My First Weekly Geek Out

I've been thinking about becoming a Weekly Geek for a while now but hadn't seen a weekly topic that really grabbed me until now. This week the geeks are getting in their time machines and dropping back into history on a magical history tour to talk about their favourite historical periods. That gives me a chance to jump up and down and shout about the seventeenth century, really I need very little excuse for the jumping.

Is there a particular era that you love reading about? Tell us about it--give us a book list, if you'd like. Include pictures or some fun facts from that time period, maybe link to a website that focuses on that time. Educate us.

I love reading about the seventeenth century (1600 - 1699). When it comes to history I find I tend to go a bit country specific, I like to read about what was going on in a particular country during most periods, but I find that every country and continent had something really interesting going on in the seventeenth century. There was so much happening: the English civil war, the opium wars, the witch hunts, the settlement of America, developments in science, maths, literature and art. It was an exciting and dangerous time to be alive.

Last year I read Neal Stephenson's epic book 'Quicksilver' which is based in part of the seventeenth century. It follows some of the most influential men of the day like Isacc Newton and Robert Hooke. It also includes one of the most complex female characters I've ever read, Eliza the sexually experienced virgin who is manipulative but absolutely loveable. I started out thinking that the book was going to be too dense for me, as I had nothing but a basic knowledge of science and maths, but actually the complex ideas were explained so thoroughly that sometimes I found myself catching on. The characters were realistic, strongly created and engaging. As I came to the end of the 900 or so pages I realised I was going to miss them all, especially Daniel, the troubled scientist.
So isn't it wonderful that this book is part of a trilogy! 'The Confusion' is sitting in among my book pile (somewhere) and it is almost as satisfyingly chunky as the first installment. I'm so looking forward to starting it, but I need a bag with reinforced lining so I can take it to work and read it in my lunch break.

At the begining of the year I decided I was going to set myself a little personal challenge to read more about the seventeenth century. This goal seems to have been obscured a bit by other challenges but I'm going to try to get back on track soon. Danielle at A Work in Progress helped me out by recommending this list of contemporary novels set back then:

Heretics Daughter, Kathleen Kent Rosetti

Letters, Christi Phillips

Potrait of an Unknown Woman, Vanora Bennett

Girl With a Pearl Earring, Tracy Chevalier

Captain Alatriste, Arturo Perez-Reverte

Mary Queen of Scotland, Margaret Geoge

City of Dreams, Beverly Swerling

Book of Splendor, Frances Sherwood

Poison, Kathryn Harrison

Havoc, In its Third Year, Ronan Bennett

Year of Wonders, Geraldine Brooks

Blood of Flowers, Anita Amirrezvani

Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne

I so want to get started, so why don't I? I suppouse I feel like I need to finish at least one challenge set by someone else before I start on my own personal challenge. With the Victorian Challenge nearly completed I may soon be able to dive into a delicious pile of novels set in the seventeenth century.