Dreamers of the Day: A Novel

i enjoyed this story, but was more interested in her approach to historical fiction. her acknowledgements gave me lots of ideas for my own project.

a disappointment... interesting but not yummy

The year is 1921and Agnes Shanklin is alone, having survived the tragedies of the Great War and the Great Influenza that killed the rest of her family. Saddened, Agnes gathers her modest inheritance and her dachshund and leaves Ohio...to visit Egypt. There, she spends time with a few dignitaries who have gathered for a week at a Cairo hotel to draw territorial boundaries and invent the new...more

The year is 1921and Agnes Shanklin is alone, having survived the tragedies of the Great War and the Great Influenza that killed the rest of her family. Saddened, Agnes gathers her modest inheritance and her dachshund and leaves Ohio...to visit Egypt. There, she spends time with a few dignitaries who have gathered for a week at a Cairo hotel to draw territorial boundaries and invent the new nations of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan. While Agnes is a fictional character, the figures and actions of Winston Churchill, T.E. Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia"), Gertrude Bell, and others are based firmly in the historical record. The author's research translates beautifully into historical fiction, which not only illuminates the beginning of the modern political Middle East, but also reveals much about events and issues which are part of present-day headlines. Warleaders and politicians would learn much by spending time with this book, as will anyone else who is able to make the acquaintance of Agnes Shanklin, Rosie the dog, and a few Western politicians who toured the pyramids and changed the world.Recommended for ages 14 to adult; contains a few minor sexual situations and cuss words. This would be an excellent selection for book discussion groups!    hide

This novel does exactly what good historical fiction should do - it intertwines factual history with a compelling story. It tells the stories of World War I, the Great Influenza Epidemic, the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, and the Carving of the Modern Middle East in a way I've never seen before. It also paints an astounding portrait of the major world players of the time, people...more

This novel does exactly what good historical fiction should do - it intertwines factual history with a compelling story. It tells the stories of World War I, the Great Influenza Epidemic, the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, and the Carving of the Modern Middle East in a way I've never seen before. It also paints an astounding portrait of the major world players of the time, people like Winston Churchill and Lawrence of Arabia. It is a fantastic read and raises many interesting questions about the situation in the Middle East today.   hide

This lady does great historical fiction. This one's about British reorg. of the Middle East post WWI. Fascinating!

Interesting overview of a critical historical period, but not anywhere near as good as "The Sparrow."

My least favorite of the four Mary Doria Russell novels I've read to date. Too burdened with the weight of the history to let the story run free, it seems to me. Go for Sparrow and Children of God instead, or if you're hot for an historical novel, let Thread of Grace pull you in.

Interesting historical fiction. I really enjoyed it, but thought that some of the situations seemed too contrived - and the ending was a little bizarre for my tastes.

I like the whole idea of the setting and the time. It started out good and then I lost interest. It had such potential....but it got tedious.