Friday Book Review - The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal and the Real Count of Monte Cristo

 

The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal and the Real Count of Monte Cristo by Tom Reiss is the biography of General Alexandre Dumas, father of the famous author of the same name who gave us such remarkable literary classics as The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo. Born to a runaway Marquess and an escaped African slave, Alex Dumas was educated in France and then joined the military just as French politics boiled over into the revolution that would change France so dramatically.  As French Republicans abolished slavery and broke down color barriers, Dumas' extraordinary courage and military expertise allowed him to rise through the ranks of the Revolutionary army until he crossed paths with Napoleon Bonaparte one too many times.

In reality, this book is more than just a biography of Dumas, it is also a rich source on the history of France during the late 1700s and beyond.  Thanks to his exhaustive research, Reiss provides plenty of detail on Hispaniola, slavery, the French Revolution, and the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte as backdrop for the fascinating story and changing fortunes of General Alexandre Dumas.  Dumas died when his son was only four years old, but his life and adventures became the basis for many of his famous son's literary heroes.  Reiss looks beyond Dumas the author's memoirs of his father and reports from historical sources on General Dumas' exploits and proves that General Dumas put the "swash" in swashbuckler.  An excellent treatment of the time period and the subject.
 
 I listened to the audio book narrated by Paul Michael.  It is very well done, nicely paced, easy on the ears, with just enough drama to make the narrative flow.  And Michael does an excellent job with the French pronunciations.

Want to read more?

A Concise History of the French Revolution by Sylvia Neely, 2008

Napoleon: Life, Legacy, & Image: A Biography by Alan I. Forrest, 2011

My Memoirs by Alexandre Dumas download (out of copyright)

Teaching family history basics

The problem is that genealogy is even hard to spell.  So naturally folks are intimidated.  But searching out ancestors on the family tree can be a lot of fun.  And it really is easy to get started.
First, start with what you know.  Fill out a pedigree chart, paper charts are available for free online and there are lots of great family history software programs out there.
Second, talk to your relatives, find out what they know and fill that in too.
Third, look for documents.  Collect birth, death, and marriage certificates.  Look for old photos, diplomas, yearbooks, and other mementos.  Newspaper clippings can give you lots of great details.
Fourth, look at what you've got filled out on your family tree.  Is there a blank line?  Are you missing an ancestor?  That's where you start looking.   In this article genealogist Barry Ewell talks about the "power of one."  The trick, he says, is to focus on one ancestor at a time.   This makes it easier to do a good job and have fun at the same time.
Fifth, fill in all the new information you've found.  File all your new documents.  And enjoy your success.
Sixth, Look for the next blank line and start again.

A truly magical place

Did you know there's a library just for magicians in the heart of New York City?  You really can find anything there.  Check out this article about the Conjuring Arts Research Center.

Getting past Writer's Block

It's not only me!

Here's a link to a blog post with 10 straightforward tips to overcome writer's block.

My personal favorite tip for getting over writer's block is to stop feeling sorry for myself, sit down, and write.  For me "writer's block" is just my excuse for not getting the job done.  It's my literary Camille dying on the divan moment.  So check out these tips or give yourself a good shake.  And then get that, pen, pencil, or keyboard moving ... that novel, memo, or blog post isn't going to write itself, you know!!

Programming Tips

Okay, so I am not now, nor will I (probably) ever be, a youth services librarian.  But the Teen Librarian Toolbox is a great resource wherever you work.  And if you're involved in programming you need to read this article.  It's chock full of great advice on selecting, booking, and coping with library performers.

Genealogy Time

The RootsTech Genealogy Conference was held last week in Salt Lake City.  For all of us who missed it, here are a few articles hitting some of the highlights.
Just getting started?  This article is for you. 
Check out this article for 10 fun family history activies to do with your family.
Have you ever considered your smart phone as a genealogy tool?  This article gives tips for using your phone to record family history interviews.

iPad course for librarians

Oh, do I wish I had an iPad.  For those of you who do check out this online course.  The Book as iPad App is taught by Nicole Hennig and helps librarians become familiar with specific book apps.  Sounds like a great course.