Showing posts with label Research: History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Research: History. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 7, 2015


Rare Book School at the University of Virginia


Every summer, the Rare Book School at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville hosts week-long courses in June and July in the history of books and manuscripts, book design, book binding, paleography, history of illustrations and letterforms, and so on. In addition, the school offers certificate programs in various concentrations. Here's an overview of the type of things people will learn.

If you cannot make it to Charlottesville in June and July, the school also offers courses in other states: Lilly Library at Indiana University Bloomington (May); the Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts at the University of Pennsylvania and the Library Company of Philadelphia in Philadelphia (July); at the Library of Congress in Washington (July); and at the Grolier Club and the New York Public Library in New York (October).

Prices are steep ($1295 per week) and the hours long and intense. If you cannot make it to any of the courses this or any other year, the school offers up for free advanced reading lists for all its courses. Students are required to have all the reading done before they arrive for the course.

Let me dream here. If I could've been in Charlottesville in June and July, this is what I would've taken:

June 7-12: Reference Sources for Researching Rare Books

June 14-19: The History of the Book, 200–2000; Introduction to Paleography, 800–1500; Printed Books to 1800: Description & Analysis

July 5-10: Advanced Seminar in the History of Bookbinding

July 19-24: Rare Book Cataloging; The Handwriting & Culture of Early Modern English Manuscripts

July 26-31: Provenance: Tracing Owners & Collections

Tuesday, June 9, 2015


Medieval Manuscripts Paleography Summer School


The University of London's Institute of English Studies is offering a summer school in medieval manuscripts studies and paleography in June this year. Subject areas include Latin, English, Anglo-Saxon, German, and Greek paleography; history of scripts; illuminated manuscripts; codicology; vernacular editing; and liturgical and devotional manuscripts.

The summer school is hosted by the Centre for Manuscript and Print Studies with the co-operation of the British Library, the Institute of Historical Research, Senate House Library, the Warburg Institute, University College, King's College London, and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

After half a year of online medieval manuscript studies offered by Stanford and Cambridge universities, titled Digging Deeper 1 and Digging Deeper 2, this summer school sounds like a heaven-sent opportunity to further my education in paleography (study of medieval scripts) and others areas of manuscript studies. Unfortunately, this is not something I can take up.

But if I were to go, these are the courses I would've signed up for:
—Introduction to the Insular System of Scripts to 900 A.D.
—Approaches to the Art of Insular Manuscripts
—Liturgical and Devotional Manuscripts I
—Liturgical & Devotional Manuscripts II
—Introduction to Latin Paleography
—Intermediate Latin Palaeography
—Intermediate Old English Paleography

The London Rare Books School also offers the following week-long courses with paleographical content: The Medieval Book, The Book in the Ancient World, and Latin Paleography. In July, it'll be offering an Introduction to Latin Paleography course.

Friday, April 24, 2015


Historical Fiction Readers' Survey




Announcing the 2015 Historical Fiction READERS' SURVEY!

It's a short 5–10 minute survey and seeks input on reading habits, historical fiction preferences, favorite authors, favorite book titles, etc.

THE SURVEY WILL BE OPEN UNTIL MAY 14.

According to historical fiction author M.K. Tod, "Writers and readers have a symbiotic relationship. Ideas spark writers to create stories and build worlds and characters for readers’ consumption. Readers add imagination and thought along with their backgrounds and attitudes to interpret those stories, deriving meaning and enjoyment in the process. A story is incomplete without both writer and reader."

Tod then goes on to ask, "What do readers want? What constitutes a compelling story? How do men and women differ in their preferences? Where do readers find recommendations? What are their attitudes to pricing or their favorite reading blogs?"

A survey such as this reaches out to readers to seek their opinions.

So if you are a reader or a writer of historical fiction, please take the survey and share the link [https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GXRD9B7] with friends, colleagues, and family and on your favorite social media sites. Robust participation across age groups, countries, and other demographics will make this year's survey even more significant.

If you so choose, at the end of the survey, you can sign up to receive the survey analysis report when it becomes available.

In 2012, author M.K. Tod conducted the first survey of historical fiction readers. Then in October 2013, Tod conducted a second survey.

