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Crystal wrote: "As much as I hate to admit it, when I was a kid I was half glad about the decimation of the horseshoe crabs in the '70's. Those critters are mean! And they can hurt you! There was a colony betwe..."

There are a few critters that I felt the same about as a kid, Crystal. Snakes were one. I wanted them all to die gruesome deaths when I was a kid. Now, all snakes are protected in my state and while I will shoot the highly venomous ones that hang around the house, I don't want them all to die anymore. :)

That sounds good, Chris. I shall add it to the tbr and keep an eye out for it.
I admit, when I see a book like this is published so long ago I get put off. There has been so many new discoveries and dispelled theories within Viking and British history since the 60's that it always worries me that the historical research in older books is outdated.

For anyone who wants to know about the bottom breathing turtle..Elusor macrurus the Mary River Turtle. (I live near this river...can see it from my backyard)


here he is. :)

Is extreme ugliness justification for extinction? If so, here's a candidate.

Wow, what a creature!! A punk turtle. ;)

I see now where George Lucas took ideas for his Star Wars aliens...I want to have the telephone number of his hairdresser!

A lot of animals here in Florida are endangered. Like Terri, I would not cry if every poisonous snake did a lemming march over a cliff. Now non poisonous ones do not bother me.
Many years ago when my son was a boy, he came home with a huge(we measured it-8ft.) black snake, which I knew was an Indigo and was an endangered species. I had to make him let it go because you can go to jail for keeping one. They are extremely placid snakes which is probably why they are now endangered, people kept keeping them for pets, which is now against the law. Gators, another endangered species, i would also like to follow the poisonous snakes off the cliff. Nasty creatures.
The turtle(above) and other creatures like baboons with their colouful back ends, Platipus, and so many other weird creatures show me that God must have a sense of humor.

Giulio Leoni/The Kingdom of Light
Sorry,nothing to report on turtles! Last week I finished The Kingdom of Light. It is set in Florence in 1300,and Dante Alighieri,Prior of the city,takes time off from writing The Divine Comedy to solve a mystery involving murder and alchemy. It is a very interesting historical period during the early Renaissance,and science,religion and alchemy are mingled. I enjoyed the book,although the ending was a bit weak. I have now read two of the four books in this series.

I found a couple of pics of Marmots in wikipedia. I posted them in Pictures because I don't know how to post my pics from my own pictures in my post. I think they are cute and could not imagine eating them, poor littlt things!

An American friend of my husband used to tease him saying that Italians eat all animals they don't keep as pets. Apparently Europeans are more used to the idea of eating game than people from USA - rabbits and hares (really cute animals), for instance, are often seen in our family meals.

As for gators, my mother used to say, watching National Geographic documentaries: "Look how many beautiful bags are there!"

..(shouldn't we all be in "Random Thoughts", at this point?)

This remembers me of a book I read last year that I liked a lot: "The omnivore's dilemma" by Michel Pollan. Sorry, I haven't been able to find the link.

Linda wrote: "Giulio Leoni/The Kingdom of Light
Sorry,nothing to report on turtles! Last week I finished The Kingdom of Light. It is set in Florence in 1300,and Dante Alighieri,Prior of the city,takes time off..."

I read the first two books of the series, too, and I was a bit disappointed. Besides, I find quite ridicolous the idea of historical and literary characters featuring as detectives: Dante Alighieri, Giordano Bruno, Machiavelli...there are lots in bookshops these days.

Gators aren't endangered anymore. They have an official hunting season just like deer, boar and bear. Having farm relatives, I'm familiar with eating game and being from FL grew up gathering seafood. It's mainly city folk that don't eat anything that moves. lol

And I found this Beyond the River of the Sun about early Spanish colonial times here. Am quite looking forward to it. Waiting to start until Streetcar Named Desire closes. Working a tragedy so I'm reading fantasy.

I have just startedDragonfly in Amber, I'm hoping this is as good as the first one...I got sidetracked briefly with The Capture and The Journeyboth of which I just really enjoyed, now back to Dragonfly...

mentioned in the Americian Civil war thread

I am starting Jeff Shaara's book about Shiloh

Aww come one guys, that turtle is cute as a button, not ugly. You lot have no taste.

We have crocodiles over here, not in my area, further north, and throughout northern Australia. They are protected. You can only kill them if you have a license. A license to cull a dangerous one for example and even then it is usually only aon official who can do it, eg park ranger.

Yes, I suppose we are getting off track. Not as bad to get off track in here as it is in the other folders though. At least everyone is doing a good job of mixing in books with their gator and varmint talk. :D

I better do likewise....um...still reading The Axe the Shield and the Halig Rood

Oh that reminds me.

