'A Very Regal Look at Palace Intrigue'

A review of My Queen, My Love by Julie Sara Porter at Bookworm Reviews:

This Historical Fiction novel tells of the tumultuous years in English history preceding the Civil War through the eyes of Queen Henrietta Maria of France, the Catholic wife of King Charles I. This book tells of Henrietta Maria’s early years and her marriage to Charles. It also recounts her rivalry with George Villiers, the Duke of Buckingham and the king’s best friend. The Queen and the Duke vie for the king’s attention, ear, and heart. 

This book is a chess match between two formidable opponents who differ in personalities, religion, ideologies, and views. Henrietta Maria is motivated by her history as a Medici and her Catholic faith. Her family line taught her about palace intrigue, how to play the court games, and to be wary of potential rivals for influence. Her faith not only gives her solace but gives the British Catholics much longed for representation. 

Villiers also has his own motivations. He had a history of developing connections with Charles’ family. He had been the friend and lover of Charles’ father James I. He thinks of the younger king as a kid brother who needs his influence. He also is incredibly ambitious and wants to move upwards in society. Henrietta Maria and George Villiers are equally matched opponents with Charles and the entire kingdom in the middle. 

My Queen My Love is a very regal look at palace intrigue and the love and loyalties of the monarch and those around them. It begins with a rivalry between two individuals and eventually will escalate into a war that will envelop the whole country. (Read more.)

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The Invasion of America

 From Tierney's Real News:

Last week, President Trump told reporters he was thinking about renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America. Many laughed and mocked him. But, in my gut I knew he wasn’t kidding—just as he wasn’t kidding about renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America or about the strategic importance of Greenland.

President Trump said: “I am changing the name of Lake Ontario effective immediately to LAKE AMERICA by executive order. From this day forward it will be known as Lake America. Most of its volume is in the United States. We’re gonna call it Lake America — and all it takes is a good pen and some intelligence.”

I’m glad. I believe that our enemies (China, Russia, Iran) intend to use the Great Lakes as a vehicle to invade our country from the north in the states of Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and Iran’s IRGC are already training thousands of troops in Canada. That’s a documented fact. WAKE UP.

Look at the map. Our adversaries—Communist China, Russia, and Iran—could exploit the Great Lakes corridor to threaten the northern states. They are already doing it with pollution and invasive species and Ilhan Omar’s tribe - not to mention they did it with the Wuhan virus! (Read more.)

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What Ancient Greeks Looked Like

 From The Greek Reporter:

Ancient Greek writers have left behind clues about how they perceived the physical appearance of Greeks as a people. Several surviving texts use terms describing complexion, hair, body build, and facial features, offering a glimpse into how some ancient authors portrayed the Greeks themselves. Perhaps the most detailed surviving example comes from the Physiognomonica of Adamantius, a work from Late Antiquity that draws heavily on the earlier physiognomist Polemon.

Adamantius refers explicitly to those among whom the “Hellenic and Ionian stock” (Ἑλληνικὸν καὶ Ἰωνικὸν γένος) had remained “pure.” He describes them as relatively large and broad, upright and strongly built, with straight legs and well-proportioned extremities. More strikingly, he calls them “lighter or whiter in complexion” (λευκότεροι τὴν χρόαν) and xanthos (more on that later). He subsequently describes their hair as subtly blond (ὑπόξανθον), soft, and gently curling. Adamantius continues by describing a square face, thin lips, a straight nose, and bright, highly expressive eyes, concluding that the Hellenic people had the finest eyes of all peoples.

The passage should not be mistaken for anything resembling a modern anthropological study. Ancient physiognomy sought to draw conclusions about a person’s character from outward physical characteristics, a practice formalized in Greek and Roman antiquity but long since rejected as highly unscientific. (Read more.)

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"Engrossing and Beautiful"

 Charles I and Henriette-Marie de France

 

 

 

George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham

 A most eloquent review of My Queen, My Love.

If you read this book, be prepared to obsess over the characters like you would with any engrossing fictional story . . . only to be reminded that they are, in fact, real.  After doing so, you may just scour the Internet for photos of your new "friends."  Be prepared also to lie awake wondering what REALLY happened regarding a matter of court intrigue, asking your husband when you should be sleeping if he thinks that so-and-so poisoned so-and-so before the story started. While you're at it, you should also expect to wonder whether or not you should really google the villain and behold his countenance.

