Good, Quick Reads

 Do you need a few quick books to read? Do you want a good story and only have a week of vacation time to read books? Let's talk about quick reads that are good books. 

Courtesy of mysteryescaperoom.com

First, we need to establish what "quick" means. Some people could read a large fantasy novel in one day and sitting. I am an avid reader. I can read fast. If you can barely read a 200-page book keep in mind I can read a 400-page book in one day. This measuring stick will help you understand what I call "quick". I'll also say my favorite books are quick reads because I don't stop reading them for more than a bathroom break when I pick them up. Time loses meaning. An hour feels like five minutes. 

I'm defining "quick" reads as books that can be read in two days or less. I'll start with the longest and move toward the shortest. I'm going by page numbers to keep a consistent measurement of length. You'll notice that the numbers are an average and not exact. Every book here is a series or by the same author, and thus, may vary in length.

Your standard of "good" may be different than mine. That is totally okay. I love mysteries, adventures, and romances - usually all mixed together. Keep my preferences in mind as you read down this list. If I don't match yours it is totally okay. We can have different favorites. Everyone has a different genre of choice or favorite author. These just happen to be mine. 

NUMA files and Isaac Bell (400 to 520 pages)

Courtesy of eBay

These series are both by Clive Cussler and a co-author. Now it may only be a co-author. Cussler himself passed away in 2020. Authorship aside, these series include a team of people we follow, with one or two main people we focus on. 

NUMA files is about Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala running missions for NUMA (National Underwater and Marine Agency). His team of people kick butt in an action-adventure series that focuses on water and boating, as well as history and plots to cause major disasters. It's like James Bond combined with experienced sailors. 

Isaac Bell is set in the 1900s and involves a detective agency. We follow everyone but focus on Isaac Bell. It has even more history-mystery to it. It takes historical figures and events, blends them into the whimsical adventure, and still has the same feel as the NUMA files I love. 

Like what you hear? Let me give you a comprehensive list of both series. 

Isaac Bell - Book Series In Order

NUMA Files - Book Series In Order

Jules Verne Novels (430 ish pages)

Courtesy of GameSpot

These are not new by any means. You've got Around The World In 80 Days, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea (beware of a thousand fish species names, but otherwise great), and Journey To The Center Of  The Earth as highlights, but there are more. I bought a whole set on a whim. The longest in the set is Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea and the rest are much shorter. Easy reads and a fun adventure for all ages. Aside from way too many genus and species of fish (and I do mean far too many) this man's books read like great travel journals. The Storyline is mostly a few characters going on a journey of some form. Something unexpected happens. Generally, it ends well. 

If this sounds like a fun time, check out the link below to get the whole list of his books. I only have a set of five. I think they'd take up a full two shelves or three to have all his works. 

Order of Jules Verne Books - OrderOfBooks.com

In Death Series by JD Robb (around 400 pages)

Courtesy of everyfreechance.com

The In Death series is by JD Robb (Nora Roberts) about a female police detective (Eve Dallas) in a mid-21st century world. It takes place in New York and sometimes off-planet. It is a futuristic world with lots of technology. There is also lots of sex between our main character and the man she marries. I'm telling you now so it isn't a shock when you come upon steamy scenes. Don't read this to your kids. It is also a heinous crime series (think Women's Murder Club with more sex and future tech). You'll see sexual and serial killer crimes over and over again. 

I'll say it again for those who only skimmed that paragraph. If you don't like serial killers, heinous crimes, and sex in your fiction you shouldn't pick this up. It isn't as graphic as some books can get, but all the same, I'd make sure you don't give this to your children on a whim. I am reading this as an adult and it is not meant for children. 

On the other hand, if you like what you heard in that description (no judgment for reading dirty suspense), I have the link to the entire series here. There are a lot. 

In Death - Book Series In Order

Women's Murder Club (400 pages)

Courtesy of eBay.co.uk

If you would like the book above set in modern times and with slightly less sex, you get Women's Murder Club. Still has sex in it, but a few times less. Lindsay Boxer is a police detective in San Francisco with a lawyer friend, a friend working in the morgue, and a reporter friend. One of her friends is killed off in the third book. Basically, these women maintain friendships and help each other solve the crimes. It is still dealing the heinous crimes. It is not a cozy mystery. 

