Learning History through Literature... Historical Fiction and its role in teaching us history
Introduction
What is this blog all about ?
Hi I am Aranyani a student in Grade 10.
History and Literature are two of my greatest passions.
Books and stories have made history come alive for me and I believe that they can do so for you too ! '
My blog contains reviews of historical fiction set in the time period 1919 - 1945 primarily in Europe and America, But some others as well This is a highly turbulent point in our history and it has shaped the modern era . It has naturally led to a huge amount of creative output.
What could I possibly hope to achieve throughr viewing these sorts of books.. patience Please !
History is all about people human experiences and emotions., It is endlessly fascinating, Its about individuals who who did great things , people who did terrible things and ordinary people caught in the larger scheme of things who did the best they could to get by. It is about how we became what we are and it is deeply deeply personal
Particularly fascinating is the interwar period and WW2 (1919 -1945) because it is at this point in history when mankind did some amazing , fantastic, and wonderful things but also some of the most horrific things humanity has ever seen. No doubt this period was really a game-changer. There were modern inventions and economic booms, democratic systems , economic crashes and totalitarian ideologies. The Biggest War humanity has ever seen
It was defining. It is part of why we are who we are today !. It gave birth to the modern era. Naturally, its the one most World History students across curriculums study about in class.
However too often history as it is taught in the class - out of a textbook can simply seem to be an endless stream of dates and facts. Studying about the 1920s or the 1930s. Even learning about something as highly encompassing, terrifying and real, emotionally affecting and dramatic as the Second World War can be a boring, dull experience. Which really is a shame because it ought not be that way. But regardless the best of us can feel our heads occasionally droop when reading another round of facts and classroom notes... We can't get them to stick !
Don't worry... the cure is some good historical fiction
The historical fiction recommended reviewed spans a wide variety of genres and themes. Mysteries, family sagas romances , thrillers, alternative history perspectives and places, There are easy to read - short and simple ones ( fear not !) and dense and complex ones for seasoned readers
Is both hugely interesting, and informative designed to please book lovers everywhere. You will find
The stories are wonderful and imaginative and you might be surprised to find that the different historical context in which they are set are just as amazing.
Factual basis and accuracy
You can explore some of the real history that inspired each book by clicking on the links provided at the end of every review... there may also be some nonfiction recommendations
You will find your type of book !!
I hope you are encouraged to pick up these books after reading these reviews. That history becomes for you as it has for me an exploration of personal stories and individuals. That these books leave you with a heightened curiosity and appreciation for an era - that was at once amazing, ingenious, horrifying and defining, You go away from the experience loving history all the more
What is this blog all about ?
Hi I am Aranyani a student in Grade 10.
History and Literature are two of my greatest passions.
Books and stories have made history come alive for me and I believe that they can do so for you too ! '
My blog contains reviews of historical fiction set in the time period 1919 - 1945 primarily in Europe and America, But some others as well This is a highly turbulent point in our history and it has shaped the modern era . It has naturally led to a huge amount of creative output.
What could I possibly hope to achieve throughr viewing these sorts of books.. patience Please !
History is all about people human experiences and emotions., It is endlessly fascinating, Its about individuals who who did great things , people who did terrible things and ordinary people caught in the larger scheme of things who did the best they could to get by. It is about how we became what we are and it is deeply deeply personal
Particularly fascinating is the interwar period and WW2 (1919 -1945) because it is at this point in history when mankind did some amazing , fantastic, and wonderful things but also some of the most horrific things humanity has ever seen. No doubt this period was really a game-changer. There were modern inventions and economic booms, democratic systems , economic crashes and totalitarian ideologies. The Biggest War humanity has ever seen
It was defining. It is part of why we are who we are today !. It gave birth to the modern era. Naturally, its the one most World History students across curriculums study about in class.
However too often history as it is taught in the class - out of a textbook can simply seem to be an endless stream of dates and facts. Studying about the 1920s or the 1930s. Even learning about something as highly encompassing, terrifying and real, emotionally affecting and dramatic as the Second World War can be a boring, dull experience. Which really is a shame because it ought not be that way. But regardless the best of us can feel our heads occasionally droop when reading another round of facts and classroom notes... We can't get them to stick !
Don't worry... the cure is some good historical fiction
A good story is highly engaging, entertaining and gripping. You can't stop reading it and authors helps empathise and really care about characters living across times and space. They're fun to read and they tell you so much without you even realising. Though historical fiction ( and beware !) is not always firmly grounded in fact. After all there must be some creative license in a story. Books with a strong historical setting can sometimes do more for us than textbooks can..` They entertain us and inform us. They are all about people different yet similar to us in how they think and feel... who we root for and see something ourselves in
They can make history more personal and enjoyable - Books will make history alive and real - something that we simply must know about
he historical fiction reviewed and recommended on this blog is set in the Interwar and WW2 period (1919 -1945) because it is the one I find most fascinating and eventful. So much happened in a space of little more than two decades. Its astounding. The historical fiction recommended reviewed spans a wide variety of genres and themes. Mysteries, family sagas romances , thrillers, alternative history perspectives and places, There are easy to read - short and simple ones ( fear not !) and dense and complex ones for seasoned readers
Is both hugely interesting, and informative designed to please book lovers everywhere. You will find
The stories are wonderful and imaginative and you might be surprised to find that the different historical context in which they are set are just as amazing.
Factual basis and accuracy
You can explore some of the real history that inspired each book by clicking on the links provided at the end of every review... there may also be some nonfiction recommendations
You will find your type of book !!
I hope you are encouraged to pick up these books after reading these reviews. That history becomes for you as it has for me an exploration of personal stories and individuals. That these books leave you with a heightened curiosity and appreciation for an era - that was at once amazing, ingenious, horrifying and defining, You go away from the experience loving history all the more
Super cool
ReplyDeletereally great stuff!
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