Some of the highlights of the 2013 survey include:

  • GENDER MAKES A DIFFERENCE: Women and men differ significantly in their reading habits and preferences and their views of historical fiction.
  • AGE MAKES A DIFFERENCE: Those under 30 have different preferences for genre and time period and have different patterns of consumption and acquisition.
  • SOCIAL MEDIA IS HAVING A BIG IMPACT ON READING: Social media and online sites play an increasingly significant role for those choosing, purchasing, and talking about fiction.
  • BOOK BLOGS ARE VERY POPULAR: 1,473 participants listed one, two or three favorite blogs.
  • GEOGRAPHY: Responses to questions such as the use of online tools for recommendations and purchasing and preferred setting for historical fiction varied by geography.
  • PRICING: Sadly, readers are pushing for low prices. For example, 60% want e-books at $5.99 or less and 66% want paperbacks at $10.99 or less.
  • ONLINE BOOK CLUBS ARE GAINING POPULARITY: 21% belong to online clubs while 15% belong to clubs meeting in a physical location
  • VOLUME OF BOOKS READ MAKES A DIFFERENCE: for example, high volume readers have different expectations for book reviews, a higher interest in tracking their books, and higher usage of online tools and social media to augment their reading experience.

    Survey author M.K. TOD writes historical fiction and blogs about all aspects of the genre at A Writer of History. Her latest novel, LIES TOLD IN SILENCE, is set in WWI France. The survey is supported by JENNY QUINLAN of Historical Editorial and by BEATRIZ WILLIAMS, an author of historical fiction.

    Please participate in the 2015 survey and share the URL [https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GXRD9B7] with others.

    THE SURVEY WILL BE OPEN UNTIL MAY 14.

  • Tuesday, July 22, 2014


    Bath: The Happening Place in History




    Anyone who has visited Bath, England comes away with loving memories of a city rich in history and beauty. As Samuel Johnson [1709–1784] wrote: "Let me counsel you not to waste your health in unprofitable sorrow, but go to Bath and endeavour to prolong your life." For seventeen centuries, the City of Bath has hosted visitors from all walks of life believing exactly that. There's this fan of Bath, H.V. Morton, who in 1927 wrote: "I like Bath. It has quality. I like Bath buns, Bath Olivers, Bath chaps, Bath brick, Bath stone (which to my London eyes is the beautiful sister of Portland stone), and watching the Bath chairs dash past." Honestly, do you see any denizen of a Bath chair (AKA wheelchair) wanting to dash about the steep hills of the city?

    .........

    Please visit the Risky Regencies blog is see the rest of my post on the City of Bath.

    This is my second post for the Riskies. The first post is here all the way from April 2008. I'm so chuffed to be writing for them. The Riskies was the first blog I visited when I started my Internet adventures in 2006. That it dealt with the Regency period of British history and featured authors writing romance stories set in that time period were definitely its biggest draws. I since have stayed on as a reader all these years because of the personalities of the authors writing the blog. So do join me there.

    Monday, March 10, 2014


    Historical Fiction Survey Results


    I blogged here in October 2013 about the Historical Novel Society conducting a survey of readers' reading habits, purchasing/borrowing habits, interest in history and historical periods and reasons behind them, and the types of writing and writing skills of authors.

    A few days ago, surveyor M.K. Tod emailed me these results of the analyses of the survey.

    Do read the survey in-depth. I found it fascinating. Here are some of the highlights.

    The survey reached 2,440 participants (83% female, 17% male) and was conducted between October 16 and November 11, 2013.

    The largest participating group was in the 50-59 age range, followed by the 40-49 range.

    The number of U.S. participants dominated the chart followed by the ones from the U.K. and Ireland.

    The majority of the participants were readers followed by some authors and some bloggers.

    Majority of the participants were avid readers, reading more than 30 books a year.

    Showing Amazon's grip on the book retail business, people overwhelmingly bought books there.

    Print books still dominated the number of books sold, but people tended to mostly buy a mix of print and electronic books.

    In choosing a book, the following were important, in decreasing order of importance: subject matter, author, and trusted recommendation. Publisher was the least important of all the factors.

