Stargazers by Allan Chapman

The subtitle of Stargazers is Galileo, Copernicus, the Telescope and the Church, but that is a bit deceptive, since the book is really a history of astronomy itself.  The author spends the most time, however, discussing the "Astronomical Renaissance" from the year 1500 to 1700.  I requested a review-copy because of the large section of the book us devoted to Galileo Galilei, the famous Italian astronomer. 

The section on Galileo begins about 29% into the book and goes to about 43% of the book.  The whole book covers:

• Aristotle's universe
• Copernicus's revolution
• Tycho Brahe's earth-sun-centric universe
• Kepler's laws of motion
• Galileo Galilei's telescope and visual proof
• The Jesuits missionaries' telescope based astronomy around the world
• Protestants and science
• Francis Bacon and natural philosophy
• The Royal Society and the International Fellowship of Science
• The heavenly clockwork and the power of the scientific method

There are Notes, Further Reading suggestions, a full Index and illustrations throughout the text.

The spread of the study of astronomy was thanks to the Jesuit schools set up to educate young men in thinking critically, and knowing how to argue and defend a proposition.  They were educated in the seven liberal arts, one of which was astronomy. 

But those teachers would have had nothing to teach without the ancient texts that were preserved by religious monastic societies throughout the middle ages:  the ancient scientists provided many instruments, astronomical tables, calculations and observations.

Galileo's drawings of the phases of the moon

And the ancient texts would not have been available to the teachers and students without the printing press, which from 1500 onward provided affordable texts throughout Europe of books that previously were the domain of mainly churches and princes.

It is the printing of the new ideas of the learned that made the astronomical renaissance possible.  Ideas built upon ideas, observations stimulated more theories, which pushed thinkers to desire proof, which lead to more instruments...

Galileo comes alive through the details provided by the author about Galileo's life, upbringing, his world and his public record of arrogance and cruelty.  The Italian was:

...unmystical, hard-headed, argumentative, and possessed of a powerful personality that did not take easily to being contradicted.

There has been much myth-building surrounding Galileo, many stories that may not be true, lots of anecdotes to show the man's greatness, but few reveal his nastiness. 

Frontispiece of Opere Di Galileo Galilei, Published in Bologna in 1656

Traveling around Venice, Padua and other important Italian city-states, the centers of learning during the Renaissance, the author looks at the advancement of astronomical mathematics, engineering, and astronomical tools that Galileo had a hand in.

Galileo was a mathematician and theoretician who used his applied mathematics and engineering skills to create a refracting telescope with special lenses that allowed him to observe the objects in the sky better than anyone before him, and he wrote about his observations of Jupiter, the moon, Saturn's rings, Venus's transit of the sun, and the milky way's stars.

One of the myth-making stories of Galileo experimenting with gravity from the top of the leaning Bell Tower of Pisa

You have to be something of an astronomy fanatic, or a beginning student of astronomy, to read this book.  It is rich with detail, but since it covers such a long period of time some sections are rather cursory.  The curious reader will want to check out the Further Reading suggestions to flesh out the story of astronomy.  But this is an excellent introductory text!

From the book's description:

Stargazers presents a comprehensive history of how leading astronomers, such as Galileo and Copernicus, mapped the stars from 1500AD to around 1700AD.  Building on the work of the Greek and Arabian astrologers before him, church lawyer Nicholas Copernicus proposed the idea of a sun-centred universe.  It was later popularized by Galileo – a brilliant debater whose abrasive style won him many enemies – who presented new evidence, which suggested that the earth moved.  

This thorough examination of the work of both men explores both their achievements and influences. It then traces the impact of their ideas on those who followed them, including Sir Francis Bacon, Dr John Wilkins, Dr Robert Hooke, Sir Isaac Newton and Reverend Dr James Bradley.  

Chapman investigates the Church’s role and its intriguing relationship with the astronomers of the day, many of whom were churchgoers.  He rebuts the popular view that the Church was opposed to the study of astronomy.  In reality, it led the search to discover more.  In 1728, Copernicus’s theory of the moving earth was finally proven by the young Reverend Dr James Bradley.

