tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post938614009803593106..comments2024-03-23T12:38:46.260+00:00Comments on The History Girls: My book of the year by Imogen RobertsonMary Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06241989732624913706noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-10502505604601898452014-12-23T21:06:00.451+00:002014-12-23T21:06:00.451+00:00I read it when I was researching Malefice years ag...I read it when I was researching Malefice years ago. I did find it useful though not the most useful on the topic of witch beliefs. But what you said about looking over people's shoulders is interesting. I felt I couldn't read about witch beliefs without going under their skins and seeing the world the way they saw it 'a different kind of reality' as a friend who'd spent a year travelling in South America said about Gabriel Garcia Marquez. But a book I found excellent was The Elizabethan World Picture. I can't remember the author, but do recommend it. It casts a lot of light on Shakespeare too; and the religious problematic inherent in a Hamlet's father's ghostLeslie Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15105465949970430998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-16700204281796541162014-12-22T11:27:10.193+00:002014-12-22T11:27:10.193+00:00Are you not already cunning Imogen? I was entrance...Are you not already cunning Imogen? I was entranced by Harrison Ainsworth's Lancashire Witches when I was at school, but doubt it is on many reading lists now. Happy Christmas all x<br />Clare Mulleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11592100764046914574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-90666290322589866522014-12-21T22:19:18.021+00:002014-12-21T22:19:18.021+00:00Thanks, folks! Glad it's such a friend to all ...Thanks, folks! Glad it's such a friend to all of you too. Liz, you'll love it. I just bought Magic in the Middle Ages as well, looks fascinating. (Rubs hands together). Well, if the next book doesn't go well, I'm all set up to be a cunning woman now. IxImogenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08925800621947616280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-43603414689171881922014-12-21T12:16:05.306+00:002014-12-21T12:16:05.306+00:00I used this book at university in the 1970s and I&...I used this book at university in the 1970s and I'm delighted that it is still in print. I've just looked inside my copy for the first time in years and discovered a yellowing article about Keith Thomas from New Society in 1983. I met him when our lecturer invited him to come to talk to us, probably the first time I ever met an author. Thanks for inspiring this exercise in nostalgia!Anabel Marshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15643196773717977697noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-75806272181481255142014-12-21T10:01:46.936+00:002014-12-21T10:01:46.936+00:00Thank you, Imogen for this recommendation. And Eli...Thank you, Imogen for this recommendation. And Elizabeth, too for yours. Both are perfect reading choices for me for my current and next(!) writing project. Sally Zigmondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07520579251842006765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-79769316259384799282014-12-21T09:54:25.568+00:002014-12-21T09:54:25.568+00:00Thank you for reminding me of this book! I read it...Thank you for reminding me of this book! I read it many years ago and after reading your post I jumped up and scurried around till I found it again. It will be essential re-reading for the story I'm working on at the moment. Ann Turnbullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06484265041343702129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-38398181201571708822014-12-21T09:44:29.973+00:002014-12-21T09:44:29.973+00:00Intriguing! The 16th and 17th centuries are later ...Intriguing! The 16th and 17th centuries are later than my period of study but even so one can always extrapolate. My go to book for this is Richard Kieckhefer's Magic in the Middle Ages, recommended to me by a historian. This one sounds like a good companion.Elizabeth Chadwickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16911841862257909703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-13181214589504311772014-12-21T01:27:18.081+00:002014-12-21T01:27:18.081+00:00It sounds as if it would be very useful for writin...It sounds as if it would be very useful for writing historical fiction. There are so many things your characters in historical novels just wouldn't do because they thought differently, saw life differently. And people keep writing them doing and saying these things.<br /><br />I've found it in ebook, but the download is rather large for my little iPad, so I'll see first if my local bookshop can get it in. It's Penguin, so shouldn't be too hard to find.Sue Bursztynskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09362273418897882971noreply@blogger.com