    In terms of pricing, people chose the following: eBooks: $2–$6, print $6–$11, and hardcover $16–$20. These prices are below industry standard. The key takeaway from this is that people think eBooks should be much cheaper than print books. The premium put on production and distribution of books as a large part of the pricing of a book, meant that people expected the eBooks to be discounted.

    In answer to why do you read historical fiction, people chose: to bring the past to life, because it's a great story, and to understand and learn without reading non-fiction.

    People chose the following for the question within historical fiction, what type of story appeals to you?: fictional characters within a backdrop of great historical events, followed closely by, adventure, romance, life of a single historical figure. The least popular were inspirational and thriller.

    Popular historical periods: 13th–16th centuries, 18th century, and 19th century. The least popular was prehistory.

    Europe and Britain dominated the popular historical geographies category by far, followed by the U.S. The least popular was Latin America.

    When reading a historical fiction novel, the following were most important parts: superb writing and feeling immersed in time and place. The least important was dysfunctional families.

    Where do you find recommendations chart was broken down equally between: friends, favorite websites or blogs, online retailers especially Amazon, social media, and browsing the bookstore. The least looked for were publishers' websites.

    People overwhelmingly didn't belong to book clubs but did discuss their books over social media.

    The most popular looked for information from blogs are reviews, new release information, and author interviews.

    BTW, as one of the survey participants, my blog is listed on Tod's blog.

    Tuesday, October 22, 2013


    Historical Fiction Survey


    If you're a fan of historical fiction, like I am, then I'd like you to consider spending five minutes of your time on THIS SURVEY by the Historical Novel Society.

    The survey attempts to collect data on readers' reading habits, purchasing/borrowing habits, interest in history and historical periods and reasons behind them, and types of writing and writing skills of authors. You can then choose to have the results of the survey inboxed to you. If you're a blogger, they will highlight your blog if you give them your address.

    Wednesday, October 16, 2013


    Wellington Tour of England


    Are you a fan of the first Duke of Wellington of Georgian and Regency English fame? If so, THIS TOUR presented by Number One London will be a sure hit. The 10-day tour, set for September 2014, will cover London, Walmer, Brighton, Hampshire, and Windsor.

    Number One London is a blog by historical fiction authors Kristine Hughes and Victoria Hinshaw. They have led similar themed tours of England before.

    The trip will start with "an exclusive guided tour of Apsley House, the Duke of Wellington’s London home, also known as Number One London" (and thus, the name of the blog).

    The trip will end with a tour of Windsor's Frogmore House and Gardens and a cruise on Thames River.

    The trip also includes an excursion to Highclere Castle, otherwise known as Downton Abbey on the ostensibly thin connection that the owner Lord Carnarvon sat in the House of Lords with the Duke of Wellington.

    I'm so tempted to go on a tour with other authors and readers, all fascinated by this history.

    Wednesday, July 17, 2013


    History Live! with Re-enactors in Northamptonshire, England


    Kelmarsh Hall in Northamptonshire, England will be hosting Europe's biggest historical event, titled History Live! on July 20–21, 2013.

    Over 2,000 re-enactors and performers bring two millennia of history to life through medieval jousts, Tudor combat displays, Norman battle re-enactments, Roman soldier parades, Regency wars, falconry, gladiators, and a host of interactive experiences.

    Check this one out: "Our Victorian Gymkhana features both ladies and gentlemen competing in a series of relay races that require considerable skill, including the ability to carry a glass of champagne at full gallop (and drink it from the back of a horse!)"

    "The BBC History Magazine Lecture Tent brings together some of Britain's finest historians and historical writers, giving visitors the opportunity to listen to talks and ask questions on some of the key moments in England's history."

    This is so much fun! I'm totally green with envy at all those visitors who will be able to go to this. Oh, to be able to live on that side of the pond!

    [Images courtesy of Point and Shoot Medieval Photography.]

    Friday, December 7, 2012


    Picture Day Friday: Thari Women


    Thari women from Pakistan's Sindh district that's part of the vast Thar desert. Culturally, they're related to India's Rajasthani desert nomads. Religiously, they're very much in the minority with their belief in Hinduism. Dhatki is the main language spoken in the Tharparkar region of Sindh where many of the Thari live.

