Task 10: A Microhistory

[Jenn]

I'm looking for a good Micro-history on something to do with France or something Parisian if anyone has any recommendations.

If I can't find anything, I'm going to move my audiobook pick by Sven Beckert into this category and something else into my audiobook category.

[Ste]

would The Book of Legendary Lands count as a microhistory? I'm not so sure how micro this is...

[Nuri]

I haven't picked any books for the challenge yet, but I think The Cheese and the Worms: The Cosmos of a Sixteenth-century Miller fitsthis task and I really liked it!

[Robin P]

Julia wrote: "Would Longitude by Dava Sobel count as a micro history? I just saw that pop up on Oyster."

I think it definitely would, it's a specific subject of history.

[Bobby]

Jenn wrote: "I'm looking for a good Micro-history on something to do with France or something Parisian if anyone has any recommendations.

It's not Parisian, but The Return of Martin Guerre is one of the all-time classic microhistories, and it deals with a bizarre court case in 16th century France.

A book that deals with Paris, as well as other places in Europe and the USA, is The Book of Absinthe: A Cultural History.

[Robin P]

Jenn wrote: "I'm looking for a good Micro-history on something to do with France or something Parisian if anyone has any recommendations.

If I can't find anything, I'm going to move my audiobook pick [bookco..."

A fun book that would certainly qualify is [book:The Essence of Style: How the French Invented High Fashion, Fine Food, Chic Cafes, Style, Sophistication, and Glamour|43141].

[Jenn]

Robin wrote: "Jenn wrote: "I'm looking for a good Micro-history on something to do with France or something Parisian if anyone has any recommendations.

If I can't find anything, I'm going to move my audiobook..."

That's absolutely fantastic, exactly what I'm looking for!

[Jenn]

Here are a few additional Micro-histories in case anyone is looking for more options:

The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester, Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal by Mary Roach, The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson, Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond, Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky, The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elementsby Sam Kean, The Coffee House: A Cultural History, Maphead: Charting the Wide, Weird World of Geography Wonks by Ken Jennings; The Great Bridge: The Epic Story of the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge Paperback , The Billionaire's Vinegar: The Mystery of the World's Most Expensive Bottle of Wine, The Widow Clicquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It, The Secret of Chanel No. 5: The Intimate History of the World's Most Famous Perfume

[Brandyn]

This is definitely the hardest category to figure out.

I watched the series on PBS but I really want to read "How We Got to Now" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

If anything it's 6 "mini" micro histories.

[Nadia]

As mentioned above The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot qualifies, and it's currently $1.99 on the US Kindle Store, so I might be reading that :P

[Mark]

Similar idea to the first commenters book, I think I'll go with The Story of Film by Mark Cousins.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

It's been in my physical TBR pile for a while.

[Betsy]

Would Jennifer Homans's book, Apollo's Angels: a History of Ballet, qualify as a micro history? Thank you!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...

[Grace]

would this qualify as a micro history?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

[Heather]

Sam wrote: "I was thinking some Bill Bryson for this challenge, but to be honest, I haven't read too many microhistories. So would either of these count? https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7......"

I hadn't heard of microhistories before but was planning to read At Home for this task. I think it counts.

[Carolina]

Hi, I was wondering if Bad Pharma: How Drug Companies Mislead Doctors and Harm Patientswould count as a micro history?

[☕Laura]

Finished for my micro-history. Three stars. It didn't quite have the depth of some other micro-histories I've read but it was definitely interesting and, at times, pretty frightening!

[Rachel]

I'm currently reading Marriage, a History: How Love Conquered Marriage for this category.

[Melissa]

I'm reading Bee Wilson's for this task and it is really interesting - a history of kitchen utensils/gadgets/technology.

[Srividya]

Just finished The Piano Shop on the Left Bank: The Hidden World of a Paris Atelier
The Piano Shop on the Left Bank: The Hidden World of a Paris Atelier

[Srividya]

Jenn wrote: "I'm looking for a good Micro-history on something to do with France or something Parisian if anyone has any recommendations.

If I can't find anything, I'm going to move my audiobook pick [bookco..."


I just finished [book:The Piano Shop on the Left Bank: The Hidden World of a Paris Atelier|24364980] It has beautiful slices of Parisian life.

[Robin P]

If you like literary classics - on my "want to read" list are both How to Be a Victorian and A Visitor's Guide to Victorian England. I didn't even realize I had at different times added 2 of them. Another like that is What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew: From Fox Hunting to Whist—the Facts of Daily Life in 19th-Century England

[Emily]

I just finished Stiff by Mary Roach as well! Funny how so many people on here chose this book. Great/quirky read!

