History Rant
I was one of those kids who hated history in school. I'm sure part of the reason is because I have a horrible time remembering names. Here is a typical introduction for me:
Stranger: "Hi, I'm [insert name here]."
Me: "Hi, nice to meet you." OK, I'm gonna remember it this time...
Stranger: [insert small talk here]
Me: Oh no, I already forgot it!
And then I panic. You can see how this would make history class less than enjoyable. I have been trying to remedy my appalling lack of historical knowledge lately, starting with Chinese history. Look, I like a challenge, ok?
I just finished The Opium Wars: The Addiction of One Empire and the Corruption of Another
and am now working on a biography of Chiang Kai-Shek (Jiang Jieshi in Mandarin). I've noticed that the authors of these two books seemed to have been trying to borrow techniques from fiction in order to make the material more interesting. However, since they aren't actually fiction writers, they make typical newbie mistakes.
Both books start with an exciting event at the end of the timeline they will be working with. It's clear that they are trying to "hook" the reader into reading the rest of the book to find out what led up to that event. This is the equivalent of starting a fictional story at the most exciting moment and then immediately flashing back to the rest of the story. This is a big no-no. A big reason is because the reader is forced to face the excitement and emotions of the scene without knowing who the characters are or why it is so important to them.
Unfortunately, in "The Opium Wars" the authors also used such a beginning for spin. They describe in great detail how the British army sacked the Summer Palace outside of Beijing, destroying incredible wealth and culture. After several chapters of this, they mention (in an offhand manner) that the reason the British did this was because the Chinese had tortured to death several POWs. I lost a lot of respect for the authors after that.
Unfortunately, I'm beginning to suspect that the "start with the exciting event and then go back" is a popular writing method amongst historians. Well, I shall struggle on. Maybe someday I'll get a chance to work with a historian to produce a book that really is readable.
On the domestic front, Tiger's eighth tooth is breaking through. This would be the second bottom incisor on the right.
Stranger: "Hi, I'm [insert name here]."
Me: "Hi, nice to meet you." OK, I'm gonna remember it this time...
Stranger: [insert small talk here]
Me: Oh no, I already forgot it!
And then I panic. You can see how this would make history class less than enjoyable. I have been trying to remedy my appalling lack of historical knowledge lately, starting with Chinese history. Look, I like a challenge, ok?
I just finished The Opium Wars: The Addiction of One Empire and the Corruption of Another
and am now working on a biography of Chiang Kai-Shek (Jiang Jieshi in Mandarin). I've noticed that the authors of these two books seemed to have been trying to borrow techniques from fiction in order to make the material more interesting. However, since they aren't actually fiction writers, they make typical newbie mistakes.Both books start with an exciting event at the end of the timeline they will be working with. It's clear that they are trying to "hook" the reader into reading the rest of the book to find out what led up to that event. This is the equivalent of starting a fictional story at the most exciting moment and then immediately flashing back to the rest of the story. This is a big no-no. A big reason is because the reader is forced to face the excitement and emotions of the scene without knowing who the characters are or why it is so important to them.
Unfortunately, in "The Opium Wars" the authors also used such a beginning for spin. They describe in great detail how the British army sacked the Summer Palace outside of Beijing, destroying incredible wealth and culture. After several chapters of this, they mention (in an offhand manner) that the reason the British did this was because the Chinese had tortured to death several POWs. I lost a lot of respect for the authors after that.
Unfortunately, I'm beginning to suspect that the "start with the exciting event and then go back" is a popular writing method amongst historians. Well, I shall struggle on. Maybe someday I'll get a chance to work with a historian to produce a book that really is readable.
On the domestic front, Tiger's eighth tooth is breaking through. This would be the second bottom incisor on the right.
posted by Mel, Foxtail Farm | 4:12 PM
5 Comments:
Hiya. I'm a long-time lurker on Hatrack, which is how I ran into your blog...
I'm the same way with names, so I can sympathize-- they just skim over the surface of my brain and flit away.
I laud your attempts at reading histories. I've had brief encounters with Herodotus and Thucydides on account of a Greek Lit class, but that was about all that I could take.
Hi, Tamlyn, thanks for stopping by.
I really do enjoy having historical knowledge...but gaining it sure is a pain!
Now I'm off to take a look at your blog...
Genetics are a scary thing...I have to force myself to remember names, which is a problem when I have 150 new students each year! I plan to take a photo of each class in their assigned seats this first week, then I can use that to help me remember their names.
I love the stories of history, just the names and dates get me. My sister could probably give you some good ideas of what to read, she loves reading history. I remember she used to try to educate me when I was a kid by telling me fascinating stories about English history.
Hey, I've been reading Guns, Germs and Steel. Talk about history!!! Give that one a try if you haven't already.
Heh, I've been on the library waiting list for that one for months. It looks like I'll be able to read it sometime in October.
Post a Comment
<< Home