thecatsouthebag: history book

The Secret Poisoner by Linda Stratmann (Book #7)

04:07:00

If it wasn't already clear or you are new to this blog, I am massive history nerd. Particularly when it comes to medical history. When I saw this book up for review on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to review it!

The Secret Poisoner by Linda Stratmann explores poison and how it interacted with the courtrooms, medical professions and public in nineteenth century society. Stratmann argues that poison was typically hard to prove to be the cause of murder in the courtroom, as it was difficult to detect and often caused symptoms very similar to common causes of death of the nineteenth century. The rise of toxicology and the medical profession's fight to prove murder by poison is an aspect of medical history that has been largely ignored by academics, so it was really refreshing to read such a new take on murder and medicine.

Stratmann has the enviable ability of being able to construct a valid, complex, historical argument whilst telling a gripping story. So much so that I managed to rattle through 5 or 6 chapters on a 35 minute train commute. When I'm reading just one chapter for a seminar it can take me an hour and a half... Perhaps this ease of reading comes down to the sheer amount of case studies used by Stratmann to illustrate a particular point; case studies which are so far fetched that sometimes its hard to believe they are true!

But this disbelief is what is great about history, and Stratmann has captured this mystery perfectly. For someone who can get terribly bored of history books very quickly, I rattled through The Secret Poisoner and enjoyed every page. I really hope this is not the last we hear from Linda Stratmann, she has certainly proven herself to be one of the more engaging historians of the 21st century so far!

Before I go I would just like to say a big thank you to Net Galley, Linda Stratmann and Yale University Press for granting me access to an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. If you would like to get your hands on a copy, The Secret Poisoner is out on March 22nd!

Beth x

early modern history

Renaissance Inspired Reading

07:30:00

Studying at history at degree level often means that I fall over little facts and pieces of information that really do relate to our modern world. That is exactly what happened whilst I was reading for a seminar about early modern Europe. As you are all probably aware of by now, I really love talking about two things on this blog: history and books. I’ve always wanted to talk about the history surrounding books and our consumption of literature, and my little discovery has given me that opportunity!

When reading a book of any kind, I like to know who the author is and a little bit about them. I suppose it helps me to understand the context that they were writing in and their motivations. Looking at the authors biography on the back page of a book is therefore crucial to my reading experience. Today it would feel strange not to have that information to hand, but prior to the sixteenth century, author biographies were simply not the norm.

The renowned early modern Historian Peter Burke argues that the Renaissance (a time when all things classical and related to the individual came to the forefront of society) prompted the introduction of author biographies. In a world where people were starting to value their own individuality and expose it to the public eye, there was also a growing demand to learn more about an individual’s life. This translated into every corner of early modern life, including literature.

“It became increasingly common to provide famous books with an introductory biography of the author, as if his life was key to his work.” (Burke, Representations of the Self from Petrarch to Descartes, 1997)

Our modern day books therefore owe their biographies to the rise of the individual in Renaissance Europe. Authors once shrouded in mystery were becoming more and more open to revealing their past successes, their personal lives and their image. Without this development, both reading for pleasure and reading literature for academic/critical means would not be as easy as it is today.

Beth x

gift guide

History Lover's Gift Guide

12:04:00

Fun history-related gifts are kind of hard to come by, most people think that its a category confined to books and 'the day you were born' newspaper excerpts. But there is so much more out there! Here are my five favourites from around the internet...

1. One Line A Day: A Five Year Memory Book, from £8.10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/One-Line-Day-Five-Year-Memory/dp/0811870197/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8£9.95&qid=1452626465&sr=1-1&keywords=one+line+a+day

I have one of these diaries myself and absolutely love it. Each page represents a day in the year, and has enough room for 5 years of memories. Its cool just to write down the small and eventful things you do each day, and even better to look back over it when you write about the same day for the second, third, fourth and fifth time!

2. English Heritage Guess Who? £24.99

http://www.english-heritageshop.org.uk/toys-games/english-heritage-guess-who

This is a funny take on the original Guess Who, where the normal people are replaced with historical figures. Everybody loves playing games with friends, so surely you can't go wrong with this gift!

3. Castle Life Mug, £9.95

http://www.presentindicative.com/collections/history/products/castle-life-mug-6260

Everyone drinks some sort of hot drink, everyone needs mugs. For castle nerds (if that's even a thing), this mug is great! Its covered in cartoon cross-sections of a castle and the people who lived within them. For people who perhaps work in history, this would be a great conversation starter in any office.

4. Become a Scottish Lord or Lady Kit, £29.99

https://www.ijustloveit.co.uk/product/become-a-lord-or-lady/

I genuinely thought this was a joke, but you can actually make yourself a Lord or Lady of a very small piece of land in Scotland. Yes its an expensive gift, and I'm not totally 100% convinced that it is legal in any way, but its a laugh.

5. Genealogy: Essential Researching Methods, £14.99

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Genealogy-Essential-Research-Helen-Osborn/dp/0709091974/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452624359&sr=8-1&keywords=genealogy

Pretty much anyone with a interest in history has some sort of interest in their family tree. This book goes through the methods of discovering and making your family tree, and preserving it for your family. Its easy to read, informative and will open the doors to a potentially lifelong hobby!

These were just five of the gifts I found whilst looking online. I simply searched 'history gifts' and so much came up! Have you guys received/given any gifts like this that you've really loved? Let me know in the comments below!

Beth x

50 book challenge

If Walls Could Talk: An Intimate History of the Home - Lucy Worsley (Book #1)

04:30:00

This week (1st-8th January 2016) I read If Walls Could Talk: An Intimate History of the Home by Lucy Worsley. For those of you who don't know, this was the first book in my 2016 50 Book Challenge. Here's what I thought of it:

After spending a term studying the ins and outs of Victorian society, I decided to pick up this social history. I had read and seen some of Worsley's works before, so I knew that this read would be well written and engaging from the beginning.

Lucy Worsley has a knack of making all kinds of history accessible. Honestly, anyone could pick this up and have no trouble understanding her ideas, comments and historical ideas. But most of all, this concise yet clear history of the home strikes a perfect balance between history and literature.

Whilst most historians make use of primary sources such as photos and first hand accounts of events, Worsley opts to primarily use works of literature, both fiction and non-fiction, to elaborate upon her arguments. For me this made for an enjoyable addition to the book, as I love reading literature and making connections.

I particularly liked how Worsley focused on the very mundane aspects of everyday life, from washing up to pajamas, make up, and clutter. Along with more obvious topics of discussion such as the changing nature of the bedroom, bathroom, living room and kitchen, Worsley manages to chart the significant changes towards the houses we live in today. It kind of makes you appreciate your bedroom a little more when you consider that up until the early Tudor period, whole families would sleep on one mattress on the floor!

I would certainly recommend this short history of the home; it took no time to read, which is a luxury for me as most works of history take weeks to read all the way through. There is no fluffy, unnecessary historical language, which makes it accessible to everybody - you don't have to be an expert to enjoy reading this!

That's my first review of my 50 Book Challenge! I've gone a bit book crazy in the January sales so I've got quite a lot of (hopefully) brilliant reads lined up. Watch out next Friday, as I'll be posting my next review.

Beth x