Now reading: Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir - When I traveled to England in 2009, I bought new history books nearly every day, and now that I'm finished with graduate school, I finally have time to read them. Alison Weir is best known for her historical non-fiction, but she rightly decided that the tragic tale of Lady Jane Grey would be best told as a novel. After Edward VI died without an male heir, Protestant nobility rallied behind Jane Grey and declared her queen, despite the fact that Edward had two living sisters (who would eventually become Queens Mary and Elizabeth I). Less than a month after her brother's death, the Catholic Mary had gained enough support to take over London, arrest Jane and her family, and declare herself the rightful queen. When a handful of nobles (including Jane's father) continued to form plots in Jane's name, Mary's councilors persuaded her to execute her sixteen-year-old cousin.
Because Weir wrote Innocent Traitor in first person, the story becomes even more personal and Jane's short life becomes even more tragic. Her nine-day reign is often overlooked in popular Tudor history, with most novels and movies focusing on Henry VIII's multiple wives and the glorious reign of Elizabeth I. For me, though, it's easily one of the most fascinating aspects of sixteenth-century England. Innocent Traitor is a very easy read, even for those who know nothing about Tudor England, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in British history.
Now watching: Deadwood - Deadwood is one of those TV shows that I've heard nothing but praise for, but I couldn't watch it when it first aired because it was on HBO. My father caved and bought the super-extended cable last year when The Pacific aired, and he keeps paying for it because he enjoys watching tv shows and movies on-demand. Last month, he discovered that HBO is putting up six episodes at a time, so I finally got my chance. I knew I couldn't go wrong with a show starring Timothy Olyphant and Jim Beaver, and it's just as ridiculously good as I thought it would be.
Now listening to: "Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum -I've been out of the loop of popular music for a few years now, mostly because Birmingham has terrible radio stations that I never listen to. However, Glee has been very helpful in showing me that I'm not missing much (chances are, if the song isn't an oldie, classic rock, or a showtune, I skip it on the CD). "Need You Now", though, is the exception that proves the rule. It was featured in the Valentine's Day episode last week, and I've been listening to it non-stop ever since.
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