    In complete contrast to the monochromatic desert landscape they live in, the Thari have created a culture that is vibrant, colorful, and full of life. They are the world's premier environmentalists, in that, preservation and conservation are bred in them from birth.

    Their livelihood is entirely dependent upon the rains during the monsoon season and deep wells the rest of the year. Thus water has informed their food consumption, culture, lifestyle, entertainment, dress, as well as their personal attitudes and values.

    Commercially, the Thari are involved in handcrafting pottery, puppets, leather items, wood items, carpets, metal decorations, block prints, embroidered shoes, embroidery beading and mirror work on clothes and tapestries, painting, colorful and intricate jewelry, among other works of art and craft. The handicrafts are distinguished by their bright, cheerful colors.



    Wednesday, September 7, 2011


    Today in History


    September 7th is the 250th day (251st day in leap years) of the Gregorian calendar. On this day in 1822, Brazil won its independence from Portugal. It's also the National Threatened Species Day in Australia and Victory Day in Mozambique.


    On this day in...

    70 – A Roman army under Titus occupies and plunders Jerusalem.
    1191 – Third Crusade: Battle of Arsuf – Richard I of England defeats Saladin at Arsuf.
    1776 – World's first submarine attack: the American submersible craft Turtle attempts to attach a time bomb to the hull of British Admiral Richard Howe's flagship HMS Eagle in New York Harbor.
    1812 – Napoleonic Wars: Battle of Borodino – Napoleon wins a Pyrrhic victory over the Russian army of Alexander I near the village of Borodino.
    1864 – American Civil War: Atlanta, Georgia, is evacuated on orders of Union General William Tecumseh Sherman.
    1876 – In Northfield, Minnesota, Jesse James and the James-Younger Gang attempt to rob the town's bank but are driven off by armed citizens.
    1893 – The Genoa Cricket & Athletic Club, to become the first Italian football club, is established by British expats.
    1895 – The first game of what would become known as rugby league football is played, in England, starting the 1895–96 Northern Rugby Football Union season.
    1901 – The Boxer Rebellion in China officially ends with the signing of the Boxer Protocol.
    1906 – Alberto Santos-Dumont flies his 14-bis aircraft at Bagatelle, France for the first time successfully. 1911 – French poet Guillaume Apollinaire is arrested and put in jail on suspicion of stealing the Mona Lisa from the Louvre museum.
    1916 – Federal employees win the right to Workers' compensation by Federal Employers Liability Act (39 Stat. 742; 5 U.S.C. 751)
    1921 - In Atlantic City, New Jersey, the first Miss America Pageant, a two-day event, is held. 1927 – The first fully electronic television system is achieved by Philo Taylor Farnsworth
    1936 - The last surviving member of the ">thylacine species, the Tasmanian Wolf or Tiger, dies alone in her cage at the Hobart Zoo in Tasmania.
    1940 – World War II: The Blitz – Nazi Germany begins to rain bombs on London. This will be the first of 57 consecutive nights of bombing. 1940 – Treaty of Craiova: Romania loses Southern Dobrudja to Bulgaria.
    1942 – Holocaust: 8,700 Jews of Kolomyia (western Ukraine) sent by German Gestapo to death camp in Belzec.
    1945 – Japanese forces on Wake Island, which they had held since December of 1941, surrender to U.S. Marines.
    1953 – Nikita Khrushchev is elected first secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
    1963 – The Pro Football Hall of Fame opens in Canton, Ohio with 17 charter members.
    1970 – Bill Shoemaker sets record for most lifetime wins as a jockey (passing Johnny Longden).
    1979 – The Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, better known as ESPN, makes its debut.
    1979 – The Chrysler Corporation asks the United States government for USD $1.5 billion to avoid bankruptcy.
    1986 – Desmond Tutu becomes the first black man to lead the Anglican Church in South Africa.
    1988 – Abdul Ahad Mohmand, the first Afghan in space, returns aboard the Soviet spacecraft Soyuz TM-5 after 9 days on the Mir space station. 1996 – American Hip-Hop star Tupac Shakur is fatally shot four times on the Las Vegas strip after leaving the Tyson-Seldon boxing match.
    2004 – Hurricane Ivan, a Category 5 hurricane hits Grenada, damaging 90% of its buildings.
    2005 – First presidential election is held in Egypt.

