More History

[jjwq8]

BBC World currently airing A history of Britain presented by Professor Simon Schama Good stuff. Check out the synopsis here:
http://www.bbcworld.com/content/template_clickpage.asp?pageid=2507&home=1

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[John Bridge]

Jeremy,

The synopsis itself is a pretty good history. ;) Tell me where the hell I'm at vis-a-vis GMT. I think I'm five hours behind. And I don't think we get BBC World. We only get BBC America.

[sdaniels7114]

Houston is GMT-6 hours

This site was a little hinky when I went but it'll probably settle down.

http://g-m-t.com/usa-cities.htm

[John Bridge]

It turns out the series is running on the History Channel. Watched an episode early this morning having to do with Richard II.

[jjwq8]

YEP!
That's the one I just caught. Serious Cojones for a 14 year old huh? :D

[jjwq8]

caught a new episode last night. Elizabeth R and Mary Stuart. I rather liked the professor's conclusion that between them, they gave birth to "Great Britain".

[Steven Hauser]

:rofl:

[John Bridge]

What is it, Steven? :)

Last night watched the demise of Ann Bolynn. Didn't believe her parting oratory.

[flatfloor]

I've been watching it Sun AM on the History Channel. Bloodthirsty lot. Guess that's where the Queen in "Alice" got her line "off with her head" from :eek:

[smee]

sorry, have to bust in...

jeremy - I'm ashamed of you. You know that series was not well received in GB. At least not by the Historical community - they bashed it.

I read the first volume - part of the second. Stopped where my historical interest stopped. I'd say the books are much better rendered than the program, IMHO.

I did see the series - it's over done - over dramatized.

If you'd like to see a good history documentary program - check out Michael Woods series. Not his art series, which rocks - but his In Search of History series. Mucho bettero.

Not to say it's[Simon Shama's version] not okay....it's just that it's just okay - if ya catch my meanin'

[Hobbit]

Thanks Smee.....I was trying to say something like that.

Me thinks you are much better at the diplomatic renderings than I.;)

:):)

[jjwq8]

Linda,
You assume that I have access to evrything you do.

Not!:D

I devour anything proclaiming history, good or not, and like it or not, much of our history is most "dramatic".

I haven't bothered to check the good professors creds but as I said, beggars can't be choosers:D

[John Bridge]

Well, I'll tell ya. I've been scavenging around in the history department for some time now, and if we stick solely to the facts it gets a bit dry. How many modern authors portray events and characters without embellishments, without offering "opinion"?

Still, though, some of the parts I've watched seemed a bit contrived. ;)

Linda,

I'm interested to know why the Brits received the series unfavorably.

[Shaughnn]

Mr. Bridge,
Would you say the same of Hans Delbruck, and would you consider him to be a "modern" historian? ADmittedly, his expertise ends before the Second World War began, but he's deffinately more contemporary than Homer. :p
Shaughnn

[jjwq8]

In grammar (high) school I despised history because my tutors were so banal. Dry material turned to dust by arid approach about summed it up.

So what if X or Y makes observations not supported by the facts? If it serves to pique interest then it is all to the good and as long as the listener is aware of the factual basis or otherwise of the statement then no harm is done.

Surely the primary task of any historian is to create interest, otherwise it is simply reading the wrapping off the fish.

[Steven Hauser]

Historical correctness is important. Many times we have found that false claims that make the story better impugns the credibility to such an extent that nothing is believed. The ability to tell a story is nice but there would have to far more editing of text needed. For instance, this part is embellishment to make the story sound good and this part is the truth as we know it.

My .02

Steven

John

2 reasons for :rofl:
1) Jeremy's double entendre of giving birth to the nation and the fact that he thought we Americans were so gullible as to believe the TV rendention as fact.

I thought his post was tongue in cheek. I think maybe I was wrong.

Apologies, no offense intended.

[smee]

Jeremy, John, everyone - hm....well, I know beggars can't be choosers - I only wanted to point out that there are better video series about history. This one is just okay. I am a fan of Simon Schama. I've read much of his writings. He is a well respected Historian. I remember reading at the time it initially came out that the brits were disappointed because they expected something more from him than what was\is a little bit on the more superficial side.
The book is much better.

As far as Historiography is concerned; it, as we all know, changes with the times, the writer, the narrator, the view. A personal inflection in story telling be it history or not cannot be avoided.

I think the whole sticking to names and dates is dull, absolutely. And I think it happens as a deterent to stay away from the interpretive process. I just love history, I think it's so insanely interesting and exciting that I can't believe how often it is written and shown in the most banal way.

The other night PBS aired a show on the Medici. This one was about the two medici popes who were so corupt and licentious they basically created the Reformation. Anyhoo - a very intense, interesting and profound period in history - the high Renaissance. Sadly, The show was pretty boring.

Last night however, I caught the last half of Michael Wood's "In Search of Shakespeare". Awesome! Well, told, well filmed, interesting to watch and listen to as well. I can't beleive I missed a minute of it.

If you can find any of his "IN Search of" programs - try to and watch them. They are quite good.

Also - a very entertaining fun and interesting show is "Sister Wendy's Story of Painting" She is a nun who likes to talk about art. She has buck teeth, a lisp and does the show in her habit - but I swear if you watch it for a few moments you'll be hooked!

:D