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Julia Keay (1946–2011)

Author of Alexander the Corrector

5+ Works 232 Members 7 Reviews

Works by Julia Keay

Associated Works

The London Encyclopedia (1983) — some editions — 392 copies
Slightly Foxed 16: For Pheasant Read Peasant (2007) — Contributor — 27 copies
Slightly Foxed 3: Sharks, Otters and Fast Cars (2004) — Contributor — 26 copies

Tagged

Common Knowledge

Birthdate
1946
Date of death
2011
Gender
female
Nationality
UK
Places of residence
Scotland, UK
Occupations
author
historian
Relationships
Keay, John (husband)
Keay, Anna (daughter)

Members

Reviews

https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/2928445.html

Cruden's Concordance is an amazing work. For those who are not familiar with it, it's a listing of every word (apart from the most common) used in the Bible, in the context where it is used, working from the Authorised Version. It has never been out of print since it was first published in 1737. Alexander Cruden, who compiled it, wrote a great deal else, about the need to improve the nation's morals through correct spelling and grammar, and about several of his spells of incarceration for mental illness. Julia Keay argues that he was perfectly sane, and was a victim of local politics in Aberdeen and of his romantic rivals in London. I have to say that her case is not made out thoroughly convincingly. What is missing is a wider consideration of insanity in 18th century Britain (Cruden grew up in Aberdeen but spent most of his working life in London), and indeed a contextualisation of Cruden's work with his peers more generally would have been helpful - was he unusual in his obsession with the line-by-line approach to Scripture, or in the mainstream? did others agree with his notion of correcting the nation's morals by correcting its grammar? Overall the book leans too heavily on Cruden's own writing, though there is some interesting detective work about his youth in Aberdeen.… (more)
 
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nwhyte | 4 other reviews | Dec 31, 2017 |
This might have been an outgrowth of her dissertation in history and from the viewpoint of history, she did an excellent job of researching her topic. The writing is uninspired and frequently poor even for academic writing. If you have an interest in the author or the massive book he created, by all means read this book. Or, if you have an interest in the historical period, 1700s in England or the treatment of those with mental illneses, it will be enlightening. It is not a book I would recommend for light reading or taking to the beach. PKG… (more)
 
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Pat_Gibson | 4 other reviews | May 28, 2017 |
Well told tale of the quirky 18th C character who indexed the bible while regularly getting thrown into madhouses without being noticeably mad.
Read Mar 2005
 
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mbmackay | 4 other reviews | Nov 30, 2015 |
The Spy Who Never Was: The Life and Loves of Mata Hari by Julia Keay, opens with her execution in October of 1917 and then travels backward to her childhood in Holland where she was born Margarethe Zelle. Married at 18 to a much older man that she had only known for a month and a half, they immediately left Holland for his posting in Java. She was too young to settle down and became restless in the marriage and after the death of their son and their return to Holland, the marriage was over. Her husband took custody of their daughter and divorced her under a morals clause. She then travelled to Paris and reinvented herself as Mata Hari an exotic, sultry dancer from the mysterious Orient.

She was to remain cagy about her origins throughout the remainder of her life. She comes across in the book as an ignorant, greedy, self-indulgent woman who wanted to live the high life and had very little regard for the consequences of her actions. When the war broke out in 1914, she was in Berlin trying to revive her fading career. Her remaining furs and jewels were confiscated and she had a difficult time trying to travel back to France. Unknown to herself, she was a marked woman from the very beginning of the war, as she drew the wrong kind of attention wherever she travelled and had made a lot of enemies over the years. The Germans did make an offer for her to spy for them and paid her 20,000 francs. She took the money but claimed that she never passed any information along, but felt justified in taking the money in compensation for the jewels and furs that they had taken from her.

The truth of the matter appears to be buried in the mists of time. I was left feeling unsure whether I had met the real Mata Hari in the pages of this book as, although the author had lots of information, facts and figures, I never felt she broke through to the real woman behind the façade. Ultimately I believe this woman lost her life due to the fact that she chose to live outside the accepted morals of her time.
… (more)
½
 
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DeltaQueen50 | Aug 14, 2013 |

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Works
5
Also by
3
Members
232
Popularity
#97,292
Rating
4.0
Reviews
7
ISBNs
22
Languages
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