Book Post: Maddocks, Hawthorne, Vinge, Milne, M. Johnson

[bearshorty]

Hildegard of Bingen: The Woman of her Age by Fiona Maddocks, 344pp

I wanted to read a history book and I always liked Hildegard but didn't study her in detail. And the library had a copy so I finally got to it. It was certainly an interesting biography. Maddock is using many primary sources including autobiogrpahy, hagiographies and Hildegard's

Comments

[aletheiafelinea]

Re: Hildegard - Oliver Sacks in his "Migraine" analyzes her visions from the neurological POV. I love such medical "archaeology". I remember you liked his other books. :)

[hamsterwoman]

Oh hai, you :)

[aletheiafelinea]

*curtsies with all the grace of a dusty mummy* :D

[hamsterwoman]

Neat to see your thoughts on The Space Between Worlds, though that's too bad that the book didn't work for you better. I was actually wondering, as I was reading it, why it didn't feel too dark/dystopian for me, given that, really, all the Earths we see are pretty dystopian; maybe it comes down to Cara's POV working better for me than it did for you... It's not that I found Cara likeable, but I did find her compelling, and I guess like the right kind of person to be in her role? But, yeah, definitely not a world I want to spend time in.

I also liked the way the twist with Lot's Wife had been seeded from the start.

The Vinge book sounds interesting! I've been meaning to read some of his stuff, and should, like, actually get on that at some point.

what you're saying about the evolution of technology, in that book and in real life, made me think of the book I'm currently reading, Sarah Pinsker's We Are Satellites -- how technology comes along and sweeps through society, and who it leaves behind

[bearshorty]

I just looked up the blurb for Sarah Pinsker's new book and it sounds really intriguing! I need to put it on my list.

[hamsterwoman]

I will be very curious to hear what you think of it! (I'm enjoying it, but in a similar way to 'Song for a New Day' -- really strong beginning, but a bit less invested in the middle part of the book.

[unbound_spirit]

Wow, cool books! The Hildegard one sounds very interesting. I truly should read more. Alas, for now, I’m resolved to wait until my kids are a bit older.