I'll say the same thing for this book as I did the other; this is not what you hand a small child. I may have read this as a gifted reader in junior high, but that doesn't mean I understood everything. I skipped scenes because of sex, read the book again in adulthood, and realized I skipped serious plot points. Yes, I read this in junior high, but I don't think the target demographic is that age. High school or above are good to read this book in my opinion. It isn't In Death with steamy scenes. Use your own judgment and read it first if you don't quite know who it is meant for. 

You know the drill by now. Here's the link to the series. 

Womens Murder Club - Book Series In Order

Bridgerton Series (400 pages)

Courtesy of fr.fanpop.com

You probably live under a rock if Bridgerton is not a name you know. It's either that or you don't have Netflix. The series on Netflix began as a series of books. There are even spinoffs to the original books because they were so loved. The original series is 8 books. There are 8 kids to marry off, so that makes sense. We get the pleasure of reading about the Bridgerton clan, an established and powerful family with 8 kids. The year is 1812 (from the first book at least) and Mrs. Bridgerton is sending her kids into the world to marry. The best part of the books has to be seeing them in their married life. We don't end with the wedding here - oh no - we show their marital struggles. 

Be aware this is not a clean romance series. Don't expect it to be. While it isn't steamy scenes on every page, it isn't what I'd read to a child. The series vibe is basically what the Netflix series vibe shows. Sex happens. It isn't on every page, but it isn't glossed over in one sentence. 

Assuming you are okay with a few sex scenes and you like seeing characters with real depth in romance novels, here's the link to the entire series - with spinoff titles as a bonus. 

What is the order of the Bridgerton books? - Julia Quinn | Author of Historical Romance Novels

Phillip Marlowe Series (380 pages)

Courtesy of Alchetron.com

I've talked about this series before. It is much like the James Bond series, in the way that publishers have continued it through varied authors. Raymond Chandler is not the only author now. He started it, died midbook (Poodle Springs), and it has continued since. Poodle Springs was continued by another author around chapter four and you can't tell. I'm going to link to my overview of Philip Marlowe here.

To put things simply, Philip Marlowe is a noir-era private detective and was written for magazines early on. YouTube has radio broadcasts uploaded. These are legitimate radio dramas that last one hour long (with some parts cut short when compared to the book). If you like Noir-style detectives you'll love Marlowe and his witty, sarcastic comebacks. 

Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe Books in Order | Series List (deadgoodbooks.co.uk)

Raymond Chandler - Book Series In Order

James Bond Series (300 pages)

Courtesy of fanpop.com

Do I have to tell you who James Bond is? Do I really? I think you already know. 007 is not an obscure movie series. It is, also, an extremely successful book series. Ian Fleming may have died, but his series on 007 never did. There are modern Bond novels out there. If you start from the beginning of Bond (Fleming) and move outward in time you'll get a good feel for who Bond is and his history. It's worth it.

Let me be plain. Ian Fleming was sexist and it shows in his writing. This was written in the 50s and 60s. You, reader, shouldn't be shocked to see moments that make you cringe. There are terms used then that can't be used now. That applies to every time period and will apply to our current time eventually. Some things age well and some select moments aged like milk. Modern writers dropped the sexism like it was poison. I think I understand why. All the same, seeing the original Bond is worth reading past the sexist moments. 

If you want to experience Bond as the books have written him and compare the movies to the books (not the same), here is the link to the whole series. 

James Bond - Book Series In Order

Agatha Christie Mysteries (240 pages)

Courtesy of The Cheat Sheet

Agatha Christie is considered the queen of suspense. She's amazing and wrote mysteries. Her mysteries are often hard to solve just by reading the book for clues. She died in 1976. There was a point where she faked her disappearance for days and never said what she'd done in that time. She dumped her cheating husband soon after. Some people think she'd gone into some depressive haze because her marriage was going south. 

Agatha aside, her books are brilliant. English mysteries found their standard in her books. Two main characters (each a series of their own) are famous. Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple are the two characters that took off. Poirot was a detective from Belgium who continued because he made her money. She killed him off in the last book so no one could use him. Miss Marple is an elderly woman who solves mysteries by listening to her friends and neighbors, while still gardening despite her knees. Eventually, she just complains about the man who does her gardening for her because she can't do it. 

I'd highly suggest her mysteries if you like BBC TV shows. If you like the David Suchet Poirot or the Miss Marple series pick up the books. They are all great. 

