This Week's Acquisitions

• Colum McCann, Dancer: A Novel (Picador, 2004). Fictionalized biography of Rudolf Nureyev, as told through multiple voices.

• China Mieville, Iron Council (Del Rey, 2004). Third in Mieville's series of novels about Bas-Lag and the city of New Crobuzon.

• Christopher Bram, The Notorious Doctor August: His Real Life and Crimes (Perennial, 2001). Civil War-era historical novel involving spiritualism, music, and magic, among numerous other things.

• Samuel Wainwright, Ritualism: Romanism: and the Reformation: A Question of Fact (Partridge, 1879). Attack on the Anglo-Catholic movement.

• Nicholas Tyacke, Aspects of English Protestantism c. 1530-1700 (Manchester, 2001). Essays mainly on Puritanism and Arminianism.

• Dror Wahrman, The Making of the Modern Self: Identity and Culture in Eighteenth-Century England (Yale, 2004). Argues that a new concept of selfhood emerged in the late eighteenth century.

Comments

[New Kid on the Hallway]

So, what do you think of Mieville? I've read the first 2 of the New Crobuzon novels, and I came away extremely impressed with them as literary efforts, but kind of emotionally distant - I didn't find any of the characters especially sympathetic. But he's certainly good at creating a scary and creepy atmosphere!

[amberglow]

Enjoy Dr. August! It really is a wonderful ride and a excellent read. : >

I think Mieville's interesting, but overrated--i'm hoping he'll get better as he goes on.

[Mike Brian]

Interested to see that you have acquired Samuel Wainwright's Ritualism...
His life & writings are of especial interest to me, & would like to know more about where & why you acquired it, & what you make of it.
Best wishes
Mike Brian