[Gloria]

Task completed! I read The Billionaire's Vinegar, which was on my TBR pile. Who knew one of the Koch brothers would be an important character?

[b.andherbooks]

I'm reading When Books Went to War: The Stories that Helped Us Win World War II

for the microhistory category. So far, super well-written and researched, enthralling, and something I (a historian) never really studied.

[Brandyn]

Elizabeth wrote: "I'm reading When Books Went to War: The Stories that Helped Us Win World War II

for the micr..."

Thank you for mentioning this one! I'm so excited about it now.

[Serena]

Tower-An Epic History oc the Tower of London, by Nigel Jones.

[Richard]

just read "blue". excellent history of the color

[Nicole]

Is The Forever Fix:Gene Therapy and the Boy Who Saved It considered a micro history?

[Nicole]

I just finished The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks on Dec. 24, so I probably should find a new book since I technically didn't read it this year.

[Nicole]

Or how about Your Inner Fish? I was going to use that for my person of the opposite sex (but that is easier to find).

[Jessica]

I just finished The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester, about the making of the Oxford English Dictionary, but really more about the relationship between the editor and one of the major contributors. It wasn't exactly what I expected, but it was still interesting.

[Sage]

Currently reading Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers and loving the dark humor. Glad some have chosen the same book!

If you've ever been called morbid, this book is perfect.

[Risa]

This is one of the Reading Challenge categories that is pushing me outside of my usual tastes. I am a fiction girl all the way, so I tried to find a "microhistory" that allegedly reads like fiction. I'm going with https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

[☕Laura]

Risa wrote: "This is one of the Reading Challenge categories that is pushing me outside of my usual tastes. I am a fiction girl all the way, so I tried to find a "microhistory" that allegedly reads like fictio..."

I loved that one, Risa. Enjoy!

[Rosemary]

I've read Emperor but might re-read.

I finished The Professor and the Madman and would consider that a microhistory so might count that.

[Ken]

Perhaps this qualifies? Dungeons and Desktops: The History of Computer Role-Playing Games. A mircohistory involving microprocessors! Well, sort of. :)

[Robin P]

Ken wrote: "Perhaps this qualifies? Dungeons and Desktops: The History of Computer Role-Playing Games. A mircohistory involving microprocessors! Well, sort of. :)"

Yes, that sounds perfect. I haven't decided on this category yet.

[Emma]

Some possible suggestions:

Salt: A World History
Swindled: From Poison Sweets to Counterfeit Coffee—The Dark History of the Food Cheats
1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus
The First Fossil Hunters: Paleontology In Greek And Roman Times
How to Create the Perfect Wife: Britain's Most Ineligible Bachelor and His Enlightened Quest to Train the Ideal Mate
The Victorian Internet
Consider the Fork: How Technology Transforms the Way We Cook and Eat
Marriage, a History: How Love Conquered Marriage
Birth of the Chess Queen: A History

[Dee]

I reading Swim: Why We Love the Waterfor this challenge.

[Jen]

I'm considering Pictures at a Revolution for this one. It's a history of the making of the five best picture nominees from 1967 and a changing Hollywood. That seems to fit with the other suggestions on here, unless I'm missing some critical element.

[Lynn G.]

I am going to read Tomatoland: How Modern Industrial Agriculture Destroyed Our Most Alluring Fruit byBarry Estabrook.

[Michael]

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers was on my list for this category, but The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara by David I. Kertzer looks fascinating too.

[Mindy]

LOVED Tomatoland! I'm going to read A Thousand Lives which may or may not strictly be a microhistory but as there are no judging panels I'm going to say it is.

[Jillian]

I just finished The Big Oyster History on the Half Shell by Mark Kurlansky. I enjoyed the book and will probably read some of his other microhistories since they have better reviews.

[b.andherbooks]

Brandyn wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "I'm reading When Books Went to War: The Stories that Helped Us Win World War II
[bookcover:When Books Went to War: The Stories that Helped Us Win World War II|2271..."

I loved this book, and I hope you do too.

[Jeimy]

I have just begun The Oysters of Locmariaquer for this challenge.

[Pat]

Mary Roach-Spook-humorous investigation into investigations of the afterlife.Despite the irreverence has considered lots of research.

[Erika]

Would this count?https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

[Robin P]

Erika wrote: "Would this count?https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1..."

I think so!

[Erika]

Robin wrote: "Erika wrote: "Would this count?https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1..."

I think so!"

Hurray! This looks so much more interesting than the one I originally picked.