I have read a lot of books whose stories revolve around the royal families of Great Britain. I used to have a copy of Mary Queen of Scots by Antonia Fraser, but after having tried several times to get through it, I finally gave it away. This Margaret George book is a much better read IMO.
It say kings and queens on the other volume, but we know who the really great rulers are. This reference book really comes in handy when I am watching a show about jolly old England in the days past and I need to refresh my memory as to who was white, red, Tudor, Stuart, etc. My world history teacher was German, so England got a brief mention in high school when it came to World History.
Do you enjoy fictional biographies?
Quincy Mine: Q is not such an easy letter. I only know of this area because it is one of the day trips in my 'Michigan Day Trips' book. If you have just left Pictured Rocks, you are in the right area to take a tram ride down a mine. Sounds like fun, right? The Quincy Mine is also a part of the Keweenaw National Historical Park.
Ok that's funny that your teacher didn't talk much about the most famous royalty that is still going strong. I also find it strange since the British Royal house lost their line and found some distant cousin who was German and that they were known as Saxe- Cobourg. You'd think he would love that part. Whom did he concentrate on?? My Q post has a queen. I have never visited a mine but that would be interesting to see.
ReplyDeleteMaybe she figured Britain got covered in American History because of the Revolution. She told us about every battle in both World Wars which is why I knew so much about Germany when I visited there. And you are right about the Brits. The heads of Germany, Russia and Britain in the first war were cousins. The British changed their name to the House of Windsor afterwards.
DeleteI love watching fictional biographies like Elizabeth R and The Six Wives of Henry the Eight, but I have to admit I'm not much for reading them. I don't read very much historical fiction at all - it's just not my niche. My reading habits tend to go the other way or to fantastical places.
ReplyDeleteTasha
Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)
I like historical fiction - and historical fiction mysteries. A delicous way of learning about 'social' history. However, right now I am finally reading Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Quite a tome but I am really enjoying it.
ReplyDeleteI'll be highlighting one of her books later in the challenge.
DeleteI do love reading (and writing) historical fiction :) English history featured a lot into our classes, not only in History but also in English...
ReplyDelete@TarkabarkaHolgy from
The Multicolored Diary
MopDog
I do a lot of reading. But I haven't read much about royalty!
ReplyDeleteFictional biographies? Not sure what you mean - are these historical fiction? The one with the king looks like it's non-fiction. Anyway - too funny about your world history teacher. We all have our biases, I suppose. If you were a history teacher, what topic would you gloss over????
ReplyDeleteI guess I meant historical fiction. The author takes a real character and adds their own dialogues which probably never happened.
ReplyDeleteNot really, I like to know what they did or did not do. I am still waiting for a time machine so I can find out if Liz I really was a virgin. Being English of course I had all this history rammed down my throat anyway although I discovered, once I left school, that I learned more when I watched film about it. The British Royals changed their name so they wouldn't be identified as being German by the general population as we were fighting a war with the Germans. George I was always called German George.
ReplyDeleteNever been down a mine, not sure I would want to.
Just think, the A to Z missed Queen Elizabeth's birth day by one day. If it had been today, perhaps there would have been hundreds of bloggers blogging about her. Ah well. Tomorrow, "R" can be for Royal...Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI think it could be interesting to take the tram ride down the mine, but knowing me, I'd be wondering if there would be a cave in. I haven't read much historical fiction; I tend to like more modern day fiction.
ReplyDeletebetty
I love history but other than teach, there is not much you can do with a degree in it. So, I get my kicks through books and travel. I visited some old mines in Austria, but they were not deep. Some of the subways in Russia are very deep and probably like descending into a mine - with lots of people.
DeleteAgree. I was going to use my history degree to go to law school but thought better of it. My research training is a perfect fit with my writing.
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