Finished rereading The Nutmeg of Consolation by Patrick O’Brian, book 14 of the Aubrey/Maturin series. Not quite as strong as the previous, but still a worthy continuation. The scenes in the penal colony of New South Wales, later in the book, are restrained but still horrifying.
Finished rereading The Thirteen Gun Salute by Patrick O’Brian, book 13 of the Aubrey/Maturin series. This is one of my favorites in the series, with some of the most memorable scenes, and for once the next book will start more or less where this leaves off. I can’t recommend this as the first to read (that would be H.M.S. Surprise), but it’s a high point to look forward to.
Finished reading The Bright Ages by Matthew Gabriele and David M. Perry. The book is less a history of Europe and more a support of three arguments: that there was continuity from the end of the western Roman Empire to medieval times; that we shouldn’t use medieval history to drive a modern agenda; and that medieval populations were diverse and mobile. I wish it had been more of a history, but I suppose it would have needed to be ten times longer to offer a brief survey of the period. Fortunately, the book ends with extensive suggestions for further reading, focusing on recent writing and a few primary sources, particularly ones that are more readily available to the non-specialist. (The voice and perspective of this book reminded me a bit of The Dawn of Everything.)
Finished rereading The Letter of Marque by Patrick O’Brian, book 12 of the Aubrey–Maturin series. This one felt more full than some recent ones: more naval action, more intrigue by land, more of Maturin’s laudanum addiction, and an interesting look at how a private letter-of-marque ship differs from a Royal Navy ship.
Finished rereading The Reverse of the Medal by Patrick O’Brian, book 11 of the Aubrey–Maturin series. We’re in the back half of the series now, and O’Brian clearly wants to introduce new plots and situations, as there’s only so much that can be done with the Royal Navy. Here we have more treachery, a court case, and a thief-taker, leading to a miscarriage of justice and a satisfying climax.