History Links: Mirror Years, Roundabouts, and Archaology
I don’t know about you, but I could sure use some history links to start out my weekend. (Actually, I could really just use the weekend.)
History Today’s blog has a really interesting piece on the concept of “Mirror Years“- you subtract your age from the year you were born to see what historical events you’re close to. I was born in 1981, so my mirror year is 1948. Think about it: I was born closer to the McCarthy hearings than to today. People are alive right now who were born closer to Waterloo than they were to today. Crazy, right?
Roundabouts!!! You absolutely will want to see the best roundabout in Britain. (I love Britain. They also have Loo of the Year awards.)
NPR’s great Code Switch blog has a review of a book about black people passing as white in pre-Civil Rights America. I never really thought about this, so this piece was an eye-opener for me. Fascinating and sad. (This is the book.)
I love The Toast. This week they brought sanity to archaeology headlines, and it was delightful. They also talked about newly discovered cave paintings this week, and about a woman who suggested that all men get vasectomies if they didn’t want women to have access to birth control. I had never heard of it, and it’s great. (Really, just read all of The Toast.)
Not quite history, but Jezebel has a real lawyer fact-checking How to Get Away With Murder. FUN.
The New York Times talks about an exhibition showcasing diversity in Ancient Greece that sounds fascinating.
Speaking of Ancient Greece, that is the subject of a new citizenship test at History Extra. (I got *mumble* wrong, so I guess I will just have to stay here, with my indoor plumbing.)
Twitter time:
Oh, VICTORIANS. (Victorians make me stabby. One day I will have posts on it.)
And finally, a Happy Belated Birthday to Richard III:
That’s it for this week. Have a good weekend, y’all!
Reign of Terrible 