I have a cold, which means I am watching a lot of documentaries and reading a lot of history. I’ve watched a doc about the Civilian Conservation Corps. One about the Louisiana Purchase. I’ve started Ken Burns’ Civil War. I’m reading Peter Fleming’s News from Tartary. Also still working my way through histories of the Raj and The Great Game.
I appear to be working my around to greater knowledge of two things. The first would be the history of Central Asia. India, Xinjiang, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, etc. Not a comprehensive history, certainly, but more than I’ve ever previously known. I now know, for instance, where and what Xinjiang is.
The second thing is a knowledge of the Victorian Era worldwide. Much of this is co-current with the history of Central Asia. But I’m also picking up some history of the Race for Africa, and European history and politics during that time. A bit. A smidge. There’s a lot of it. Ditto American history. For instance, the U.S. Civil War is part of the Victorian Era. Eep.
In other news, I appear to have started writing a novel. I don’t even know.
Filed under: Autobiography, Books, MoviesTV | Tagged: history | Leave a Comment »
