The Umbrella statements have to stop!

 Day 38 of 365 days. 328 days left to go.

Friends,

Broad overarching statements. Umbrella statements. I hate them. Usually used to make a point in an argument. I won’t lie- I used to be impressed by them.

Hell, I even used them.

But recently, they are pissing me off. Now, I don’t talk about it too much, but I make it clear that I love history. What I don’t mention is that I am classically trained as a historian. Meaning I went to college and got my degree in history and historical preservation.

It’s weird to say that because I don’t work in the field unless you count my books and blogs. There are not a lot of livable wages in the world of history, unfortunately.

But there has been a recent shift in the reader’s world. People are beginning to tiptoe back to historical fiction and historical fantasy. They want to explore the lives of those who came before us. YEA ME!

With that, there has been a shift in people wanting to put their two cents into what they ‘believe’ is the fundamental truth of history without doing their research.

May I present some arguments used against my book and other historians’ labor of love?

Terminology in pop culture

The term baby bump was not invented until the 2000s. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, according to this person, no one in mankind’s history has ever used the term ‘baby bump’ until the publication of What To Expect When You Are Expecting. Or when celebrities made it a photo opportunity in the 1990s. We will ignore the term was used in a woman’s magazine in the 1800s. Must have been a misprint.

Physical reactions are a new concept

No one in the history of the world ever rolled their eyes until the 1980’s. So there was no way a woman would have rolled her eyes in ancient times at a man saying something idiotic. We will ignore the fact that Shakespeare himself used the description in his plays. Of course, he meant it as a sign of lust, but he must have made a mistake. No one ever rolled their eyes until the 1980s.

Shaking hands was not a thing

Men never shook female hands unless they were specifically invited until the 1990s. We will silently ignore the fact that it was customary for a man to take the hand of an elder first as a sign of respect. Or that royalty never extends their hand first. And that there were countless monarchs in all cultures of female persuasion.

Women were not educated

Women were silent lambs who didn’t have an education until the U.S. made it a common practice. This umbrella statement always gets my blood boiling because it completely overlooks all the strong, independent, and intelligent women who were highly educated. They made significant contributions to world history. Yes, women were considered ‘property,’ and the majority did not have a classical education. However, that does not mean all women are uneducated. Stop overlooking the ones who were pioneers in the field of childbirth, nursing, or ran a successful business.

Now, these are just a few I have encountered in the last week- and it’s only Wednesday. I don’t know why this bothers me so much. But it is. And here we are. I am making a silent plea to the masses that when you read historical fiction or a paper written by a historian, stop trying to prove them wrong by using google.com as your source of ‘academic’ research. Most of the time, you won’t win.

Now, there are expectations to the rule. I know that. And sometimes we make mistakes. I have done it myself. But for the love of the gods, the umbrella statements have to stop.

Okay, that’s the end of my rant. I won’t bring it up again. And I’ll stop pointing out flaws on social media. Well, that’s a lie. No, I won’t. But I won’t blog about it again. Maybe.

Until tomorrow, my friends- Keep Reading and Stay Caffeinated.

Conclusion is a technique of propaganda. It ensures you cannot do anyting except repeat cliches, the standard doctrine, or sound like a lunatic.

Noam Chomsky

If tales of legend, myth, and fantasy topped with a cup of coffee interest you, I suggest checking out my book, The Writer and the Librarian. It’s a historical fantasy about a middle-aged woman faced with a decision: accept what is written in the history books or find out for herself the truth behind the stories. Limited edition copies are now available on my website (Shop – R.L. Geer-Robbins / Author (rlgeerrobbins.com) or at

Amazon: https://a.co/d/flQhakX

Barnes and Noble: The Writer and the Librarian by Rose Geer-Robbins, Paperback | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)

Target: The Writer And The Librarian – (the Raven Society) By R L Geer-robbins (paperback) : Target

And on any of your favorite Indie Book Store websites!

Current sales as of today= 105/1500

The post The Umbrella statements have to stop! appeared first on R.L. Geer-Robbins / Author.