History: Actual, Fictional and Legendary discussion
Getting Started: Introduce Yourself
...one thinks they had amazing drugs at their disposal...
Or maybe no one taught them to be prudish. (Adam, Eve, Apple...)
Or maybe no one taught them to be prudish. (Adam, Eve, Apple...)
Hayes wrote: "...one thinks they had amazing drugs at their disposal...Or maybe no one taught them to be prudish. (Adam, Eve, Apple...)"
Excellent point. I think they were pure of faith and lacking of religion, which if that could have only been the case for the rest of the world, we would not have so much nastiness and hypocrisy among the masses today.
Churches are bleeding out numbers and it is mostly because of the ones that claim they are the most religious are on the attack against the folks who have come to find their faith and respite from the storms of life.
Pastors like myself, who don't colour in the lines very well, have to fight the system and the stereotypes that have been ingrained into society, before I can throw all of my energy and efforts at the true nature of my calling... Sad commentary.
Is there a book you particularly like or dislike? Thanks for inviting me, Ed and Bentley.
I am Doni Oliveros from Quezon City, Philippines. I am a father of a 14-y/o girl who is also here in Goodreads. I enjoy reading history books but currently I am fascinated about Holocaust and WWII in the Pacific. However, I am planning to branch out a bit so I am reading (though struggling) Gibbons' THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.
My answers:
1) Is there a period of history you'd like to discuss?
Definitely Holocaust.
2) Is there an author you'd like to discuss?
The Normans - authors of TEARS IN THE DARKNESS
3) Is there a book you'd like the group to read together.
HISTORIES by Herodotus
Whatever?
Hmmm
@Doni: ah finally, somebody from Southeast Asia! LOLI'd also love to discuss Herodotus' Histories. Amazing book. Maybe could be the next theme of monthly discussion > Ancient historical accounts. We could include Livy, Plutarch, Virgil, Homer, Arian, etc as well. That should be fun :D
@Pastor Chris: Welcome. I'm intrigued with your comment re. the cause of the bleeding church. Is that the main cause in the US? In my country, the church is declining due to two-pronged attacks: oppression from the majority religion and the lack of interest from the young people. Regarding the oppression (which causes people's insecurity on their Christianity), from historical point of view, it's been going on for decades, but interestingly the better times were during the military dictatorship under our second president, Soeharto. Apparently, it took an almost totalitarian regime to create a sense of security to worship. Anyway, just want to share, sorry for being OOT.
@Marco: Oh bugger. My Latin is as good as my Russian.
PS: Google says the answer should be: Valeō. Is it correct? ;p
@Silvana : Nice to meet you. I'd love to elaborate. Here is the US, many of the mainline churches have a trend where we get a spike in youth activity in the high school ages and in the very early university attendees, and then a massive drop. It makes sense with the university students, as they explore other philosophies and other faith systems as their minds grow and open. Many would argue this happens because there is no support base "at home" for them and/or they never had a firm foundation of faith built within them as they were raised within a church. While I agree with those to a degree, I also am a firm proponent of the facts that the drop in activity is also due to the hypocracy within the church and with many of the Christians in the world.Hate-fueled speech against those that don't share the same lifestyle (the "homosexual issue" as they call it), the unwillingness to focus ministry outward to the community that really needs it...I could go on and on.
Your points about oppressive forces is very valid worldwide. Look at what it has done in China with a huge wave of Christian activity in the region. India as well, where villages are being martyred because of their faith in Christ.
The odd shift in evangelism that we are seeing right now is the African waves of evangelism. It used to be that the United States sent many missionaries to work and plant churches in Africa. Now, while we still send them, we have a higher proportion of African missionaries coming to the US, to plant churches and ministries. This says alot for how things have changed in the US when it comes to the numbers of Christians in the population.
Please feel free to add me as a friend and email me privately to discuss this or anything else for that matter further. Just note, that I am pretty
liberal-minded compared to many of my colleagues, but think of my theology as very sound.
Mod
Religion is so important in a historical sense that it will come up again and again, either explicitly or implicitly.
I would hope that we would be open-minded enough to entertain all opinions no matter how personally distasteful. Other sites I've been on have turned into either hate sessions or forbade the discussion of religion altogether.
If opening such a discussion makes sense, let me know.
