BW28: Learning through History and Writing

Jonathan Wolstenhome

I've been knee deep searching for curriculum for next school year.  My son will be studying World History for 10th grade which means, like the picture above, I've been researching and following a lot of rabbit trails the past few weeks.  He loves history, especially the World War II era and has been following his own rabbit trails the past year.  I'm hoping to engage his sense of curiosity in regards to other eras as well.   I stumbled upon W.W. Norton's website and fell in love.  I discovered Worlds Together, Worlds Apart and after a short debate with myself decided to go for it.  Along with an Anthology of Western Literature.  *sigh*   

Since he loves history and loves to write, followed a meandering path to A Pocket Guide to Writing In History

As well as John Lewis Gaddis' The Landscape of History: How Historians Map the Past and Daniel Boorstin's The Discoverers: A History of man's Search to Know His World and Himself.  Fortunately, he enjoys reading non fiction which has opened my eyes to some very interesting books which I would have never considered before. 

Finally decided since he is so into history, to include a bit of Art history as well.  I don't know if any of you have reading books from the Dummies series. They are kind of hit and miss depending on the subject.  We recently started reading  Art History for Dummies after dinner and it's more enjoyable than Stokard's mammoth Art History book. Sorry Marilyn.  However, I couldn't resist getting Gombrich's The Story of Art:

For my own personal amusement and education, I am reading Dinty Moore's  The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Nonfiction: Advice and Essential Exercises from Respected Writers, Editors, and Teachers.  Yes, I know, quite wordy but what do you expect from writers. *grin*   

What have you been studying lately? 

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History of the Medieval World - Chapter 32 South Indian Kings  pp 231 - 236

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BW27: Jubilant July - Charming and enchanting

Welcome to Jubilant July and our theme of charming and enchanting plus our author flavor of the month - Tracy Chevalier.

What does charming and enchanting make you think of?  Southern Belles, Fairy tales, bewitching vixens, dashing alpha males, or mystical, magical tales or fantasy heroes.   We could go any route - whether it be cozy mysteries, retold fairy tales, southern gothics or historical fiction to name a few.  See what tickles your funny bone and enjoy following a few rabbit trails. 

One of which leads us to Tracy Chevalier  who is currently working on a retelling of Othello as well as organizing events and editing a short story anthology in honor to and in celebration of Charlotte Bronte's 200th birthday in 2016.  I think Chevalier is best know for her story The Girl with the Pearl Earring although she has written several novels including The Lady and the Unicorn and a story revolving around William Blake - Burning Bright.

Join me this month is reading all things charming and enchanting, plus I'll be diving into The Girl with the Pearl Earring. 

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History of the Medieval World - Chapter 31 Reunification pp 223 - 230

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BW25: Summer is here!

Happy Summer!

Welcome to Summer and happy Father's day to all our dads.  I love Ella Fitzgerald and just had to share her rendition of Summertime.  Enjoy! 

Summer is a time to be lazy, rest and relax. Enjoy the beach, take a hike along the water or along a forest trail.  Maybe hit the road and explore or perhaps fly somewhere special with your special someones.  Or, we can just stay home and curl up with a good book or two or three.   I've had a couple weeks of my kid's summer lazies and already working up some summer lessons to keep us all from going crazy.  

So my task for you this week is to pick out one word that represents summer, get out your rusty, trusty thesaurus for a synonym and see if you can find a book in your stacks to match.  Have fun! 

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History of the Medieval World - Chapter 29 Pestilence pp 203 - 214

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BW21: G.K. Chesterton

Gilbert Keith Chesterton

Happy Birthday to G.K. Chesterton, an English writer who was born on May 29, 1874 and died at the age of 62 on June 14, 1936. He has written many essays on democracy, religion, philosophy and religion as well as writing.  Today I'll leave you with his essay "The Ideal Detective Story " originally printed in Illustrated London News October 25, 1930

There has been some renewal of debate on the problem of the problem story; sometimes called the police novel, because it now consists chiefly of rather unjust depreciation of the police. I see that Father Ronald Knox has written a most interesting introduction to a collection of tales of the kind; and Mrs. Carolyn Wells, the author of an admirable mystery called “Vicky Van, ” has reissued a study on the subject. There is one aspect of the detective story which is almost inevitably left out in considering the detective stories. 

