrialist's fervent marriage proposal, she could not have foreseen the events that would lead her to change her mind and open her heart. But was it too late now to let the handsome, brooding mill owner know? Set amidst the clamor of Victorian England's Industrial Revolution, this is a tale of hope, trial, and love's fulfillment. Based on the novel 'North and South' by Elizabeth Gaskell, this book weaves a change in the original plot to create a beautiful continuation of an enduring love story.

The giveaway

A Heart For Milton is the sequel to Elizabeth Gaskell's "North and South" by Trudy Brasure. The giveaway contest closing today has been running  for two weeks and has been connected to the two entries from Margaret Hale Thornton's post honeymoon diary written by Trudy Brasure for the readers of FLY HIGH: part I and part II.

The winner has been chosen via random.org among the commenters of both diary pages (two comments, two chances to win) and will get the book directly from the author, Trudy Brasure , whom I want to thank heartily for being such a  kind and generous guest. I loved her pieces and her answers to your questions  as Margaret. .

And now, the name of the lucky winner. The signed copy of "A Heart for Milton" with a special dedication from the author goes to ... 

Rachel!!!

WHAT I'VE BEEN WATCHING - THE HOUR (2011)

Don't ask me whether it is or not an imitation of Mad Men, nor if it is better or worse. I haven't seen the American series - I hardly ever watch American series - and I just know that this British 6-part drama is set in the same years as that American show. What I can  tell you is that I'm glad I managed to see THE HOUR and that it  doesn't look like anything I've already seen. 

THE HOUR was broadcast on BBC2 between July and August (I was in England and bumped on a TV trailer by chance) and on BBC America in August last summer. 

I don't think it is perfect and actually got into it little by little after mildly liking the slow opening episode. But in the end, I found it  intriguing and quite good on the whole.

GRATITUDE GIVEAWAY HOP - THANKS TO ALL MY READERS AND FOLLOWERS: WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT

More than 100 comments is a real record for my small corner of the blogosphere! But it happened taking part  in this Gratitude Giveaway Hop hosted and promoted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & All-Consuming Books.  It's been great fun! Thanks a lot to all my old and new followers for the interest they showed in my personal book giveaway here on FLY HIGH. 

It's been interesting to see which of the books I was offering was the most wished for and this is the resulting chart: 

1. Alexandre Dumas, The Black Tulip xxxxxxxxxxxx (12)

2. Syrie James, Nocturne xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (32)

3. Prue Batten, A Thousand Glass Flowers (Kindle Edition) xx (2)

4. Tracey Kiely, Murder Most Persuasive xxxxxxxxx (9)

5. Victoria Connelly, A Weekend with Mr Darcy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (20)

6. Mary Lydon Simonsen, Mr Darcy's Bite xxxxxxxxx (9)

7. Heather Lynn Rigaud, Fitwilliam Darcy Rock Star xxxxxxxxxx (10)

8. Karen Doornebos, Definitely not Mr Darcy xxxxxxxx (8)

9. William Deresiewicz, A Jane Austen Education xxxx (4)

10 Claire Harman, Jane's Fame xxxx (4)

Unfortunately , some of the commenters didn't make their choice, so if you sum up all the x,  their total number doesn't correspond to the  number of comments. Commenters who didn't state their book of choice were neither included in the final draw to pick up the name of the winner (for which purpose I used random.org ).

The winner in this giveaway contest is FLO who chose 

Fitzilliam Darcy Rock Star by Heather Lynn Rigaud. 

Congratulations!!!

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF ALI MACNAMARA - DOUBLE GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Two books, two winners! Thanks to  Little Brown, UK, we've been granted a copy of "From Nottingh Hill with Love ... Actually" and one of "Breakfast at Darcy's" for this giveaway linked to Ali Macnamara's interview on Fly High!  Lots of enthusiastic comments we got, this means Ali's books must have sounded as charming as they really are! They also look lovely, actually. Aren't those bookcovers cute? 

Here are the names of the winners picked up with the help of random.org:

1. From Nottingh Hill with Love ... Actually" goes to ... Patricia Perez Miguel


2. Breakfast at Darcy's has been won by ... Gaabi Costa

Congratulations to both and ... Enjoy your new reads!

KATHERINE ASHE ON SIMON DE MONFORT - INTERVIEW AND GIVEAWAY OF HER MONFORT SERIES

THE AUTHOR 

Katherine Ashe is a writer of books, stage plays and screen and radio plays on historical subjects. She has kindly accepted to be my guest on FLY HIGH! to introduce  the world of Monfort to all of us who are fond of history and historical fiction.