    Monday, August 29, 2011


    To Perfume or Not To Perfume


    Haute Couturier Coco Chanel was once asked, "Where should one wear perfume?"

    Chanel's answer? "Where ever you would like to be kissed...."

    Jeanne Adams of Romance Bandits says: "Scent is the strongest inducement to memory. Pheremones drive us to passion, to hate, to attraction. Humans have used it for centuries to entice, allure, and decorate the body, both for our own pleasure and to attract the opposite sex." Note, a brief history of perfume HERE.

    I love to wear a scent every day. Like the sun, perfume brightens up my day.

    In my choices, I find that I am selective and inconstant. My likes don't fall in any family of fragrances (floral or woodsy, etc.), but more individual fragrance by individual fragrance. So instead of buying a whole expensive bottle that I'll end up tossing away, I buy 1 ml samples from The Perfumed Court. They have hundreds of manufacturers from Abdes Salaam Attar to Zadig & Voltaire. If I like what I'm wearing, then I sample their 2.5-ml-sized tubes of the same scent a couple times, and then and only then do I splurge for the big bottle.

    One of The Perfumed Court's most popular sample pack is What Celebrities Wear" with over 160 scents, including what Queen Elizabeth II wears.

    These are my favorites that I have never grown tired of: Plumeria Vanilla by Island Bath & Body, Tropical Colada by Bath & Body Works Temptations, Basic Instinct by Victoria's Secret, Chanel No. 5, For Her by Narciso Rodriguez, and Neroli by Laura Mercier. I also like the smell of the original Eau de Cologne.

    "In 1708, Giovanni Maria Farina, an Italian living in Cologne, sat at his kitchen table mixing up a few drops of citrus oil—from lemons, tangerines, grapefruit, and oranges. He added bergamot and a few chopped orange tree leaves, then some lavender and rosemary, added a tincture of jasmine and a dash of diluted ethanol, and hey presto, he had arrived at a miracle water! He named his fragrance Eau de Cologne, (or ‘Kolnisch Wasser’ in German) in honour of the town where he was living."

    Which are your favorite scents? Are there any ones you wear every day? Do you like variety or do you tend to be loyal to your favorites?

    Tuesday, July 6, 2010


    Historical Inaccuracies in Romance Fiction


    I'm a little late in commenting on the kerfuffle that raged in Romancelandia last two weeks about historical inaccuracies in historical romance fiction and should it matter and if so, how much?

    THIS review of Bonnie Dee's JUNGLE HEAT by Sarah Frantz that questioned the main protagonist's musing about his sexuality in context with his time period and location and the lack of socio-political impact of the surroundings on the characters, led to a heated discussion about how much actual and accurate history should romance novels adhere to, admittedly, an oft-repeated refrain in Romancelandia.

    Katiebabs presented her viewpoint in THIS post by asking, "I [have] wondered if an author doesn't research enough or have their facts correct, should that be a big deal?" She answers her own question by saying, "I feel as an author, if you're writing a historical piece of fiction, you should to the best of your ability [to] research the time period." The key words here being "to the best of your ability." [KS: I agree. An author cannot possibly research exhaustively (an infinite problem), nor can she do better than her abilities.]

    THIS post on History Hoydens by Kalen Hughes started focused discussion off in grand style by commenting: "To me, it seems ridiculous to even bother writing 'historical fiction' (be it romance, mystery, whathaveyou) if the 'historical' part is optional." She also posed a relative question: Should books be "HISTORICAL Romance" or "Historical ROMANCE"?

    In THIS post, Courtney Milan lists how much she researches each of her books and why the research and her chosen time period are important to her. So her avowal that she's "not writing period pieces" is puzzling. She further states, "I think the past is a vehicle for the present." [KS: This is where she and I part company. You could say that for a contemporary novel, the past is the vehicle for the present, or a character's backstory is the vehicle for his current motivations, but for a historical novel, this is precisely the reason why the novel would feel modern.]

