In The Pink

Yesterday I found Facebook pages for enthusiasts of King Edward III, Medieval History and Scottish History. I am in heaven! Mr Dancin is a history enthusiast so we talk about it a lot however his preference is for earlier periods and the Anglo Saxon Kings, plus he has yet to read a couple of books I have bought which have highlighted some historical revelations and until he reads them I can't discuss it as I don't want to ruin the surprise! So, having other like minded folk to rant about days of old with has made my weekend. I must however remember that there are chores to do, articles to write for the website, dogs to feed and a song to write! I do as well, thanks to recent FB findings, have a couple of new history books to add to my shopping list and I would really like to buy them and delve between the pages! I can't wait for our summer holiday this year. Our holiday activities focus on mountains, water, walking, history and reading and I foresee a serious reading...

For some time now I have been trying to get the whole Lancaster vs York thing straight in my mind with regard to The War of the Roses. As most of the magnates involved are descended from Edward III (all credit to Phillipa of Hainault!) it is a family affair but I feel as though I want to choose sides. I just want to know who was right and who was wrong! Up until this point I have felt distinctly Lancastrian however through my recent readings I have discovered that while more knowledge makes some things clearer, it can also make things more complicated. I now understand the family tree for this period, and if I squint and really concentrate I can see it in my mind and follow the blood lines through. But both sides have done some really bad things, and not always for good reasons. Both sides have killed a King and it seems that almost everyone has plotted to kill one, except one poor soul who has been executed for plotting to kill one despite being innocent. It...

I am coming to a crucial bit in my Henry V book and am troubled. I have read about many English Kings now, some I like, some I don't, but I have tried to understand them all so that I may make my own opinion on their cause and justifications. I like Henry V, well at least I want to, but I do not believe in his cause. (Image Credit: Silva Animation ) I have always liked my warrior/ battle stories, and reading about a battle can be incredibly exciting when you believe in the perpetrator; when you don't it is a sad tale of events that wreak havoc on thousands of peoples lives, like a wave of suffering and destruction; and if there was one thing they knew how to do in medieval times it was make people suffer!  I think Henry's cause is misguided and believe him intelligent enough to have been able to change the course of events if he had considered the bigger picture and believed in himself.  Perhaps I am wrong; perhaps given his Father's unorthodox...

My current book and precious possession - History of the Kings of Britain, Geoffrey of Monmouth

I have been mentally writing a post about where I am in my history pursuits and why they are so important to me but I got distracted this evening and do not have enough time now to do it justice. I did however at the very least want to record which King I am upto and as such may I introduce you to Henry V, son of Henry IV (that may sound obvious but it doesn't always follow that the next King of that name is the son of the former) from the 15th Century. May I also just add that if you are really interested in this stuff, what really happened and who these people really were, do not read Shakespear or historical fiction, it is often very misleading and can lead to unjustified prejudice. Anyway, more on the subject next time. For now I am off to find out what Henry has planned next! Goodnight Bloggers, sleep well.

I don't know how many people remember 'In Bed with Madonna'? That was the phrase that inspired my post title this morning, well that and Ali G! I am actually in bed with my laptop, my Kindle and a huge mug of tea; do Saturday mornings get any better!!! I have taken to viewing the Kindle store front on Saturday mornings so I can check out what they recommend for me and also see look to see if George R R Martin or Robyn Young have released their new books that I am anxiously waiting for! Last year I read the first in a trilogy about Robert the Bruce by Robyn Young. I am not sure when the second book is due out and I have tried many other authors in my frustration to finish the story but have not found anything I really liked. I did find a biography by Caroline Bingham but I did not get on with her style of writing and also found it to be a little biased in comparison with the historical authors I have read of late such as Marc Morris and Ian Mortimer . I know that a hu...

I am devouring history books at the moment! I have finished my books on Edward I and II and have moved onto Edward III, Robert the Bruce and the general history of Britain. Its fascinating stuff and we have some great historical authors about that make the information very accessible, most notably for me Marc Morris and Ian Mortimer. I am also finding that I can read multiple books as they are reference books and much of what I am reading relates to the other. I currently have 9 books on the go on my Kindle. One of them is fiction, Simon Toyne, Sanctus, as its nice to drift off into a story sometimes, and I have James Palumbo's second novel waiting to be started. My Kindle comes everywhere with me and I find I can often grab a few minutes here and there to get through a couple of new pages. My recent readings have also educated me on the history of the area I live in which as it turns out is older and more significant than I knew! I am getting a big buzz out of walking down s...

My lovely man bought me a Kindle for Christmas and collaberated with my parents so I also got a lovely case and light for it. It is an amazing gift and is supporting my ever growing thirst for reading. It has also made downloading books a little addictive! Anyway, another thing I have been doing since having it is reading several books at once which is a new thing for me but something I find more achievable with the Kindle. I am currently reading 6 books. If you are interested in what I am reading there is a list on the left hand side of this blog, and lower down there are lists of what I have read for the past three years. This evening, thanks to my Kindle case and light, I was able to enjoy a candle lit bath with my Kindle. My chosen book was A Great and Terrible King, by Marc Morris, which is about King Edward I. He is a character I became interested in having recently read a historical novel about Robert the Bruce (another interesting character.). I read twice as many books l...

I went to the library in my local town today to return some books and get some new ones out. I tend to get 4-5 out in one go, dependant on what catches my eye, but I always return them as I read them so that someone else has the chance to take them out and also for the experience of visiting. It is such a peaceful and quiet place and despite my recent decision to get a Kindle at some point I will never loose my love of being around books. I like to wonder round and view the shelves, searching for a title or cover that attracts me, and I came away today with some great books. I got the next Giles Brandreth mystery book featuring Oscar Wilde, and two books by Ian Mortimer AKA James Forrester, centred around the Middle Ages which is a favourite historical period of mine. Its an odd time. I always fantasise myself living happily in that period given the simplicity of life but from reading about it know that the reality was quite a different story and I would have been lucky to surv...