Journal Entry 1 by IWISHIWAS from Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham United Kingdom on Friday, May 19, 2006

The story of John Tradescant, a traveller in a time of great discovery and a gardening pioneer. Trusted by his master the Duke of Buckingham, Tradescant lives amongst royalty whilst carrying out his humble work. He becomes torn between his devotion to his master and his duty to his family. Set in the reign of Charles I as the country slides toward civil war, the book in as informative as it is engaging.
I have enjoyed a couple of Gregorys non historical books, and have just found out she lives near me!

This book is off on an international bookring now. If you wish to be added to the list, please PM me with your details.

Please be available for international shipping if at all possible.

You will be sending the book to the person who appears after you in the list, so you need to PM them to get their address!

Please read and send the book on as speedily as you can, other people are dying to read it too! Upto 4 weeks is OK.

Please journal the book once you have received it (so we all know where it currently is) and again when you have read it (so we know what you thought of it!).

If you're the last person on the list, the book comes back to me!

samulli
magika
lftt
batty14
lynlee4 

Journal Entry 2 by IWISHIWAS from Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham United Kingdom on Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Sending out to samulli Nov 15 2006 to start the ring. 

Journal Entry 3 by samulli from Weimar, Thüringen Germany on Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Arrived here safe and sound. I hope to get to it as soon as I finish my current read. Thanks for starting this ring, it looks very interesting. 

Journal Entry 4 by samulli from Weimar, Thüringen Germany on Sunday, November 26, 2006

This was my first Philippa Gregory book, so I wasn't sure what to expect.
It took me quite a while to get into it, because even though I love historical fiction, all this talk about lords and dukes and earls and kings just bored me to tears. What was even worse: I couldn't stand the main character right from the beginning. John Tradescant, as admirable as he may be as a gardener, as a person just made me wanna puke. His attitude of "I do whatever my lord tells me to do, because God put him in his place and me in mine" just drove me up the wall. Many times when he unthinkingly just did as he was told by one of his masters I got so furious that I was close to hurtling the book across the room (of course I constrained myself!). I never could have put up with this guy, and the fact that he actually fell in love with a man who treated him like crap didn't do anything to redeem him in my eyes. I constantly felt sorry for his long-suffering wife and his son, whom I liked much better.
He did become a teeny bit less unsufferable towards the end of the book after Villiers death, when he worked with his son and actually showed little signs of finally beginning to think for himself. But all in all I hated his guts right o the end.
That is not to say that I didn't like the book itself - on the contrary, I actually think it is a very good book, among other things especially because it made me angry. At least it didn't leave me cold.
What I found particularly interesting was the fact that apparently most of the characters depicted in the book actually existed and it was fun to speculate how historically accurate the story really was. Although since I haven't got a clue about english history of the 16th and 17th century it doesn't really make a difference to me one way or the other.
That said I am not really sure about my opinion of Philippa Gregory as a writer. She didn'T blow me away like for instance Jodi Picoult or Joanne Harris did with their books. But maybe this was just not the right book for me to start with. But I will definitely give her another try.

I already have magika's address, so the book will travel on tomorrow. 

Journal Entry 5 by Magika on Friday, December 15, 2006

Arrived a few days ago, thanks. I love Gregory's historical novels, so I'm looking forward to this one. Will try to finish it over Christmas. 

Journal Entry 6 by Magika on Friday, February 09, 2007

Another good historical novel from Philippa Gregory, though not quite as captivating as her Tudor novels. But her research seems very thorough, and she described the gardens so beautifully I could almost smell the flowers. I agree with samulli about John Tradescant's views on his masters and his role - I too felt sorry for his family and thought he should have cared a bit more about the people closest to him. That being said, I found the book definitely worth reading (although you kind of have to sit down and focus when you read it).

Sorry for keeping it so long. I'm trying to contact lftt and will send the book on as soon as I get an address.

16.02.07: Mailed to lftt today! 

Journal Entry 7 by Ligiafteixeira on Friday, February 23, 2007

Just arrived! Thanks for sending it along, Magika!I'll try to read it as soon as possible. I really like the cover :) It will be my first Philippa Gregory book and I am curious... 

Journal Entry 8 by Ligiafteixeira on Thursday, April 12, 2007

As my TBR pile is getting huge and I won't have time to read it in the next few weeks, I'll send it along to the next person. Sorry for keeping it so long, but I was really hoping to be able to read it :( Sending a PM to batty14. 

Journal Entry 9 by Ligiafteixeira on Friday, April 13, 2007

Sent today to batty14! Hope it arrives safely and you enjoy reading it ;) 

Journal Entry 10 by batty14 from Ballston Spa, New York USA on Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Book has arrived. Will go on my TBR pile toward the top. I am really looking forward to this book and author! Thanks for sharing! 

Journal Entry 11 by batty14 at Bookring in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, May 12, 2007

Released 5 yrs ago (5/12/2007 UTC) at Bookring in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Finished this wonderful book this morning. I wasn't sure I was going to like it after the first few pages, but as I started reading the story simply grew! This was my first P. Gregory but and certain not the last. I put it in the mail to the next person in line for this bookring! 

Journal Entry 12 by lynlee4 from North Port, Florida USA on Friday, May 18, 2007

what a great surprise to find this in the post today! I will finish reading the Queen's Fool by the same author this weekend and start Earthly Joys right after. 

Journal Entry 13 by lynlee4 from North Port, Florida USA on Sunday, June 03, 2007

This was quite an adventure and a very good read. I always learn so much when I read a Gregory.

This book has been well loved and is now in 3 different pieces. The middle has come completely apart from the binding - I hate it when that happens! 

Journal Entry 14 by lynlee4 from North Port, Florida USA on Friday, July 06, 2007

I've passed this on to a friend of my sister's and a fan of P Gregory. Not sure she'll journal but hope she enjoys as much as I did. I'm not sure the book will live past another reader.