Weaving elements of history into writing, whether through stories or style, is undeniably a skill of brilliant magicians.

I have three copies of The Red Tent. One I bought for myself. The second was from a friend who went to an author reading and sent me a signed copy from Anita Diamant. No idea where the third one came from, but it’s probably that I bought it since I loved the book so much.

A huge fan of historical fiction, I read it before The Red Tent before it became a bestseller. I think there’s no greater accomplishment as a writer than to be able to combine history with fiction. Especially when the book involves history from a long, long time ago, incorporates biblical references and emerges a masterpiece.

Anita Diamant’s The Red Tent introduces Dinah as the book’s protagonist. If you’ve read the Bible from beginning to end – I did that when I was 8 and again, have no idea why – you’ll recall that Dinah is only mentioned briefly. Using Dinah as the narrator, Diamant crafts a story around Dinah’s large family, bringing to life her relationships with her mothers, father, brothers and true love.

You may have noticed or heard through the grapevine that the Bible rarely tells stories about women and their role in religious history. Not here. Diamant takes an abrupt turn from tradition and draws a portrait of women’s critical familial and societal roles as wives, mothers and midwives during this time, drawing from both biblical reference and historical analysis.

Never fear, readers, this novel does not incorporate the dry history from high school or the religious doctrine with which many of us were raised. Diamant successfully weaves in a compelling fictional tale, rich in emotion and education. Timeless. Literary. Staple.

I’ve now read The Red Tent four times. Mania? Maybe. But each time, I find myself engrossed in a different storyline, chapter, passage or character. And, although it’s a novel that journeys through a female-focused storyline, I’ve also known many men who have loved it.

Last year, I had the privilege of both interviewing and meeting author Anita Diamant to hear about  her most recent book, Day After Night. Another wonderful read that I’d highly recommend.

Giveaway: Signed copy of The Brubury Tales – by Frank Mundo!

Speaking of historical backdrops and fabulous writers, we’re super excited to announce the first TJCC giveaway. I like to think of it as a “giving to.”

Our very own Frank Mundo recently published his first book – The Brubury Tales.

A quick description: An ambitious homage to Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, The Brubury Tales takes Chaucer’s story and frame to Los Angeles just after the riots, where seven security guards on the graveyard shift swap tales in a hilarious storytelling competition for Christmas vacation time.

The forward by amazing author Carolyn See gives us a quick snapshot into its fabulousness:

The Brubury Tales [by Frank Mundo] is a landmark book, in what is going to be — and already is — an exceptional, distinguished literary career.

The “giving to” challenge: Share a quick comment below about what role reading plays in your life. Is it for relaxation? Learning? Or are you simply not a big reader (we’d love to hear what else you do, though). We’ll announce the winner next Friday. Happy sharing!

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Very, very, very few movies are better than the book. Having watched The Princess Bride approximately 546 times, I thought it was high time to read the actual book. A few years I go, I took the leap and assumed, of course, it would be just as riveting.

Sigh. A gripping story, certainly. But the movie was far better.

Anyone who knows me well knows that The Princess Bride is my favorite movie. Of. All. Time.

It is still inconceivable to me that the book was such a far cry from the magic of the movie. After I finished reading it, I almost cried. No, wait, I actually did cry.

The book and film essentially tell the same storyline. The author writes two stories in one; one tale is a archetypal fairy tale adventure, the other one is a contemporary story of how such timeless fantasies keep us spellbound, no matter our age, location or shoe size.

The Princess Bride includes so many themes it’s hard to keep up, but that’s part of the adventure. True Love, Revenge, Giants, Poison, Brave Men, Beautiful Women, Rodents, Torture.

Let me sum up.

Princess Buttercup and servant boy Wesley embark upon a true love story. Life circumstances initially draw them apart, yet ultimately they come together in fairy-tale romance style through a series of clever trials and tribulations. Inigo Montoya and Prince Humperdinck excel as supporting antagonist characters, contributing to the witty banter that ensues throughout the movie and film.

Things happen along the way. Miracle Max comes to the rescue to revive Wesley after he is tortured and supposedly dead. And then finally, Buttercup and Wesley are reunited because nothing can stop True Love.