SIMON DE MONFORT

For 700 years it was a hanging crime to speak his name. Believed to be the Angel of the Apocalypse, launching the millennium that would see the disintegration of nations in a single world-order, and the withering away of the Church as each soul is filled with the Holy Spirit – Simon de Montfort founded England’s Parliament and brought modern democracy into being.

Few could have been a less like champion of the common man – or considered an angel. Brought up as companion to King Louis IX of France (Saint Louis), Simon was befriended by King Henry III of England, married the king’s sister, who was a nun, and probably was the queen’s lover and father of the heir to the throne, Edward I.

Offered the Crowns of three nations, tried twice for treason, repeatedly excommunicated, Simon, as Earl of Leicester, enforced an elected government upon his king in 1258. And the government he brought into being has been the model for most modern nations.

“Montfort”, a speculative history in the form of a novel, with extensive research notes in an Historical Context section appended to each of the four volumes, follows 13th century documentation to probe how these things may have happened in the day-to-day living of Montfort’s life.

GIVEAWAY 

Read the following interview with Katherine Ashe and leave a comment/question for her + your e-mail address. One lucky commenter will win the 4 Monfort novels in the e-book  edition ! The giveaway is open worldwide and ends on December 2nd when the winner is announced. 

MARGARET HALE THORNTON AND HER SECRET DIARY - SECOND GUESTPOST BY TRUDY BRASURE + GIVEAWAY

                                            Tuesday  May 29, 1852

Mrs. Thornton and I had our first argument today. Well, perhaps it was not quite an argument, but I did speak quite adamantly when she spoke so unfavorably of John’s accomplishment in providing a workers’ kitchen. I must try to keep my voice more tempered when others do not see things as I do.

Fanny came to tea this afternoon and tried to offer me marital advice! It was all I could do to keep my composure. She has obviously quite a different marriage than I.

She reminded us all of the Milton ball which is forthcoming. John was fortunate enough to escape our little gathering before she graced Mrs. Thornton and I with all the myriad details of preparation for such a social enterprise. The Milton Ladies Society was very astute to have put Fanny on the planning committee, as she seems to have a very fine head for every last arrangement.

TEATIME TEN AT EMILY SNYDER'S BLOG - FANCY A CUP OF TEA WITH US?

Emily Snyder is a director, writer, teacher who lives in Massachusetts, US. We all know how easy it is to make acquaintances and friends in the blogosphere, especially when you find so many interesting people who share your same passions. And Emily and I share some: literature, teaching, Jane Austen among others. 

So, when she invited me to her Teatime Ten, how could I decline? I said, Yes, of course, and had great fun chatting with her on a cup of good English tea. An Italian and an American? Well, why not? Join us. We talked about books, literary heroes and heroines, teaching, blogging and tall, dark, handsome, blue-eyed Brits ...or more precisely A tall, dark, handsome, blue-eyed Brit: Richard Armitage. It was some time I didn't mention him here on FLY HIGH... Wasn't it? 

Ok, then. Will you join us?   I'll wait for you at Emily's.  CLICK HERE.

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF ALI MACNAMARA - INTERVIEW AND DOUBLE GIVEAWAY

British author Ali Macnamara is my guest today. She kindly accepted to answer my questions about her books: her first successful "From Nottingh Hill with Love ... Actually" and her due to release "Breakfast at Darcy's". You'll have the chance to win one of her two books reading and commenting this interview. You'll find the details for the giveaway contest at the end of the post. Enjoy and good luck!

Welcome on FLY HIGH! Ali. It’s a great pleasure to have you as my guest and to introduce you and your work to my readers. Tell us Ali, have you always wanted to be a writer?

No I actually started writing stories by accident on an Internet message board. People were enjoying them so much that I decided to have a go at writing ‘real books.’

How has your life changed after the publication of your first novel, “From Notting Hill with Love … Actually”?

I'VE SEEN IT AT THE CINEMA : ANONYMOUS (2011). SO LONG AS MEN CAN BREATH OR EYES CAN SEE...

... so long live Shakespeare's wonderful words ... whoever wrote them. After watching Roland Emmerich's intriguing Anonymous about the controversial question of the authorship behind Shakespeare's plays, I'm even more convinced of that. Whoever wrote them - as Ben Jonson (Sebastian Armesto) says at the end of the film - those words will live forever, and he and everybody else who lived in the same age as the bard who wrote them, even the Queen herself, will be remembered because they had the honour to live in the same age as that man. Isn't that true?