The Great Sea

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!

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

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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