The Islands of Unwisdom

Robert Graves

Sinossi

Swashbuckling historical fiction from the author of I, Claudius. “A cleverly balanced mixture of spice, fact, humor and adventure on and off the high seas” (Kirkus Reviews).   Set in the Age of Exploration, The Islands of Unwisdom tells the story of the ill-fated Don Álvaro de Mendaña y Neyra, a Spanish explorer set on finding the Solomon Islands, the mythical source of King Solomon’s vast wealth. Driven by greed, ambition, and lust, Don Alvaro and his wife, the beautiful and dangerous Ysabel, lead a crew of adventurers beyond the horizon in search of the wealth of their wildest dreams.   However, that’s not exactly what they find. In the hands of master historical novelist, classicist, and poet Robert Graves, this tale offers a fascinating look at a brutal and bloody era, and insights into the reasons for Spain’s failure to ultimately dominate world exploration during this time.

Disponibile da: 06/03/2014.

Lunghezza di stampa: 341 pagine.

Altri libri che potrebbero interessarti

The Game Changer

Embassie Susberry

Sometimes making history means breaking some rules…
Don't miss the powerful new historical fiction novel Inspired by the incredible true story of Althea Gibson, the first Black athlete to win a Grand Slam title in 1956.
–––––––––––––––––––––
New York, 1950. Ambitious journalist Hettie Carlin is desperate for a scoop that will make her career. When she's tasked with investigating the rise of Althea Gibson – the tennis world’s newest star – there are just two problems: Hettie knows nothing about tennis. Plus, her and Althea have history – and it’s not pretty.
Hettie must convince Althea to talk to her again, and it won’t be an easy feat. But, as Althea’s star rises, she faces media bias, prejudice and discrimination head-on – and Althea soon realises she may just need Hettie, too, in order to tell her own story on her own terms.
When Althea becomes an unexpected civil rights icon, the pair hold the potential to change history. If they can work together, they may just help revolutionize more than just sport once and for all…
This is a gripping historical fiction novel about bravery, hard work, the quest for success and two women's stand against prejudice in all its forms, perfect for fans of Kate Quinn, Sadeqa Johnson and Dolen Perkins-Valdez.
––––––––––––-
Readers LOVE The Game Changer!
'I absolutely raced through this book!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Embassie Susberry is a master storyteller who brings real people's stories back to life!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'I'm not a fan of tennis but I was absolutely fascinated!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Extremely engaging with excellent historical context' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'A fitting tribute to a strong woman!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Althea Gibson, an African American, defies the odds in the 20th century, post-World War II era, rising to the top of the tennis world. Her journey, intertwined with Hettie's, is a powerful narrative of resilience and defiance against prejudice.
HarperCollins 2024

Mostra libro

The Nutmeg Tree - A Novel

Margery Sharp

In 1930s France, a free-spirited mother undertakes to derail her very proper daughter’s engagement   Julia Packett has barely laid eyes on her daughter, Susan, since leaving her with her well-heeled in-laws following the loss of her husband in World War I. Now thirty-seven, Julia’s lack of prospects hasn’t dimmed her spirit or her appetite for life. But when Susan asks her to come to France for the summer to persuade her grandmother to allow her to marry, she sets sail with the noblest intentions of acting the paragon of motherhood.   At her mother-in-law’s vacation villa in Haute Savoie, however, Julia sees that her priggish but lovely daughter is completely mismatched with a man much more suited to herself: a charming, clever playboy. The arrival of Susan’s legal guardian, the distinguished Sir William Waring, further complicates the situation.   Soon Julia’s efforts to pass herself off as a lady and secure her daughter’s happiness spin out of control, leading to romantic entanglements and madcap adventures that will challenge preconceived notions about the ultimate compatibility of any two people who fall in love.

Mostra libro

The Ship's Midwife - Lives are...

Peta Miller

Lives are about to be irrevocably changed following a typhus outbreak on a cramped emigrant ship bound for Australia.

