More than I used to. *g*
I will never know everything, but part of the fun is finding out new things.
About six years ago, when I got it into my head the idea to write a regency, I looked for library books on the subject. One of the books I found was What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew by Daniel Pool.
I was in alt. Here was a list of lots of the things I read about in regencies, but had no idea what they were. Pounds and pence, Parliament sessions, Whitsunday and Michaelmas, quarter days and consols, pelisses, footmen and scullery maids. I was also totally confused. How would I ever remember all this stuff?
I recently reread the book. And, lo and behold, much of the information has become second nature. I guess I've learned a lot in the past few years.
Some will scoff at the book. What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew covers both the Regency and the Victorian eras, so not everything is valid for the Regency. And the information is general. But the book is a good overview and has an extensive bibliography and a great glossary.
I will always make errors, and I hope my readers will be forgiving because I try to get things right.
Thank you all,
Linda
The picture is Carlton House, the Prince Regent's home during the Regency.
Posts
4 comments:
Part of the fun of writing historicals is the research, isn't it? I grew up reading Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer (and have always lived in Britain), so I think I absorbed a lot of the details that way. BUT - there's then a danger I think I know more than I do because of not checking!
LOL, Rosemary! But you started out with more knowledge than I had. Whenever I saw "pound" in a Regency, I always substituted "dollar". And we know they aren't the same.
I recently read a book by Kim Wilson titled Tea with Jane Austen. It was quite interesting. It was about drinking customs and afternoon teas. But I must say that I enjoy reading about afternoon teas in historical fiction novels more than reading a nonfiction book. So, thank you for writing historical fiction.
You're welcome, phastings. And Tea with Jane Austen looks like a good book for me to read.
Post a Comment