Reading with Style discussion

In observance of Columbus Day, read a book written or set during the 15th century.

Kate: in the general question's thread, Denae asked the following:

"Given what Columbus began and what his voyage to the American hemisphere began, I am looking for books that fit both 10.9 and 10.4. First of all, does anyone have any recommendations? Second, what percentage of the book has to be about the late 1400s? I am finding some interesting books that start there but span to the present day, and I want to be sure they fit 10.9 before I move them to the top of my list.

Two I have found so far and am considering are Eating Fire, Tasting Blood: An Anthology of the American Inidian Holocaust and Genocide of the Mind: New Native American Writing, but I neither fits quite as closely as I would like."

Here is a book I saw reveiewed in Bookmarks magazine once. 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann. It has been on my wishlist.
It's about the Native Americans just before Columbus arrived

And there is a sequel: 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created. No idea if it fits the task (too lazy to read the description, apparently).

Liz M wrote: "Kate: in the general question's thread, Denae asked the following:

"Given what Columbus began and what his voyage to the American hemisphere began, I am looking for books that fit both 10.9 and 1..."

So. . .I had not intended for this task to be overly limiting. . .that being said, I do think the 15th Century needs to figure prominently into any book read for this task. Columbus Day a day which falls during the autumn to remind Americans of their early roots. This task does not have to relate directly or indirecty to Christopher Columbus or the introduction of Europeans into the Americas, there was a lot going on in the world during this period, and quite a few interesting characters.

In response to the books discussed:
Genocide of the Mind: New Native American Writing appears to fit 10.4, but not 10.9

Eating Fire, Tasting Blood: An Anthology of the American Inidian Holocaust should work for 10.4 and may work for 10.9, if there are enough writings included from the 15th century

1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus sounds like a good fit for both

1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created is a tough one, but the Columbian Exchange was such a huge part of the Christopher Columbus "discovery" if the book deals as much a part of the book as advertised, it should work.

So, as far as suggestions go for books which fit 10.4 and 10.9, I do not know if 10.4 only covers North American Natives, if not, there are several great leaders from both the Incan and Aztec dynasties who lived and ruled during the 15th Century including (but not limited to) Montezuma and Pachacuti

This period also saw the end of the Byzantine Empire, the Spanish Inquisition, the building of the Forbidden City (in China), the reign of Ivan the Great (and the unification of Russia), the entire life of Joan of Arc and the beginning of the English Renaissance. Happy reading!

Kate S wrote: "I do not know if 10.4 only covers North American Natives, if not, there are several great leaders from both the Incan and Aztec dynasties who lived and ruled during the 15th Century including (but not limited to) Montezuma and Pachacuti."

That's sort of why I was looking at the South American authors on the list, thinking they were more likely to be writing about the Incas and/or the Aztecs. But I truly know so little about those particular authors that I couldn't see the best way to go about investigating.

Amazon's list of 10 books on the 15th Century:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/sylt...

Books shelved as 15th Century

The list to which the original task directs does include writers from all parts of the hemisphere.

Finding a book from the 15th century is as easy as looking through Shakespeare's plays. I was looking for books that fit both criteria.

Denae wrote: "The list to which the original task directs does include writers from all parts of the hemisphere.

Finding a book from the 15th century is as easy as looking through Shakespeare's plays. I was loo..."

I've been racking my brain over this one and I can't come up with anything that really fits both. It really seems like they should exist. I'll keep trying and if anyone comes up with anything, please post it for us! It may be that more is just written about the 16th century on as far as the Native American/settler conflict than about the time of discovery.

It's finding something that's also written by a Native American that makes it really challenging too.

I found one, but it's not 100 pages. Morning Girl by Michael Dorris

One interpretation of The Song of Hiawatha has it set in the 15th century.

Sees Behind Trees by Michael Dorris!

I can go to bed now.

Rhea wrote: "Sees Behind Trees by Michael Dorris!

I can go to bed now."

Awesome! Thank you! :)

I was afraid the Lexile might not be high enough for Sees Behind Trees, but it's 840 so that's a good one! I have a nonfiction book to offer with a 1080 Lexile:

Before Columbus: The Americas of 1491

It's young adult by the author who wrote 1491 mentioned above. It is about native cultures in all of the Americas.

Also, I have some recommendations for fiction books about the Native/white encounter, but none of these are set in the 1400s. I have read the first two and they are excellent and challenging reads by William T. Vollmann:

Before 1400:
The Ice-Shirt(Vikings)
1500s or later:
Fathers and Crows(Jesuits/Canada)
Argall: The True Story of Pocahontas and Captain John Smith
The Rifles

I've added them to my tbr. Even if they don't work for this challenge, they look interesting. Besides, the list's well over a thousand already, so a few more won't hurt, right? ;)

The books would fit the native American task because it says by or about native Americans and they are definitely about native Americans and honor the native point of view. They just don't fit 1492. Also, I just got word that 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created is out or about to come out.