That tales of this type are generally slight, sensational, and in some ways superficial, I know better than most people, for I have written them myself. If I say there is in the abstract something quite different, which may be called the Ideal Detective Story, I do not mean that I can write it. I call it the Ideal Detective Story because I cannot write it. Anyhow, I do think that such a story, while it must be sensational, need not be superficial. In theory, though not commonly in practice, it is possible to write a subtle and creative novel, of deep philosophy and delicate psychology, and yet cast it in the form of a sensational shocker.

The detective story differs from every other story in this: that the reader is only happy if he feels a fool. At the end of more philosophic works he may wish to feel a philosopher. But the former view of himself may be more wholesome – and more correct. The sharp transition from ignorance may be good for humility. It is very largely a matter of the order in which things are mentioned, rather than of the nature of the things themselves. 

The essence of a mystery tale is that we are suddenly confronted with a truth which we have never suspected and yet can see to be true. There is no reason, in logic, why this truth should not be a profound and convincing one as much as a shallow and conventional one. There is no reason why the hero who turns out to be a villain, or the villain who turns out to be a hero, should not be a study in the living subtleties and complexities of human character, on a level with the first figures in human fiction. 

It is only an accident of the actual origin of these police novels that the interest of the inconsistency commonly goes no further than that of a demure governess being a poisoner, or a dull and colourless clerk painting the town red by cutting throats. There are inconsistencies in human nature of a much higher and more mysterious order, and there is really no reason why they should not be presented in the particular way that causes the shock of a detective tale. There is electric light as well as electric shocks, and even the shock may be the bolt of Jove. 

It is, as I have said, very largely a matter of the mere order of events. The side of the character that cannot be connected with the crime has to be presented first; the crime has to be presented next as something in complete contrast with it; and the psychological reconciliation of the two must come after that, in the place where the common or garden detective explains that he was led to the truth by the stump of a cigar left on the lawn or the spot of red ink on the blotting-pad in the boudoir. But there is nothing in the nature of things to prevent the explanation, when it does come, being as convincing to a psychologist as the other is to a policeman.

For instance, there are several very great novels in which characters behave with what might well be called a monstrous and terrible inconsistency. I will merely take two of them at random. By the end of the book we are successfully convinced that so very sympathetic a woman as Tess of the D’Urbervilles has committed a murder. By the end of the book we are (more or less) convinced that so very sympathetic a woman as Diana of the Crossways has betrayed a political secret. I say more or less, because in this latter case I confess to finding it, so far as I am concerned, an example of less. 

I do not understand what Diana Merion was doing in the TIMES office I do not understand what Meredith meant her to be doing; but I suppose Meredith understood. Anyhow, we may be certain that his reason was, if anything, too subtle, and not, as in the common sensational story, too simple. In any case, broadly speaking, we follow the careers of Tess of the D’Urbervilles and Diana of the Crossways until we admit that those characters have committed those crimes. 

There is no sort of reason why the story should not be told in the reverse order; in an order in which those crimes should first appear utterly inconsistent with those characters, and be made consistent by a description that should come at the end like a revelation. Somebody else might first be suspected of betraying the secret or slaying the man. I suppose nothing would have turned Hardy aside from hounding Tess to the gallows, though it might have been some gloomy comfort to him to have hanged somebody who had not murdered anybody.

But many of Meredith’s characters might have betrayed a secret. Only it seems possible that they might have told the secret in such an ingenious style of wit that it remained a secret after all. I know that there has been of late a rather mysterious neglect of Meredith, to balance what seems to me (I dare to confess) the rather exaggerated cult of Hardy. But, anyhow, there are older and more obvious examples than either of these two novelists.

There is Shakespeare, for instance: he has created two or three extremely amiable and sympathetic murderers. Only we can watch their amiability slowly and gently merging into murder. Othello is an affectionate husband who assassinates his wife out of sheer affection, so to speak. But as we know the story from the first, we can see the connection and accept the contradiction. But suppose the story opened with Desdemona found dead, Iago or Cassio suspected, and Othello the very last person likely to be suspected. 

In that case, “Othello” would be a detective story. But it might be a true detective story; that is, one consistent with the true character of the hero when he finally tells the truth. Hamlet, again, is a most lovable and even peaceable person as a rule, and we pardon the nervous and slightly irritable gesture which happens to have the result of sticking an old fool like a pig behind a curtain. 