Agatha Christie - Book Series In Order

Phryne Fisher (235 pages)

Courtesy of buffalonews.com

A 1920s-era flapper solving mysteries may interest you. Hon. Phryne Fisher is an English woman living in Australia and working as a private detective. She's rich. She has servants and adopted daughters who help her solve her cases. She tends to pick up lost souls and she gives them a home working for her. She tends to sleep around. They call her a vamp in 1920s terms. She isn't a saint, but she's an excellent detective. 

If you wanted to know if this had sex in it, the answer is yes. In comparison to In Death, it is rather glossed over. It's vague. It isn't the focus of the plot. Only one lover actually sticks around for several books. Phryne becomes his concubine (I know, weird, but it is there). 

Phryne Fisher - Book Series In Order

Annie's Unraveled Mysteries (230 pages)

Courtesy of Anniesfiction.com

This is a cozy mystery with some edge to it. Annie's put out some cozy mysteries and this one is focused on a woman who moved to Texas. She's putting out crochet books and making custom projects for work. She blogs and deals with her past trauma of her ex-husband. Kate Stevens stumbles upon several mysteries, including one that makes her a prime suspect (first book). She gets close to a police detective named Peter. I love it. The mysteries themselves have an edge to them. One has Kate being kidnapped. Another has her finding a body under Azalia bushes. It doesn't make it uncozy. It gives suspense lovers a cozy mystery to enjoy. 

Mysteries Unraveled | Annie's Fiction (anniesfiction.com)

Nancy Drew (200 pages)

Courtesy of alchetron.com

Nancy Drew is a teen girl solving mysteries in the town of River Heights and beyond. Her story began around 1930 and hasn't stopped since. They are still writing Nancy Drew mysteries under the name Carolyn Keene. She's been ghost-written for years. The same people published Hardy Boys novels. The two have been tied to each other for years. When you see Nancy, the Hardy boys aren't far behind. 

I could go on forever. The series isn't just one series. It is several by now. It can be found in the children's section or the teen section. All ages can read this series. While that isn't true for everything on my shelf, it is true for my Nancy Drew Collection. 

Nancy Drew is courageous, tenacious, and can do anything. She's what many women wanted to be in 1930 and today. I look up to Nancy as a hero in fiction. 

Nancy Drew - Book Series In Order

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I wrote a book (and I'm told it's a quick read)! I am delighted to say that I have 5 five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback, hardcover, or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page. 

Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him? 

Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.

Book Review - Argylle by Elly Conway

 After going to a movie with some friends, I picked up Argylle by Elly Conway. It is going to be a series. I am reviewing the book, so whether the movie itself matches the book is irrelevant. 

Courtesy of Apple

We all know movies take liberties, frequent liberties on books. This one is no exception. I'm going to say it now - I loved the movie. It may even connect to The Kingsman. Whether the book does this or not is still irrelevant. I'm reviewing the book for what is in the book. It inspired the movie and not the other way around. The book couldn't have better marketing and the movie did it a massive favor by giving it public acknowledgement. The movie is based on the concept ideas for book four (not released or written) and the second movie that is coming will be based on the first book. 

For the record, the book plot does not match the movie plot. I'm saying it right now so you don't expect the movie to match the book. It is the adventure of Agent Argylle. It does not discuss the author and the author bio is probably what inspired the movie the most. The bio includes a dark photo with no real face to speak of and a vague description saying she wrote it while working as a waitress. Nothing more is written on the author. Rumors fly that it is Taylor Swift, but I don't think that is correct. This may be a Lemony Snicket situation (pen names are more common than you think). While we know who Lemony Snicket is, only time will tell with this author. 

Courtesy fo Audible

The Review

This had my attention from the prologue. I couldn't wait to finish it (and not just because I said I'd review it). We start with Aubrey Argylle living a life that is not a secret agent in Thailand. He is giving tours in the mountains and comes upon a DEA helicopter that was shot down. He saves the lives of at least two of them through creative means and later gets visited by someone who is not who they say they are. From there things heat up. He has to leave because he meddled with Thai drug dealer affairs by saving those people in the helicopter. He's invited into intelligence work and takes them up on the offer because he has nothing. 