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My name is Dana, I live in US, Indianapolis, IN. After having HATED HISTORY throughout my school years (and I LOVED SCHOOL!!), it is funny how much I am drawn to history now, and I think it is because I have enjoyed a few historical fiction novels.My biggest interests are:
Egypt, specifically Cleopatra, Antony, Julius Caesar and Rome
Jamestown and the earliest settlements in US
Mayflower, etc
the wives of Henry VIII
The Trail of Tears and Native American history ( I am Native American)
Holocaust
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Thanks for the info. I have spent time on the Reservations in both Montana and New Mexico. Life is not good, yet, for Native Americans living on these barren wastes, even with the mineral rights and the casinos. Daily life does not seem to improve.
I think we will most likely do the Roman Empire as our next theme. I've held off because I have been ill.
I would guess the next theme will start Feb. 15.
Hi, Dana, welcome!I'd have to agree about conditions for too many Native American communities. I live in New Mexico, so a big chunk of the Navajo Nation is within this state, and at one agency where I worked as a therapist with adolescents (here in Albuquerque) I had some clients whose families lived on the rez. I sometimes drove there with the kids for family sessions because it was tough for them to make the trip into ABQ.
Morgan Spurlock, who made the film "Supersize Me", also did a series called "30 Days" in which he spent a month in each of a series of settings unlike his, or most viewers', previous life experience; in the finale of the series in 2008, he stayed for a month with a Navajo family. During that time he sought to learn as much as he could about daily life in their community, stereotypes that need to be dispelled, and challenges they face. I saw it on the Documentary Channel a while back; it was well done.
OO I watched a few of the 30 days programs, but never knew about that one. I wonder if it is on netflix....I was 'fortunate' (depends on how you look at it) to be adopted as a baby, so I never spent anytime on a reservation. But I grew up in Wyoming and there is a huge reservation there.
Yeah, anyplace there was land that was empty and for which no one could see any possible value at the time, that's where the government was going to herd the nearest Native American nation whose land was desirable for any reason. Kind of like the "what's our oil doing under their sand" syndrome that was one of the driving forces for both the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and then the Iraq war.
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Aint that the truth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think we, Americans, or our descendants must someday, if not now, pay a huge karmic debt for what our our forefathers and mothers did to the indigenous population.
Yes, for those and other deeds. I am grateful for the opportunity to live in this country, but it's just wrong to refuse to admit that we've done wrong when we have, and there's never been a person, a people, or a nation that didn't do wrong sometimes.The saddest part is that when an individual or a people does do the right thing, acknowledge transgressions and make whatever amends are possible, it has a great deal of healing power for them and often for everyone else involved.
Hi Ed,I just finished The Great Fire by Hazzard and didn't find it terribly enlightening about WWII. I disliked it quite a bit actually.
I did finish The Long Green Shore about Australia's participation (fictionalized) and really enjoyed this one. Deceivingly simple but speaks to a very unknown situation.
Is there any groups that discuss Scandinavian history or Gulag history?
Looking forward to the group!
Mod
Not at this point, but you can recommend these topics for a future theme.
Hi everyone!Here's another history afficionada. I don't know if I'm going to be around very often but I'll try to pop in once in a while.
I'm specially keen on Medieval and Ancient history, and on Military, Religious and Social and Cultural themes.
Oh right, my name is Manuela and I'm from Portugal, so you'll have to excuse my English.
Cheers!
Hello!I am really looking forward to hearing people's suggestions for themes and books about history. I've always enjoyed history and it annoyed me that in school every year we seemed to start with the Pilgrims and end at WW I. It wasn't until college that I learned about ancient history - and after college that I read up on post WW II.
I'm interested in most times and topics.
And I also loved Connections.
Hello Everyone,I just joined Good Reads this week, and this group only yesterday. After exploring the group section, I felt that I had found a home here when I read Ed’s remarks in the group’s description:
“Often I learn as much from reading Historical Fiction as I would from reading a factual account of the same period. For example: the Aubrey/Maturin Series by Patrick O'Brian which takes place during the Napoleonic Wars taught me more about those times than anything else I've read.”
My experience exactly. Though I always read up on the factual history of a place before I travel, I find that what I retain best (and frankly, enjoy most) is what I read subsequently in historical fiction. For that reason, I prefer that fiction to be as well-researched as possible. Of course, the previous discussion regarding the lives of Native Americans is a great reminder of how much “fiction” has existed in our “factual accounts.” But you all know that, of course.
