After Papa's store burns down in East Texas, the Pierce family decides to take up farming and moves to the wilds of the Texas Panhandle where life is challenging and money is tight. Papa has built a "dugout" cabin and the family makes do with circumstances far different from those to which they are accustomed.
Under the cloak of darkness, Niall is forced to leave the only home he has ever known after his father is murdered. Fearing for his life, he flees Iceland in search of a grandfather he has never met in far off Ireland who turns out to be King Mael Seachlinn. But Niall is also charged with an important task, to give Brian Boru a prized relic of the Norsemen -Thor’s ring. Will he be able to accomplish his goal?
Absolutely absorbing! This well crafted story of a boy, a pony, and his new family takes place in Oregon in the early 1900’s. Year of the Pony is a wonderful story about a young boy’s dream to tame a wild black pony, while at the same time having his own heart tamed by a stranger he must learn to trust.
Suspense, danger, and drama fill the lives of two young boys during the reign of Nero in The City of the Golden House. After Rome burns, Nero sets out to build the most sumptuous palace ever, his future Golden House. This causes further unrest in an already starving and homeless population. To divert attention away from his extravagances, Nero blames the Christians for the fire. In the midst of this danger are Gretorix, a British slave, and his master Diomed, the crippled son of a Roman senator.
I have to admit that I had high expectations for this book! I had been looking for something for this time period for more than a year. And, thankfully, my expectations were well met . . . this is a great new resource for those of you “reading your way through history.”
Belisarius was a general under Emperor Justinian in the 6th century. He was renowned as a virtuous and courageous leader who accomplished great victories despite unsupportive and even imprudent superiors. Without him, Justinian’s reign could not have been as long-loved and illustrious.
A storm is brewing in the air. As the hot July day grows sticky with humidity and towering thunderclouds begin to form, the excitement begins to mount for Sally as she eagerly awaits the arrival of her friend Pierre in The Wonderful Day, the fifth and final book of the series.
What begins as a sunny, summer day soon changes as dark, menacing thunderclouds cover the sky. But the clouds are not the only thing that is threatening to spoil Sally’s day. Andrew is acting most peculiar. He doesn’t seem to share Sally’s excitement at seeing Pierre after so many years.
In 1174 at only 13 years of age, Baldwin IV ascended to the Throne of Jerusalem. What makes his story so unusual, however, is not so much his age, but his extraordinary accomplishments while experiencing incredible hardship. In Crusader King, we soon discover that being a member of a royal family is not all glamour and glory. It is also a responsibility and at times a heavy burden. Rather than focus on Baldwin’s outstanding military career, Susan Peek brings to life the qualities of his noble character in the midst of a corrupt court.
The Faroe Islands are located almost midway between Scotland and Iceland. Locals sustain themselves through fishing and bird-hunting. The meeting of the Gulf Stream with an icy Polar current makes for unpredictable weather that can lead to great dangers on the island of Mykines; a place whose rough landings and wild weather make accessibility nearly impossible for all but the locals who are accustomed to its tides and rocky beaches.
Set during Imperial Rome, Paul, a young boy, flees for his life when barbarians raid the Roman camp his father commands in Northern England. Wounded, exhausted, and orphaned, he barely makes it on the last boat leaving a nearby harbor. With the help of Lucius Fabius Severus, a Roman exile, he begins a new life. Out of gratitude for Severus helping save his life, Paul wants to reinstate Severus’ good name. But he must travel the length of the Roman Empire to do so, escape the clutches of wily villains, and speak with the Emperor Hadrian.
Listening to good quality and content audio recording has been a mainstay for our family: they complement reading alone and reading aloud quite well. We have crossed the country listening to great renditions of Fr. Brown, Jeeves and Wooster, and Huckleberry Finn among many others. My husband commutes at least four times a week to the University 55 minutes away and has been become quite a critic of audio productions.