In 1864, a debate was supposed to take place between Richard Burton and John Hanning Speke at the annual convention of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. The subject of the debate was the source of the Nile. Burton favoured Lake Tanganyika, Speke favoured Lake Victoria. The debate never happened because of Speke’s…
Sharpe’s Tiger is set in India in 1799, at the Siege of Seringapatam. Sharpe is a private in the 33rd Foot, and we are quickly introduced to his enemy, Sgt. Obadiah Hakeswill. Hakeswill is a recurring character in the Sharpe novels and it doesn’t take long to dislike him. He provokes Sharpe into hitting him,…
Set in Japan in 1600, Shogun tells the story of Englishman John Blackthorne, pilot for a Dutch trading mission, and the Japanese daimyo or overlord, Toranaga. John Blackthorne starts out with typical 16th/17th century attitudes, and is unable to understand or relate to the Japanese culture and way of life. As the book progresses, his…
Amazon A Game of Thrones is the first book in George R. R. Martin’s ‘Song of Ice and Fire’ series. In it he introduces the characters, races and places that make up the Seven Kingdoms and Free Cities of the story. The descriptions and actions of the main characters caused me to have strong feelings…