If anyone had intended on downloading a free copy of James' other book The Axe the Shield and the Triton then do it in the next 48 hours.

Now James Hockey has finally got this book as an official ebook available on Kindle and Nook, there is no need to spoil people with having it for free anymore.

The main reason he put it up for free download was because it was only available in paperback form..until now..

I'll post this same message in the Radnom thoughts and Triton threads.

It is not often an author of Mr. Hockey's calibre offers his work for free. Thank you for allowing me to read TRITON and ROOD. I may read for pleasure, but I am hard to please. You have pleased me well.

Linda wrote: "It is not often an author of Mr. Hockey's calibre offers his work for free. Thank you for allowing me to read TRITON and ROOD. I may read for pleasure, but I am hard to please. You have pleased m..."

And so I in turn am well pleased. I guess I'm just a storyteller at heart, looking for an audience. For me the written word is best, my voice would put a waterfall to sleep. Cool.

I courageously explored new threads! And the one about Borgia remembered me of a very good Italian author, Maria Bellonci.

So now I'm re-reading "The time and life of Lucrezia Borgia" - sorry, I have not been able to find the link to the English translation, but I checked and it do exists.

She is a really good author, so if someone would like to have a try...

Does this look like the same book?
Lucrezia Borgia
I am thinking that looks familiar. It was either mentioned in the Borgia thread or the Medici thread I believe...but I could be wrong.

(Simona! Look at you getting out and about and exploring the other folders! :D...)

Yep, it does.
(and I can fix the laces of my shoes all alone, also)

Simona wrote: "Yep, it does.
(and I can fix the laces of my shoes all alone, also)"

Oh, I believe you. :)

Finished "Blaze of Glory" - good read and I am starting something a little lighter, Kate Sedley's

That Kate Sedley sure has written a lot of books. 36 according to GR details.

And that particular one isn't released yet according to GR's. July 1st it says, maybe that's the US release date?

That's a good bet. That the release date is only for some countries.

James wrote: "Linda wrote: "It is not often an author of Mr. Hockey's calibre offers his work for free. Thank you for allowing me to read TRITON and ROOD. I may read for pleasure, but I am hard to please. You ..."

Very busy with chores in Valladolid but am getting back into "Triton" and am enthralled with it. There's a lot of Bowdyn in you James!!

Bobby! What a nice surprise. :-)
Glad you're enjoying The Axe the Shield and the Triton

I doenloaded it yesterday. I am not a fan of reading a book off my computer, but since I was able to get it free and it intrigues me, I went ahead and got it.

Terri wrote: "Bobby! What a nice surprise. :-)
Glad you're enjoying The Axe the Shield and the Triton"

hey Terri...finished in the village a little early today and am trying to catch up with things. Home on Sat. for a couple of days. Will try and read "Martyr" while I am traveling. Miss our chats!

Miss them too. :)
I suppose you won't catch this next question as you are probably logged off..did you get your hands on
Killer of Men too?

Bobby wrote: "James wrote: "Linda wrote: "It is not often an author of Mr. Hockey's calibre offers his work for free. Thank you for allowing me to read TRITON and ROOD. I may read for pleasure, but I am hard to..."

Hi Bobby, I'm pleased you're enjoying it. As for having a lot of Bowdyn in me, I wish. I would love to sit around a roaring fire , sup strong ale and tell stories but as I've said elsewhere I have a voice that would put a waterfall to sleep. I once slept through classes from a lecturer who was known as Horlicks. I should never mock, it happened to me.

I just started Since I just had finished another book and only had about 20 minutes of reading time life, did not gewt into it much, but I still liked what I read.

That is one of the books Dawn and I were thinking of putting up for voting in the group read polls next month. :-) In the 'Medieval or later' poll.

And whether it gets voted in or not, I'll definitely be reading it in August. :)

I started three books last night and I started another this afternoon .

I can't help myself, I like to have at least 3 books on the go at the same time. :)
And no comments about Scarrow.....you know who you are! ;)

Yeah! You know who you are!

:D

Two histfics on the go. Porius, 499AD Britain. And Ash: A Secret History which I heard of in this group - came in the mail today, looks terrific and I had to start at once. 'Porius' requires me to be alert; when I'm less so, there's 'Ash'.

Bryn wrote: "Two histfics on the go. Porius, 499AD Britain. And Ash: A Secret History which I heard of in this group - came in the mail today, looks terrific and I had to start at once. 'Porius' requires me to ..."

I read Porius last winter and loved it. Yes, it took a long time but Powys' descriptions of northern Wales transport you and the way he really gets inside the characters heads is overwhelming. Are you enjoying it?

