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March 2012 Feature of the Month: Trojan War Month

A monthly discussion on varying themes guided by our members. (Book of the Month discussions through December 2011 can be found in this section too.)
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boswellbaxter
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March 2012 Feature of the Month: Trojan War Month

Post by boswellbaxter » Thu March 1st, 2012, 5:31 am

Laura Gill has promised to get us started with this one.
Susan Higginbotham
Coming in October: The Woodvilles


http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/
http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/blog/

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lauragill
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Post by lauragill » Thu March 1st, 2012, 7:04 am

[quote=""boswellbaxter""]Laura Gill has promised to get us started with this one.[/quote]

Indeed, I will. I'll write the entry now, even though there's still an hour left in February where I am.

Update: I wrote the entry Wed. night, but it still hasn't posted.
Last edited by lauragill on Fri March 2nd, 2012, 7:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: update

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lauragill
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March 2012: The Trojan War

Post by lauragill » Thu March 1st, 2012, 7:35 am

The Trojan War covers the Late Bronze Age Aegean world from roughly 1260 - 1180 B.C; there is no firm consensus as to when the actual war--or the many skirmishes which were later remembered as the Trojan War--took place.

The Late Bronze Age Aegean encompassed an area from Troy in northwestern Anatolia to Mycenaean Greece to Minoan/Mycenaean Crete, and the various Aegean islands. Bronze was the metal used for weapons and implements; the need to acquire tin and copper was the driving force for Mycenaean trade and warfare. Iron was known, but it was very rare and precious, and cast iron technology was still unknown.

The Mycenaean Greeks had a writing system called Linear B which was used for record keeping. They borrowed many elements of Minoan culture, such as fashion, pottery styles, taste in decoration, and even gods and religious practices, but put their own Indo-European spin on it. The Mycenaeans were a warlike people who built citadels like Mycenae and Tiryns; much of their military technology was aimed at each other.

The Minoan Cretans were Anatolian in origin; they were not Greek, but were taken over by the Greeks in around 1450 B.C. Their culture reflected Near Eastern and some Egyptian influences, and was based on trade and the manufacture of luxury goods.

Historical fiction set in this period includes:

Helen of Troy by Margaret George
The Memoirs of Helen of Troy by Amanda Elyot
The Children of Tantalus trilogy and Jocasta: The Mother-Wife of Oedipus by Victoria Grossack and Alice Underwood.
The Song of Troy by Colleen McCollough
The Amber Princess, Oedipus, and Jason by Henry Treece
The King Must Die and The Bull From The Sea by Mary Renault
Alcestis by Katherine Beutner
Klytemnaistra: Who Stayed At Home by Nancy Bogen
Warrior In Bronze and The King In Splendour by George Shipway
Troy (YA) by Adele Geras
To Follow The Goddess by Linda Cargill
The Rage of Achilles by Terrance Hawkins
Achilles by Elizabeth Cook
The Year-God's Daughter by Rebecca Lochlann
Songs of the Kings by Barry Unsworth
The War at Troy and The Return From Troy by Lindsay Clarke
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Daughter of Troy (about Briseis) by Sarah B. Franklin
The Firebrand by Marion Zimmer Bradley
The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
Black Ships by Jo Graham
The Mouse God by Susan Curran.


My own books: Helen's Daughter and The Orestes Trilogy

Finally, the amazing Age of Bronze graphic novel series by Eric Shanower
Last edited by lauragill on Sun March 4th, 2012, 6:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: update

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boswellbaxter
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Post by boswellbaxter » Sat March 3rd, 2012, 2:42 pm

Testing: Can you see Laura's post with the book titles before this post? If so, please respond to this post so I can make sure that all of the posts here are visible and that members can respond. Thanks!
Susan Higginbotham
Coming in October: The Woodvilles


http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/
http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/blog/

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MLE (Emily Cotton)
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Interest in HF: started in childhood with the classics, which, IMHO are HF even if they were contemporary when written.
Favourite HF book: Prince of Foxes, by Samuel Shellabarger
Preferred HF: Currently prefer 1600 and earlier, but I'll read anything that keeps me turning the page.
Location: California Bay Area

Post by MLE (Emily Cotton) » Sat March 3rd, 2012, 3:24 pm

Can't see it here.

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boswellbaxter
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Post by boswellbaxter » Sat March 3rd, 2012, 3:40 pm

Thanks, MLE. Can you see it now?
Susan Higginbotham
Coming in October: The Woodvilles


http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/
http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/blog/

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Nefret
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Post by Nefret » Sat March 3rd, 2012, 3:57 pm

I see book titles. And I want to read The Firebrand again.
Into battle we ride with Gods by our side
We are strong and not afraid to die
We have an urge to kill and our lust for blood has to be fulfilled
WE´LL FIGHT TILL THE END! And send our enemies straight to Hell!
- "Into Battle"
{Ensiferum}

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boswellbaxter
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Post by boswellbaxter » Sat March 3rd, 2012, 4:10 pm

Thanks, Nefret!
Susan Higginbotham
Coming in October: The Woodvilles


http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/
http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/blog/

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fljustice
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Post by fljustice » Sat March 3rd, 2012, 4:44 pm

I can see the posts. Thanks for the list, Laura! I've got the first book in Victoria's series and hope to start it soon.
Faith L. Justice, Author Website
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MLE (Emily Cotton)
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 3566
Joined: August 2008
Interest in HF: started in childhood with the classics, which, IMHO are HF even if they were contemporary when written.
Favourite HF book: Prince of Foxes, by Samuel Shellabarger
Preferred HF: Currently prefer 1600 and earlier, but I'll read anything that keeps me turning the page.
Location: California Bay Area

Post by MLE (Emily Cotton) » Sat March 3rd, 2012, 4:50 pm

[quote=""boswellbaxter""]Thanks, MLE. Can you see it now?[/quote]
Now it's there.

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