Issue 02: Of Bildungsromane & Bonfires
Welcome to this week’s issue of Musings of a Bookish Historian! I apologize for the delay in posting, but thank you for reading this anyways! Things have been pretty steady lately as we enjoy the last vestiges of fall before the “w”-word comes!
Ye Olde History
There’s a lot to talk about this week! Last week saw a few important historical dates and anniversaries.
The Legend of Guy Fawkes
If you're familiar with the saying “Remember, remember the fifth of November”, chances are you're familiar with what it represents: the foiling of the 1605 plot by Guy Fawkes and his fellow conspirators to blow up the House of Lords (including King James I) and install his young daughter Elizabeth on the throne. Many in the United Kingdom celebrate Guy Fawkes Day with mulled wine, fireworks, and bonfires.
In regards as to the beginnings of these traditions, Historic Royal Palaces writes that
In January 1606 James I passed a thanksgiving act to celebrate the failure of the Gunpowder Plot and his deliverance from danger.
Called the Observance of 5 November Act 1605, it involved a special church service, bonfires and fireworks.
It remained in force until 1859 although celebrations still take place today.1
I had the fortune of celebrating Guy Fawkes Day in 2010 when I studied at Lancaster University. It was a lovely night, and one I highly recommend anyone to partake in if they have the chance to visit!
Return to Derry & the Troubles
Netflix recently released the third and final season of Derry Girls. If you're not familiar with the show, the series follows the lives of four teenage girls (and one wee English lad!) in Derry, Ireland during the Troubles. A true visual bildungsroman (work focusing on a person's transition from childhood to adulthood), Derry Girls offers an unpretentious and humorous look at an otherwise sobering and contentious time when Catholics vied for more equal representation and participation in daily life that their Protestant counterparts enjoyed. What really increases its appeal to viewers from across the pond - besides learning more about a tumultuous time in Northern Irish history - is the nostalgia and familiarity that comes with having grown up in the 90s. I highly, highly recommend it!
A Century of King Tutankhamun
November 4 saw a centennial milestone of Howard Carter opening the untouched tomb of King Tutankhamun, a young pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of the New Kingdom in Egyptian history. Though rather insignificant in his own time, the discovery of his tomb, left mostly untouched since ancient times, was the archaeological discovery of a lifetime. Check out the Griffith Institute at Oxford University’s website on the discovery of King Tut’s tomb for images, archival sources, and additional resources!
Bookish
Not much new on this front! I just finished up beta reading an amazing sequel for a past client. If you’re looking for someone to help you with your next writing project and want an unbiased but encouraging opinion, please feel free to reach out. I freelance over at Upwork, and you can see some reviews from my clients! I’m also working on a review for a book called The Siege Winter (or The Winter Siege on some websites) so look for that in the next week!
Over at The Bookish Historian
I posted a small history article about Empress Matilda, a character in The Siege Winter. Nothing too fancy, but it offers a glimpse into the life of the post-Conqueror princess, empress, and heiress to the English throne.
Enjoy your weekend, and thank you for reading!
Cheers,
-Amy
“Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot: Who was the Man Behind the Mask?”, Historic Royal Palaces, https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/history-and-stories/guy-fawkes-and-the-gunpowder-plot/#gs.hsuxza (accessed November 10, 2022).