Another part of the plot is a man named Federov running for Russian politics. He's promised to find the amber room and fixated on some bracelet. In the prologue, his wife is forced to wear it in public despite her distaste for it. He bought it at an auction when the plot goes back a bit - for five million dollars. This whole thing is clearly important. They alternately focus on Federov and the team Argylle is placed in. It is a race to the amber room, for the most part, aside from the search for a traitor amongst Argylle's teammates. 

I will not spoil the ending or the traitor. I will not tell you about the epilogue. You must read it yourself to get that information. I had a blast reading this. I believe you will, too, provided spy novels are your jam. Just so you can get an overview of my reading tastes, most of my collection is suspense, spy thrillers, romances, thrillers in general, romantic suspense, and cozy mysteries. If you like James Bond or Clive Cussler you'll love this. It is like they combined the two (history and spy work). 

Courtesy of Cultture.com

Is It Overhyped?

This is a question I asked before reviewing this. There are two camps for reviews - one being "overhyped" and the other being "5 stars". I give it 5 stars. Ultimately, many might have thought they were "reading" the movie. Don't make that mistake. You are not. This is the first of at least four books. This is three books ahead of the movie you saw in theatres. Keep that in mind when you open this cover and get to reading. The movie is not the book. 

People ask this question because this book is being promoted by a movie. The same question applies to books going viral on TikTok or books that get massive publicity (can't get better than a movie being an ad for your book). Sometimes books are overhyped (Fourth Wing and other examples can be seen by book reviewers on Youtube). Sometimes a book is just that good. In this case, it is just that good. Give it a chance. Pick it up. 

If you would like to try it out, I have provided the Amazon link here for Argylle. Happy reading!

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I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have 5 five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback, hardcover, or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page. 

Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him? 

Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.

Preview of coming attractions

 I realize some of my blog posts are quite random. Some of them are fluff that keeps the blog going while I work on other projects (like reading books to review). Today I'm giving you some blog topics to look forward to in the future. Ready?

Lately, I've been on a book-reviewing kick because it tends to work out well for views. Also, I like the books I'm reading and pick them myself. I will take suggestions for book reviews if you have any, though. At this time (I don't know when) I plan to review Alice In Wonderland and Jane Eyre. They are toward the end of my TBR and I'm not rushing to get there. I intend to enjoy the books I read. When I get there the review will show up. 

I also wanted to explain my process when it comes to reviewing books. Between both works, my hobbies, my novel writing, and life in general I do still have time to read. But I still have to keep in mind the size of the book and how much time I have to play with that day. I try to get the book finished quickly when I'm using it for blog content, though. Even so, it does take some time. 

Read-it-or-unhaul-it challenges are easier. Why? Because I expect to not finish some of the books. This challenge brings the free romances I impulsively downloaded into full view. What I picked up at a library sale and abandoned shows up in the unread options. I have no qualms with DNFing (Do Not Finish) a book while reading for this challenge. It is more than possible at least one will be a dud or leave my library for being only okay. 

I may or may not be going through my shelves because I am a book dragon who needs more space. That's right, I need help from more than the read-it-or-unhaul-it challenge. I can't find space for some of my books. I was inspired by the one shelf challenge from Emily Fox. If I decide to do this, it will show up on my blog. I may even show a before-and-after photo of my shelves. It'll be a shelf-by-shelf process. I intend to try out books before I donate them (unless they are, for real, unwanted). Should I decide to undertake this time-consuming task you'll see the before and after. 

Courtesy of jooinn.com

Bottom Line

Long story short, I intend to review two more books, do multiple read-it-or-unhaul-it challenges, and clean my bookshelves. If you have suggestions for books you want my review of, put them in the comments section for me to see. Cheers!

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I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have 5 five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback, hardcover, or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page. 

Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him? 

Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.

Legends about redheads

Is your redhead a mythical being? No, probably not, but there are some interesting myths about red hair that might be fun to look at. Let's jump in.

 Courtesy of Pinterest

To have red hair can mean many things. You might be a Weasley. You might be a witch. You might be Irish or have Viking heritage. Most likely, your parents both have dark hair or red hair. It is rare to have red hair, but we often carry the genetics for it. I know a lot of people who do. 

Today I thought it'd be fun (while I read Argylle and write my review - it might take some time) to explore the silly and ridiculous myths about redheads. I pulled up at least three lists from Google and went through the most interesting ones. I did do some fact-checking, but feel free to double-check my work. 