Adam wrote: "I read Porius last winter and loved it. Yes, it took a long time but Powys' descriptions of northern Wales transport you and the way he really gets inside the characters heads is overwhelming. Are you enjoying it? "

Oh, I think it's wonderful. I've seen your review, Adam, since friends' reviews come on top.

Terri wrote: "That Kate Sedley sure has written a lot of books. 36 according to GR details."

Alot of those are translations - Tintern Treasure was either the 20th or 21st of the Roger the Chapman series ( but who's counting :)) Not great, but a good "time killer" I enjoyed it. Set in the first year of Richard III's reign and Buckingham's revolt is in the background of this volume.

I started



I like LTC Peter's novels and I've heard some good things, so I am looking forward to it

I finished (3 star) and (1 star).

I have started and with a long weekend coming up I imagine I will be finishing and starting quite a few new books so I have these out from the library
(for the group read), and I've picked these off my own shelves
and . I'll see how far I get.... :)

I am headed home in the a.m. Am reading and finishing up . Home for a couple of weeks and then back to Mexico.

Welcome home when you get there Bobby. :-)

Dawn wrote: "I finished (3 star) and (1 star).

I have started and with a long weekend coming up I ima..."

Still hoping to join you guys on the Martyr group read. It all depends on how quickly I get through our other group read, Killer of Men. If it is good that will help me burn through it.

I am currently reading a few Art books as I await the group read to start.

I am reading


And

Rebels and Precursors: The Revolutionary Years of Australian Art

Terri wrote: "I am currently reading a few Art books as I await the group read to start.

I am reading
[bookcover:Africa: The Art of a Continent]

And
[bookcover:Rebels and Precursors: The Revolutionary Years of..."

Hi Terri, The cover of the Africa book looks like a picture of a Benin Bronze ( really Brass). I know that Brass was trade goods in bars known as Manila's brought by Portugues traders. However, the castings date from as early as 14C. earlier than trade with Portugal. Does your book give any indication where the raw materials, especially the zinc, came from before the Portuguese? Sorry if this is off topic but I've been unable to find the answer in any of my readings.

I shall check for you, James.

It isn't too off topic yet and being the 'what are you reading' thread it is more for this kind of discussion. Where people can post the books they are reading and other people can ask them about it and discuss related topics.

While not saying exactly where the mines were located in West Africa, it does imply that before the Portuguese came the metals were coming out of West Africa and across the Sahara with the Sahelian traders.
This below excerpt from the Art of Africa book led me to the website and the part I quoted from that website, including the passage I highlighted in bold.

From the late 14th century, gold mined in the Akan forest began to be traded northward. It passed first to the towns of the western African Sahel, and then across the Sahara Desert to northern Africa. To meet the needs of this trade the Akan began to make weights equivalent to those of their Sahelian trading partners (brass weights). These weights were of two based on an Islamic ounce used in the trans-Saharan trade, and the other on the mithqal of gold dust.



Trade

The root of all Sahel development was the constant nature of the trade routes. While traffic was diminished once the Portuguese established outposts on the West African coast from the 1440s A.D., the main trans-Saharan routes remained intact. In fact they are still in localized use today. The main product carried east was gold, exchanged for salt from the Sahara. Arab traders then distributed their purchases into Arabia and Mediterranean ports. Trade was facilitated by way of camel caravan. Routes either crossed from south to north into what is now Morocco and Algeria, or from Bilma, either a southern route to Ethiopia, or a northern route terminating in Egypt.

Various products made the return journey, including some military equipment such as maille- for which there is little to no evidence of local production in the Sahel except in certain Sudanese areas such as Omdurman. High quality riveted maille was apparently exclusively imported, possibly coming from as far away as India. That such items were not produced locally goes to show that the local economies were well adapted to the routine of import and export and did not feel a need to be self-sufficient in certain industries.

Local industries in mining and smelting existed across the Sahel with the Hausa dominating the trade. Brass and other white metals were produced in West Africa and exported in ingot form eastwards. Artisans for the working of brass and other soft metals existed in most Sahel cultures leading to the differentiating motifs and designs found on sword hilts and jewelry.

Terri wrote: "While not saying exactly where the mines were located in West Africa, it does imply that before the Portuguese came the metals were coming out of West Africa and across the Sahara with the Sahelian..."

Thank you for that Terri. It rather seems that the zinc and maybe even the technology may have come west across the Sahel very early on. The copper of course was probably available from Katanga in the Congo. On the other hand copper and gold often ( I believe ) occur together so it's possible early imports of copper could have come south from the Gold Coast.The Portuguese trade would have cut out much of the work as the manilas were ready made brass. For pre-Portuguese times the Sahel trade looks most interesting, I'll look into it.
Once again many thanks for the info.