Essentially, the plot and themes of the book and movie are the same. What I could not cope with was Goldman’s use of the fictional tale of the author. Yes, those parts were italicized, but if I wanted to go from one “scene” to the next, I had to wade through 50 pages just to get there. Major detraction. The only stylistic credit I’ll give to Goldman is his masterful use of the run-on sentence.

Come to think of it, I think I’ll do a review soon that is a 500-word run-on sentence and see if anyone notices.

Before I throw myself into the pit of despair about the book, please just save some time and keep to the movie. Make it a game – see how many lines you can memorize. Then, drop a few of the most memorable ones into casual conversation or client meetings.

No, reading The Princess Bride didn’t put me off books forever. It just reminded me that I had to go back to the beginning. And read the next book on my list.

Are there any movies you deem better than the book? Why? Is it because of the plot, character development, a hot actor/actress? Let’s discuss.

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This is a a guest post from my super-cool Dad. In fact, it’s his second post here on TJCC. Check out his review of fascinating memoir Been Everywhere…Got Nowhere, authored by his good friend and Associated Press reporter, who has since passed, Hugh Mulligan. As a journalist, Mulligan had an amazing series of assignments and interviews, with everyone from Bob Hope to The Shah of Iran. You can read more about his adventures below.

Hugh A. Mulligan spent 49 years with the Associated Press, reporting from 146 countries.

In his book: Been Everywhere … Got Nowhere Mulligan has packaged an armchair tour of these fascinating stories, humorous anecdotes, many adventures, and some of his most memorable journeys (and a few that make you wonder.)

Among many major assignments, he covered President Kennedy’s visit to Ireland, President Nixon’s trips to China and Russia, President Reagan’s horseback interview with the Queen of England, conclaves that elected three Popes, 28 of Pope John Paul II’s journeys on every continent, the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall, John Glenn’s first orbital flight and his return to space as a senior citizen, the royal wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana . . . and then Princess Diana’s funeral.

As a war correspondent, Mulligan covered two Arab-Israeli wars, conflicts in Ulster, Cyprus, Biafra, Angola and Beirut.. He spent three years in Vietnam and a year in Cambodia. He was the only American correspondent to cross the Suez Canal with Gen. Sharon’s tanks in the Yom Kippur War (about which he authored another book: “Lightning Out of Israel: The Six Day War in the Middle East.”)

In Vietnam, Mulligan covered U.S military and South Vietnamese Army combat operations in every province from the Delta to the DMZ. He flew with a Jolly Green Giants crew to rescue a Navy carrier pilot shot down over Vinh in North Vietnam and was later in Hanoi for the release of U.S. prisoners. His book, “No Place to Die: the Agony of Vietnam,” identified him as the “Ernie Pyle” of the Vietnam war.

He went to the North Pole on a Navy blimp, rode the cab of an 18-wheel tractor trailer up the Alcan Highway in the dead of winter, went on a camel patrol with the Trucial Oman Scouts, and on an elephant patrol with highland tribesmen in Vietnam, covered a Nudist Convention (!) on the Riviera, accompanied Louis Armstrong on one-night stands, and carried a spear in the Metropolitan Opera.

Mulligan has had one-on-one interviews with, among others, Bob Hope, Margaret Thatcher, John Glenn, Gen. Westmoreland, Marilyn Monroe, Casey Stengel, John Cardinal O’Connor, Joe DiMaggio, Tennessee Williams, John Steinbeck, The Shah of Iran, James Jones, Brendan Behan and Vladimir Nabokov and hero cop Frank Serpico. …

In Been Everywhere…Got Nowhere Mulligan takes you with him on these exciting trips and many others writing oftentimes humorously with the clear, concise language of a trained journalist.

What gives the excursion special flavor are his personal reminiscences, linking the trips with famous celebrities.

These true tales will make you experience life around the world, and to know a little bit about a lot of people and places after you have read the book.

Forget the Travel Channel: Curl up! You can also check out more about Mulligan’s experiences in an interview with him here.

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Do you have a favorite travel book – you know, the one that truly “takes” you on the journey with the writer? Share away!

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