I just finished reading two excellent books, both of which are historical fiction set during the Medieval time. The first, The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco takes place in a monastery at which a young monk has been found dead. Told through the eyes of a novice whose mentor has been charged with determining the cause of the death, the book explores the struggle within the Church about how to respond to developments in society regarding literature, art, education, and philosophy, all packaged in an enthralling and suspense-ridden plot.
The second book is My Name is Red by Orphan Pamuk, winner of the 2006 Nobel Prize. The setting is a medeival Istambul workshop where miniturists illustrate and decorate texts for the Sultan. Again, one worker is found dead and the unravelling of this death involves examination of similar themes as the previous book, but in the context of classical Ottoman culture and art. It's worth noting that the author, a lifelong resident of Istambul, has been charged in court as a result of this book, which provides a very interesting sub-text to the reading itself.
Both these books were artfully written and are highly recommended.
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That's fun, Paul. A little over a year ago, I bought Tiffany a book by Orphan Pamuk. It's called "Snow," and it takes place in modern day, rural Turkey. Anyway, fun to see the overlap.
Looks like you guys are up to all kinds of fun stuff: Reading, skiing, walking, and presumably, some mathing, too. ;-)
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