But suppose the curtain rises on the corpse of Polonius, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern discuss the suspicion that has immediately fallen on the First Player, an immoral actor accustomed to killing people on the stage; while Horatio or some shrewd character suspects another crime of Claudius or the reckless and unscrupulous Laertes. Then “Hamlet” would be a shocker, and the guilt of Hamlet would be a shock. But it might be a shock of truth, and it is not only sex novels that are shocking. 

These Shakespearean characters would be none the less coherent and all of a piece because we brought the opposite ends of the character together and tied them into a knot. The story of Othello might be published with a lurid wrapper as “The Pillow Murder Case.” But it might still be the same case; a serious case and a convincing case. The death of Polonius might appear on the bookstalls as “The Vanishing Rat Mystery,” and be in form like an ordinary detective story. Yet it might be The Ideal Detective Story.

Nor need there be anything vulgar in the violent and abrupt transition that is the essential of such a tale. The inconsistencies of human nature are indeed terrible and heart-shaking things, to be named with the same note of crisis as the hour of death and the Day of Judgment. They are not all fine shades, but some of them very fearful shadows, made by the primal contrast of darkness and light. Both the crimes and the confessions can be as catastrophic as lightning. Indeed, The Ideal Detective Story might do some good if it brought men back to understand that the world is not all curves, but that there are some things that are as jagged as the lightning-flash or as straight as the sword.

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History of the Medieval World - Chapter 24 Resentment pp 165 - 171

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BW12: Happy Spring!

Josephine Wall's Hope Springs Eternal

The year’s at the spring
And day’s at the morn;
Morning’s at seven;
The hillside’s dew-pearled;
The lark’s on the wing;
The snail’s on the thorn;
God’s in His heaven -
All’s right with the world!

~Robert Browning

Happy Spring! In keeping with our mystery theme this month, I looked up books with spring in the title and found several interesting mystery titles. 

 How about something hard boiled

Poodle Springs by Raymond Chandler

Or a bit British

G.M. Malleit's Pagan Spring

Maybe a psychological thrill

Clifford Irving's The Spring

Or gut wrenching suspense

Rick Riordan's Cold Springs

or a step back in time 

Charles O'Brien's Death in Saratoga Springs

Find something with Spring in the title to read this season. And no, you don't have to stick with mysteries.  *grin* 

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History of the Medieval World - Chapter 15 (pp 100 - 105)

Northern Ambitions (China 420 - 464 AD)

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BW11: Cozy Mysteries

Cozy mysteries are so much fun to read. They usually involve a casual sleuth in a small town and a variety of settings (bookstore, museum, crafts shop, restaurant) as well as a variety of occupations (librarian, coffee house, reporter) with various side kicks including cats or maybe a dog or two or even a ghost.  The crime usually takes place off screen as well as any romantic interludes.  One  favorite cozy mystery author is Cleo Coyle with her Coffee House Mysteries as well as her Haunted Bookshop series. Check out her virtual coffeehouse full of coffee and muffin recipes.  Start with On What Grounds and she'll not only get you hooked on the story, but coffee recipes as well.  *grin*

Courtesy of Cleo Coyle

I also lean toward bookstore themed stories and have enjoyed Lorna Barrett's Booktown Mystery series starting with Murder is Binding.

 

Check out Cozy Mysteries Unlimited where you'll find every kind of cozy mystery possible.  

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History of the Medieval World 

 Chapter 13 (pp 91 - 94) - Seeking Homeland (410 - 418 AD)

 Chapter 14 (pp 95 - 99) - The Gupta Decline (415 - 480 AD)

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BW8: Pick a book by the cover

Are you ready for a mini challenge?  Just realized I hadn't done any yet this year.   

Most of the time, when picking out a book at the bookstore or shopping online, I look for a familiar author or a book someone has recommended.   A few years back, a blogger friend of mine posed a challenge to pick a book based on its cover. The catch however was not to read the synopsis or reviews or anything else that would tell you what the book is about.  Pick the book, blog what you think the book is about, then read it and find out if your supposition was correct.  Easier said than done especially when you are as nosy as I am. The hard part is not  reading the excerpt on-line or if in the bookstore, reading a few pages here or there to see if it captures your attention. 

I've tried it a few times and have picked up some very interesting books using that method.  
This time, I went on Amazon and looked at  the new releases and chose books by authors I've never read, had an intriguing picture or title. I picked out some books after checking out the synopsis, but I resisted temptation and didn't read the excerpts or reviews. 

