Bøker av Rafael Sabatini

Possibly the best account yet of the role of Torquemada in the Inquisition, with particular emphasis in the back half of the book of the notorious "Infante de la Guardia" incident and the role of that affair on Ferdinand and Isabella's decision to expel all Jews from Spain in 1492, right around the time Columbus was heading out to try to discover a new route to the "Indies." Sabatini's account is readable, interesting, and opinionated in all the right places, with just a touch of cynicism when called for. Highly recommended. (Brian Swain)

The Tavern Knight is a 1904 historical adventure novel written by the British-Italian writer Rafael Sabatini. It is set during the English Civil Wars. In 1920, it was turned into a film, The Tavern Knight, directed by Maurice Elvey made by Britain's largest studio of the silent era, Stoll Pictures. A proposed silent version by Warner Brothers was to star John Barrymore in 1927 but instead the Manon Lescaut story was substituted under the title When a Man Loves. (wikipedia.org)

Rafael Sabatini (29 April 1875 - 13 February 1950) was an Italian-English writer of romance and adventure novels.Rafael Sabatini was born in Iesi, Italy, to an English mother, Anna Trafford, and Italian father, Vincenzo Sabatini. His parents were opera singers who then became teachers.After a brief stint in the business world, Sabatini went to work as a writer. He wrote short stories in the 1890s, and his first novel came out in 1902. In 1905, he married Ruth Goad Dixon, the daughter of a Liverpool merchant. It took Sabatini roughly a quarter of a century of hard work before he attained success with Scaramouche in 1921. The novel, an historical romance set during the French Revolution, became an international bestseller. It was followed by the equally successful Captain Blood (1922). All of his earlier books were rushed into reprints, the most popular of which was The Sea Hawk (1915). Sabatini was a prolific writer; he produced a new book approximately every year and maintained a great deal of popularity with the reading public through the decades that followed.Several of his novels were adapted into films during the silent era, and the first three of these books were made into notable films in the sound era, in 1940, 1952, and 1935 respectively. His third novel Bardelys the Magnificent was made into a famous 1926 "lost" film of the same title, directed by King Vidor, starring John Gilbert, and long viewable only in a fragment excerpted in Vidor's silent comedy Show People (1928). A few intact reels have recently been discovered in Europe. The fully restored version premièred on TCM on 11 January 2010.Two silent adaptations of Sabatini novels which do survive intact are Rex Ingram's Scaramouche (1923) starring Ramón Novarro, and The Sea Hawk (1924) directed by Frank Lloyd and starring Milton Sills. The 1940 film The Sea Hawk, with Errol Flynn, is not a remake but a wholly new story which just used the title. A silent version of Captain Blood (1924), starring J. Warren Kerrigan, is partly lost, surviving only in an incomplete copy in the Library of Congress. The Black Swan (1942) was filmed starring Tyrone Power and Maureen O'Hara. (wikipedia.org)

Caron la Boulaye is an avid student of Rousseau's Discourses who earns his living as a secretary for the Marquise de Bellecour. In this subservient position, he ill-advisedly falls in love with his master's daughter, Mademoiselle Suzanne de Bellecour, who true to her class, spurns his love. Not content with that, her father, on learning of this presumption, attacks poor Caron with a horsewhip, the only acceptable way to deal with such an upstart. Within a day, Caron further witnesses the arrogance and inhumanity of his erstwhile master as the Marquis demands his droit de seigneur of a young newlywed friend. La Boulaye rashly and unsuccessfully intervenes thus marking himself as one to be reckoned with. Set against the stirrings of the French Revolution, Sabatini spins his story giving us an unsparing look at aristocratic infamy as well as aristocratic honor. There are heroes and villains on both sides and both are presented as natural outcomes of their ancestry; sometimes trapped by it and other times released from it. Suzanne's evolution provides the case in point. Citizen Robespierre plays a small but critical role. Delightful. (Pushpa Rao)

The Shame of Motley is a swashbuckler romance first published in 1908, set in Italy at the turn of the 16th/17th century. The main character, Lazzaro Biancomonte, is of noble birth but now reduced to the role of a court fool. His redemption comes in his part in an adventure involving the Madonna Paola, with whom he becomes besotted. This is fine, my only issue with this is that she is so stupid at times that it beggars belief, but then again love is blind isn't it? This great plus in my eyes is featuring Cesare Borgia as a good guy, that is just amazing. A really enjoyable swashbuckler in the end, fans of Sabatini will be impressed. (Robert Hepple)

A selection of short works in which Sabatini writes as different protagonists out for a night on the town. Using his talent for imagery, his wordsmithing and his wry sense of humor, it makes these books a window into the past.

A selection of short works in which Sabatini writes as different protagonists out for a night on the town. Using his talent for imagery, his wordsmithing and his wry sense of humor, it makes these books a window into the past.

Bardelys the Magnificent is a 1906 historical adventure novel by the Italian-born British writer Rafael Sabatini. It is set in France during the reign of Louis XIII.In 1926 the story was adapted into a film version Bardelys the Magnificent by the Hollywood studio MGM, with John Gilbert playing the title role. (wikipedia.org)

The problem was traitors in high places: traitors secretly opposing his methods and playing the spy for the enemy. All depended on secrecy and unity of action. And then a young British officer made a moronic blunder, and gave the plotters their chance to upset the delicate balance. Their influence caused the Portuguese Council of Regency to demand that the culprit be made a scapegoat. He was at large -- and the man responsible for his capture and execution was his own brother-in-law, Sir Terrence Amoy. Amoy, British adjutant-general at Lisbon.

It was an unlikely romance -- it started as a challenge from one of her scorned suitors: she was a woman, said the scorned one, who not even Bardelys the Magnificent could woo. Bardelys (called Magnificent for the fine quality of his hospoitality) tried to demur. It was madness, plain and simple. But them the rustic Gascon pointed out that it had become a matter of honor, and then there was no hope for it. All bad enoough -- and then the French Revolution intervened! O tempore! O more!

Rafael Sabatini (1875 - 1950) was an Italian/British writer of novels of romance and adventure. At a young age, Rafael was exposed to many languages. By the time he was seventeen, he was the master of five languages. He quickly added a sixth language - English - to his linguistic collection. He wrote short stories in the 1890s, and his first novel came out in 1902. Sabatini was a prolific writer; he produced a new book approximately every year. He consciously chose to write in his adopted language, because, he said, "all the best stories are written in English. " In all, he produced thirty-one novels, eight short story collections, six nonfiction books, numerous uncollected short stories, and a play. He is best known for his world-wide bestsellers: The Sea Hawk (1915), Scaramouche (1921), Captain Blood (1922) and Bellarion the Fortunate (1926).

The celebrated historical novelist writes a life of Cesare Borgia and his family - and a case for the defense, in an age in which it was customary to draw the Borgias as devils incarnate.