Dreamers of the Day: A Novel

I found this book very entertaining and very inventive, chiefly for the quirky characterizations of especially T. E. Lawrence and Winston Churchill. They, and the events themselves, are put in an odd, raking light by being seen through the eyes of a veritable nonentity--and a woman--and an American, even midwestern!--at that.The sad lessons of colonialism are clear but delivered between the lines, evident as much in what is not even considered as much as what is done. Refreshing to read such a smart book that offers compelling arguments without raising its voice.

Dreamers of the Day was recommended to me by my aunt, who is in her 80s. She suggested to all her women family/friends that this book would be one we'd love.Because I teach college literature and writing, I am very protective of my reading time and selections. I won't read "just anything" and I won't continue reading a book after the first chapter if I'm not appreciating it. But the description looked interesting, and having attempted to study Middle Eastern history from history books, I thought this might be a good alternative.That said, I found the characters--all of them--to be round and believable. Even those of actual historical figures, which isn't always the case. It is harder to recreate a once living-and-breathing character than to build one from the inside out.The plot was sophisticated yet not pretentious. It does twist, but the first person, participant narrator makes it believable, and this twist never overshadows the oh so important plot development of Agnes's own life story.As a reader of philosophy and American intellectual history, I also applaud Russell for aptly presenting the complex and (as we would later discover) sometimes horribly flawed ideas that drove international politics of the Middle East post WWI. She clarifies events and motivations without "dumbing down" their details.Best of all were the descriptions of events and places. This IS a travelogue of a particular time, and Russell captures all the right sensations for us. For days after finishing the book, I could see the white washed walls and bright blue skies of Egypt. Fabrics, the feel of a dog on your lap, the desert sand under one's camel, and so much more were offered to me as if I were right there.But we can't not alert the reader to the story's tone. There is an undercurrent of historical irony (as there often is in historical fiction), but here that tone is hauntingly compelling. For me, this has come to be the most moving "take away" from Dreamers of the Day. Like all of us, these characters, especially Carl, have no way to see what is certainly coming at them. I hoped, as I read, that Russell would take us through those more recent years and help us conclude the lives of these characters. And she, thankfully, does. But unlike Greek tragedy,which leads inexorably to a tragic ending, this story's plot tries to leave us in a more creative limbo, where memory and a simple, unassuming behavior in life decide one's ultimate (but is it ultimate?) fate.I so appreciated this book. I even read the first 3 chapters aloud to my husband, who kept urging me to continue. And he is a man who would never read "historical fiction."If the book has a serious flaw, I haven't found it. I am a critical reader. But I laughed, I teared up, and I thoroughly enjoyed the story Dreamers of the Day.

Everyone will agree, the history of the Middle East is not one clear forward line marching to modern times. This novel which is set in Egypt in 1921 during the Cairo Peace Conference, a little remembered time after WWI when European leaders attempted to carve up or create the Middle Eastern nations that we know today. Agnes Shanklin, a spinster from Ohio, finds herself in this setting after inheriting money from family members who died from the influenza epidemic. Agnes goes to Egypt to see for herself places where her more worldly sister and husband lived and worked.The character of Agnes is very believable; however, some of the circumstances that put her into such close contact with the likes of T.E. Lawrence, Winston Churchill and Gertrude Bell seem a bit of a stretch at times. However, the portrayal of these real people is interesting and provides much of the book's plot. Karl Weilbacher, Agnes's German "friend" seems sometimes a contrivance, but he provided an unexpected ending to the book.This is the third of Russell's books that I have read, each one so vastly different (Doc, The Sparrow, and Thread of Grace). Russell is a wonderful writer who seems to be able to tackle any subject and one who obviously does her research. In short, an interesting and unique historical novel.

The history of the Middle East from the time of WWI until recently is a subject I know little about. The history of this area as seen through the eyes of Agnes Shanklin, is well documented in an informative and interesting manner. In spite of my scant background knowledge I found this book very readable and compelling. I plan to read more about Winston Churchill, Lawrence of Arabia, and Gertrude Bell--all fascinating persons in the book. I appreciate the research that was essential to make these historical figures so human. Writing the book from Agnes's perspective enabled the reader to understand the history and provided a good story. Agnes is someone the reader could relate to--I loved her description of the camel ride, and her relationship to Rosie--to mention a few examples. (Rosie is her dog! a dachshund)“

As a dachshund owner and lover I am so disappointed that the character of Rosie has hardly been mentioned in these reviews! When this little pup was introduced, my interest in the story went up, and she was a large part of my enjoyment - kept me hooked waiting for the next Rosie antics. It was just enjoyable to read about the habits I so love in our dog.Other than that, the book was a light, enjoyable read. Educational for me as I do not know much about this time in that region. But definitely lighter than her other stories - I picked this up Saturday evening, and finished it by Sunday afternoon. So I consider it a quick read, nothing very meaty to slow you down. It was an engaging story, so while it lacks the depth especially of the Sparrow, I am happy to have it on my bookshelf.

Arrived on time and in great condition.

Considering the quality of Ms Russell's Children of God series, I was very disappointed with Dreamers of the Day. Agnes' 'awakening' is quite compelling and I liked the way the Churchill and Lawrence characters were developed. However, the author's descriptions of tourist sites in the Middle East seem to have been copied from a tourist guide; it was awkward and I had the awful feeling that it was filler text. In the end, I think this story had great potential but it ended up very thin indeed.

Very different from her other books, but that is makes her an interesting author.