I must apologize for my bookshelf, if any of you happen to stumble upon it. It now contains a single book. Though I have lived in Ohio, U.S., for the past couple of years, most of my books remain in a boxcar in Taos, New Mexico, where I lived for twenty years. Consequently, due to the aforementioned retention problems, I’m struggling to remember titles. (And just to clarify, there was a house attached to the boxcar. I’m really not quite that rugged.)
Ok, enough from me. I look forward to reading more of your reviews, and joining in on the discussions!
Denise
Hi there guys. I am new (I just joined). I would just like to say that I love history, and books about it!I am especially interested in the Napoleonic Wars, WW2, WW1, and the Ancient histories!
Mod
We are now discussing WW I and will be discussing the Roman Empire in March.
Ed
I recently joined. My interests are mostly Ancient History (one of my favourite fiction authors is Christian Jacq). I am interested in broading my knowledge of more recent history though.
Mod
Happy to have you aboard. We are doing the Roman Empire starting March 1 so the topics will hopefully be of special interest to you.
Yes they definatly would be, so thanks for the info.
Mod
Hi. I would love to know what you learned when you stayed on a reservation. An interest of mine.
nanette"
I would not want to mislead you when I say stayed, I meant, one or two days, not in residence. Also my first wife was a social worker on a reservation in Wisconsin.
When I lived in Montana I spent time on the Crow and Blackfoot reservations. More recently I've visited the Eastern Ute, Navaho Nation and Apache reservations in Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona.
I won't take the time here to go into great detail except to say that, no matter what you read about casinos, mineral rights or Federal Relief programs, life for most reservation residents is horrible. The Native Americans through either choice or force have adopted the worst aspects of the "Anglo" culture and are suffering because of it. Health, family, crime, alcoholism, etc. etc., have all suffered the effects of having one's culture downgraded and in many cases eliminated.
I have seen examples of how it all works to the detriment of the average Native American. It is not a pretty picture. I think, in some ways existence on a reservation is worse than slavery. Slaves at least had a value attached to them, Native Americans were seen as worthless and in many locales are still seen as worthless.
As Tonto was reputed to have said when he and the Lone Ranger were attacked by a band of Indians and The Lone Ranger cried out, "We have a problem, Tonto!" Tonto replied, "What's this "we" crap, white man?"
Hello everyone! I'm Donna, and I'm new here as well. Just joined, and taking a look around. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE reading historical books, especially historical fiction.Looking forward to sharing books with you all.
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Looking forward to sharin..."
Welcome, again, Donna,
I love history but, truth be known, I love historical fiction more.
Mod
Welcome, Donna!
Hi all,Some of you know me, I think from other groups. I live in Michigan, have four kids (one sort of grown up, two teens, and a grade schooler), and teach college writing. I read lots of things, but for history, I particularly enjoy non-fiction that is written in an entertaining way.
Particular interests?
I have to say I get a little tired of the "military" approach to history.
Victorian period, esp. in England
U.S. history from a social rather than military perspective
Africa, India, Caribbean
I've read a little about Native American history and it interests me too, so I guess I'll read about anything if it's written in an engaging way.
Andrea
Mod
Some of you know me, I think from other groups. I live in Michigan, have four kids (one sort of grown up, two teens, and a grade schooler), and teach college writing. I read lots of thing..."
Hi Andrea,
Thanks for the personal info, the recommendations and welcome again.
I'll be setting up a poll in two or three weeks to determine our next theme. Of all your favorites which is number one?
As to the focus on military history, I ascribe the popularity to the fact that until recently history was mostly written by men. Perhaps we should have "Her"story as well as "His"tory.
I also think it's easy to define eras in terms of wars as opposed to anything else. It is also true that there are very few periods in the history of humanity where there was no war or at the least lots of violence.
I notice that, on the sites I follow, the comments on the non-military topics tend to be fewer than on social or daily life topics.
Historical fiction almost always focuses on or contains fighting.
Perhaps you can start to redress the imbalance.
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I myself am interested in wars in history - because some of them have truly shocking effects on other things. (World War I, for example.)
Andrea wrote: "I've read a little about Native American history and it interests me too..."You might like Geronimo: My Life.
Mod
re: Native American History:
You might want to try I Will Fight No More Forever: Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce War by Merrill D. Beal. It broke my heart.
I also really liked Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West by Dee Brown. The mini-series kind of sucked but the book is terrific.
