October 2011

The Great Sea

October 25, 2011

As so often happens when I pick up a history book, I was recently whacked over the head by a factoid that was both obvious and illuminating: the name Mediterranean literally means “the sea between the lands”. It’s a good name, but it’s by no means the only name that sea has gone by. The [...]

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Wonders & Marvels–and me!

October 19, 2011

For those of you who don’t know it, Wonders & Marvels is one of the best history sites on the web.  Holly Tucker, the author of Blood Work, has put together a lively community “for curious minds who love history, its odd stories and good reads”. In addition to book reviews and guest posts by [...]

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Columbus Sails the Ocean Blue

October 12, 2011

Columbus Day is a problematic holiday.  Schools and government offices close, but most private businesses do not.  There is no public or private celebration.  For many of us, the only impact is the realization that there was no mail delivery, so the book we’re expecting didn’t come.  Dang it. For those of us who study [...]

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The Birth of the Boy Scouts

October 8, 2011

In the summer of 1899, no one would have pegged Colonel Robert Baden-Powell as a potential military hero.  He had spent the first twenty years of his army career in small colonial wars in Afghanistan and Africa, involved more often in map-making and scouting than in battle.   When he wasn’t spying, he spent his time [...]

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Who Ya Gonna Call? Osprey

October 4, 2011

One Christmas long, long ago–back in the days when My Own True Love was no more than my buddy and business partner–we exchanged packages that looked oddly similar. I gave him a book on the battle of Dunbar, part of Osprey Publication’s Campaign series.  He gave me a book on Attila the Hun, part of [...]

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