thecatsouthebag: thoroughly modern history

beauty blogger

Major Blog Rebrand!

13:01:00

bbc war and peace

Appreciating the Costumes from War and Peace

10:12:00

book blogger

Favourite YouTube Books and Why They Are Important

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I am a child of You Tube. Well not literally, but I spent an awful lot of my time during GCSEs and A Levels watching internet personalities. I can confidently say that You Tube was my Netflix. I still love watching some channels now, despite being more wise to the business and promotional aspects of You Tube. From accusations that Zoella ghost-wrote her first novel, to arguments that these young internet personalities are simply too young to write revealing and worthwhile autobiographies, it is clear that there has been a lot of controversy surrounding You Tubers and their growing collection of books. But some books really are great reads. I wanted to share with you my top three.

1. Binge by Tyler Oakley

Tyler Oakley has always made me laugh. On more than one occasion he has made me cry with laughter. But prior to this book he was a little bit of an enigma. I knew he was gay, lived in LA and did a lot of charity work with the Trevor Project. After reading this book I really felt like I knew more about him and understood his personality and videos better. I have to say, this is not a book for children, despite bookstore advertising! There is quite a bit of adult humor that perhaps you wouldn't even be comfortable with your Nan reading... For me, Tyler's readiness to tell his most embarrassing stories, and also some of his most personal struggles was really inspiring. Surely if he can publish them in a book, we should all be able to make peace with our own by ourselves? I would really recommend this read if you want to laugh, a lot, gain a greater appreciation for life, and most importantly learn what Michelle Obama smells like!

2. Grace's Guide: The Art of Pretending to Be a Grown Up by Grace Helbig

Grace Helbig has written the how to adult guide that EVERYONE under the age of 30 was waiting for. She doesn't focus on the deep meaning of life, existentialism, how to raise a child, or how to decide which curtains match your sofa the best. She address the real issues of today; how to hang out by yourself, how to date online, how to manage anxiety, and most importantly how to cook like a kid for adults. Okay, not all of her advice is sound, but it's very relatable. She understands that we don't have time to successfully adult quite yet, and reassures us that that's totally fine. I've learnt a lot about pretending to be a grown up in the last two years, and a lot of that is down to Grace.

3. The Amazing Book Is Not On Fire by Dan Howell (Danisnotonfire) and Phil Lester (Amazing Phil)

This book is simply a collection of everything viewers love about Dan and Phil, but in a permanent form. Reading it brought back a lot of fun memories from when I used to religiously wait for uploads and watch their videos. I could also tell that they had written it themselves, their personalities really shine through, plus there is a lot of previously unknown facts and unseen photos - so that was quite a bonus! By far the best aspect of the book was the tie-in tour The Amazing Tour is Not On Fire. Me and my friend Alice were lucky enough to get tickets, and honestly we just had the best afternoon. I genuinely felt a part of the Dan and Phil community, and I had fulfilled a childhood dream. The show was just as well constructed as the book; I wont give away any spoilers though - they're planning on taking the tour around the globe and asked us not to spoil anything!

Well there you have it, my top three YouTube books. A lot of people think they are a waste of money and paper. But I see it like this; YouTube is by no means a permanent feature in our lives, there is no guarantee we will be able to access these videos and personalities in 20 years time. These books allow fans to hold and keep a tangible copy of a media which has truly impacted upon their childhood, much like older generations today own memorabilia from their younger years. I want my future children and generations further down the line to experience the things that I grew up with. YouTube is one of those things!

australian history

Emus and Australia

08:28:00

50 book challenge

Yes Please by Amy Poehler (Book #3)

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“Dancing is the great equalizer. It gets people out of their heads and into their bodies. I think if you can dance and be free and not embarrassed you can rule the world.”

- Amy Poehler, Yes Please

There has been a wave of autobiographical advice books by strong female characters currently in the limelight. So many that it is quite easy to undermine the whole genre, and the women who write them. But honestly, sometimes the best autobiographers are those who don't take themselves too seriously. That is exactly what Amy Poehler does best.

As a young woman swiftly approaching her twenties, it can be quite hard to imagine what life will be like in five, ten, fifteen years time. The younger generation is bombarded with information and new challenges, alongside a flurry of bad news and forecasts for our future. We are all encouraged to save a deposit for a house, but are simultaneously told of the housing shortage. A degree is desirable if you want a great job, but please be aware that you may not get that job within your first five years of graduating. Poehler has navigated all of this, and has proven that there is 'another side.'

Having not followed her career or yet seen an episode of Parks and Recreations (I know, I apologize instantly), I was less interested at first in her rise to fame and her time on Saturday Night Live. But those chapters turned out to be just as enlightening as her more general advice. My favourite chapters include Sorry, Sorry, Sorry, and Treat Your Career Like A Bad Boyfriend.

As with (nearly) every autobiography, there is a certain quirk that makes it stand out from all the rest. Yes Please is neatly structured with double-page spreads embezzled with simple words of advice. Sound bites that you will remember and maybe even take ownership of. There is also hilarious photos throughout of Poehler dressed in many realistic 'disguises.' This really does add an extra level to the book.

Yes, there are many autobiographies out there. You could sit and read them all. But you could also pick this one up straight away. Amy Poehler understands what it is like to be young, confused, determined and disheartened. But she also knows how to laugh, get on and have fun on her way.

Beth x

book blogger

January Favourites

10:39:00

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

book blogger

Clothes Haul Winter 2016

09:18:00

50 book challenge

Moriarty by Anthony Horowitz (Book #2)

06:54:00

cultural history

Memories of Freakery

12:50:00

gift guide

History Lover's Gift Guide

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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