We have visited Lichfield (Erasmus Darwin, Samuel Johnson, David Garrick, Prince Rupert) and Stratford (Shakespeare), are now in Leicester (Romans, Simon de Montfort, Richard III and the Wars of the Roses), will visit Nottingham (Robin Hood) and will then return home to Lancaster (Romans, the Wars of the Roses).
There is endless material for historical fiction, alternative history fiction and time travel fiction - also, while traveling, much less time for blogging.
6 comments:
Paul:
With regard to Erasmus Darwin, sf author Charles Sheffield wrote some splendid short stories about him investigating various mysterious occurrences (the Wikipedia article mentions this).
Several of them were originally collected under the title *Erasmus Magister* (1982), but a more complete collection came out in 2002 as *The Amazing Dr. Darwin*. There's also an uncollected story, "The Demon of E Staircase," which I haven't yet managed to track down and read.
Kaor, DAVID and Paul!
David, I too have read that Sheffield collection, ERASMUS MAGISTER.
Paul, frankly I'm skeptical that anyone like the alleged Robin Hoodlum actually robbed only from the rich and powerful and then gave the loot to the poor. Think of it, we are supposed to believe poorly armed bandits took on the PROFESSIONAL MILITARY of circa AD 1190, knights and men at arms? No way, Jose! Smart bandits would seek out weaker prey.
I tend to think of Robin Hood as Robbing Hoodlum! (Snorts)
Also, I may have to disconnect for a few days, to get my computer fixed up and cleaned up. Thinking of disconnecting tomorrow.
Sean
Sean,
Please comment before disconnecting.
Paul.
One of the miracles of modern educational systems is that they can make history dull -- just as dull as the old names-and-dates stuff; and at least back then, when they did narrative history they knew it was a collection of -stories-.
Kaor, Paul!
I'll try to comment a few more times before I disappear. Only for a few days, I hope!
Thanks! Sean
Dear Mr. Stirling,
I absolutely agree! One of the many disasters of our current and disastrous "educational" system is to make history boring!
Not all modern works of history are awful or ruined by Politically Correct ax grinding. The works of Lady Antonia Fraser comes to mind, for example. I have three of her books on British history. And I like older writers like JB Bury's HISTORY OF THE LATER ROMAN EMPIRE FROM THE DEATH OF THEODOSIUS I TO THE DEATH OF JUSTINIAN I. And I have many of Penguin Books translations of Classical or Medieval works of history. One of my favorites being St. Gregory of Tours HISTORY OF THE FRANKS, trans. by Lewis Thorpe.
Sean
Post a Comment