Frontispiece of Galileo's 'De Systemate Mundi' Depicting Aristotle, Ptolomy, Copernicus, 1635

Here are direct links to Stargazers at Amazon.com:

This is a sanitized version of Galileo's life and work:

Visit the author's page at Gresham College.

This review is by Candida Martinelli, of Candida Martinelli's Italophile Site, and the author of the cozy-murder-mystery novel AN EXTRA VIRGIN PRESSING MURDER, and the young-adult/adult mystery novel series THE VIOLET STRANGE MYSTERIES the first book of which is VIOLET'S PROBLEM.

The Jesuits by John W. O'Malley, S.J.

A History from Ignatius to the Present is the subtitle of this book, a brief but entertaining and informative history of the Roman Catholic religious order most people know via their schools, retreats, lectures and scholarly works, and now via Pope Francis:  The Society of Jesus, the Jesuits.

Here is the book's Table of Contents, to give you an idea of what's covered:

1. Important Dates in the History of the Society of Jesus
2. Foundations
3. The First Hundred Years
4. Consolidation, controversy, Calamity
5. The Modern and Postmodern Era
6. Epilogue:  Looking Back and Looking Ahead
7. Further Reading
8. Index

Here are some of the things the book explains in strong, spare prose...

Born during Europe's Renaissance (1540), this Roman Catholic religious order was founded by Ignatius of Loyola, as a missionary and an educational order.  From the beginning, the order has valued the educational achievement of their order and of their followers, more so than any other Catholic religious order.  They also cultivated a close relationship with lay church members, encouraging those with extraordinary talents.

The Jesuits, through Ignatius of Loyola's guidance, developed a teaching manner that seeks:

...to lead an individual along a spiritual path consonant with the person's gifts and personality...

This is how they train their novitiates and how they educate lay persons.  The believer's relationship with God is not to be a rote, unthinking relationship; it is to be a committed, informed relationship that can better withstand life's adversities.

Examen Conscientiae, Illustration from 'Exercitia Spiritualia' by St. Ignatius De Loyola

The schools founded and run by the Jesuits link, and always have linked, them to society, gaining them followers in their churches.  Until recently, the schools were also a source of vocations to the Society that allowed the Jesuits to grow faster than the other Catholic religious orders. 

The schools' goals, through a humanistic-classical education, were/are to:

...produce men of integrity, dedicated to the common good of church and society, and skilled in persuading others to similar dedication.

Music School at the Jesuit Mission, San Jose De Chiquitos, Bolivia, South America

Music and theater have always been a part of the Jesuit teaching method. 

Retreats and lectures have been as much a part of the Jesuit ministry as the schools.  Aimed at adults, they were/are aimed at developing a person's knowledge and spiritual self-knowledge, with the conviction that Catholic laymen should be devout and well-educated.

The stories of the Jesuits' foreign missions that the author includes in his book are fascinating, and will quite likely encourage the reader to seek out more detailed accounts of the talented men who lead those famous missions.  The Further Reading section of the book is a wonderful place to start that search.

Behind the successful missions was the idea, respectful of local customs, that:

...to become a Christian one did not have to become a European.

Portrait of Matteo Ricci (1552-1610) Italian Missionary, Founder of the Jesuit Mission in China

When I watched the announcement of the new pope on television, two things struck me:

1. The television reporters attending the Vatican event were thoroughly unqualified to be commenting on the event.  Besides knowing next to nothing about the Catholic Church and the history of the papacy, none except the AP reporter was fluent in Latin, the language of the Vatican.
2. All of the reporters were fixated on the fact that a Cardinal from Latin America had been elected pope.  None of them, that I heard, realized that the real novelty, the truly momentous news, was the fact that a Jesuit had been elected pope.