The Myths

Red hair marked you as a witch from the 1400s into the 1700s. To make matters so much worse, they killed thousands of redheads, stripping them to find a mark of the devil (literally could be a freckle so anyone Irish is doomed). Having red hair meant you "stole hell's fire" and you had to be burned at the stake. Eventually, this madness ended. Some thought the mark of Cain was red hair. 

Want to be a vampire? You allegedly can if you are a redhead and you die. That means all the Weasleys should be the undead after they die, my husband should be a vampire after he dies, and many of my friends are going to be vampires by this logic. It isn't true. Ancient Greeks thought this was true. While red-haired people do often avoid sunlight (pale skin), this is not confirmed. 

Redheads have now joined the ranks of the black cats and walking under ladders with this one. They are thought to be unlucky. The British and Egyptians believed this to be true. Egyptians went as far as to sacrifice them. 

Courtesy of Armaghi.com

On the flip side, Romans believed they were lucky and added value to redhead slaves. You paid extra for their luck. You rub a redhead's hair for luck. Poland believed that three redheads in one place meant you'd win the lottery. 

Has anyone been accused of having no soul lately? Redheads were. They were also accused of stealing souls by making eye contact. Count your freckles if you have them. That's how many souls you stole. This may connect to the first two myths. It is so ridiculous you're probably laughing. I'm pretty sure my friends have souls and haven't stolen mine. It is believed they even sold their soul to the devil to spread sin and serve the dark lord. I don't think so. 

The connection between red hair and a fiery temper can be seen in many character depictions in books and movies. It really does depend on the person with this one. I'm putting it here because it isn't true of everyone. It's a personality thing. Red is linked with passion and fire. This is a likely reason this started.

Along with a temper, redheads are believed to be more sexually charged. 

This one is a superstition. It comes from someone's grandmother. She says that redheads get stung by bees more often. Take this as you will. Maybe this connects to being unlucky. Or maybe the grandmother had a bad relationship with bees. We'll never know. I put it here because it got passed down the generations. Another one that got passed down was the belief redheads bruise more easily. More than likely, the pale skin shows bruises more easily.

Back to the weird and wacky, we have an author insisting blood of redheaded men is gold. He wrote a paint recipe for Spanish gold including that as an ingredient. His name was Theophilus Presbyter. I think he got high before writing that. 

Redheads are not going extinct. Basic genetics should tell you a recessive gene is carried. Many people carry the gene. As long as many of them reproduce we'll have redheads for years to come. They are not endangered. 

If you believe in aliens you are in luck. Apparently, redheads are alien-human hybrids. Lyrans (aliens) allegedly have fair skin, red hair, and light-colored eyes. By that definition, the aliens landed in Ireland.

If Atlantis was the next word you expected to see you'd likely be lying. Yet, the myth that redheads originated in Atlantis is here. The theory states that people who left Atlantis went to Egypt, Turtle Island, and Easter Island. There are redhead mummies found in Egypt and Peru.  

Were you conceived during someone's period while they had "unclean" sex? This was the theory about redheads in the Middle Ages, and it is coming back around some think. I expect his nonsense from the Middle Ages, though, given the lack of education that abounded. 

Don't spread your redhead aunt's ashes on a field; it could burn a fertile field alive! No, not kidding. This was believed by Egyptians, who may have also used ashes to make corn gold or red later (at least they believed it). They burned a man to the god Osiris and then spread the ashes on a field. This came from a book The Golden Bough.

A Note To Check My Facts

Courtesy of tvovermind.com

I know the internet is not always correct. I want you to comment if you find evidence any of it is wrong. Anything wrong will be corrected. I don't expect history lists to be entirely true. False history gets spread and before we know it, we all believe a lie a century later, or even a few years later. Those history videos on YouTube - the ones that actually dig into a library and scholarly sources - have to dig through legends and stories that turn out to be lies. I may have some on here unwittingly. 

That being said, I did try to fact-check my own sources here. Did I go to a library and take hours? No, so please feel free to do your own fact-checking. I'd rather not feed the public lies. We have so many lies fed to us as it is. 

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I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have 5 five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page. 

Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him? 

Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.

Source:

 10 Famous Myths about Redheads Debunked (howtobearedhead.com)

The 11 Weirdest Historical Myths About Redheads (ranker.com)

Redheads: Myths, Legends, and Famous Red Hair - Owlcation

Female Gladiators?

