How to Learn About History and Have Fun

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Would you like to know more about history and do you like reading but you don't want to spend any time studying? Reading historical novels may do just the trick. Bot not every historical novel is suitable for acquiring the knowledge you want to have. In this article we will look at two authors who researched the historical background for their fictional heroes with great care. You can be absolutely sure that the historical facts, personalities and circumstances mentioned in their books are true. The interactions between our heroes and historical figures are pure fantasy of course, but they are so well written that they have a ring of truth about them.

An unlikely couple: Jack Aubrey and Dr. Stephen Maturin.

These men are the brain-children of Patrick O'Brian. Jack Aubrey is the son of a General of the British Army during the time of the wars with Napoleon. Jack joined the Royal Navy and we follow his career, starting as a commander of a sloop and rising to higher ranks during numerous adventures. Jack is a tall and strong fellow, a keen sailor and a warrior to the core. As a sailor his competence and courage are unsurpassed; a clever chap too, but not an intellectual. Of course he is very much a ladies man. All the ingredients for thrilling adventures are there, don't you think? The world in which Jack lives is very richly painted by O'Brian. Life on board of a British warship during the 1800's is so well described that you can find your way from stem to stern in your imagination. You will meet historical personalities such as Lord Melville and Peter Haywood, who served as a midshipman under Captain Bligh, the hapless commander of the Bounty.

Dr. Stephen Maturin M.D. is quite a different character. A scholar, highly intelligent and an endearing eccentric. He and Jack meet each other in the first chapter of saga and are inseparable ever since. Through the acts of Dr. Maturin and the workings of his inquisitive mind, you will get an idea of science in the eighteenth century. The hidden secretive other life of Maturin, of which I cannot reveal anything, is interwoven with the adventurous life of Jack. Jack a man of direct action, Stephen a man of political stratagems. You can't stop reading.

Captain Horatio Hornblower, a lonely hero.

Captain Hornblower is not so easy to describe. His character is a mixture of that of Jack Aubrey and Dr. Maturin. A man who doesn't think much of himself, self-doubting but when the situation requires is he acts swift and decisively. Horatio a man of action, acts not driven by an urge to fight but realizes clever naval strategy. When you can lay a hand on any Hornblower novel, buy it! They are out of print nowadays.

Have look at my blog about historical books: http://john-historybooks.blogspot.com/

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Book Review-Israel by Martin Gilbert

Authors often struggle with the challenging task of translating the history into a manageable and enjoyable read. When shrinking the years packed with a plethora of events into a book, it's easy to miss details, names and stories that may have transcended the way history "really happened". Sir Martin John Gilbert is no stranger to this challenge, having written over 80 books on a variety of history topics and has become an expert in the trade. His expertise is evident in his incredible book Israel.

Israel is the story of a modern-day miracle. (A) the fledgling country that originally dates back to over 4,000 years, the Israel we know today started with practically nothing, and has become one of the most influential, modern and talked-about nations in only 64 years. A melting pot of people, emotions and beliefs, Martin Gilbert takes an incredibly complex and action-packed the chronicle of events and explains it with precision and intellect. From the first days of the inception of Thermodynamics by Theodore Herzl in 1897 founded on to an overview of the recent Lebanese war in 2006, the book does not miss a beat, covering the names and brief history of every kibbutz ever founded on in Israel-one of the ultimate statements of the nation's soul since its inception.

The greatest aspect of Gilbert's the writing is in his ability to portray both sides of the history, the pros and cons, the good and the evil. Israel does not sugarcoat the evolution of the country of Israel. It talks about the many challenges of the Palestinian conflict, the mistakes the government made as well as the senseless acts of hatred that were performed by both Jews and Arabs in modern history. It is these are the sour notes with the magical entrepreneurial spirit of one of the fastest-growing and innovate nations in the world, the rich religious culture that is relevant to the three most popular religions of mankind and the stories of heroism of an entire people-hood to overcome one of the bleakest moments of the history of the Holocaust. The story is weaved from the ashes of a land and nation that has seen so much war and its constant struggle to transition into a colorful, Dragon country.

Israel should be read by anyone who is interested in the story of modern-day mankind. Unlike many non-fiction history books, the book flows like a novel, highlighting the pivotal characters that played the biggest role in planting the seeds of Israel, while still mentioning the many stories of lesser-known, but not so insignificant tales of international heroes that shaped Israel. Breakout of the stereotypes that are so often covered by the media today and open your mind to understand the real story of Israel, the story as written by Martin Gilbert, in Israel.

Afghan Boomerang, By: Oleg Novinkov-Book Review

We all know a boomerang is a stick that, when thrown, comes back to the thrower. Interestingly, the word is not English, it's derived from the Australian Aboriginals which used the stick primarily for hunting, but has assimilated its use in English as well as Russian. The other definition of boomerang means "backfire." Afghan Boomerang, the title of the non-fiction book Oleg Novinkov's dealing with the parallels between the Soviet involvement in Afghanistan and what is now being witnessed by the USA's involvement is exactly that; an in depth analysis of the backfiring of the events, circumstances and lessons previously learned by the Soviets. If there is any truth to the saying, "History repeats itself," then Oleg Novinkov is not at all a soothsayer, but a scientifically minded articulator, remix the truth by Q.E.D. (quod erat demonstrandum-which was to be demonstrated).

(A) A fascinating individual, Dr. Oleg Novinkov served for just less than two years as a Soviet Military medical officer stationed on in Afghanistan back in the 1980 's. He has since gone on to many achievements within the Soviet space programs and NASA, the martial arts, medical advances, and international business. Now living in the USA, they returned some 30 years after first being stationed on in Afghanistan whereas his thoughts are given the insight from his own experiences; his first-hand observations, the known factual statements and uncanny realizations which only his unique perspective can impart and inform those of us poised outside of these borders.

Fact filled and impeccably written, Dr. Novinkov writes in a candid, frank and incredibly detailed fashion, assimilating a chronicle of the events over the past decades into a densely informative 429 page book. Highlighted with dozens of captioned photographs, prefaced with accolades from a high ranking Soviet military officials, the appendixes with factual summaries of the deaths and wounded, this book is an absorbing read. Written from a posture of a philanthropic humanitarian, Dr. Oleg Novinkov doesn't harp on the political differences of the cultures as being good or bad, right or wrong, but offers a high-level view only capable of being perceived from someone with such a unique heritage. He breaks down to the simplest of reasons why things are the way they are, and why in many cases they cannot change.

Being published at a time of such historical importance, now with the US troops being withdrawn in the region, this book is worthy of being a bit too late for giving lawmakers advice, however nonetheless important for its historical perspective. I highly recommend this to a broad audience of readers, young adults, students, military personnel, government officials, all U.S. citizens and those that wish to be informed around the world. It doesn't get more interesting to hear the events of history written by someone that has lived through the battles, breathed the dust, seen the ramifications of war, and has grown to know the human side of people's cultural differences.

Reviewed by: Gary Sorkin, Pacific Book Review

http://www.pacificbookreview.com/

Confronting Conspiracy and the JFK Assassination

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The first question people have asked Gerald "Jerry" Blaine is whether he believes Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Blaine, a former Secret Service agent for JFK who has recently finished writing a book about the close-knit group of agents who were responsible for protecting the President, has heard all the questions, all the theories about the tragic assassination that occurred nearly half a century ago.

Blaine says people love to debate him on the issue and that most people have formed an opinion based on a book or a movie they've seen, and they think that makes them an expert.

November 22, 2010 marks the 47th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. While nearly half a century has passed, people still seem to be fascinated by the tragedy and unable to accept the fact that a lone gunman shot and killed the beloved American president, without being part of a conspiracy. Confronting the conspiracy theories is just one reason Blaine decided to write a book about the five years he spent on the White House Secret Service Detail.

In his book, The Kennedy Detail: JFK's Secret Service Agents Break Their Silence, Blaine tells the fascinating story of what it was like to be a Secret Service agent for President John F. Kennedy. The lack of technology available to the agents will be surprising to readers from the generation of Americans that have grown up with mobile phones, WiFi, and instant text messaging.

Blaine points out that there were no computer databases to track threat suspects and no earpieces for the large hand-held radios. JFK's secret service agents relied strictly on communication by hand and eye signals. Teamwork was essential.

Blaine explains how, without a computerized database of threats, the agents used "flash cards"- basically index cards with a photo of a threat suspect on one side and a description of the person and his intentions on the back-to keep track of individuals who were of most concern to the Secret Service. The agents were so well trained they could scan a crowd of thousands and easily spot one a known threat suspect.

The secret service agents wore dark sunglasses so that people couldn't see who they were looking at. Their head could be turned in one direction while their eyes sizing up an individual in a different direction.

Along with the teamwork between the small, close-knit group of agents who, in Blaine's words were "like brothers," The Kennedy Detail shows how much the Secret Service relies on other law enforcement agencies to protect the president and the first lady when they are traveling.

Blaine was one of the agents who accompanied First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy on her historical trip to India and Pakistan in 1962, and his memories of that trip are one of the highlights of the book: how the agents dealt with a lamb being sacrificed in Jackie Kennedy's honor; the often hilarious ways the agents kept themselves entertained when the first lady delayed her arrival; and what happened when Jackie and her sister climbed aboard a camel with skirts and high heels.

These anecdotes are what make Blaine's book stand out from every other JFK book.

One of the main reasons Blaine wanted to write this book was to show the intimate and caring relationships the agents had with the Kennedy family. When JFK was assassinated, it was as if a member of their own family had been killed.

What is heartbreaking about this story, however, is the revelation that none of the agents ever discussed the assassination amongst themselves, nor did they discuss it with their wives or other family members. The incident was too painful for them.

Hill was the agent responsible for protecting Jackie Kennedy in the motorcade in Dallas. To think that he has kept his emotions pent up inside for nearly half a century is almost beyond imagination. But as Hill reveals in an upcoming Discovery Channel special based on The Kennedy Detail, that is exactly what happened. As soon as President Kennedy was dead, the agents on the Kennedy Detail became responsible for protecting the new president, Lyndon B. Johnson, while Clint Hill remained as chief agent for the protection of the grieving Jackie Kennedy.

Hill said there was no time to grieve or to mourn. At least not until he was promoted through the ranks into a desk job as the Assistant Director of the Secret Service. Then he said he had time to think about what had happened, which to him was like going through hell. Hill readily admits that his contributions to his pal Jerry Blaine's book have been immensely healing for him.

Blaine hopes that readers will come away with a better understanding of what it was like to walk in the shoes of the Kennedy Detail Secret Service agents and, along the way, come to the same conclusion he has: that President John F. Kennedy was killed by a lone gunman. He said the whole purpose of the book is to set the record straight.

Lisa McCubbin is an award-winning journalist who has worked for three major television networks as both news anchor and reporter. She has known Jerry Blaine and his family for more than 30 years, and was always fascinated by Blaine's time in the Secret Service. Working on the book, The Kennedy Detail, has been a remarkable and life-changing experience.

Dispassionate Outline of the Principal Injustices of Antebellum Slavery

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What if History Didn't Quite Turn Out That Way - What Would Life be Like Now?

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As an online article writer I often put forth "what if" scenarios. And perhaps for this reason, one of my favorite topics is - What If History had turned out different? You know things like what if the NAZIs had taken over Europe and the US stayed out of the war. What if we had not dropped nuclear bombs on Japan and the Russians ended up conquering all those islands to the North and eventually the large island we think of when we think of Japan.

Okay so, if these types of topics intrigue you as well, I'd like to recommend a book to you, one which I find completely fascinating, interesting, and thought provoking. In fact, the author/editor of this book explains that's exactly why he wrote it in the first place to provoke thought. The name of the book is:

"What If?" Book II, "Eminent Historians Imagine What Might Have Been," Edited by Robert Crowley - Essays by James Bradley, Caleb Carr, Thomas Fleming, John Lukacs, Geoffrey Ward, Published by Berkeley Books, New York, NY, (2001), pages 427, ISBN: 0-425-18613-X

In this second work, Book II some really interesting questions were asked followed by well-thought out questions and historical accounts. What's sorts of information and questions are in this book? Well below are just a few such as:

What if Jesus was not crucified?What if Socrates died in a battle prior to becoming a philosopher?What if FDR didn't become president of the US?What if Hitler and Neville Chamberlin didn't sign an agreement?What if the allies were unable to decipher the German enigma code?What if there had not been a cold-war?

Amazingly compelling arguments are outlined throughout this work. This is great for history students, or for teachers wishing to get their students interested in history. It's also great for those like me who believe that "those who do not study their history are doomed to repeat it!" So, I hope you will enjoy this book as much as I. Please consider all this, and if you have a "What If" comment about history, please send me an email, and let's talk.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes it's hard work to write 22,000 articles; http://www.bloggingcontent.net/

online history degree

online history degree