    In a follow-up post HERE, Sarah Frantz writes, "...for historical m/m romance in particular, the historical accuracy is of paramount importance to HOW the romance progresses." [KS: To me, this statement holds true for all historical romance.] Sarah writes further, "The historical accuracy of the way people thought about themselves, about love, about sex, about IF they could fall in love and WHO they could fall in love with, the etymology of the terminology they used to imagine their relationships, is vital to the progress of their relationship because the very WORDS we use define how we think and how we see and interact with our world." [KS: I agree. Sarah puts it far more articulately here than I do below in my comments section.]

    Commenter Jo Beverely asked, "What’s really interesting, and comes up in this discussion, is what modern readers have against virginal heroines. Once they were the norm and were also in most cases historically accurate. Now, for many readers, they're seen as a negative." [KS: Indeed. Even in modern-day India and Pakistan, for example, virginity for women and men is still the norm in middle-class first marriages. So I for one would believe that 200 years ago this was the norm in upper-class England. Many modern western readers find it laugable. See the different lens through which we view that same England of 200 years ago?]

    Courtney Milan then caps off the kerfuffle with a hilarious laying out of options HERE, where clearly only one is correct. "When people talk about a 'historically accurate book,' they can mean any of the following:
    1.an attempt to recreate a period piece, in which the author mimics the formal sentence structure and word choice of Regency-era works.
    2.a book, set in historical times, where the author gets all of the major (e.g., plot-dependent) details right, and the vast majority of the minor ones.
    3.a book, set in historical times, wherein the author demonstrates that she has done her homework by including as much detail as possible.
    4.a book, set in historical times, wherein the characters adhere firmly to the strictures of their time, without any deviation, no matter their (otherwise historically accurate) motivations."

    As a reader, I object to this comment by Sara Lindsey: "I do my best to keep my setting authentic by means of accurate historical details, but my characters' conduct is largely modern, and I think it has to be in order to appeal to today's (predominantly female) romance readers." [KS: Speaking strictly for me, if I wanted modern conduct, I would read a contemporary. I read a historical for historically appropriate conduct (with latitude).]

    * * *

    In all of these discussions, most everyone was talking about the details (events, word usage, things, real long-dead people, places, etc.), except for Sarah Frantz who refered to how a person thought.

    THAT is at the crux of a historical novel to me. It's not what's without, but what's within that sets a historical in a particular time and place. All the external details are nothing without the characters' reactions to them and emotional feelings and thoughts about them. Our historical characters are people of their times, and just as how we react to our current political, socio-cultural, etc. goings-on, so did they.

    Therefore, no matter if an author sets her scenes with completely accurate historical details, if her characters think like twenty-first century people, it'll be a wallpaper historical.

    It's the Cogitations and Meditations (hah!) of our characters that makes historical fiction HISTORICAl.

    That is not to say that internal or external motivations cannot make a character deviate from the norm, nor does every character have to embody every appropriate reaction to every thing in his environment. In fact, all characters better not be the norm, nor does your book have to bloat with all historically accurate socio-politico-economic thought, otherwise you'll end up with a boring book that'll never see the light of day. But there have got to be historically accurate justifications for every motivation that forges a new path. That is what a story is all about. Just Because is simply as commenter Janet Mullany called it: [the author's] Well of Laziness.

    Commenter Anna Carrasco Bowling sums it up perfectly: "Give me (and let me write) love stories that couldn't have happened at any other time and place and live fully within the world as it was at the time, and I am one happy reader/writer."

    Wednesday, March 10, 2010


    Historical Trivia


    Here's fodder for your cocktail party conversations about ye merry olde England and its olde laws. All credit goes to that venerated documenter of how the British are ever so funny: The BBC. Did you know that...?

    Copyright BBCLondoners are not allowed to keep a pigsty in the front of their homes.

    There is still a law in place that requires Royal Navy ships, which enter the Port of London, to provide a barrel of rum to the Constable of the Tower of London.

    The acts repealed in 2004 included an 1888 law encouraging emigration to the colonies for unemployed adults and pauper children from the overcrowded cities of England and Wales.

    Copyright Wikimedia.orgA law introduced in 1307 ensures that the head of any dead whale found on the British coast becomes the property of the king and the tail belongs to the queen—should she need the bones for her corset.

