C.L.R. Peterson Blog
Book Reviews & More
Frozen in Time: The Glassmaker of Renaissance Murano
Books, like people, sometimes demand our attention. As soon as I discovered Tracy Chevalier’s 2024 novel, The Glassmaker, I knew I wanted to read it. Why? It offers a rich portrayal of life in Renaissance Venice and the neighboring island Murano Its focus on a female...
The Family Behind the Infamy: The Booth Legacy
Since this is the month the U.S. celebrates its presidents, we review a related novel: Booth, by Karen Joy Fowler, which explores the family’s role in the life of John Wilkes Booth, as well as each family member’s response to his assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.
The Sunflower House: Uncovering the Legacy of Lebensborn
This post includes my review of The Sunflower House, a novel focusing on the Nazis’ Lebensborn program, which aimed to breed perfect Aryan children to fulfill Hitler’s dream.
Season’s Greetings and Christmas Bells!
Season’s greetings + my review of Christmas Bells, by Jennifer Chiaverini
A Book Club for Dark Days
My review of The Air Raid Book Club, and an interview with author Annie Lyons.
Grazia’s Journey Through the Italian Renaissance
My review of The Secret Book of Grazia dei Rossi, which takes readers through numerous key events of the Italian Renaissance (wars, conflicts between Italian city-states, religious persecution, the sack of Rome, to name a few), from the unique vantage point of a gifted Jewish woman attempting to find her way in an often-hostile Christian culture.
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Verona, 1571.
When Caterina welcomes her husband’s brilliant student, Alessandro, into their home, she has no idea how he will heighten the danger her family faces as the Inquisition closes in.
Immerse yourself in rich historical detail and high emotional stakes in this dramatic story of danger and conscience!