What I Did When I Wasn't Reading: 'Wolf Hall'

My adoration for Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall series is quite well-documented, but I didn't get around to watching the BBC/Masterpiece Classic adaptation of the first two novels until this week. What finally inspired me was the fact that the changing weather reminded me of the experience of reading Bring Up the Bodies last fall, which got me deep into a Hilary Mantel mood. Since I couldn't justify starting any of her other books until at least reduce the size of the ridiculous stack of books next to my bed, I decided to cheat a bit and watch the tv miniseries instead. It's only six hours long, and only includes the action from the first two novels; I have no idea if BBC will produce a follow-up after the publication of the third (and supposedly final) novel in the series, but I would hope so. Based on the level of excitement expressed my grandparents, PBS devotees, 'Wolf Hall' was quite popular. 

The Better Father's Day Gift Guide

Don't waste a day of celebrating your father with garbage books like Erik Larson and Doris Kearns Goodwin. That is perhaps unnecessarily harsh -- both are great writers -- but show a little creativity this Father's Day. Every other Father's Day gift guide I've seen lists the same old sports and non-fiction stuff, which is fine and predictable and lame. Here are the superior choices to celebrate your dad:

Missoula by Jon Krakauer -- This one is actually a trick because Krakauer is totally in the realm of Erik Larson and Doris Kearns Goodwin in terms of non-fiction bestsellers, but hey, dad's love Krakauer. Plus, this one has a bit of sports and a heaping dose of feminism, so it's the perfect thing.

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood -- In my own dad's words "It's one of the best books I've read...AND it's by a woman!"

H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald -- I've got a longer review of this coming up, but it's a really terrific book about grief and falconry, and is totally something your dad would like, if your dad is awesome.

The White Album by Joan Didion -- Baby-boomer dad's like books about their cultural "moment" which is why every list of dad books includes some kind of rock bio, but give your dad this instead. Didion's counter-culture essays are smarter and more nuanced than anything else out there.

Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallace -- Another book of essays, although these are a lot more contemporary. Dads love books upon which movies are based (Seabiscuit, Unbreakable, all the Lincoln  biographies), so buy your dad this funny, touching book and remind him about 'End of the Tour.'

The Son by Philipp Meyer -- If your dad is like my dad, or my father-in-law, he likes Westerns, even if he doesn't know it. More likely he just finds himself watching whatever is on AMC on a Saturday afternoon, and thus a lot of 'Lonesome Dove' type stuff. The Son is a really recent, really great novel, although I will admit the brutal violence was too much for me. 

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel -- If your dad dabbles in PBS programming, he probably caught at least an hour or two of the miniseries, so get him hooked on the original, which is better and less confusing; also, if he's like my grandpa, he can't figure out how to watch the rest of the episodes, so he needs to get caught up anyway.

#ReadWomen2014: Hilary Mantel

I have already advocated for Hilary Mantel's most popular and very critically acclaimed novel Wolf Hall and its sequel Bring Up the Bodies. And as if you needed another reason to check them out, the BBC is adapting them with Damian Lewis as Henry VIII, and there is a stage adaptation on Broadway, so you need to read them before they reach total pop culture saturation. Plus volume three in the Thomas Cromwell trilogy is expected to be published in 2015.

When you've completed that task, dive into the rest of the Hilary Mantel oeuvre, which includes her incredible collection of short stories The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher, published earlier this year. She has plenty of other novels and short story collections to check out, as well as a one-volume memoir, but of greatest interest to me is her historical fiction account of the Reign of Terror, A Place of Greater Safety. Everything I've read of heard about it makes it sound like something I would love, and if Wolf Hall is any indication, Mantel has a pretty firm grasp on historical fiction.

What I'm Reading: 'Bring Up the Bodies' by Hilary Mantel

As much as I eventually enjoyed Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall, I initially struggled to get into it, and so I didn't want to wait too long after finishing it before starting in with the sequel Bring Up the Bodies. In many ways I've found it easier and more enjoyable, likely because I've already put the work into the first volume; it's also a slimmer novel and so much of the world has already been "built," so it's very easy to immediately immerse yourself in the unfolding story.  The fact that I already know everything that's going to happen in no way impedes the drama  of it, and I'll use this opportunity yet again to encourage everyone to persevere through this series, which is so rich and rewarding.

#ReadWomen2014: Antonia Fraser

In my recap of Wolf Hall, I alluded to a phase of Tudor dynasty obsession in which I devoured many biographies, the vast majority of which were written by Antonia Fraser, including her The Six Wives of Henry VIII.  I found them at the Ann Arbor Public Library and knew very little about the author when I pulled them off the shelves, but that chance encounter sparked an Antonia Fraser devotion in which I regularly engage.

As if it's not enough that she's a terrific biographer and writer, she is also the widow of Nobel Laureate Harold Pinter; as the daughter of an Earl, is officially referred to with the honorific "Lady Antonia," and she once survived an IRA bombing with Caroline Kennedy. She has won a significant number of awards for her non-fiction writing, and has penned a series of detective novels. Likely of greatest interest to Bookhive readers is her biography Marie Antoinette: The Journey, which was the primary basis for the Sofia Coppola film 'Marie Antoinette.'

This Week in Books: Possible Screen Adaptations of 'The Flamethrowers' and 'Wolf Hall' Series

In adaptation news, Jame Campion is currently working on a deal to adapt Rachel Kushner's The Flamethrowers, one of 2013 biggest novels, and one I really enjoyed last summer. I can't really think of a better director to take the helm on this project, especially after I gulped down Campion's 'Top of the Lake' in a matter of days.  The Flamethrowers was unique in that I kept thinking as I read it, "I cannot wait for the movie of this to come out." Now they need to announce the casting of Elizabeth Moss as the protagonist, and all will be right in the world.

Another adaptation I am greatly anticipating is the BBC production of Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall series. The cast was recently announced, and includes 'Homeland' star Damian Lewis as famous ginger Henry VIII. Mark Rylance will play Thomas Cromwell, and seems well-suited in that he has already played Hamlet, Richard II, Thomas Boleyn, and Henry V.

This week novelist Adele Waldman appeared on HuffPost Live to discuss her debut novel The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P (which I will admit I haven't gotten around to yet). I haven't decided yet if this interview makes me want to read it more or less, but it has been one of the most widely recommended books of the past year.

In promotion of her most recent short story collection Bark, Lorrie Moore visited  Los Angeles Public Library's ALOUD to do a reading and answer some questions. There is a nice write-up by Los Angeles Magazine, and ALOUD will be making a podcast available soon.

You love Zadie Smith, don't you? Who doesn't. And you've probably seen a bit of Roxane Gay lately, as she's everywhere promoting her new book An Untamed State (I need this book). How about Roxane Gay's thoughts on Smith's NW? Enjoy!

Editor's Note: This Week In Books is a weekly roundup of the goings on about the world of literary fiction.