    Until 1835, anyone who carried a trade in the City of London had to be a freeman—a title still taken up by some 1,800 people every year. One of the privileges is being allowed to take a flock of sheep across London Bridge without being charged a toll.

    In 1797, a law was passed preventing people from wearing a top hat after London haberdasher John Hetherington showed off his creation round the city. The sight of his hat caused quite a stir, and he was arrested and charged with breach of the King's peace. He was found guilty and fined £50.

    Copyright European-Union.caNot technically against the law, but it is not allowed for anyone to die in Parliament. The death certificate is not issued until after the body is removed from Parliament. The reason? Anyone dying in Parliament would be legally entitled to a state funeral as Parliament is part of the Palace of Westminster.

    It is still an offence to beat or shake any carpet rug or mat in any street in the Metropolitan Police District, although you are allowed to shake a doormat before 8am.

    Red Shoes copyright by ElizabethCostume.netElizabeth I was responsible for the law that banned women from using cosmetics to lead a man into marriage. This included false hair, makeup, false hips(?), and high-heeled shoes.

    Monday, May 18, 2009


    2500 Years of History Unzipped


    Napoleon's Privates by Tony PerrottetWhen author Tony Perrottet heard that Napoleon's "baguette" had been stolen by his disgruntled doctor a few days after the emperor's death, he rushed out to New Jersey. Why? Because that's where an eccentric American collector [elderly American urologist John K. Lattimer], who had purchased Napoleon's member at a Parisian auction [in 1977], now kept the actual relic in an old suitcase under his bed.

    The story of Napoleon's privates triggered Perrottet's quest to research other such exotic sagas from history, to discover the actual evidence behind the most famous age-old mysteries: Did Churchill really send condoms of a surprising size to Stalin? Were champagne glasses really molded upon Marie Antoinette's breasts? What was JFK's real secret service? What were Cassanova's best pickup lines? Why did the Marquis de Sade hate his mother-in-law? Will Lincoln ever be outed?

    Saturday, March 14, 2009


    35 Historical Figures I Admire


    Thanks to Facebook tagging by Susan Wilbanks, here's my list of 35 historical figures I admire (in no particular order)....

    Abraham Lincoln
    Martin Luther King Jr.
    William Wilberforce
    Robert the Bruce
    F.D. Roosevelt
    M.K. Gandhi
    Samuel Pepys
    Charles Darwin
    Jane Austen
    Hans Christian Anderson
    Enid Blyton
    Newton
    Einstein
    Alfred the Great
    Bede
    William Wallace
    Mary Wollstonecraft
    Nelson Mandela
    Schindler
    Keats
    Yeats
    William Blake
    Hildegaard von Bingen
    James Murray (OED)
    Tagore
    Akbar
    Alexander the Great
    Darius the Great
    Vyas Muni (Vedas)
    Buddha
    Dalai Lama
    Kalidas
    Robert Frost
    Wordsworth
    Mahavir

    Who are on your list?

    Wednesday, February 11, 2009


    130, 101, 70: History of Mills & Boon and Jean S. MacLeod


    With Valentine's Day just around the corner, it's the perfect ocassion to celebrate one of the grandes dames of the romance genre.

    Jean MacLeodOn January 14, author Jean S. MacLeod turned 101. She celebrated her 70 years of writing for Mills & Boon by starting her 130th book for them. No putting her feet up on the cassock with a hot cuppa for her.

    MacLeod's first published romantic fiction was in 1938, entitled Life For Two. "I sent off a few ideas to Mills & Boon, and they liked them and that has pretty much kept me busy for the past 70 years," she said.

    The Valley of Palms by Jean MacLeodDoctor in Bondage by Jean MacLeodResearch was vital to her, and she traveled all over the world to ensure that the settings for her stories were accurate.

    MacLeod's thoughts on writing romances: "I never could understand why it should be thought a disgrace to write five books a year and sell them." Encouraged by Charles Boon, publisher, MacLeod made personal appearances and gave speeches to women's institutes and groups around the country. She courted her fans. M&B and its authors have single-handedly made the author book signings events where readers gets to meet the authors and vice versa. MacLeod noted that women from all classes and background wrote to her on how much they enjoyed her books.

