I like to be engrossed—that feeling of being lost in your reading and immune to the real world.  Lately I’ve been living in the world of Henry VIII.  I never cared much about British history and I don’t much care about Kate and the Prince, but I’ve become engrossed in Henry’s world thanks to Hillary Mantel’s books, Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies (both available at CCPL).

These books are turning me into an anglophile.  I’m fascinated by the politics.  What will Henry do to end his marriage to his latest wife?  And how will Thomas Cromwell, who has to be the greatest “administrative assistant” in the history of the world, manage it all?  The relationships between all the characters are real and complex.  The period of history comes alive as told from the Cromwells perspective.  I’ve learned about the 15th century world with its conflicts between the established church and the royal rulers and what life at court was really like.  What would it have been like not to be able to read the Bible in English, a controversial  issue of the day?  The language and images are so resonant and beautiful that I’m listening to the works now for the second time and I’ve reserved the books for further study.

And that’s still not enough to quench my passion.  I’m watching the Showtime series, The Tudors (also available on DVD at the library) to get an even better sense of the costumes and settings.  King Henry, played by Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, is virile and young and compares to the historical images of Henry VIII like young Elvis compares to old Elvis.  (Rhys-Myers actually played Elvis in a TV movie!)   The accent is on the romance and the drama, but it helps to add definition to the characters I’ve been introduced to in the books.

The library also has some fascinating nonfiction that lays out the family tree and puts the Tudors’ reign in a larger perspective.  A quick search in our catalog of “Henry VIII” brings up a great selection of books, CD Books and DVDs about Henry and his many wives.  So my winter’s reading and viewing is all arranged!  And I’ll be waiting for Mantel’s third book in the trilogy, The Mirror and the Light, to be published.  Maybe it’s time to plan a trip to England in the spring!

What period of history do you enjoy reading about most?

Dear George,

I love your voice.  It soothes me with its deep, dark and nuanced tones.  In your voice, I can hear every human emotion – love, longing, sorrow and regret.  I adore how sometimes you are French, or you might be Icelandic, or even from Baltimore.  Your voice morphs into characters that are young or old, man or woman.  How do you do it?  When you read to me I understand the book better than if I had read it myself.

…And then on a good night, I drift off to sleep in the middle of a sentence.   Yes, these are the confessions of a bedtime audiobook listener and you, George Guidall, are the premiere voice of audiobooks.

We’ve had an amazing relationship for 25 years.  You’ve been in my bedside CD player and in the car with me, telling me the most amazing stories.  I loved you in Anne Tyler’s Accidental Tourist, The Weatherman by Thayer and and Philip Roth’s recent books; I was moved by Widow for One Year and the Hour I First Believed.  The Corrections was my absolute favorite and I recommend it frequently.

George, I’d love to meet you in person.  I want to know the secrets of your craft and to hear about your fascinating career.  Most importantly, I want to say thank you for the many great reads you’ve brought me.   And now that there are over 200 of your readings available at OneClick digital, I can’t wait to start working my way through those, too.   Your voice is what I use to relax, but I promise not to fall asleep when I hear you live at the Elkton Central Library on Thursday, October 4th at 7pm.

Sincerely, your fan,
Lee