Jenn's comments

Jenn's comments from the History is Not Boring group.

Note: Jenn is no longer a member of this group.

Wish I could attend the "parties"; I do have plenty of tabs that I can send. ;)

Most of the books I read, don't have an audio component. However, I have a lot of dead time in the car that can probably be better spent than listening to AT40 type talking heads.

I'm fortunate that if there is a book I want at work, my company either pays for it first or they reimburse me if I order it, just as long as it's work related.

Do readers for books get paid by the hour or by the page or what? If the books have high quality readers and are edited and composed with quality audio equipment in a proper studio it usually translates to higher costs for the final product. Book reading isn't like a amateur pod cast or Youtube video.

I do like audio books. I never would have picked up a Malcolm Gladwell book if I hadn't had access to the CDs. I think that most music MP3s are less expensive, like .99 a song or something. I haven't downloaded and MP3 book, the Kindle price of Sharon Kay Penman's book the Devil's Brood is a few dollars less than the printed version, though it looks like it was nearly half price as the original version was $28. So I don't think as users we have to take it.

The Goodman of Paris (Le Ménagier de Paris) A Treatise on Moral and Domestic Economy by A Citizen of Paris, c.1393, Isabel of Burgundy The Duchess Who Played Politics in the Age of Joan of Arc, Margaret of York Duchess of Burgundy 1446-1503, Marie de Bourgogne,Medieval Horse Furniture in Norfolk Report 101, and the list goes on.

Spook Science sounds like an interesting title.

if you think racism doesn't exist in the south
live there for awhile you will find it is still alive and well

I think you'll find it just about everywhere in the US, including the North. I see A LOT of the confederate battle flags displayed prominently on folks I know aren't from the south.

I find that of the flags that I find most pleasing to look at for color and design and just being unique (no state seals) are the South Carolina state flag, Maryland, Germany, Australia and New Zealand. I like some of the earlier colonial designs for the US flag. I like the Lion of Scotland as well as the blue with the St. Andrew's cross.

Sharon Kay Penman. Sunne in Splendour. She even includes end notes to let you know where she deviated. Which personalities were historic, which names had been changed to keep all the Anne's, Edwards, etc... clear in the reader's mind. My definition is pretty tight. I prefer the author be as true as possible and gap when necessary.

Shirley wrote: "Are there any history re-enactors among us? I met an interesting fellow that re enacts the Revolutionary War, it is his passion. I think it would be fun to do a couple of times."

Yes. I re-enact 1471-1477 Burgundy. Primary event and year is the Siege of Neuss, 1474. Not only do we do field encampments with other historical, medieval reenactors, we also present the material culture of 15th Century Burgundy to the museum going public.

My husband is also part of a Union Artillery reenactment organization. His comment is that it's not re-enactment if the events are faithful to the actual event. He's been to Gettysburg on numerous occasions. He said there was a moment, when the Confederates appeared and he felt transported.

Autumnal Elizabeth, I can understand. My husband works with a lot of folks who fled Thailand in the 1970s and others who fled Vietnam. They shared their stories with him. They are truly horrific. One gentleman fought as an 8 year old boy. He joined the Thai army at that age; imagine being shot, left for dead, and waking up in a body bag. Another woman, and her friends risked their lives floating across a patrolled river where the "enemy" would shoot you on site. She lost her entire family.

From Reliable Sources

Because I believe that nothing should be taken at face value.

Naples when Vesuvius destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Day 3 when they opened the crypt.

Roanoke VA. "The Lost Colony".

Fly on the wall during the Reigns of Edward IV, Richard III, and Philip the Good and Charles the Bold.

The wedding procession of Margaret of York 1468.

I can pinpoint my dislike of "history" right down to the High School class that killed it for me. History was just a bunch of chalk scrawled notes on a "green" board and regurgitating that information on a test in essay format. No discussion, no history coming to life.

It wasn't until I met my husband that it changed. Extremely well read on historical topics ranging from Ancient Greece to the Vietnam war, he could discuss people, places and events as if he'd been present at the events.

Hi Bill,

what's your area of interest?
American Civil War
English Civil War
Wars of the Roses
Earlier?

One of the primaries in addressing historical interpretation and re-enactment (your mileage may very on definition of the terms) is Past into Present.

FYI: I'm a historical interpreter and regularly educate and entertain the masses at both field events (as a re-enactor) and for museum programs.