It has been brought to our attention that a website, probably based in Eastern Europe, has uploaded several hundred recently published history books and made them available without charge or password, ostensibly as an educational project. Whilst we won’t mention the site in question, to avoid encouraging them, here is a reminder of the typical… Continue reading Piracy, then and now
Tag: historians
Henry VIII–‘Irritating’. A Historian Speaks Out!
Historians and historical fiction writers sometimes don’t see eye to eye over their respective chosen fields. David Starkey in particular excoriated fiction writers–mainly, it seemed by his rather inflammatory comments, because they tend to be a) female and b) hold different opinions to himself on certain figures such as Thomas Cromwell and Henry VIII.… Continue reading Henry VIII–‘Irritating’. A Historian Speaks Out!
Historians or amateur (non-fiction) enthusiasts….?
Here is something I hope will get your grey cells going. Some time ago, a friend of mine had a quote from her Amazon.com review of a book published on the book itself. The book was one of the Neophyte Warrior series by Richard Patton, of which I have read not one sentence. But it really… Continue reading Historians or amateur (non-fiction) enthusiasts….?
Tyndale and the mumpsimuses….!
Mumpsimus is a word that may have originated with Erasmus, but of which I had never heard. It means “adherence to or persistence in an erroneous use of language, memorization, practice, belief, etc., out of habit or obstinacy”. In William Tyndale‘s 1530 book Practice of Prelates, the word was used in the sense of… Continue reading Tyndale and the mumpsimuses….!
All conflicting evidence is overcome by ignoring it….
What is one to make of a historian who states, quite bluntly, that “All conflicting evidence is overcome by ignoring it.” Right. Well, that’s one way of disposing of awkward anomalies and other puzzles. Kick them into the long grass. I wonder how many historians adopt this same principle? Oh, and the architectural historian… Continue reading All conflicting evidence is overcome by ignoring it….
An obituary
Here is the BBC’s official post about Dr. John Ashdown-Hill, who died last Friday. However, his permanent legacy includes these Powerpoint presentations, originally devised so that he can still educate you about Richard, his life, family and era when he first became unwell enough to do so in person. Alternatively, this is the East Anglian Daily… Continue reading An obituary
Was Henry VII always so clever….?
Yet again, I tell you the old story of looking for one thing and happening on something else. This time an article that questions the ultimate effectiveness of Henry VII’s reign. Well, rather it raises questions that historians don’t seem to have asked before now. It is well worth reading, especially as there are links to other… Continue reading Was Henry VII always so clever….?
1484 – TITULUS REGIUS: FACT OR FICTION?
Introduction ‘ ‘This is indeed a mystery’ I remarked.’ What do you think it means?’‘I have no data yet. It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suite theories, instead of theories to suite facts.’ In Arthur Conan Doyle’s short story A Scandal… Continue reading 1484 – TITULUS REGIUS: FACT OR FICTION?
Richard has a new champion….!
At last, another serious writer who champions Richard. Jason Goetz has produced a very even-handed account of how Richard’s dastardly reputation has come down through the ages…and he takes Richard’s side against the ten-times-more-dastardly Tudors. Goetz has written a series called Essays on the Classics! (The Great Books Revival), in which one of the people… Continue reading Richard has a new champion….!
Hostile Historians and Uppity Authors: Never the Twain Shall Meet?
You would have had to have been locked a dark dungeon in the Tower not to have noticed that there is a new TV series out based on a Philippa Gregory bestseller. THE WHITE PRINCESS has hit the screens in the US (no dates for the UK this time; the BBC bailed after The White… Continue reading Hostile Historians and Uppity Authors: Never the Twain Shall Meet?
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