Hi All,I've read Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American Westa long time ago and found it very painful, but eye opening. This summer Black Hills/White Justice: The Sioux Nation versus the United States, 1775 to the Presentis on my list as it deals with the Black Hills which I have visited often.
I have to say Great Britain and Africa are pretty close to my heart, although so far I've lived all my life in the U.S.
And I'm not opposed to books that deal with wars, actually I'm kind of hoping we do Napoleonic Wars next month. I just find that some people get kind of hung up on military campaigns and the details of generals and troop movements to the exclusion of the political/economic/social aspects even of war eras. Sadly, war is a major part of human history.
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I've read Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American Westa long time ago and found it very painful, but eye opening. This summer Black Hills/White..."</i>
True, true about wars. They may make for exciting reading but not healthy experiencing. Check out the [book:The War Lover by John Hersey. It was also made into a mediocre movie starring Steve McQueen.
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West is a heartbreaking book for me too. It's on the shelf next to Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A., and The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley, and Makes Me Wanna Holler: A Young Black Man in America; all are about the brutal ways America's cultural majority and government have treated too many people that were perceived as "other."
Hello, another newbie here, both in this group and at Goodreads itself. I love reading history books, as well as historically accurate fiction. I am also watching :The Tudors: on DVD. It annoys me how they show Henry as a healthy, good-looking, reasonably sane man, but am committed to seeing it through. Working on getting a history degree, then a Masters in Library Science some day ... years from now! I read almost anything but history is a special genre to me.
I haven't poked around in the discussions to see what everyone is up to, but will head there over the weekend and hopefully get to know everyone a bit better.
Joan
There's a program coming up on one of the Discovery channels - History or Science, I think - looking into possible reasons for Henry to have changed from the fairly appealing character you describe to the monster he was when he died. Apparently some scientists think there may have been some physiological disease process at work. I have the DVR programmed to record it - next time I have the TV on, I'll check the channel, date, and time and pass them on here.
Found it - the program's title is "Inside the Body of Henry VIII", and it's on the National Geographic Channel on Tuesday 4/20 from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. Eastern time. The one-sentence summary says "Physical illness may have caused dramatic changes in the monarch's personality."
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Mod
Thanks for the comments.
I imagine Henry VIII must have been appealing as a young man in order to get the wives after Ann Boleyn to marry him. They must have known they were putting their necks on the line. I saw season one of "The Tudors" and labeled it a medieval soap opera. It is movie making and story-telling after all, not a documentary.
I majored in History 50 years ago and never regretted it. I do not understand why some schools require students to select a major right away. I chose History in my Senior Year.
Would love to have your input on our next theme. I'll be sending out a poll in a couple days.
Mod
I like the comment of one prospective bride of Henry VIII (safely on the continent) - that if she had two necks, she would gladly let Henry have one.
I definitely don't look at the Tudors series as a documentary, although most of the events are historically accurate. I view it as Historical Fiction on film. I started Chasing Lincoln's Killer this morning at breakfast (yes, I read while I eat). I hope it's ok that I added a shelf called american-civil-war so I could log it under currently-reading.
This discussion reminded me of that album of music that Rick Wakeman (a keyboardist who performed with Yes) composed and recorded back in the early 70s, The Six Wives of Henry VIII - I remember liking it very much when I was in high school. Think I'm going to track it down and see whether it's been released on CD.I saw a documentary last night on the History Channel on the manhunt for Booth and his co-conspirators, titled The Hunt for John Wilkes Booth; it was well done.
Hello..I'm Paul. I'm new to this group. I just like to read up on Chinese and US History, but basically whatever I can get my hands on. I'm also into reading Sports History.
Other than that, as I teach History, I'm always on the lookout for new books, videos and movies that can help with my teaching.
I guess that's an introduction for now.
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I just like to read up on Chinese and US History, but basically whatever I can get my hands on. I'm also into reading Sports History.
Other than that, as..."
Welcome!
We also take recommendations of books you enjoyed. (Grin)
History: Actual, Fictional and Legendary
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Too funny... did you get the elk's licence plate number? ... will check out the Tales."
Missed his plate, but he left a pile of calling cards on my lot (wink). The local tales of the Nehalem Tillmook are pretty wild. When you look at them through Western eyes, they seem pretty bizarre and hyper-sexual in nature. At first read, one thinks they had amazing drugs at their disposal (grin). It has been one of those books that I have had a hard time putting down.