But, of course, you will. After all, you HAVE to know if he really, truly existed.

Then, once you know that he WAS, in fact, real, you will fervently wish for a time machine so that you can go back to warn everyone about him.

. . . or maybe that's just me. ;)  After all, I was crying over Giuliano de' Medici a few months ago.

MY QUEEN, MY LOVE: A NOVEL OF HENRIETTA MARIA by Elena Maria Vidal reminded me of why I love history (and even revitalized that love): that is to say, it is not a simple list of dates and facts, but, rather, a compelling story, alive with rich "characters" that have the power to stay with you. Vidal masterfully wove together a literary tapestry that tapped into real-life events in a way that inspired the reader to keep turning the page. There was beauty, there was tragedy, there was romance . . . and, much to my surprise, the plot was also layered with key characteristics of a mystery novel. Since I didn't know much about this particular "story" going in, it truly was similar to reading a completely fictional work where there still exists uncertainty and suspense.

Yet, despite the strong elements of intrigue and mystery, at the center of the entire narrative is a love story: that of a king and his queen and the Love that transcends their world.

From early on in the novel, I fell in love with the love story of Henrietta Maria and King Charles I. Rather than compose more coherent sentences, I have decided to instead include my "freak-out" gushing below. Unprofessional or not, it accurately reflects my state of mind when delving into the story and may perhaps best inform potential readers:
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HE FELL IN LOVE WITH HER WHEN SHE WAS DANCING---NOT ATTRACTION, BUT REAL LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT WHERE HE SAW THE DEPTHS OF WHO SHE TRULY WAS.
 
BUT SHE DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS THERE AS HE WATCHED FROM AFAR.

And then she fell in love with HIM through his letters, which is SO BEAUTIFUL AND ROMANTIC, too!!! AHHHH. Because she has SUCH a pure heart, like Cinderella and her prince when they first meet in the live action movie.

AND THEN THERE IS THIS EMOTIONAL BUILD-UP OF STORY TENSION because they have to still MEET. And the reader just needs it to happen asap!

And then they meet . . . and it is a Moment with a capital M!

But there be villainy afoot. ;) 
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Vidal's writing skill shone through once again in her brilliant introduction of the villain of the story through the eyes of one who regarded him as a close friend. Without going into detail, he could have been mistaken as a flawed comic relief, before his true nature became clear. Not only did this make the story-line more compelling and unpredictable, but it served as a rather profound commentary on evil relevant to today. In the presence of some, evil masquerades as Cool Guy, charming everyone with his jokes. But, when only some are watching, the mask just might come off.

As a Catholic, I was particularly drawn to the historical depiction of events as concerns the persecution those of my faith faced in England at the time. It was important for me to learn more about their plight, and my heart broke for those who suffered, much like that of Henriette, just as it rejoiced at moments when they received better treatment.  Yet the pain and suffering is balanced also with Light, the reason for which they are fighting.  Through vivid and sometimes ethereal descriptions, as well as profound reflections, Vidal was able to illustrate what we love so dearly.

The writing style in general is both detailed and engaging, rich with beautiful imagery that is, at times, quite lyrical. I found a kindred spirit in the romantic way that Vidal chose to describe figures, scenery, and events and likewise enjoyed the sprinkling of Arthurian legend in the novel. It was lovely to see Henrietta and Charles share a mutual love of these old stories, which not only added depth to their relationship and to them as individuals, but also seamlessly tied into the plot and foreshadowing of future events.

In terms of the characters on an individual level, I found myself bonding quite a lot with Henrietta, between her innocent romanticism, deep love of her faith, and moments of wit and humor.  But, on another level, I wondered at times if she were a saint and found her on the whole to be an inspiring figure. While there were moments in which the reader was called to be frustrated with Charles for being blinded as to certain individuals, I came to care a great deal for him and deeply admire his nobility of heart and desire to do what was right. The reader may also sympathize with the long-seated pain that he experienced, which is slowly revealed within this man of a pure and childlike nature yet confident, regal bearing.

While there were difficult moments to read throughout the novel, beginning with the tragic backstory of Henriette's mother, Marie de' Medici, the beauty of the center characters continued to illuminate the pages. Without going into detail, I will say that the intrigue of the novel also remains until the very end. Just like with a true mystery story, there are revelations at the conclusion that truly took me by surprise.  At the same time, the final pages served as a "bookend" in more than one way.  I'll leave it at that.