The author clearly understood the enormity of the event:

On march 13, 2013, the cardinals of the roman Catholic Church stunned the world by electing as pope the Argentinean Jorge Mario Bergoglio--a Jesuit, the first Jesuit pope in history!  Upon his election the members of the Society were as utterly surprised by the choice as was everybody else and perhaps more so.  They in no way anticipated that one of their own number might be chosen.  Whether that event will have any direct impact on the Society remains to be seen.  Nonetheless, having a Jesuit as pope, an eventuality that through the centuries seemed almost unthinkable, might somehow open a new page in the history of the Society of Jesus.

The Eclipse of the Sun in Siam in 1688, Viewed by the Jesuit Missionaries

From the book's description:

As Pope Francis continues to make his mark on the church, there is increased interest in his Jesuit background—what is the Society of Jesus, how is it different from other religious orders, and how has it shaped the world? In The Jesuits acclaimed historian John W. O’Malley, SJ, provides essential historical background from the founder Ignatius of Loyola through the present.

The book tells the story of the Jesuits’ great successes as missionaries, educators, scientists, cartographers, polemicists, theologians, poets, patrons of the arts, and confessors to kings. It tells the story of their failures and of the calamity that struck them in 1773 when Pope Clement XIV suppressed them worldwide. It tells how a subsequent pope restored them to life and how they have fared to this day in virtually every country in the world. Along the way it introduces readers to key figures in Jesuit history, such as Matteo Ricci and Pedro Arrupe, and important Jesuit writings, such as the Spiritual Exercises.

Concise and compelling, The Jesuits is an accessible introduction for anyone interested in world or church history. In addition to the narrative, the book provides a timeline, a list of significant figures, photos of important figures and locations, recommendations for additional reading, and more.

A Jesuit Priest, Inscribed in Persian: "Jahangir Shahi Amal-E-Mansur," Mughal, 1610

The Jesuits is published by Sheed & Ward an imprint of Rowman & Littlefield.

Direct link to the book's page at R&L

Here is a direct link to the book at Amazon.com:

Here are links to other book by the same author at Amazon.com, including two that are specifically about the Jesuits:

This review is by Candida Martinelli, of Candida Martinelli's Italophile Site, and the author of the cozy-murder-mystery novel AN EXTRA VIRGIN PRESSING MURDER, and the young-adult/adult mystery novel series THE VIOLET STRANGE MYSTERIES the first book of which is VIOLET'S PROBLEM.

Venice in the Moonlight by Elizabeth McKenna

I found Venice in the Moonlight, set in the Veneto region of Italy in the 1750s, to be a light, easily-readable, historical-mystery-romance novel.  It is meant for adults, but is written in simple English.  The setting of Venice and the Venetian mainland led me to request a review-copy of Venice in the Moonlight.

The female protagonist, Marietta, was a child-bride to a violent, wealthy man, but Marietta is left a widow after only a few years of marriage.

She never imagined that at twenty years old she'd already be a widow in black.  On the bright side, she was no longer married to Dario, but her future still looked grim.

Marietta is the daughter of an artist, and an artist in her own right, which is an interesting element in this story.  After being windowed, Marietta intends to leave the Venetian mainland and return to Venice.  On her way there, she discovers that her father has died recently.  Only when she gets to Venice does she learn her father's death was very suspicious.  Out of guilt and a sense of duty Marietta begins to investigate what really happened to her father.

Casanova in Venice with a lady

Casanova makes an appearance as a dodgy aristocratic friend of Nico Foscari, the male lead, a young aristocrat with declining sight who spends most of his time in louche undertakings while dreading the day he will be completely blind.  Casanova is involved in the book's mystery plot, which is a fun addition to the story, weaving in fact with the fiction.

The point of view alternates for much of the book between Marietta and Nico.  We get a look into their minds and learn, almost before they do, that there is a growing interest between the unlikely pair.  I thought the interplay between Marietta and Nico was reminiscent of The Scarlet Pimpernel and his ladylove:  lots of deceit on both their parts, and a seemingly doomed chance at love that comes to fruition.

