Guest blog by Sydney Avey My great-grandmother Nellie Belle Carter was the family’s black sheep. In the early 1900s she left the fold to pursue an unusual career. My mother described her as a stern, sarcastic, determined woman who was an excellent writer. But it was her independent ways that made her a legend. “And,... Continue Reading →
Herbs and Gardens – 17th Century Home Remedies in New England
Most of us are thankful that we have access to 21th century medicine, and for a good reason. However, our ancestors were not as powerless in the face of disease as it might seem. During a Partnership of Historic Bostons event at the Deane Winthrop House in Winthrop, Mass., Lori Lyn Price, a historian specializing... Continue Reading →
Somewhere Still Explores Rules and Rebellion in the Roaring Twenties
Guest blog by Denitta Ward Jean Ball is coming-of-age in the 1920 Midwest when the rules are made to be broken, and the American society in a state of transition. Social norms are changing, and women are venturing out beyond traditional boundaries. The opulent Prohibition Era is rich in social, economic, gender, racial, and social... Continue Reading →
The inspiration behind House of Bellaver, a literary ghost story
Guest post by Erika Mailman The House of Bellaver arose out of two things. One was learning that an early California governor, Governor Henry H. Markham, had vetoed suffrage after it passed the House and Assembly in 1893.* That fact boggled my mind because in California, suffrage didn't pass until 1911. It appeared like one... Continue Reading →
The Thieftaker by D.B. Jackson
Anyone who knows me (in my capacity as a writer, anyway) will tell you that when it comes to historical fiction I am a traditionalist: I don't want my historical figures and facts mixed up with zombies, werewolves, or ghosts (maybe I'll make an exception for ghosts... maybe). So it was with a bit of... Continue Reading →
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
Much praise has been heaped on Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad, winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. I am not going to write another review after the likes of The New York Times, The Guardian, NPR and The New Yorker have had a go, but I’d like to offer a personal reflection and... Continue Reading →