The last known World War I veteran has died at the age of 110. Like the fictional Ladies Edith and Sybil Crawley in Downton Abbey, Florence Green crossed the boundaries of social and cultural convention to
Downton Abbey – Wealth, Class and History
Downton Abbey fans: do you think the divide between the rich and poor in the series is extreme? Take a look in our current backyard. Like millions of people around the world,
Votes for Women – Rights We Take for Granted
The US House of Representatives rejected a proposal to give women the right to vote–just 95 years ago today. My daughter turned 18 last November and is enthusiastically planning to vote for the first time in this year’s elections. She found it scarcely credible when I told her that my own grandmothers were not allowed […]
Alabama’s Anti-Immigration Law – Xenophobia is Also Part of American History
The new Alabama anti-immigration law is wrecking farming and other businesses. And for what? This isn’t the first time US politicians have tried to recast America in their own images. As shown in TV programs such as Boardwalk Empire, the new film J. Edgar, and my own novel Devil’s Den, the 1920s were a time of […]
“What’s Past is Prologue”
History is important because we and the world we live in are the products of the past. What’s past is prologue. Santayana truly said “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” My goal as an author and historian is to entertain readers while helping them learn some important lessons from history. I’ve […]