I needed a quick blog this week and Facebook handed me a topic on a silver platter. A lot of false history hits our social media feeds, but women being gladiators - or gladiatrices to be exact - was not false. Let's dive in. 

A statue of a gladiatrice/gladiatrix - courtesy of Reddit

Keep in mind this blog won't go deep diving, thus you should dive deeper yourself if you are interested in the topic. I am introducing you to the topic because I wanted to find out if Facebook was correct. This is a quick history type of blog post. Feel free to research more. I didn't use all the information in my sources. Go ahead and peruse the links below. 

Gladiatrix or gladiatrices are women gladiators. Attempts were made to regulate it through legislation. It was not overly appreciated by Roman writers. It was criticized. Women participating in the games of Rome were not welcomed with open arms. Another name for them is Ludia (Ludi being a name for a female performer) or mulieres (women). Rarely are they named feminae (ladies). The term Gladiatrix was used in the 1800s. Despite all the controversy, there is evidence women were honored as much as the arena men. Their desires were probably for fame, money, independence, and remission of debt. 

Women's roles

Patriarchy is the word of the day. Women didn't write much in Rome and we don't have much about their experiences. Why? Because men wrote most of the history. Women were being restricted and shoved into the domestic box, with less freedoms than men and less choice. I imagine that the more conservative the home the less freedom there was. One source written by Sulpicia in the first century BC actually talks about how she was upset about not being allowed to make her own birthday plans because her uncle interfered. She still had more freedom than most women. Married women who competed were looked down upon. 

Yet, women could be gladiators? Legislation in 11 CE forbids freeborn women from entering the arena under the age of 20. This seems to suggest they could be gladiators and could make that choice for a while. In 200 CE women were outlawed from the arena entirely.  It apparently encouraged a lack of respect for women (crude jokes in the stands - some things never change). Septimus Severus also had a different motive, which was trying to discourage women from wanting to be in the Olympic games. Despite this decree, women still competed later in the third Century CE in Ostia, a port city. 

According to Worldhistory.org there was an interesting legal loophole. "The wording of the inscription specifies that Hostilianus allowed mulieres to fight, not feminae and so it may be that Hostilianus was able to get around Severus' law by some legal loophole whereby free born ladies of the upper class were still prohibited but lower-class women and female slaves could still participate in the games."

Women started in the games as fighting dwarves, sometimes at night by torchlight. Most women later moved on from this to be real gladiators. This was just the start. It was a new novelty. It got attention. Women fighting women was popular, to no one's surprise today. Nero even had women gladiators battle to honor his mother - the mother he murdered (remember, the guy that made human candles out of Christians and had garden parties to watch them suffer?).

Class had something to do with this. Again, most were slaves fighting. It made someone money to make their slaves fight. However, the elite also did the fighting. It was new and exciting. It was an act of defiance and a way to make some parents very upset. Wealthy women could afford all the training and had plenty of time to work out. Women were encouraged to be strong and do sports because they needed to pop out children. 

If you complained about the Zach Snyder Amazons, you are in for a shock. These women fought with nothing on top, helmets, shin protection, and a loin cloth. They fought people with disabilities, each other, and animals. I'm not surprised that someone noticed they got cat-called from the stands. They were an exotic show, something new and rare. The wealthy showed off by having them fight. The crude comments were one reason legislation took steps to limit their arena involvement. These women were marketed as Amazons, which is no shock based on the Roman beliefs. 

The Games Themselves

Would you believe this was a funeral-related activity? It was people re-enacting legends and life events as a tribute. Eventually, the funeral stuff fell off the agenda and people just liked it in general. Aristocrats running for office often sponsored games. This later included the emperor's birthday, coronations, and other large events. 

The first one was held in 264 BCE (funeral-related). Honorius outlawed the practice in 404 CE. Many died (animals and humans) for the sake of mere entertainment. That being said, most did not end in death. Convicted criminals may have been executed there, but most fighting were slaves, slaves trained so well they were valuable. Criminals of serious crimes were executed in the arena. Christians were thrown into the mix, too, but they were not trained and were sent there to die. 

Executions were not the games, though. Not all ended in death. They were evenly matched and fought until one person dropped their shield and weapon to surrender (by holding up one finger). After surrender the sponsor would pause the fight. The up-and-down thumb comes into play here. It may be the sponsor would do the slit-throat gesture to say the loser would die. What the sponsor could do, though, was let the loser live. More were spared than killed. If the loser was declared to die the sponsor had to compensate someone for their slave. 

