There a fascinating article in Smithsonian Magazine this month by author David Von Drehle (author of Triangle: The Fire That Changed America) about the lengths he went to in order to track down information on the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire in NYC. For readers I think it is hard to comprehend how much work a writer (either of historical nonfic or fic) must do in order to get the facts right. After hearing about Katharine Weber's novel on the fire, Triangle, I've been very interested in learning more about it, now there are two books I need to add to the holiday shopping list.

When my Mom and step Dad were in Australia a couple of years ago I asked them to find me a book on Australian military history. I wasn't expecting Gallipoli - it's a monster size - and it has been sitting on the TBR pile for awhile, buried in more manageable looking titles. I started it the other day - I figured 10 pages a day minimum and at least I would have it read in a couple of months. Well, have I ever been surprised and impressed! I've got a thing for WWI, it really interests me but what has impressed me about this book is how incredibly readable it is. I can't remember the last nonfiction military history book I've read that is so easy to read. The author does a great job of spicing up the narrative with quotes from the journals or diaries of the people he's talking about (or those who knew them) and also fitting in his own modern observations of battlefields. I just read about the first day of the battle and then in the next section he is in that same area (the Dardenelles) in 2000 and commenting on the memorials. It's just really well done and I'm enjoying it quite a lot. So thanks Mom!

I'm also reading the YA fantasy Tanglewreck which for a sci fi/fantasy book dealing with modern day time travel has an impressive amount of history. Today I got to the part where Pope Gregory XIII made his first appearance as the pope who changed the calendar ("Let it be done that after the fourth of October, the following day shall be the fifteenth. Amen.") Of course he did this to bring the old Roman calendar more in line with the actual length of a solar year, but still - the guy clearly had no problem messing around with time. Jeanette Winterson knew he was the guy she needed to include in a pivotal as he had experience dealing with time and he's a surprising part of her story which goes all over the place as a young girl named Silver tries to save the world from a very bad man and, separately, a very bad lady. I'm enjoying the heck out of this so far and while I'm sure some of the time and physics and all that might not be perfect, I really don't care. It's a fun book and I'm having fun reading it (and so did the Guardian).

I've been thinking about history lately because my YA urban fantasy keeps collecting history as I go along. Cemetery Dragons (opinions anyone?) includes journals with entries on WWI, references to St. George and Charlemange, at least one hurricane that pulverized New England in the mid-20th century (and maybe a second earlier one) and also odd and interesting bits about churches, saints and other odds and ends. I have notes all over about stuff I need to double check and clarify and look into. I want to keep the story going (I know how it ends now and I'm so relieved about that!) and clean it up in the 2nd draft. There is a lot of history that I want to get right (once a history teacher, always a history teacher) and I'm amazed by how easy it would be to get it wrong - or to just get lazy and not worry about it. Winterson really could have used anyone in Tanglewreck but using Pope Gregory XIII pulls the book up to a higher level - gives it a greater authenticity for the reader. And even if most teens won't get the reference (or care enough to check) some will, and because of that, a writer really needs to do her best.

So back to the trenches, literally, for me. We were shoveling gravel for our walkways all day, so no need to use the bowflex. I think this counted as "old world" exercise and man - am I feeling it! ha!