Historical Times and Places That Particularly Interest You

[Extollager]

Here's a place to write about historical persons, events, issues, locations that you've read about with more than ordinary interest. I'll suggest that the focus here be on nonfiction books rather than fiction, TV documentaries, movies, etc. I suppose that one has "more than ordinary interest" if one has read or is in process of reading two or more books on the matter. Books could be contemporary works (diaries, etc.) as well as books by historians, etc.

Mine would include Britain during Milton's lifetime, the Victorian period in Britain, England during the 1940s, the Armenian genocide, the history of the blues (focusing on people such as Skip James and Son House), the Sixties in the United States, Russia in the 1800s and under Communist totalitarianism, etc.

 

[Manteuffel]

I am partial to books about the theological and political issues and the characters from the medieval church period, through the Reformation, to the Thirty Years War and English Civil War. This time period saw the development of some of our modern European nation-states and helped set the stage for later events, such as the Enlightenment, French Revolution, and the industrialization and secularization of western civilization.

 

[dask]

The Victorian era mostly because of Sherlock Holmes and Jack the Ripper.

 

[Bick]

As history - classical era - I've read Aeschylus, Homer, Sophocles, Herodotus, Tacitus, Suetonius, Seneca etc. I love all that stuff and have been trying deliberately to educate myself in classical studies over the last few years.

As an historical era I love for its literature per se, I'd have to say Victorian, but also I'm a big fan of the jazz age and between the wars literature. I think I read four novels last month that I realised after the event we're all published in 1927!

 

[nomadman]

I'm not especially well read in any of these times/periods/subjects, but I have a more than passing interest in Viking Age Europe, Central Asia under the reign of the Khans, early twentieth century prize-fighting in America, and Cold War espionage from the post-War period to the fall of the Soviet Union.

 

[hitmouse]

India, late 1960s-mid 1970s. Passed through there as a young boy during this time. The place has now changed beyond belief.

key text: Karma Cola Gita Mehta

 

[svalbard]

I have two periods of history which are of particular interest to me. The Norman conquest of England and the so called Arthurian period of British history. I am fascinated by both William the Conquerer and Harold Godwinson and how their characters defined the events of 1066 and beyond.

 

[chongjasmine]

I am interested in ancient israel, especially israel during the time of Jesus.
I am also interested in ancient korea and ancient china.

 

[thaddeus6th]

Mostly classical, (Greeks and Romans). The Second Punic War's particularly interesting. More recently (largely for research reasons) I've been reading a bit about medieval history, mostly in the 14th century.

 

[Mangara]

I love Russian history, yet I'm not sure why.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

I've read two whole series set in ancient Rome, so I guess that qualifies! I used to be quite interested in Greek and Roman gods, and Greek mythology, though I've forgotten most of that over the years.

 

[Ogma]

I love books on Byzantine and Venetian history.

 

[thaddeus6th]

Ogma, I've recently(ish) gotten into Byzantine history. Have you read John Julius Norwich's excellent trilogy? That was the first one dedicated to Byzantium I read. It was staggering how I knew nothing beyond the name before reading it, yet afterwards it's clear Byzantium played a critical role in shielding Europe from the Persians and then the various forms of Islamic empire (latterly the Ottomans) seeking to conquer the continent.

 

[Ogma]

Thaddeus6th,

I love that trilogy! I have never come across any work on the subject as detailed as that one. It was my gateway into that world many years ago. Before I read it, I had only a vague impression of the empire's place in history. I found issues like iconoclasm and other big issues during the empire's heyday particularly fascinating.

If you enjoyed that trilogy, I suggest taking a look at his book on Venice. It is just as rich with fascinating detail.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

Africa has always interested me. I'd particularly like to write about the Malian Empire some time. A while ago I had ideas for a YA novel set there.

 

[Anne Lyle]

Elizabethan England, obviously

However I've been keen on a number of periods over the past umpty-ump years, particularly:

* Roman Republic/early Empire
* Anglo-Saxon England
* 12th century Provence (troubadours)
* Wars of the Roses
* 18th century England

I've lost count of the number of books I've read on each of those topics - probably only a handful in the case of very specialised topics like the troubadours, more like dozens for the others (especially Elizabethan England, since I had to do lots of research for my novels).

 

[jastius]

I like Regency England and Victorian era Crimea. Sixteenth century North America, fifth century Egypt. the Ming dynasty. Pre Roman Britain, (sorry ace). Japan before Admiral Percy. And Russia of the 1200's.

 

[neopeius]

I am keen on the Dark Ages. They are a little-explored period of time. Lest Darkness Fall by L. Sprague de Camp was a lot of fun for me.

 

[Extollager]

I am keen on the Dark Ages. They are a little-explored period of time. Lest Darkness Fall by L. Sprague de Camp was a lot of fun for me.

"Dark Ages" has an imaginative appeal, but when I teach my students, I tell them to use "Late Antiquity" instead. It begs fewer questions, which may be why it seems to be coming into favor with scholars of the era such as Peter Brown.

 

[neopeius]

"Dark Ages" has an imaginative appeal, but when I teach my students, I tell them to use "Late Antiquity" instead. It begs fewer questions, which may be why it seems to be coming into favor with scholars of the era such as Peter Brown.

I can see that, although I would cut off "Late antiquity" at around 700 (with the rise of Islam and the decline of Roman institutions). So what would 800-1000 be? The Low Middle Ages?