Evidence points to gladiators living years. It is possible that female gladiators were daughters of retired gladiators in some cases. There were schools for gladiators in Rome. The only catch is that your life is no longer yours. You were alive to fight and train, and only that. It doesn't seem likely they'd let women into the schools, though, so the idea is that maybe the retired gladiator trained the woman or daughter. 

Four types of gladiators were trained. Myrmillo wore a helmet with a fish crest and held an oblong shield and sword. Retiarius (usually fought Myrmillo) was lightly armed with a net and had a trident or dagger. Samnite held a sword, a visored helmet, and an oblong shield. Thracian held a curved blade and a round shield. The reward for making it big in any discipline was fame, fortune, and a lifestyle most women couldn't achieve. 

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I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have 5 five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page. 

Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him? 

Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.

Sources:

Did Women Fight as Gladiators in Ancient Rome? | HISTORY

Female Gladiators In Ancient Rome - World History Encyclopedia

Warrior Women: Who Were the Gladiatrices of Ancient Rome? | History Hit

Piracy and Privateers

Pirates are famous for terrorizing the high seas, but can you tell me the difference between piracy and privateering? After reading this post, you can. 

Courtesy of Moviesandmania.com

The movies don't often tell us there is a difference. There is even one pirate, Captain Kidd, who claimed to be a privateer at his trial. Years after the trial the paperwork that had gone missing showed up. He'd been screwed over on purpose. You see, the only difference between a privateer and a pirate is a piece of paper that authorizes you to attack your country's enemy. The government gets most of the profit in that scenario. 

Today we're discussing the life of a pirate and the life of a privateer. Let's pour the rum and begin. 

Pirates

Pirates, who do not have papers from their government, can be killed and hung as an example to others. They still exist today - just with speed boats and machine guns. They are also called corsairs or Bucanneers, depending on your location. Corsairs had a religious context, too, because of the war between Muslims and Christians.

Working as a pirate meant everyone split the money equally and had a vote. The Navy didn't give you that. Also, pirates were quite egalitarian, which means everyone got a vote, not just the men. It might be better working conditions than the Navy depending on what time you were in the Navy. There was also a code and committees that met. It wasn't mad chaos. Strangely enough, it was democracy that limited mutiny. 

The price paid for piracy in the mid-18th century was steep. It was death. Hanging someone in a human-shaped cage to hold the body together was a warning to other pirates. It deterred them for a while, then it continued. There were regular hangings in some towns. Another price paid was having to go hungry at times, mostly because a pirate can't stroll into town for supplies at will. You have a price on your head. In this blog post, I'll leave another Max Miller on pirates eating leather to survive. 

The pirate code is basically a contract agreement of who gets paid what and other ship workings. It is a work contract. It isn't all that complex or mystical. One of my sources will give you some examples of found codes, such as the requirement to keep your weapon in good condition and to not gamble on board. Privateers probably had this contract system, too. 

One pirate group you know of is the Vikings. Often trade routes were easy pickings for pirates and privateers alike. The reason for becoming a pirate today has to do with third-world countries in poverty. During the golden age of piracy (1650s-1730s) farmers were forced off land and didn't have all that much left to try. Poor seamen could gain control of their lives through piracy. You could get rich and exercise dominance, in other words.  

Privateers

Privateers have papers saying they are working for the government and are authorized to go after only the enemies they are at war with. Some of them even get tasked with pirate hunting. Captain Kidd illustrated exactly what happens when everything goes wrong. He was a privateer according to documents later found - conveniently after his trial where he insisted he had papers to prove it. 

Above is a video that teaches you to make an alcoholic drink and learn more about this man. Only make this drink if you are of legal drinking age, please. Max Miller is excellent at presenting history and is always a fun time. He has a cookbook, too, but I digress. 

One thing to note about privateering is that it's shady. It takes manpower and resources away from the Navy because it pays better. Also, there were some cases where the lines between pirate and privateer were blurred. Pirates were sometimes encouraged, without paperwork filed, to pillage enemies in times of war. It's just really shady. Sometimes monarchs would take the gold in secret and keep it quiet.

