What makes us choose . . .

Helen_Davis · Post by **Helen_Davis** » Sun December 7th, 2008, 10:52 pm

[quote=""Alaric""]My "favourite era" is the age of discovery/enlightenment and I mainly read stuff within that era. I've no idea why, perhaps because it has such an influence on the way the world is now with the empires. I find books about the warfare of the era - the brightly coloured uniforms, big banners, navies, muskets and cannon - fascinating. Plus the people! Voltaire, Mozart, Moliere, Louis XIV, Peter the Great, Frederick the Great, Wellington, Marlborough, Napoleon ... I could go on forever.[/quote]

I had a history teacher who totally RUINED that era for me

Mine is ancient Egypt and the Tudors.

Ancient Egypt because of the rights women had back then and the powerful female royals. I also was told I was Cleopatra VII in a previous life- and I believe it- it explains a lot of things about me.

The Tudors because it's just one big soap opera!

Carine · Post by **Carine** » Mon December 8th, 2008, 7:12 am

[quote=""AuntiePam""]Any church, or just the ones that look like cathedrals?

With me, it's cemeteries. My daughter shares my fascination, and whenever we travel together, we manage to visit at least one.[/quote]

No, just any church apparently !! So much even that they thought I might want to become a nun when I grew up ! But it didn't happen !

Vanessa · Post by **Vanessa** » Mon December 8th, 2008, 9:57 am

I enjoy all periods in time. I did seem to be reading quite a few books set during the Napoleonic wars recently so I was glad to move on to another time!! I like the Victorian era and also the 1920s fascinate me, although I'm not sure whether that is something to do with their clothes!!

Volgadon · Post by **Volgadon** » Mon December 8th, 2008, 10:17 am

[quote=""boswellbaxter""]My husband and I had one of our first dates at a cemetery--to see the grave of Dorothy Parker's husband in Richmond, Virginia. (Dorothy herself, of course, wouldn't be caught dead in the place.)[/quote]

My fiancee and I had a date in a cemetary. Wed discovered that be both liked going to cemetaries, not anything morbid, but because they can be so interesting. Her hometown is the one Chekhov wrote Ionych about
and one of the scenes takes place in the cemetary at night, but despite quite an effort on our part we couldn't find the tomb of the Italian actress.

Jen Black · Post by **Jen Black** » Mon December 8th, 2008, 11:03 pm

>No treading on toes! Welcome to the board Jen!

Thanks for the welcome. This looks like a good place to talk hisotrical fiction.
Jen

Jen Black
http://www.jenblackauthor.blogspot.com

Telynor · Post by **Telynor** » Mon December 8th, 2008, 11:40 pm

Speaking of cemetaries...

When I moved to where I live now in NY, I kept up my fascination with genealogy, and I found out where some of my maternal ancestors came from -- about 15 miles from where I live now! I found their gravestone in the cemetary of that town, and it was a very odd sensation to be standing there in front of my several times great grandparents, and knowing that I was seeing things and places that hadn't changed much from their time. (not everywhere on the east side of the Hudson is paved over)

michellemoran · Post by **michellemoran** » Tue December 9th, 2008, 12:15 am

Yes, that's how I feel too. There's a wonderful poem by Tolkien called I sit and think which always calls to me in this vein.

EC, that's one of my favorite poems!

nona · Post by **nona** » Fri December 12th, 2008, 10:08 pm

As a wee child who's father was a rancher/cowboy I thought it would be grand to have something else to dream about. I remember riding my pony and practising jousting for the fall festival and pretending to sword fight with a branch. Since then my tastes have matured, are broader in time frame and I gave up my painted wooden lance for a bookmark and traded my pony for an suv with two car seats. Of Course I did get my Knight in shining armour and I married him so it all worked out.

ejays17 · Post by **ejays17** » Sat December 13th, 2008, 1:04 am

Also just joined the board - I tend to "lurk" more than post in various boards.

I was heavily influenced by my English/History teacher (she was thrilled to find someone who read "for fun", and constantly leant me books from her own colections), so my favourite periods of history are Ancient Egyptian, Roman, and English 1066-Oliver Cromwell. But within that 600+ years of English history, the Plantagenet time (mostly becuase of Robin Hood

) is a particular obessission.

Oh, and I also love graveyard/cemetaries. The family history you can trace through the ones in small country towns is just fascinating.

diamondlil · Post by **diamondlil** » Sat December 13th, 2008, 1:25 am

Welcome to the board Ejays17! I hope you do more than lurk here!