Tuesday 13 May 2014

Two Great Reads....

...  over the weekend I finished reading a wonderful novel called "Homer and Langley" by E.L. Doctorow.


It is a fictionalized account of the Collyer Brother, Homer and Langley, who lived very eccentric lives in a brownstone in New York.

"Homer Lusk Collyer (November 6, 1881 – March 21, 1947) and Langley Wakeman Collyer (October 3, 1885 – c.March 9, 1947), known as the Collyer brothers, were two American brothers who became famous because of their bizarre natures and compulsive hoarding. For decades, neighborhood rumors swirled around the rarely seen men and their home at 2078 Fifth Avenue (at the corner of 128th Street), in Manhattan, where they obsessively collected books, furniture, musical instruments, and many other items, with booby traps set up in corridors and doorways to ensnare intruders.
Both were eventually found dead in the Harlem brownstone where they had lived, surrounded by over 140 tons of collected items that they had amassed over several decades."



Crowds gathered to see the police enter the house after the brothers' deaths.

Collyer Brothers Park now sits on the place where the brownstone once was.

You can see more photos of their brownstone at this website.
 
I can certainly recommend this novel.
So, as is my wont, once I finish a book it is onto the next one.  So, I have started this Fantasy novel by a new Australian author - Jo Spurrier.



"Original, dramatic and unputdownable, Winter Be My Shield is the first in an epic fantasy trilogy from brilliant new Australian talent Jo Spurrier."Sierra has a despised and forbidden gift --- she raises power from the suffering of others. Enslaved by the King's Torturer, Sierra escapes, barely keeping ahead of Rasten, the man sent to hunt her down. Then she falls in with dangerous company: the fugitive Prince Cammarian and his crippled foster-brother, Isidro.

But Rasten is not the only enemy hunting them in the frozen north, and as Sierra's new allies struggle to identify friend from foe, Rasten approaches her with a plant to kill the master they both abhor. Sierra is forced to decide what price she is willing to pay for her freedom and her life...

So far, I am enjoying it immensely.

Anyway, must dash - blogs to visit, books to read and stitching to do.

hugs,


8 comments:

Barb said...

Thanks so much, I always love good book suggestions!

Michelle Ridgway said...

It is great when you get completely absorbed in a good book. They sound like they were fascinating characters.

Michelle Ridgway said...

It is great when you get completely absorbed in a good book. They sound like they were fascinating characters.

Margaret said...

I loved Homer and Langley as well -- such a good read! The other sounds interesting too.

P.J. said...

Adding that to my list. Sounds very interesting.

KimM said...

Wow! I'll add these to my reading list. Thank you for sharing.
xxx

Anthea said...

Kaye that sounds like a very interesting book - I have heard of the gentlemen, but never really known much about their story... enjoy your next book!

diamondc said...

Kaye: I love to read, this book looks very interesting.
Thank-you for sharing.

Catherine

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