Ridley Scott’s new historical epic, Napoleon, release in UK cinemas on 24th November, bringing with it a heightened media and social interest in Napoleon and his famous first wife, Josephine de Beauharnais, played by Vanessa Kirby. Here are nine books that reveal more about the real Josephine and her fascinating life. Click here to buy.Continue reading “9 Books on The Life of Empress Josephine”
Tag Archives: Historical Facts
Pregnancy and Childbirth in Unwitting Ages
When thinking of reasons why life as a woman in times past would be unbearable, the realities of childbirth are most likely at the top of the list. It was an undeniably dangerous and frightening prospect for any woman; not only was the science of pregnancy and childbirth not understood until scarily recently in history,Continue reading “Pregnancy and Childbirth in Unwitting Ages”
Travel in Times Past
It can be very inconvenient when writing, when one recalls the fact that one’s characters are not able to travel suddenly from one city to the other when an important plot point occurs. The realities of historical travel can feel like a great hindrance to a narrative, given the length of time such journeys took,Continue reading “Travel in Times Past”
A History of Marriage
When we think of the concept of historical marriage, either one of two extremes comes to mind; firstly, a cold, loveless union in which a wife is treated firmly as subordinate piece of property, or a grand romance full of the chivalry and loyalty often absent from modern ideas of dating. In reality, although marriageContinue reading “A History of Marriage”
Bygone Leisure
It’s quite difficult nowadays to envision a world where our daily lives aren’t populated with modern means of entertainment such as recorded music, the internet and television. But little over a hundred years ago, most of these amenities were unimaginable, which begs the question; what did people two, three, four hundred years ago do toContinue reading “Bygone Leisure”
Hygiene Throughout History
People from times past tend to be represented in popular culture as uninformed and slovenly when it comes to practices of hygiene and self presentation, and this stems from one vital misconception; that our ancestors had little regard for their own health and cleanliness. In truth, people have always valued hygiene and strived to beContinue reading “Hygiene Throughout History”
Rowan Speakman Books 