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Indiana Jones and the Peril at Delphi by Rob MacGregor
I just finished reading Indiana Jones and the Peril at Delphi (1991) by Rob MacGregor. It’s the first in a series of novels written after the third Indiana Jones movie. The book begins with Indy graduating from college and his first experiences in archaeology, which, of course, are full of danger and excitement! I was…
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Historia Brittonum (History of the Britons) by Nennius
I just finished reading Historia Brittonum (History of the Britons) by Nennius, translated in the 19th century by J. A. Giles. This early history of the British Isles is usually attributed to Nennius, a Welsh monk, and was possibly first compiled around 830 AD. There are a number of old manuscripts of this work that…
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Athanasius, the Hero by Lynn Harold Hough
I just finished reading Athanasius, the Hero (1906) by Lynn Harold Hough. It is a biography of Athanasius, a 4th century Alexandrian bishop. The book begins with an overview of the period of time between the fall of the Roman republic and the life of Athanasius. I found this part particularly compelling; Hough is able…
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Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton by Edward Rice
Still getting caught up on old book jots; here’s one from October, 2021: I just finished reading Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton by Edward Rice (1990), a biography of the Victorian-era explorer, writer, linguist, and translator. This book is a long and detailed account of his life. One of the most enjoyable aspects of the…
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Robin Hood, Outlaw of Barnsdale and Sherwood Forest
With some help a couple of days ago, I got a few boxes of books out of storage. What fun going through them and getting them out on shelves! I came across two books that I am very pleased to have out of the darkness of storage and back into the daylight of a home…
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Autobiography of Joseph Scaliger
I just finished reading the Autobiography of Joseph Scaliger, translated by George W. Robinson and published in English in 1927. The subtitle gives a good idea of what makes up the book in addition to the opening autobiography: with Autobiographical Selections from his Letters, His Testament, and the Funeral Orations by Daniel Heinsius and Dominicus…
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The Fortune of the Rougons by Émile Zola
I just finished reading The Fortune of the Rougons (1871) by Émile Zola, translated by Ernest Alfred Vizetelly. This is the first book in Zola’s Les Rougon-Macquart cycle of twenty novels. I have previously read four other books that take place much later in the series, and reading the beginning was quite interesting. Some characters…
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Rawhide Kid and the Western
I read an issue of Rawhide Kid last night (#68, 1969), a Marvel western that began in 1955 and ran until 1979. I really enjoyed Larry Lieber’s distinctive art. It has a clean sharpness to it that works well with the bright, bold coloring style of the comic. Lieber wrote and drew the comic from…
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Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius
A book jot from June 2021: I just finished reading the Argonautica (3rd century BC) by Apollonius Rhodius, translated by Peter Green. It is an epic poem that relates the story of the Argonauts and the quest for the Golden Fleece. This edition includes a glossary that, at 67 pages, is full of helpful information.…
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Pharsalia by Lucan, video
I just posted the first video I’ve made for The Vulgar Eclectic. Here it is: