"B. Cornwell in the WSJ" Topic

The article begins:

"As a writer of historical fiction, Bernard Cornwell has produced at least one book every year for more than three decades. What accounts for his extraordinary output? For one thing, he says, "I'm not writing literature." Literature tackles life's big questions, while "my books are about killing people."

link

I would think that people being killed is one of 'life's big questions.'

He also, for the most part, rights to a formula. Read one of his books and you have pretty much read most of the others. I happen to LIKE the formula and have read quite a few so that is not a criticism, just an observation of how it does it.

Christopher Nuttall cranks out decent formula books as well (on Amazon) and I like most of those as well.

Agreed.

Griff Hosker is also very prolific and fun to read -- very much the same kind of action formula in different eras. His actions series have been set in ancient Rome, Dark Ages Britain, Middle Ages, Napoleonic Wars, WW1 and WW2.

I would think that people being killed is one of 'life's big questions.'

More like one of "Life's Big Answers".

"Rights" ACK! Writes, dummy, writes!

That's in the WSJ (Wall Street Journal and they want a subscription), not the NYT. Minor difference.

However you type the verb to "write"…was it not scribo, scibere, when I did O level Latin in 1969?

If you introduce folk to an era of which they know nowt…why not?

I share an office with a surgeon who will hit 40 next month. I told her that today was the 75th anniversary of a very special day in US history. She had heard of Pearl Harbour (Harbor if you prefer) but only because there was a Ben Affleck film she had not seen. Tora Tora Tora meant nothing…indeed she knew nothing of any attack, despite the Val, Zero and Kate and three P40s on my office shelf. The radar story and "Forget it and switch off, your shift is over" meant even less……..

Don't knock anyone who writes history….even if they are totally unfair to Slender Billy and our Continental Cousins in general.

I fear that will get much worse in the coming years…post Brexit.

Thank God for my Irish passport

Deadhead--don't feel bad. I'll repeat something I think I may have posted before:

A few years ago my mother was in the hospital. The young nurse asked me for a medical history(this was at 2AM). I said "Jeez,it's pretty long. How far back do you want to go? I mean,she graduated college on D-Day."

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

". . .Um. . .you know,World War II?"

"Oh. . ." Then,brightly: "Oh! Hawaii,right?"

(Inward sigh). "Close enough. . ."

Note, this was in the US. Now,imagine if I had mentioned Dunkirk. . .

I once asked a young man who we were allied with and who we (the US) fought in WWII. He said "easy, us and the Germans against the Russians ".

As a manager I used to reference historical facts and got the combination of blank looks, why are you boring me about this, and the few who gave knowing nods.

I also work with a group of young men called Trail Life USA and there I regularly refer to history and most get it. Of course there are several home schooled so they likely get better more focused education then those who go to government schools.

I like his books. I pretty much open one, turn my brain off, and enjoy. Very different to other reading where I have to pay attention to what I'm reading.

> Of course there are several home schooled so they likely get better more focused education then those who go to government schools.

I've found the opposite to be true.

(Yes, WSJ. I had a few tabs up at once.)

My kids go to public schools and even in resource starved Georgia they have access to excellent history courses through the AP program.

On the other hand I do living history programs at the History Center for home schoolers and their historical beliefs (rather than knowledge of facts) can be quite odd.

TomT

The BBC had a survey of European Millenials on their website not so long ago where they had to tell them what they knew of WW1…They didnt actually do to bad- they were broadly correct in terms of when it was and who took part, and how it started. Their knowledge wasn't exacly detailed but it was there.

One girl got marked down for knowing someone was assassinated but thinking it was a King rather than an Arch-Duke which I thought was a bit unfair, I mean seriously, how much differnce is there betwen an Arch Duke and a King really?

I thought was about right for something that was probably last mentioned to them 10-15 years earlier and that they won't have thought about since.

Mike, I believe WW1 has figured on AS History syllabus in recent years, and History is quite a popular option. Ask them about War of Spanish Succession, Seven Years War or Waterloo campaign and I reckon there will be a 95% non-recognition score.
I did not study History at school after the age of thirteen (I was a Science Specialist with the three language option). Like many on this forum, I am self taught, motivated by wargaming to find out more and more of our past.

Certainly I'd expect more knowledge from somebody who had actually studied history (the people in the article were from all across continental europe, I don't know what sort of silly bus they might have been on) or were interested in it. As far as the population at large goes I wouldn't expect or demand them to have any knowledge of such obscure events (unless hollywood had had a go at it) as the WSS or 7YW. Hell bells, a lot of wargamers and people who actually are interested in history that I know would be hard pressed to tell me more than two facts about either event.

I do think to be a well rounded individual you should know a little of the main events as it were, not neccesarily the minutiae but at least a vague idea as to its significance. For people not interested in the subject it would be pointless to expect more.