The reader should bear in mind that there may be occasional phrasings or actions with which he or she may not agree, even concerning supporting characters with a great deal of good.  However, such may also be found in real life, and it is likely that Vidal wished to present people and events with as much historical accuracy as possible while simultaneously putting forth a compelling narrative.  The meticulous research conducted for this book is abundantly clear from the detailed historical facts imbued into the text (as well as the lengthy works cited), although the novel format also allows for some speculation and presumably fleshing out of characters and situations. (Read more.)

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Why Hasan Piker Mocks a Murdered Man

 From Daniel McCarthy at Chronicles:

Hasan Piker is deeply envious of Charlie Kirk.

The hard-left influencer debated Kirk in 2017 and was set to do so again before Kirk was murdered last year. Yet now Piker is going around mocking Kirk’s assassination, leading a crowd last weekend, during his live podcast tour, in a sarcastic singalong of an AI-generated song called “We Are Charlie Kirk.”

“We are Charlie Kirk, we carry the flame. We’ll fight for the Gospel, we’ll honor his name,” Piker sang off-key, the crowd howling along, while the celebrity socialist’s co-hosts guffawed and waved their arms in the air.

This wasn’t satirizing a political opponent—Kirk has been dead nearly a year. Why make him the subject of this derision?

It’s because Piker knows his audience, and they’re not looking for thoughtful politics. They want a hatefest. Readers of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four might remember the totalitarian leftist party that runs the dystopian state in that novel regularly held events called a “Two Minutes Hate” to whip up hostility against the regime’s enemies.

Piker has improved on that—his podcast and live events like this offer more than an hour’s hate.

And nobody stirs the Piker crowd into a frenzy like Charlie Kirk.

The slain Turning Point USA founder represents everything they’re against, and not just because he was a widely successful conservative organizer who won young Americans away from socialism on the unfriendly campuses where he spoke—and where he ultimately died for his beliefs.

Kirk’s faith in God, his devotion to his family, his happiness all infuriated his enemies.
His self-sacrifice did, too, and more than anything else: Kirk knew the risks he took by going where he wasn’t welcome and speaking truths the left didn’t want to hear—and was determined to prevent anyone else from hearing. (Read more.)

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Rejecting the Robot

 From Chronicles:

The other day, while I was trying to enjoy myself on a short vacation in a beach town, the ethnographer in me could not help but notice a disconcerting phenomenon.

Three or four times in a brief span of perhaps an hour, I saw a young woman and a young man walking together, clearly couples. All of the women were strikingly beautiful. “Well done, lad!” I thought each time. And then, in each case, I noted that the man was not holding the woman’s hand, and he was not talking to her or even looking at her.

What was he doing?

You know exactly what he was doing, don’t you? He was looking at the little machine in his hand as he walked beside this lovely young woman.

And no, it’s not just a quick “What’s the address of the restaurant we’re going to?” kind of looking that he was engaged in. No, these young men were ignoring the humans in their lives in order to attend instead to machines. These men who were walking alongside attractive women—a situation every normal man has devoted backbreaking work and great risks to achieve throughout the long history of humanity—are now too distracted by a handheld machine displaying ghostly images from nowhere and speaking to them in a disembodied robot voice to even notice the beautiful women before them.

In my head, as I see these men doing what they are doing, I am having the same conversation with each of them:

You can stop talking to me about how tough things are for your generation. I’ll hear none of it. You deserve every serving of ordure you might get from the world, and you will get none of my pity. For here is a real human female right beside you, longing to have you take her hand and make her feel loved, and you’re more interested in the little soul-sucking metal box with the screen on it. What has gone so dreadfully and totally wrong with you, you strange creatures? What even are you? I do not see my species in you.

But it is not just the young men. I can’t count the number of young women also fervently clinging to their phones—taking endless pouty-faced selfies, gazing into them as at a lover, and holding them at that ostentatious and ridiculous angle in front of their faces while blathering vapidities to someone somewhere else holding her little machine in just the same ludicrous posture. Absorption by the spirit of the robotic is a binary experience, spread across the sexual divide. (Read more.)