The Ridotto, the Venetian casino, during Carnival, is the setting for several scenes

There are some interesting politics in Venice in the Moonlight.  The 1750s was a time of growing enlightened thought, but that sort of free-thinking was seen as a threat to the established order.  Here is Marietta talking with Nico about Casanova, and Casanova's idol, the free-thinker, free-lover, atheist Voltaire:

Her nose wrinkled.  "So they are heretics."

"I believe Voltaire considers himself a writer and Cas a lover."

"You know what I mean.  They do not support the Church or any monarchy."

Nico took a drink of wine before he answered.  "Like those who preach free will, I think the world needs to improve.  The Church and the various monarchies have had their chance.  Maybe it is time for them to step aside and let the masses make their own choices."

She looked around to see if anyone had heard him.  "Men have been arrested for such views.  You shouldn't be so bold."

St. Mark's Square at Carnival time, a setting from the book

For me, the cover does not seem to match the book very well, although I can't put my finger on why I feel that is the case, unless it is that the dress seems too modern and the image doesn't fit the descriptions of the dresses and hair style of Marietta in the book. 

A cover showing Venice in the 1700s with carnival celebrations going on, as they are throughout the book, would be lovely.  In those days, carnival was celebrated from October to Easter, to cater to the tourists from all over Europe and America.  The town was decadent and earned its income from selling sin, much like Las Vegas today, Sin City.

 

A gondola assignation at Carnival time

I noticed that the tone of Venice in the Moonlight varies and the language is uneven in its quality at times.  The sex scenes are not crudely pornographic; they are romantic combined with some explicit details.  I believe there are a few historical inaccuracies in the book, and there were a one or two editing errors.  But there are also many lovely period details, and any book set in enchanting Venice, Italy, has a lot going for it from the get-go!

Most of the story takes place in Venice, and the author includes details about the streets, canals and buildings, creating a strong sense of place.  But it is the plot that drives the story.  The romance is interesting, and the couple make a good match by the end of the book, each having grown through the course of the story.  Venice in the Moonlight is a satisfying, simple read, offering a glimpse into the past, and the titillation of the central couple's sexual and spiritual match, all-in-all, a guilty pleasure.

Here is the book's trailer:

From the book's description, which gives a bit too much away, in my opinion:

A Story of Vengeance, Forgiveness, and Love

After her husband’s untimely demise, Marietta Gatti is banished from the family’s villa by her spiteful mother-in-law.  She returns to her hometown of Venice and her only kin—a father she hasn’t spoken to since her forced marriage.  

Her hope of making amends is crushed when she learns she is too late, for he recently has died under suspicious circumstances.  Grief-stricken, Marietta retraces her father’s last night only to discover someone may have wanted him dead—and she may be next.

When the prime suspect turns out to be the father of the man she is falling in love with, Marietta risks her future happiness and her life to avenge the death of a man she once hated.

Elizabeth McKenna’s latest novel takes you back to eighteenth century Carnival, where lovers meet discreetly, and masks make everyone equal.

 

 

A Venetian coffeehouse with the guests in masks

The paperback edition of Venice in the Moonlight is available from Amazon.com's CreateSpace print-on-demand company.

Direct link to Venice in the Moonlight paperback

The paperback edition and the Kindle e-book edition of Venice in the Moonlight are available from Amazon.com.  Here are direct links:

The author offers a free short story, The Gypsy Casts a Spell, via her website.  Visit the author's website or Facebook page.

If you can't get enough of Venetian carnival costumes, here is a five minute video overload of them:

This review is by Candida Martinelli, of Candida Martinelli's Italophile Site, and the author of the cozy-murder-mystery novel AN EXTRA VIRGIN PRESSING MURDER, and the young-adult/adult mystery novel series THE VIOLET STRANGE MYSTERIES the first book of which is VIOLET'S PROBLEM.