    Sugar Island by Jean MacLeodThe Ruaig Inheritance by Jean MacLeodA co-founder of UK's Romantic Novelists' Association, MacLeod made £1000 per anum in her first decade, which was a fairly solid writerly income in those times. However, she says, "Money was not a motivation for writing — we were only paid on a royalty basis. Even now, I still pick up around £68 a year in royalties, but the joy of knowing people were, and still are, enjoying my books is payment enough." For a 100-year-old publisher that sells one book every three seconds somewhere in the world, All About Romance asks, "Is somebody taking advantage of an old lady?"

    Despite the content of the Mills & Boon books becoming racier over the years, MacLeod says, "I never use the word 'sex' in my novels — that is not what romance is about. It's about love and emotion."

    Sunday, January 4, 2009


    Rabaris, the Original Gypsies


    Women in CostumesTattooed WomanReading Mine Till Midnight and Seduce me at Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas, Gypsy Lord by Kat Martin, and A Dangerous Love by Brenda Joyce has been a great pleasure for my gadjo eyes. During my trip to India, I was privileged to run into the ancestors of these gypsies that Lisa, Kat, and Brenda write about.

    Little Camel HerderVillage BeautyFor countless generations, the Rabaris have moved with the seasons, around the desert, and through the plains of northwestern India and parts of Pakistan, searching for green pastures, keeping up an age-old tradition as wandering cattle herders. It is a surreal sight when the savvy desert dwellers emerge on the barren horizon, their large turbans, colorful costumes, mystical tattoos, and striking jewelry evoking tales of far away lands and exotic people lost in the mists of time.

    Proud ElderDesert DwellerAfter years of enduring the merciless summer sun, sandstorms, and chilly winter winds, their chiseled faces are a testament to their lifestyle. Persecuted and prosecuted endlessly for their cultural mores and nomadic lifestyle, the Rabaris have retained their folk music and dance, their language(a mixture of the Marwadi and Gujarati), their wandering ways, and their independence.

    They've succeeded in gaining recognition for their distinctive arts, especially embroidery, beadwork, and mirrored mud sculpture. Rabari embroidery, known as bharat-kaam, not only tells us much about their culture, but is also like a language in which the women express themselves. The compositions created by the women comprise specific motifs, each of which has a name and meaning. Many of these symbols represent elements intrinsic to Rabari everyday life and throws light upon how the community sees their world. Others have historical meaning and help to perpetuate the Rabari knowledge of their heritage.

    Rabari Women's Traditional CostumeRabari Woman Showing Off Her HandiworkThe kediyun, a gathered jacket with an embroidered smock, worn by young Rabari men and children and the ghagro, skirts, kanchali , blouses, and ludi, veil, for the women and girls are all dexterously embroidered. The Rabari girl, completes over the years, her entire dowry which includes clothes as well as beautiful quilts or derkee. Much of the handiwork seen in their decorated homes is also by the women.

    Spiral Gold JewelryKokulashtami, after the rains, is marriage time. The men are back from their wanderings for this all-important occasion. All marriages take place on this one day. Since child marriage is still very much in vogue within this tribe, outsiders are distrusted. Again, the Rabari marries only within the tribe and often into families which are closely located. Marrying outside the fold leads to social castigation and is very rare.

    Camels at the Altar of Mother GoddesssThe Rabari believe that they are directly descended from Shiva, one of the Holy Trinity of Hinduism. However, their patron god is Krishna. They trace their ancestry back to Shamal, a mythical camel herder who punished a thieving goddess by making off with her clothes. Shamal later married the goddess and their descendants lived in the Indian state of Haryana. Rabaris are also ardent followers and worshippers of Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva and known as the Mother Goddess. Each clan has its own tribal goddess as the patron deity, though their homes often have pictures of other gods and goddesses as well.

    Especially over the last 1,000 years, the need for additional grazing areas have forced the Rabari south through India's Rajasthan and the Sind in Pakistan, before arriving in The Rann of Kutch in the Indian state of Gujarat. The land is dry with temperatures reaching up to 50 degrees in this saltpan desert. During the monsoon or wet season, the salt pans fill with water, effectively cutting the region off from the rest of India. This has also ensured both physical and cultural isolation, which is why the area retains so much of it's old traditions.