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Elizabeth I and Cleopatra

 Elizabeth I is here portrayed among the goddesses

I think Cleopatra had more similarities with Mary Stuart than Elizabeth Tudor, but the article makes some interesting points. From the University College of London:

Perhaps second only to Tutankhamun in the who’s-who of Ancient Egypt Cleopatra VII is colloquially known as the Last Queen of Egypt. This is a very debatable epithet, whilst she is the last pharaoh of Egypt, she is also the last of Ptolemaic dynasty, a Greek family who ruled Egypt following Alexander’s conquest in 332 BC. Her death, 12^th August 30 BC, is chronicled by Plutarch, mentioned by Virgil and exonerated by Horace[1],  she is so renowned her death is sometimes used to denote the end of the Hellenistic era.

Queen Elizabeth, who died 3 years prior to this play’s performance, is quite a similar character. With a slightly dubious claim to the throne, her death in 1603 heralded the end of the Tudor rule.  Following the establishment of the Church of England in the 1530’s and the sweeping massacres of Catholics and Protestants alike England had a Catholic Scottish King, James I. For years England had been at war with both Scots and Catholics, and now had that exact ilk on their throne.

Cleopatra faced similar regency problems;  she may have been an originally Greek Queen, but she was barring the advancing Roman Empire from Romanising her country and herself. Here the Queens differ, Elizabeth went on the offence, striking out at Catholic enemies, such as Spain with her famous victory in 1588. Cleopatra had nowhere near the allies nor resources to defeat her foe (indeed she lost her major naval incursion at Actium), so she had to make them [allies].

Allying herself to Caesar and then Mark Anthony she coerced armies and treaties out of them to protect her beloved Egypt. Plutarch, writing in the 1^st century AD, describes Mark and Cleopatra’s first encounter as:

“Venus was come to revel with Bacchus for the good of Asia” (Lives III.XXVI.3)

Cleopatra is represented as the Roman goddess of love and founder of Rome, great praise for an Egyptian Queen who defied them. (Read more.)

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Data Centers

 From The Enterprise:

I spent the late 1990s and early 2000s building data centers in the middle of America's largest cities. We built them in Dallas, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and St. Louis. Thousands of people walked past our buildings every day. They did not protest them. Most did not even know what was inside. That silence was not a cover for some environmental menace. Our data centers were good neighbors. They occupied underused buildings, produced almost no traffic, and bought enormous amounts of electricity from the grid while our cooling systems consumed no water. Servers and telecommunications gear hummed behind anonymous walls while the fiber inside connected businesses and consumers to a rapidly expanding Internet.

 We were hardly alone. After the Telecommunications Act of 1996 opened local telephone networks to competition, venture-backed companies raced to build carrier hotels and colocation facilities across the country. Section 251 of that law required incumbent carriers to interconnect with competitors, which created demand for neutral buildings where rival networks could meet. Equinix, Colo[.]com, Exodus, Switch & Data, LayerOne and scores of others poured billions of dollars into the physical plant of the dot-com economy. The Federal Reserve later described "a massive boom in the sector, beginning in 1997." Then the bubble burst, investors lost fortunes, and the data centers remained. They became the backbone of the cloud, mobile communications, streaming, e-commerce, and now AI. (Read more.)

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The Banality of an Evil Pro-Abortion Art Exhibit

 From Mark Judge at Chronicles:

Still, the effect of seeing Andrea Bowers’ art was mostly enervation. This kind of angry political art is by now very old hat. Take the first room one enters at the exhibit. In Wall of Letters: Necessary Reminders from the Past for a Future of Choice, Bowers has simply reproduced dozens of letters of women seeking abortions, as well as guides on how to perform abortions, blown them up to poster size, and wallpapered a huge white room with them. This performative exercise might have shocked people a few decades ago, but by now the public has already absorbed and passed its judgment on the nonsense of artists like Robert Mapplethorpe and Andres Serrano. We have moved on. A hectoring and didactic display meant to incite insurrection in defense of abortion is old news. I mean, I was around to see Karen Finley smear herself with chocolate!

Bowers does better in the other rooms at Glenstone, which feature her pieces The Body is Not a Thing, It’s a Situation and Women and the Earth Have to Tolerate a Lot. Bowers has reproduced book illustrations, both from 1896, on square panels of cardboard. The illustrations themselves are quite beautiful, lovely representations of women in flowing Victorian dresses bodies intertwined. The original drawings were meant to illuminate women as deeply powerful and fertile beings with a seamless and metaphysical connection to nature. Then there are the works Ecofeminist Sycamore Branches: Women Have Always Thought Like Mountains, which feature tree branches illuminated with neon. The irony, of course, is that Bowers is using imagery evocative of the sensual and generative power of women to argue for killing babies. (Read more.)

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