I stumbled across a small, hand-written diary in an antique store in May, 1988. I’d never run across an old diary for sale before, and had no idea what this one was about. All I knew is what it said on the tag: “1835 handwritten trip journal.” The diary […]
1835 Traveler’s Diary
Like a free excerpt? Over thirty years ago, I discovered an old traveler’s diary in an antique shop. Written in 1835, it recorded the travels of a New England gentleman as he explored the “west” (today’s Midwest), searching for land and opportunity. Click here to read a free excerpt! * […]
Tales of Resilience: How Our Ancestors Coped
I’ve been fascinated lately by the concept of ‘resilience.’ Our ancestors had it. Somehow they made it through wars and food shortages; terrible pandemics; losing a spouse or a child to disease or accidents. And medical care? Well . . . some of the very best medical treatments back then would be cringe-worthy today. Sure, they had opium, laudanum, […]
Speaking of History: 4 Tips for Giving a History Talk That’s Actually Interesting
Show of hands: Who positively hated history class in school? Virtual high-fives, my friend . . . history class was soooo boring! Yet this is how crazy life can be: now I write books and give talks about it. So what’s changed? Well, I finally discovered history isn’t about memorizing names, dates, and wars. Nope. […]