A Sicialian Romance by Mrs. Ann Ward Radcliffe

Mrs. Ann Ward Radcliffe (b.1764-d.1823) is the English novelist who is considered to be the mother of Gothic Romance Novels.  Her books, that starred damsels in distress, appealed mostly to damsels in her time-period, educated women, young and old, wanting escapist, romantic reads.  But plenty of men read them too!  Mrs. Radcliffe wrote several of these sorts of novels, all of which inspired her contemporaries and became the standard for most all romantic fiction thereafter.

A Sicilian Romance was first published in 1790.  The book is a fun read and should be read in a lighthearted manner.  It resembles a fairytale, complete with wicked stepmother.  It was written in the 1780s but set 50 years or so earlier, in Sicily, which was then part of the Two Kingdoms of Sicily,  under the Spanish crown at the time.

Mrs. Radcliff introduced to a wide, popular audience in her novels of the late 1700s:

• the beautiful, virtuous yet emotionally delicate (oft-fainting) heroines 
• valiant, hunky, male love interests of royal or, better-yet, secret royal or aristocratic birth
• exotic settings set in the past for the best romantic effect, Italy and Latin lovers preferred
• weather conditions and landscapes that mirrored the emotional states of the characters (Hers is the line 'It was a dark and stormy night...'; think Wuthering Heights.)
• languid descriptions of the emotional states associated with falling in love, and all the trials of being in love
• generous use of romantic castles, abbeys, convents, palaces, ruins, all conveniently supplied with secret doors, passages and dungeons
• revelations of unknown connections between characters such as long-lost relations, secret parents, brothers and sisters
• rigid codes of honor restricting the characters' choices and attaching greater  risks to any tempting romantic engagements
• loads of unbelievable coincidences, all adding to the fun.

Free E-Book Versions of A Sicilian Romance

Via my Italophiles.com website (Candida Martinelli's Italophile Site) I offer a free PDF version of A Sicilian Romance that is approximately 150 pages.  I broke up the sometimes page-long paragraphs for ease of reading, and corrected some spelling errors but I've removed none of the original text. 

If you right-click on the link, you can save the file without opening it by clicking on the option Save Link As.  If you left-click on the link, the file opens on your PC, then you can read it there or save a copy.

  

Direct link to open the free PDF e-book, right click on it to Save Link As

If you wish the A Sicilian Romance e-book in another file format, then visit the book's page at the grand-daddy of all free e-book sites on the web, Project Gutenberg.

Direct link to the book's page at Project Gutenberg

Paperback Editions via Amazon.com

Some people have taken the free text and made paperback books of A Sicilian Romance, for sale at Amazon.com.  They have also make paperback of her other romance novels:  The Romance of the Forest (published 1791), The Mysteries of Udolpho (published 1794) (Project Gutenberg), The Italian (published 1796).

 

Mrs. Radcliffe's Romances as paperbacks at Amazon

Jane Austen's Parody of Mrs. Radcliffe's Books

Mrs. Radcliffe's books were so popular they attracted a parody or spoof by none other than Jane Austen:  Northanger Abbey.  Miss Austen created one of her usual romantic-comic heroines, Catherine Moreland, and made her highly influenced by Mrs. Radcliffe's novels.

Eager for a gothic-romantic adventure of her own, Catherine sees intrigue everywhere, especially when she meets a young man whose family happens to live in a renovated abbey.  That's when her imagination takes over and comic confusion ensues.

Northanger Abbey is a wonderful read after reading A Sicilian Romance.  You can better appreciate all of Miss Austen's comic references--and Catherine Moreland's fantasies.  It's a short novel, more like a novella.  It also happens to be the first book she wrote, even if it wasn't her first book published.

Project Gutenberg free e-book link to Northanger Abbey

Northanger Abbey paperback versions at Amazon.com

This review is by Candida Martinelli, of Candida Martinelli's Italophile Site, and the author of the cozy-murder-mystery novel AN EXTRA VIRGIN PRESSING MURDER, and the young-adult/adult mystery novel series THE VIOLET STRANGE MYSTERIES the first book of which is VIOLET'S PROBLEM.