Strapline to historical novel I've just seen:
'1804. Napoleon has all of Europe in his sights. Wellington will do anything to stop him. Who will win?'
Well, look, I don't want to spoil the ending for anyone, but if you're taking bets....
Mind you, I'm one to talk. I recently looked up a reference in Julius Caesar; and then hurriedly stopped reading when I saw that Cicero was one of the characters. This is because I have enjoyed the two Robert Harris novels about Cicero, and don't want to find out how things worked out for him under Caesar's rule before the third novel in the trilogy comes out. That's me - so woefully lacking in classical education that I fear spoilers from Shakespeare.
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
Nailbiter.
Posted by John Finnemore at 11:15 am
Labels: Stupidity - My Own
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11 comments:
Ha, ha, ha ;)
Just don't try to look up anything on the net on the topic! Just enjoy the flow.
Historical characters made fictional have this merit of being once alive ;) But why allow them have another life? With another winners and different outcomes?
I do kind of like alternate history novels. And I have a degree in history. It's fun to think out the "what if's" of history sometimes.
PS - Yay for more Cabin Pressure. Listening to series 1 and 2 is the only thing that gets me through the day.
As another historian, I enjoy the idea of alternate endings as well. *spoiler John!* But I never liked Cicero, so I don't mind if his ending stays the same.
And yes, we also love Cabin Pressure! My 10-year-old son listens to episodes on his ipod before going to bed each night. We can't wait for season 3 over here in Texas!
Hey, I get worried every time I watch Henry V, just in case the French think of something brilliant this time...
Arthur might enjoy it, despite the lack of feral dogs?
Ah the What Ifs of History! In another World Douglas is still a Captain, Caroline is happily married ...
And Martin is Benedict Cumberbatch.......Oh, wait. :-)
Kelli Dee, glad to see another US CP fan! I'm in CO at the present time but am moving back to the motherland, aka the South, in a few months to start grad school.
Brilliant. As an historian, my first thought it that in 1804 Sir Arthur Wellesley was still in India. And he didn't become the Marquis of Wellington until 1809, or the Duke until a few years after that.
My book club book this month is Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. I'm only about 200 pages in. The Pope has refused to annul the marriage to Catherine of Aragon and Thomas Cromwell works for Cardinal Wolsey. Then I went to Hampton Court Palace today where there was an event about the birth of Edward the 6th, King Henry's SON! This has ruined it for me.
I just started reading Imperium recently and I think I'm enjoying it so much because I know so little about the time period. I'm being educated and entertained at the same time.
On the other hand, I know way more about Wellington than the average Canadian, so that strapline just makes me cringe...
The last three times I've checked this I've read the subject line as "nabliator" and had no idea what you were talking about. Funny that now my brain is leaking out my ears I can read unrelated-to-degree stuff properly.
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