I am reading Wolfe Hall, by Hilary Mantel - I must read everything she has written: brilliant stuff.
Anyway, I just came across this glorious line: Thomas Cromwell speaking with King Henry VIII, "“No ruler in the history of the world has ever been able to afford a war. They’re not affordable things."
And I wish we had a Thomas Cromwell today, who would have the courage to speak truth to power.
Wolf Hall? BBC? It might not have been made.
#MarkRylance #HilaryMantel
https://bsky.app/profile/athenakugblenu.bsky.social/post/3lgn2eblqz22w
The truth about dark empaths, why is Britain still so obsessed with the Tudors? And Philippa Perry on overcoming social awkwardness – podcast https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/audio/2024/nov/16/the-truth-about-dark-empaths-why-is-britain-still-so-obsessed-with-the-tudors-and-philippa-perry-on-overcoming-social-awkwardness-podcast #Parentsandparenting #Health&wellbeing #Lifeandstyle #HilaryMantel #Historybooks #Socialmedia #Psychology #Friendship #WolfHall
‘Henry VIII is a serial killer and abuser’: why is Britain still so obsessed with the Tudors? https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/nov/12/henry-viii-is-a-serial-killer-and-abuser-why-is-britain-still-so-obsessed-with-the-tudors #Televisionindustry #Television&radio #PhilippaGregory #HilaryMantel #Historybooks #Television #Education #WolfHall #WolfHall #Culture #History #Society #Books #Women
Genre question: is there a category of 'hard' historical fiction? One in which the writer seeks to immerse the reader in the time and place, using, as far a possible, facts about architecture, artefacts, language and culture to build a rich setting for the story to play out in.
I've just read some #HilaryMantel and to tell the truth, it could have all taken place in a shopping centre with a Starbucks in the background. Where's my time machine?
#Writing #WritingCommunity #historicalfiction
What we’re reading: writers and readers on the books they enjoyed in September https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/oct/01/what-were-reading-writers-and-readers-on-the-books-they-enjoyed-in-september #HilaryMantel #AnneEnright #Culture #Books
Hilary Mantel was my mentor. Here are seven things she taught me about writing – and life
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/sep/19/hilary-mantel-mentor-seven-things-she-taught-me-writing-and-life
#HilaryMantel
“The question is not who influences you, but which people give you courage.”
From the provincial setting and character depictions, to insights into the spiritualist subculture peppered with Mantel’s skillful wit... Everything about this book was enjoyable. Add to that a rather unconventional and original approach to its themes, and you have a recipe for a great, genre-bending novel.
In my latest blog post, a review of Hilary Mantel's novel "Beyond Black."
https://grammaticus.blog/2024/07/17/book-review-beyond-black/
#HilaryMantel said self-confidence was the most helpful quality a writer can cultivate b/c it gets one past rejection. She didn't say it was the best quality. Ppl are answering the May 19 #WritersCoffeeClub that arrogance is wrong, but imagine your work were rejected and you were humble and thought, "You know? I yield to their wisdom. I give up trying to be a writer." Wouldn't that truly be the wrong move?
I modified the #WritersCoffeeClub May 19 question in my original reply, fully quoting Mantel, b/c the original Q misspells #HilaryMantel's name and IMO wrongly sums up what Mantel meant. Here's today's WCC prompt as written so you can compare the two:
19. Do you agree with Hillary Mantell, who said the best qualities for writing are self-confidence and a little arrogance?
#WritersCoffeeClub May 19: Do you agree w/ #HilaryMantel, who said, "The most helpful quality a writer can cultivate is self-confidence – arrogance, if you can manage it. You write to impose yourself on the world, and you have to believe in your own ability when the world shows no sign of agreeing with you.”
Yes. You only try to publish if you believe the world needs to hear what you have to say, yet if you want ppl to be receptive, you have to be receptive to them as well.
A Memoir of My Former Self: Hilary Mantel continues to excel in her posthumous collection of essays - #review
She notes, "Being a novelist has taught me, if I didn’t know before, that almost all human situations are complex, ambiguous and shifting."
#HilaryMantel #books #memoir #bookstodon #BookReview
https://howtobe247.com/a-memoir-of-my-former-self-hilary-mantel-continues-to-excel-review/
Needless to say, this posthumously published Hilary Mantel book...
“Leave the reader hungry. You are looking for the one detail that lights up the page: one line, to perturb or challenge the reader, make him feel acknowledged, and yet estranged.”*
... goes straight to the top of my mustmustmust read list.
The Reith Lectures archive is an extraordinary resource, with recordings and transcripts to download, going back all the way to the very first lectures, given by philosopher Bertrand Russell in 1948.
This new book about #historicalFiction looks absolutely wonderful. Just ordered me a copy and going to read and review soon. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/historical-fiction-now-9780198877035?cc=gb&lang=en& #history #books #histodons #fiction #histodon #writing #creativeWriting #HilaryMantel #Bookstodon
‘Provocative’ new book to showcase four decades of Hilary Mantel’s work
The wide-ranging collection A Memoir of My Former Self: A Life in Writing features subjects from her health struggles to Robocop and has been announced a year after the author’s death
A collection of journalistic writing by Hilary Mantel is to be published next month, just over a year after the Wolf Hall author’s death.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/sep/07/hilary-mantel-work-new-book-a-memoir-of-my-former-self
Good morning!
This is one of my favourites.
Do you have this in your life? Are you able to be this for others?
'The question is not who influences you, but which people give you #courage.' ~ #HilaryMantel (from a Paris Review interview)
Hilary Mantel’s last #novel was to have been a rewrite of #JaneAusten’s “Pride and Prejudice” from Mary Bennet’s point of view (!!!!!!) #read an exclusive extract starring Mr Darcy (!!!!!!) #HilaryMantel !!!!!!
Roy Phillips 
