From: Melody Allen <melody_allen>
Date: Thu, 06 May 2004 09:24:56 -0400

Many years ago when I was in high school, I did a project which I loved. I read Howard Fast's April morning about the Battle of Lexington and then researched the accuracy of everything from tableware, clothing and weapons to real people and events. My more recent reading of the thrilling Goddess of Yesterday made me want to go back to reading about the Trojan War. I think the story aspect of historical fiction (and historical time travel) can pull a young person vividly into a time period and open up an interest in the study of history.

I also remember reading a bit in Robert Martin's Back Bay (historical fiction) about the historian's role being not so much to uncover the truth about what happened, but instead to eliminate what did not happen. Thus the historian in my mind is constantly trying to bring the past into focus, and the more viewpoints you have on an event the clearer it becomes. Any primary (or secondary) source leaves the smudge of that person's fingerprint on the lens.

Melody Allen melody_alllen at gw.doa.state.ri.us
Received on Thu 06 May 2004 08:24:56 AM CDT