History is Not Boring discussion
What are you reading?
Jim wrote: "The Digital Divide: Arguments for and Against Facebook, Google, Texting, and the Age of Social Networking by Mark Bauerlein is a compilation of essays by some of th..."Really interesting! Thanks for the review!
The Faded Map: The Story of the Lost Kingdoms of Scotland
Always interested in the darkest of Dark Age Britain, this does help fill in and present info on Scotland, circa 500 b.c.e. more simply and completely then did such authors as John Morris and even Christopher A. Snyder.
I just started Shakespeare, Sex, & Love by Stanley Wells for a Shakespeare course I'm taking. A lot of interesting Renaissance sexuality factoids (Wells is a fan of throwing the most grotesque examples of the stuff he's describing). Turns out the olden days were not golden in terms of sex!
I'm reading The Sherlock Holmes Handbook for research on Victorian detective methods because I'm writing a steam punk novel with a female detective. I'm pleasantly surprised at how much Victorian history is in this book by Ransom Riggs. Victorian guns, fashion, the history of fingerprinting, the historical figures Conan-Doyle's character were based on. Interesting book.
Riders of the Pony Express by Ralph Moody is a brief history of that crazy, fantastic service geared to young adults, but I found it practically perfect. It was well read & gave me a far better insight into it than I'd ever had before. It's short, easy to read (listen to), & just amazing. I gave it 4 stars in my review here:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I am reading Tinseltown, Murder, Morphine, and Madness at the Dawn of Hollywood by William Mann. Interesting information about the 1920s, the powerful men behind the movies, and how the film industry moved from New York City to Hollywood.
I recently joined NetGalley and need to build up my reviews before a lot of the publishers will approve me to receive free books. Luckily for me a lot of the historical non-fiction books on there come pre-approved for anybody - perhaps because they think that there is less demand. My first pick was Elizabeth I and Her Circle and I found it quite intriguing, it focuses on the people in her life and adds lots of interesting details.
Next up will be Rome's Revolution: Death of the Republic & Birth of the Empire. Looking forward to it, especially as it's free!
Qnpoohbear wrote: "L.F. wrote: "I recently finished I Shall Be Near to You
Historical fiction inspired by the letters written by Sarah Rosetta Wakeman, who..."
I bought Liar Temptress Soldier Spy at a bookstore in Richmond, Virginia while I was on vacation. It sounds interesting.
I just finished reading Deep Down Dark about the Chilean miners who were trapped underground for 64 days.
I'm reading Empire of Sin, Sex, Jazz, Murder and the Battle for Modern New Orleans by Gary Krist. The troubles of New Orleans never end.
Reading Schindler's List. Saw the movie but haven't read the novel.
I'm reading Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War. I like it, but it's a little hard keeping all the people straight.
Melissa wrote: "I'm reading Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War. I like it, but it's a little hard keeping all the people straight."You'll get used to it or just skip around and read about each woman all at once.
I'm now reading the Ocean Liner murder mystery series by Conrad Allen (George Dillman and Genevieve Maesfield) and I'm also reading The Devil Made Me Do It Crime and Punishment in Early New England
I'm reading Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End. Not really historical in most ways, but he does mention the growth of hospitals. I had no idea that they weren't really prevalent until the 1950's. Up until then, most people just stayed at home in bed since there wasn't a whole lot a hospital could do.
The Broken Saint100 Thing Challenge
American Sphinx - still reading...
I'm in the middle of "History Matters," a compilation of newspaper columns (by the same name) by James N. Littlefield of Niantic, CT, who taught history and conducted several years of high-school archaeology in his town. This monthly column reported a gamut of topics of local historical interest. I've spent quite a number of weekends attending historical events in East Lyme/Niantic, so these columns have some personal interest to me. Style is friendly and informal, and the subjects prove that even mysteries of recent history warrant attention. Jim's finds and those of his classes range from 800-year-old Nehantic tribe skeletons (respectfully re-interred by local Native Americans) to 1950s farmstead middens and a Nazi spy.
James N. Littlefield also published an historical novel two years ago entitled "The Slave Catcher's Woman." Although a novel, the book is carefully researched, presenting facts of what has always been considered a most distasteful topic, rarely discussed in polite company: slave-catching in the pre-Civil War South. Jim's main character, Coswell Tims, speaks in wonderfully colloquial vernacular of rural Georgia in the 1850s, relates the pride and care which he takes in his profession, the skills of the bloodhounds who team with him on his missions. Tims is a man of his times, but he proves open to change. There are few books which tackle this subject; Jim's does so with clarity, painting it with neither a brush of condemnation nor a brush of rosy denial. And it's a damned fine read.
Jim wrote: "I'm reading Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End. Not really historical in most ways, but he does mention the growth of hospitals. I had no idea that they weren't re..."Reminds me of the BBC/PBS series "Call the Midwife" about midwives in 1950s London - back when hospital births were just becoming available, but midwives were still a staple in the community. They based it off one nurse's memoirs. I have the book on my shelf, but I still haven't read it. My mom said it was really good, though!
I just finished "George Washington's Secret Six: The Spy Ring that Saved the American Revolution" by Brian Kilmede and Don Yaegar, and "The Dark Game" by Paul B. Janeczko.
That sounds interesting, Emily. My oldest was the second child born in the new birthing chair at our hospital. My youngest was born at the same hospital 7 years later in a birthing bed. It's interesting how it's changed over the years.
Surgery used to be a horrible nightmare with no pain control and if your had a facial deformity you were called a monster and shunned. If your last surgery was relatively pain free, or you know someone who has a better life because of plastic surgery, we have Dr. Thomas Mutter to thank. I'm reading Dr. Mutter's Marvels: A True Tale of Intrigue and Innovation at the Dawn of Modern Medicine. Fascinating history of medicine in the 1830s and 40s.
I'm reading The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights by Steve Sheinkin. It was a National Book Award finalist and a Newberry Honor winner.
I'm reading Women Heroes of World War I: 16 Remarkable Resisters, Soldiers, Spies, and Medics. Lots of brave and intelligent women.
Rory wrote: "I just started If Walls Could Talk: An Intimate History of the Home by Lucy Worsley.https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
I've really been looking forward to this one. :)"
I just found this same book on my library's overdrive online books. It looks interesting so I'm giving it a try.
I'm reading Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania.
Started : Cosmos by Carl Sagan. If you are looking for any recommendations, try this : Extraordinary popular delusions by Charles Mackay. :)
The Great Divide: The Conflict between Washington and Jefferson that Defined a Nation by Thomas J. Fleming. He's a neighbor of my parents and sent them an autographed copy. It's faster if I read it and tell them about it!
If Walls Could Talk: An Intimate History of the Home by Lucy Worsley. Do you think your bed is crowded because the dog sleep with you? Imagine sleeping with ten or twelve people, some of whom are strangers just passing by. Ms. Worsley's book is making me glad I live in the 21st century.
After a chat with my mother, I've just pulled James McPherson's "Abraham Lincoln and the Second American Revolution" from my shelf to my current reading pile. She doesn't read much about the Civil War, but this book drew her interest, and she has found it to be a most insightful revelation of how Lincoln's mind worked in order to maintain executive function in the White House and work with Congress throughout the Civil War. She can't put it down. So I will read it, and she and I will discuss it.
Mod
Alternative pages of 2 books (for the second time); Diary of a young girl and mein kampf ...these are quite similar!
Sally wrote: " After a chat with my mother, I've just pulled James McPherson's "Abraham Lincoln and the Second American Revolution" from my she..."I had to read that one for school. Not going to lie, it was a little too dry for my tastes. I was also reading it at the same time as The Greatest Generation, so that might have colored my opinion of it. That was certainly a dynamic book!
Being a Civil War history enthusiast, I won't likely find it dry. I read this kind of thing all the time. I have heard a lot of amazing stuff about The Greatest Generation, so I ought to acquire that soon and read it.
WV and the Civil War[you] Ruined It For Everyone
Blackwater Chronicles
Mod
Napoleon's Hemorrhoids and other Small Events that Changed History by Phil Mason. Looks like a fun read.
What would we do without Napoleon? My daughter gave me a great book, Napoleon's Privates: 2,500 Years of History Unzipped, for Xmas one year. Great read! I gave it 4 stars & reviewed it here:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Jim wrote: "What would we do without Napoleon? My daughter gave me a great book, Napoleon's Privates: 2,500 Years of History Unzipped, for Xmas one year. Great read! I gave it 4 stars & revie..."That has to be one of the best titles ever!
I'm reading Rose Valland: Resistance at the Museum. I wanted to find out more about her. The book Monuments Men gave her much more credit than the movie did. The things she did and the things that happened to her were more exciting than the movie portrayed, so I thought I'd find a book that goes into her life.
Mod
Tracy wrote: "Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War by Karen Abbott"I got that for Christmas and finished it recently. I hope you enjoy it.
I enjoyed it, very much.
I am reading The Map Maker's Children by Sarah McCoy
History is Not Boring
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