March 31, 08

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I am finishing Pleasure and Privilege: Life in France, Naples and America 1770-90 by Olivier Bernier.


Today I will start reading: After the Siege: A Social History of Boston, 1775-1800 by Jaqueline Barbara Carr.

I enjoy history very much and social history especially but I sure could use a lot more S to do so with. I want to own the facts in my mind but most often the facts just slip away leaving the gist. It can be frustrating. I have to keep so many notes. :steam:

 

[Geoff]

Have you tried any of Giles Milton's books? If you like history stuff, he's a good read at recognising the story within a piece of history and pulling out all the background and relevance.

My favourites are

Nathaniel's Nutmeg
and
Big Chief Elizabeth.

http://www.amazon.com/Nathaniels-Nu...bs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207004190&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Big-Chief-Eli...bs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207004256&sr=8-1

Despite some implications in the amazon review, this isn't fiction, each one is a factual book with some narrative style of presentation around a particular historic issue.

 

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The Nutmeg one looks very interesting, was on my long list in fact. So many books and books cost so much!

Eventually I hope to get to it. I like age of sail and maritime history a lot. My own life has been defined (and supported) by the aviation industry, sailing was like their aviation. It was their cutting edge, where the action was.

 

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The After the Siege is very easy to read, very interesting.

This book lists the chapter number at the top of each page, makes it easy to look up footnotes while reading.

I already got one book from the footnotes that I want to get:

The Maritime History Of Massachusetts, 1783-1860

 

[Geoff]

I think I have a spare copy of Nathaniel's Nutmeg. I bought it in hardback. The spare copy is from when I bought a collection of six of his paperbacks, knowing that one was a dupe....