Today’s prompt is “What could you give a speech about without notice”, which makes me laugh because going off on spontaneous history lectures is a specialty of mine. History is my passion, and it’s partially connected to my profession: I do local history at my library, and often engage in research when things are slow on the floor. (This rarely happens, and even when I retreat to the archives to ponder my books and photos in peace, people come hunting me. Alas.) My ability to suddenly explode into a lecture got me invited onto a ghost-hunt inside a building I really wanted to document, so it’s not just a party trick.
WWW Wednesday
WHAT have you finished reading recently? Ike and Dick, as well as Being Nixon. I’m so deep into Nixonland that I had a dream that I went into a back-country drive bar and stumbled into him inside, enjoying a brew and some music. We talked about Ike and Dick and he nodded ruefully.
WHAT are you reading? I’m giving Killing Kennedy a shot because I watched three Kennedy movies last week, two of which were connected to the assassination. So far it’s a lot of gossip about JFK’s sex life. I’m also listening to In the Arena, read by RN himself, and to The Midwest Survival Guide, read by Charlie Berens, whose comedy I love. (Keep er movin’!)
WHAT are you reading next? Oh, lord. So, this past weekend I received three books — Lee in the Shadow of Washington, Lincoln by Gore Vidal, and Maverick by Jason Riley. The latter is a biography of Thomas Sowell. On order, I have Kennedy and Nixon, by Chris Matthews; The Declaration of Independence by Brad Birzer; and A Time to Heal by Gerald Ford. The latter was the first or second presidential biography I ever read, back in high school, and I remember it fondly. Freya India’s Girls was just released, so I’m waiting to start my ebook version of that.
I need a vacation just to read my books, and now I’m eying a George H.W. Bush biography with interest. In the words of Jim Carrey in The Mask, sssomebody stop me!
Reading Freely 
Ah, Stephen my dad was similarly minded about history. It was his favourite thing to talk about. I enjoy the subject myself but my dad would bring up the first world war apropros of nothing in anybgiven situation. I never thought I’d miss his ‘lectures’ but I’d give anything to hear him wax enthusiastic about Franz Ferdinand, Hitler or even Henry VIII.
Hah! It’s a trope that guys get heavily into either Roman history or WW2. Nice to hear about someone diverging from that a bit with WW1. It doesn’t get nearly enough attention.
Looks like your LAST burst of Presidential Mania didn’t inoculate you… [lol] The only question it raises is – obsession or (deep) focus? [lol]
Well, as long as you’re enjoying yourself and aren’t harming others…. [grin]
Well, this time it’s also fed by my wanting to focus on American history this year, so it’s like one addiction being legitimated…
Very true. You do have a legitimate excuse ATM! I’ve just been going through my stacks of US History looking for additions to a mini-run I’m thinking of… Won’t be for a while though.
I really need to read some proper histories, though…like books on loyalists in the War for Independence, books on the South in the war for independence et.
That’s a lot of presidential history. Good luck…
Goodnight and good luck?
GOOD movie!
There is no such thing as a good movie.
Well, except the original Star Wars trilogy. I’ll give in on that particular point.
Interesting standpoint… [looks somewhat confused]
Plus I never ‘got’ Star Wars. Good in parts but I never really understood what all the fuss was about. I did however greatly enjoy Rogue One, which I think is by far the best Star Wars movie. I was also VERY impressed by the YouTube clips I’ve seen of Andor.
How can it be the best? It doesn’t even have Natalie Portman.
The directors squandered her talents imo.
Especially in Revenge. Padma the cunning politician with a gun is reduced to a crying woman whose only purpose in the story is to be the motivation/downfall for Anakin.
Movies are like candy. No candy is good. It destroys the body. And movies do the same to the mind and spirit.
I’ve never seen R1 so I’ll pass on discussing it.
I figured you were going to pick something history related! That ghost hunting story is great.
I figured you were going to pick something history related! That ghost hunting story is great.
Thanks!!