1850 Sarah Hallow is orphaned, penniless and alone, with only the skills learned from her midwife mother to guide her. Passage on a ship bound for the new settlement of Brisbane, Australia, is her last option. Though her skills are quickly dismissed by the ship's doctor, Sarah is pleased to find instant friendship with her cabin mate, Bridie, a fiery Irish girl with a sharp tongue and midwifery skills of her own.
When the two women come to the aid of a labouring woman onboard, Sarah's dreams of opening her own midwifery practice in Brisbane don't seem so impossible. Certainly not as impossible as her daydreams about the ship doctor's son, who only seems to have eyes for her friend.
But something else is lurking on the ship: a disease that has the power to take down even the strongest man and is about to rip through the ship like wildfire, leaving only devastation in its path. As caring for patients stretches Sarah and Bridie to their absolute limit, thoughts of the future are rapidly eclipsed by their determination to survive. If only they can make it to Australia with their lives and loves intact ...
Inspired by true events, this is a meticulously researched, eye-opening, heart-breaking, soul-warming story of survival, love and grit for readers of Darry Fraser, Alison Stuart and Tea Cooper.
'A poignant story of love and loss and the triumph of the human spirit over adversity that will tug at your heart and have you reaching for the tissues...' - Alison Stuart, author of The Goldminer's Sister.
HarperCollins Australia 2023

Mostra libro

The Lumen Caligo - Fallen

Lawrence C. Cobb

There are three types of people in the world. Those with white wings. Those with black wings. And those with none. Every 350 years a 4th is born called the Lumen Caligo. One side of his wings there is white. On the other side, there is black. Throughout time, the Lumen Caligo acted as a peacekeeper for all the nations, leading them to times of peace, prosperity, and power… Then, the Lumen Caligo of the 1600s mysteriously vanished at the brink of war between the nations. His last letter was something called “The Isolation Order". It requested that the nations return to their lands of origin. Fearing the destruction that could unfold and respecting the title of The Lumen Caligo, the nations returned to their lands and vowed to remain isolated from the rest of the world until the Lumen Caligo returned... On a sunset beach in California, a man sits in solitude... Not knowing the role he will play for the changing and shaping of the world…This is where our story begins. The Lumen Caligo – Book 1 – Fallen

Mostra libro

The Seamstress of Hollywood...

Erin McGraw

A Kansas seamstress reinvents herself in Los Angeles, but the past comes back to haunt her, in this “superb, surprising” historical novel (The Seattle Times). At age seventeen, Nell Plat is an unhappily married woman, quick with her needle and wit, but ill-suited to wifely duties like cooking, mothering, and tending to her boorish husband. Unable to shake her dreams of glamour and excitement, she abandons her family and quiet life in Kansas for the hustle, bustle, and glittering lights of Los Angeles.   Among the wannabes and celebrities of the silver screen, Nell reinvents herself as Madame Annelle, seamstress to the stars. But just as she begins stitching her way to success, her past shows up on her doorstep, threatening to unravel her carefully crafted ruse.   “Meticulously researched” (The A.V. Club) and “vibrant with historical accuracy” (SFGate)—based on the true story of the author’s grandmother—The Seamstress of Hollywood Boulevard is a fascinating look at old Hollywood glamour, gender roles, and the ever-evolving American dream.

Mostra libro

On the Night of the Seventh Moon...

Victoria Holt

“A grand example of the gothic romance” from the New York Times–bestselling author of The Shivering Sands and Bride of Pendorric (Library Journal). 
 
For generations, Victoria Holt has dazzled and entertained millions of readers with her spine-tingling novels of romantic suspense. On the Night of the Seventh Moon is one of her most evocative, magical, and chilling. Come take a journey into a dark and shadowy forest where nothing is as it seems . . . 
 
On the night of the seventh moon, according to ancient Black Forest legend, Loke, the god of mischief, is abroad in the world. It is a night for singing and dancing. And it is a night for love. 
 
Helena Trant was enchanted by everything she found in the Black Forest—its people, its mysterious castles, its legends and lore. Especially its legends of love. Until the day she started to live one of them and the enchantment turned suddenly into a terrifying nightmare . . . 
 
“Spellbinding.” —The Charleston News & Courier 
 
“Full of color and suspense.” —Publishers Weekly 
 
“Victoria Holt amounts to the same thing—you can rely on it for that long enchanted evening.” —Kirkus Reviews 
 
“One of Victoria Holt’s brightest and best.” —The Library Lantern

Mostra libro