To finish up Blogmas 2022, this week will be wrap-up posts! Instead of doing the most popular posts, I’m going to be sharing my favourites. There might be some overlap, but there are always some posts that I am exceptionally happy with and want to share! Throughout the week, we will have a history round-up, as well as culture, books, royal moments, and style. I hope that you enjoy reading more about which posts have been my favourite, and discovering the little extras (including sneak peeks into future posts). For today, I have my favourite history posts of 2022!
The Best Books If You Love The Gilded Age
The Gilded Age was a surprise favourite for me this year. Downton Abbey is one of my favourite shows, so I expected to like TGA but not to be sucked in as soon as I started watching it. The setting/ sets, the costumes, the actors, the plots, it all worked well for me! (My only slight qualm is that the second half felt rushed, but I understand it was truncated to nine episodes for Covid reasons.)
While we wait for a season 2 release date to be confirmed, I’ve got the best fiction and non-fiction books to read if you loved watching The Gilded Age. I really enjoy creating book lists based around period dramas, as that is often how I end up discovering many of my favourite books.
The History of St. Giles’ Cathedral
Queen Elizabeth II’s passing in September put the spotlight on many different places and traditions that don’t often receive any. St. Giles’ Cathedral is well-known in Edinburgh and Scotland but tends to be overshadowed by several other cathedrals in the United Kingdom. The Queen passed while in Scotland, meaning that specific rituals had to be observed in Scotland- including a lying-in-state at St. Giles’.
St. Giles’ Cathedral is on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, a stretch in the Old Town with Edinburgh Castle at one end and The Palace of Holyrood at the other. First established in the twelfth century, it is the High Kirk of Edinburgh and has played witness to countless moments in Scottish history.
Sneak Peak: In the spring, you can expect a history series on the blog on the monarch’s official residences in the UK!
Why Period Dramas are Good for Historians
If you missed it in the multiple posts where I’ve shared it already, I do not care if period dramas are accurate. Period dramas are a form of entertainment, and while they can spur viewers on to learn more on their own, they do not exist to educate. Historians often get very upset about the period dramas that touch on their areas of study, because it is not as accurate or faithful as they would have liked.
In spite of this, I still believe that period dramas are good for historians. How many “what is the real history behind this period drama” articles, posts, and episodes are written and shared whenever a new period drama airs? And how many opportunities do most historians have to engage with the public on their very niche topic? I firmly believe that we need to be realistic and appreciate that there are far more chances for public engagement than ever before.
My Top 5 Tips for Doing Web-Based Historical Research
I never know if I should post about research itself on the blog. A lot of readers find An Historian About Town by searching for the answer to a specific question, or for more information on a specific event, person, or place. However, I do receive many requests for research tips and what best practices are. (That varies widely by person, I am afraid.) This post has already been fairly popular, but in addition to that, I really enjoyed writing it.
Sneak Peek: This post is somewhat related to a new series I will have on the blog in 2023, “History From Afar”. Although I am based in the middle of Canada, much of my research and interests are based in Europe and further. I have to get creative in order to “do” history and enjoy it from a distance- I will be sharing my tips for everyone who is similarly far.
The Best Period K-Dramas
This post was one of my favourite posts to write this year, and also elicited the most messages/ emails/ follow-ups. I received more than twenty messages telling me why this post was wrong and why only watching one very specific type of show is good.
I include myself in this- many of us in North America and the British Isles only watch period dramas from the UK and occasionally the US. It is easy to dismiss it as “well, that is what I enjoy, so why would I watch anything else?”. However, as I’ve learned this year, if you like watching royal dramas set in the UK, I would put money on you enjoying dramas set at other courts, including those outside of Europe. And in terms of inclusivity, it is quite problematic to make the argument that only British period dramas are worth watching, as so many people tried to tell me.
There is a wealth of fantastic period pieces set in Korea, and there is no reason not to enjoy them, too. The costumes and sets are amazing, and at 12-16 episodes in a series, you get more than a lot of UK and prestige period dramas.
Sneak Peek: I have another K-Drama period post planned, as well as an international period drama post! (I do not have a full list for all countries, but there are some A+ dramas I want to share.)
Which have been your favourite history posts of 2022 on the blog?
Cheers,
The Historian
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest
