Author Topic: Mary Renault Book Discussion  (Read 79813 times)

Offline Kerry

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Mary Renault Book Discussion
« Reply #20 on: December 30, 2006, 11:21:55 pm »
Not so much as cheating, but the idea that Renault's Hephaestion longed for, hungered for, more physical affection from Alexander and instead Alexander gave it to Bagoas and pages and his wives and concubines.  I'm sure Hephaestion had his own pieces around, but it's not the same as getting it from the person you love and it appears from the 'Persian Boy' that Alexander rarely gave in to Hephaestion's physical desires.

Sad for him.  Though you are right, Hephaestion was probably not happy at all, but he would not lower himself to feel things like jealousy as if he were in competition with slaves and dancing boys.

I guess if we'd been a fly on the wall, way back there in Persia, we may very well have overheard Hephaestion say to Alexander, "I can't make it on a couple of high-altitude fucks once or twice a year."  :o  LOL

Kerry   ;)
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Mary Renault Book Discussion
« Reply #21 on: December 30, 2006, 11:31:59 pm »
now see I don't think it was that big a drought for old Hephaistion...at least in The Persian Boy Bagoas commented that he was often left in camp while they went off on campaign...

and we all know how you men are when you get out in the woods in a tent!!

Offline Kerry

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« Reply #22 on: December 31, 2006, 02:35:38 am »
Hi there, Injest. You're up late tonight. It's New Year's Eve here in Sydney and I'm looking forward to watching the fireworks from my place later-on  :o Happy New Year to you!  :laugh: I look forward to further chats with you about "you know who" in the new year. I have a confession for your ears only! Do you promise not to tell another soul?   ;) Here it is - I was in love with Alexander and Hephaestion long before Jack and Ennis emerged from the brilliant imagination of Annie Proulx. Doen't mean I love Jack and Ennis any less. They're all tragic, star-crossed lovers who died young - except Ennis that is! Makes me so sad to think of that lonesome trailer he ended up in?  :'(

LOL

Kerry
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Mary Renault Book Discussion
« Reply #23 on: December 31, 2006, 02:40:59 am »
Hi there, Injest. You're up late tonight. It's New Year's Eve here in Sydney and I'm looking forward to watching the fireworks from my place later-on  :o Happy New Year to you!  :laugh: I look forward to further chats with you about "you know who" in the new year. I have a confession for your ears only! Do you promise not to tell another soul?   ;) Here it is - I was in love with Alexander and Hephaestion long before Jack and Ennis emerged from the brilliant imagination of Annie Proulx. Doen't mean I love Jack and Ennis any less. They're all tragic, star-crossed lovers who died young - except Ennis that is! Makes me so sad to think of that lonesome trailer he ended up in?  :'(

LOL

Kerry

well, I didn't know anything about Alexander...and The Persian Boy was the first of her novels I read....you have no idea how upset I was when he died!! Just a tear jerker! it DID feel so much like BBM!!

{{{{Kerry}}}}

I just met you but I already think of you as an old friend!!

Happy New Year!!

XX

(where do you live, Kerry? I am in Texas)

Offline Kerry

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Mary Renault Book Discussion
« Reply #24 on: December 31, 2006, 03:03:24 am »
well, I didn't know anything about Alexander...and The Persian Boy was the first of her novels I read....you have no idea how upset I was when he died!! Just a tear jerker! it DID feel so much like BBM!!

{{{{Kerry}}}}

I just met you but I already think of you as an old friend!!

Happy New Year!!

XX

(where do you live, Kerry? I am in Texas)

I'm in Sydney, Australia. That's a looooong way from Texas! Are you anywhere near Childress?!

Happy New Year!!!

(logging-off now)

Kerry
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Offline Kerry

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« Reply #25 on: January 01, 2007, 07:43:31 am »
now see I don't think it was that big a drought for old Hephaistion...at least in The Persian Boy Bagoas commented that he was often left in camp while they went off on campaign...

and we all know how you men are when you get out in the woods in a tent!!

Cute observation! Funny but also very poignant.  :)

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Offline Kerry

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« Reply #26 on: January 01, 2007, 07:47:38 am »
“The Charioteer” is a novel by Mary Renault. Here’s the blurb from the dust jacket of the Harcourt Brace & Co. edition:

Few events in his early years had prepared Laurie Odell for the day in the veterans’ hospital when he first met Andrew Raynes. Laurie, who was recovering from wounds sustained at Dunkirk, had seen a bit of life, but the moment he met Andrew was unique for him - it was a moment that provided clarity and logic for the many things that he vaguely knew about himself but had never fully understood. With Andrew everything became right - love entered Laurie’s life and with it, finally, a sense of self. But with this discovery began Laurie’s difficult journey between two communities - that of the soldier and that of the gay man - and the delicate task of navigating the precarious waters that flow between them. In “The Charioteer,” Ms Renault has created a stunning work of historical fiction that is as fresh as today’s headlines. This is a novel that thoroughly succeeds in illuminating the world around us.

It’s a beautiful story; well worth a read.

Enjoy.

Kerry  ;D

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Mary Renault Book Discussion
« Reply #27 on: January 01, 2007, 08:00:22 am »
I don't think we have the Charioteer?? Something to look forward to. I went spelunking in my son's room and located "The Last of the Wine" "Fire From Heaven" and "The Nature of Alexander" now we are still missing the Theseus series...

Do you remember the Corinthian bull dancer from 'The King Must Die'? I always wished he had had his own story...he was fascinating to me...

Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: Mary Renault Book Discussion
« Reply #28 on: January 01, 2007, 01:06:59 pm »
Good heavens! How did I miss this thread?  :D

It's been years since I last reread any of Mary Renault's books, but they occupy an honored place on my bookshelf--and I'm constantly on the lookout to replace much-worn paperbacks with hardback editions.

Fire from Heaven is lovely, but if I could only take one of her books with me to a desert island, it would probably be The King Must Die. I was very taken with the idea of imagining what might plausibly have been the history that gave rise to the myths.
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

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Re: Mary Renault Book Discussion
« Reply #29 on: January 01, 2007, 01:17:18 pm »
well you didn't really miss it...we started off in another thread I started this weekend "Favorite Lines from books and movies" and we were having such a great time talking about her books I spilt the topic this morning!

so welcome aboard...

she DID take so many little stories out of history and wrote them so well, you feel that YES that right there HAD to have been how it happened...

in 'The Praise Singer" she told the story of Harmodios and Aristigieton...and made my heart break for them..

I love how she worked her way from antiquity up thru Alexanders life and each book has it's own flavor..just SUCH a talented author...