This book was donated to Bookcrossing by pbadeer of BookCrossing.

This book was supposed to be released at the National Book Festival at the National Mall in Washington, DC, today, but I forgot to put it into my bag this morning after registering it last night. :(

This book is being released in Westminster, Maryland, at Birdie's Cafe in conjuction with a Bookcrossing meet-up.

Dear Reader: Now that you've accepted this travelling book, please make a journal entry, anonymously if you prefer, saying that you have this book. When you're finished reading it, journal your thoughts about it here as well. Then please pass our travelling book along for another person to enjoy. If you join BookCrossing (free, no strings), kindly name me, SqueakyChu, as your referring person. In the meantime, happy reading!

Love, love, love historical fiction. I've read a couple of Sarah Dunant's books (The Birth of Venus and In the Company of the Courtesan). A couple of years ago, I read The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone (about Michaelangelo) and loved it (even though it was written nearly 50 years ago). I loved Water for Elephants (there's a cover blurb by its author, Sara Gruen). And I also enjoy art historical fiction, having read several including The Passion of Artemesia by Susan Vreeland which I loved. I'm hoping this book will compare with these excellent books. Thanks for sharing, Squeakychu.

I enjoyed this book. It did take me a while to get into the storyline - whether it was because I was unfamiliar with Spanish history, whether it was because I hadn't read any historical fiction for a while, or whether it was because I got the flu over the weekend and had to take a break from it (for a day) shortly after I started, I'm not sure. But once I got into the story, it kept a firm grip on me :)

This is the story of Sofonisba Anguissola, a young Italian (female) artist who lived during the time of, and studied for a short time with Michelangelo. After a brief sexual encounter (at the age of 27), she flees Rome to join the court of Felipe II of Spain as a painting instructor and lady-in-waiting to his young bride, Elisabeth of Valois.

Elisabeth is by turns, frightened of, in love with, and later again frightened of her husband, who she has several children with. The author's note at the end admits that she took literary license with Elisabeth's story. But I enjoyed reading this tale set during the time of the Spanish Inquisition.

Thanks for sharing this, Squeakychu. This will soon be going to a new home (for the wishlist tag game).

Packaged up to go off to Bookstogive in Tennessee in the next day or two. Enjoy!

I received this great book today as part of the Wishlist Tag Game, thanks so much for "tagging" me! I am really looking forward to reading it and then passing it on.