Euphoria by Lily King

Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro

Miramont's Ghost by Elizabeth Hall

Beautiful Redemption by Jamie McGuire

 
So which one do you think I should read?   I'll read the one that receives the most votes and let you know what I think of the story.   Join in the fun. Go the the library, bookstore or online and  pick a book based on its title or cover.

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History of the Medieval World - Chapter 10 (pp 72 - 76)

Cracked in Two (392 - 396 AD)

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BW3: Women of the Middle Ages

Eleanor of Aquitaine courtesy of Medieval Life and Times

There has been quite a bit of discussion about balancing out our read of History of the Medieval world with some female authors or reads about females of the medieval time period.  Since the time frame runs from the 5th century with the collapse of the Roman Empire through the 15th century and the beginning of the Renaissance, we have a rather broad area to browse through.   Although the period was admittedly dominated male centric, there were quite a few powerful women not only behind them, but leading as well. I've highlighted a few as well as some books I discovered in my meanderings about the interwebz:

Notable women

Hypatia of Alexandria ( 370 - 415 ) Mathematician and Philosopher

St. Brigid of Kildair ( 451 - 525)  Founded the first nunneries in Ireland

Theodora ( 497 - 528)  Byzantine empress, wife and adviser to emperor Justinian

Irene of Athens (752 - 803)  Byzantine empress who, upon Leo IV death, become co-ruler with son Constantine VI 

Anna Comnena - (1083 - 1148) Considered 1st female historian and documented the reign of her father, Alexius I

Hildegard of Bingen (1098 - 1179) German prioress of Benedictine cloister of Disibodenberg

Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122 - 1204) Queen of France 

Christine De Pizan (1364 - 1430)  Italian poet, writer and feminine activist

Joan of Arc (1412 - 1421) Lead French army to victory during 100 years war

Book discoveries

Most Wise and Valiant Ladies by Andria Hopkins

The Most Powerful Women in the Middle Ages by Melissa Rank

Women in the Medieval Islamic World by Gavin Hambly

Goodreads Best Medieval History Books - nonfiction

I think that gives us a pretty good start and there are numerous historical fiction stories that will suffice as well, so be sure to check out Historical Novels which has quite a long list of reads.  Happy hunting! 

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History of the Medieval World - Chapter 3 (pp 21 - 27)

Empire of the Mind (India 319-415)

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Week 1 - A Merry New Reading Year

Courtesy of Adelightsomelife

Happy New Year and welcome to a merry new reading year at Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks.  Welcome back to all who are joining me for another round and to those joining in for the first time.  

The rules are very simple. Read 52 Books. That's it. How you get there is up to you.  We have several optional challenges listed in the link bar above to stimulate your imagination and help you on your reading journeys.  In addition to the perpetual A to Z, Well Educated Mind challenge, Dusty/Chunky books, and another journey Around the World,  we will be having some readalongs, an Author Flavor of the Month as well as monthly themes to tickle your reading taste buds.  I'll be throwing in mini challenges here and there such as pick a book with a color or number or season in the title, or pick a book written in your birth year.

To start off our mind voyage for the year, this month's theme is January Journeys - rambling jaunts and walks, translated and transformed.    We'll be packing up our backpacks, replacing those old thread worn walking shoes for a new pair, and sailing (or flying if you prefer)  out across the Pacific toward the far eastern shores of the continent of Asia.  Where you go from there is up to you.  We'll be rambling and roving around reading translated books, exploring and examining different cultures and delving into the present as well as the past. 

We'll be starting out with a year long read of Susan Wise Bauer's History of the Medieval World. The goal is to finish by the end of the year so we will aim for one to two chapters a week.

Our author flavor of the month is Haruki Murakami (born 1/12/49) and I'll be diving into Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World while a few other gals on Well Trained Mind forums are choosing to delve into Kafka on the Shore.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading 1Q84  and still contemplating the strangeness of A Wind Up Bird Chronicle. Check out one of his books this month if you choose. 

I have found several resources for translated books and if you know of any I haven't mentioned, please let me know and we'll add it to the list. 

3% - A resource for international books by the University of Rochester.  I ended up exploring many rabbit trails through this site. 

Archipelago Books - Thanks to this company, I currently have Blinding and The Great Weaver of Kashmir in my backpack.

Glagoslav Publications - Translations from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus for English and Dutch readers.  

Europa Editions has now created World Noir specializing in international crime fiction. 

Our first week is going to run from today through Saturday, January 10th so enjoy, relax and have fun exploring.  I look forward to hearing all about your finds. 

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