In privateering, though, you didn't split all of it evenly, like pirates did, but instead gave a portion to whoever hired you. You can't have all of it. This may be why privateers did some side hustling to hit other ships outside the contract. We know they did that. They still made lots of money, though. Many leaders were charismatic, to the point of having a crew who would die for them. 

Modern Pirates

Since the early 1980s piracy has become a bigger problem. There is no authority to arrest pirates out on the open seas. Also, privateers still exist in the shadows, meaning some countries don't do anything to help the situation. 

Pirates have old tricks, like using another flag to hide themselves. Be aware of this in South and Southeast Asia, South America, and South of the Red Sea. Small-time pirates want your safe and to loot you. Organizations of pirates have connections, being one link in a criminal chain, and will attack. 

Modern pirates also have speed boats, machine guns, and illegal weapons in general. Yes, they kidnap, rob, and murder - only now they have technology to work with. Small cargo ships should beware. 

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I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have 5 five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page. 

Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him? 

Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.

Sources:

Pirates, Privateers, Corsairs, Buccaneers: What’s the Difference? | Britannica

Piracy and Privateering - Pirate Ship Vallarta - BLOG

Pirate Code - Rules and Code of Conduct for Pirates (thewayofthepirates.com)

The Golden Age of Piracy | Royal Museums Greenwich (rmg.co.uk)

Modern Piracy - History of Piracy - The Way of the Pirates

Quiet - a review

I read Quiet. Here's my review of the book and why you should pick it up whenever you get the chance. I feel so seen as an introvert that I wish everyone would read this. 

Courtesy of Random House Audiobooks

This book is one woman's extensive research on introversion in an extrovert-focused world. I can't say it enough; everyone needs to read this. There is so much more in here I can't sum up everything without just handing you the book. 

For now, I'm reviewing Quiet in these categories - readability, credibility, and how likable the writer is. I don't often read the non-fiction genre (where this book falls). I still loved it. I feel incredibly understood as an introvert and I can't say enough about how good this book is. 

Readability

Readability is essentially asking "How easy is this to read?" I don't often read nonfiction. I said this earlier and I will prove it. I loved the book  Code Girls about women breaking codes, but it was a slog (despite my enjoyment of it). This book was no slog. Quiet was so easy to understand and read I could read half of it in about three to four hours. In fact, I did. It was worth my time and energy. It'll be worth yours. If I can read this nonfiction, you can too.

Credibility

Here we ask another question; is our source credible?  She is. You can look at her sources and check them yourself. You can also find extra content on how to raise introverts, how to teach introverts, and how to public speak as an introvert. These are all short and summarized in the back. It is part of her book at a glance if you need just a glance. It's nice. 

On top of all this, she has at least three to four studies in this book, as well as interviews she conducted herself. She dove into this topic with a passion. She gathered the stories, talked from experience, and got other peoples' experiences down on paper. She spent a lot of time researching this. She knows what she is talking about. 

Likable

The author's tone makes a difference in any book of any genre. Nonfiction tends to show someone's bias at some point. In a book about introversion, it is easy to make extroverts the enemy - especially when the world is run by extroversion, making it harder for introverts to feel okay with their own tendencies and themselves. This being said, our author never belittles extroverts. She suggests that extroverts and introverts work together to make the world a better place. We both have our own strengths and weaknesses. 

This makes the author a likable, compassionate, and loving human being. She does not villainize extroverts, nor does she overpraise introverts. While she is an introvert herself, she doesn't say "I'm perfect" or say that introverts need to rule the world. Bias comes into play when she speaks (same for me, same for you), but it doesn't taint her message. She can objectively look at research and come to a logical conclusion. That conclusion is simple; let's work together to understand each other and love each other. 

Conclusion

At the end of the day (and this blog post) I feel understood by this book. There is nothing wrong with introversion - no matter how many times you were called "shy" and put in environments that didn't allow you to thrive. There is nothing wrong with extroversion either. 

This book is for everyone. I want every professor who demands "participation" in class to read this and understand that it might mean more than vocalizing to participate. I want elementary teachers to read this book and understand you might be emotionally damaging your students to shove them in front of an audience while demanding they perform. I want parents to read this, students to read this, and I want extroverts to read this. I think this book can speak to everyone. This is a five-star read for me. 

Let me know what you think of this book in the comments. I would welcome any suggestions on what books I should review next. Cheers!

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I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have 5 five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page. 

Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him? 

Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.