h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hiya Mustapha

You might have noticed that my Arthur entry has now been approved (yeehaw!). If you want to change the link on the historical page, it has been re-titled by the sub-editor to "King Arthur Evidence Found" at A262766

What a success the HistSoc has been. Do you find that it is taking more time than you had planned/hoped? Or is it all cool? Maybe you should be granted sub-editor status by the Guide Powers!

Cheers
Bran.

Well, I have been giving people advice recently on the art of writing, lending some of my journalistic expertise (such as it may be). But modesty forbids me from offering my services as subeditor. However if someone were willing to nominate me for the post, I'd be more than happy to oblige.

I'm quite happy with the progress of the Society and I'm nowhere near as overwhelmed as I thought I'd be, for reasons given in the More History discussion thread. Although one or two of the more enthusiastic contributors are mistaking inaction for indifference (again, for reasons given in the More History discussion thread ). Now my challenge is summoning up the effort to editorialise more and get more debate going.

Yes, I noticed your Approved Arthur Entry the other day, and a number of other Entries linked to in the hHS have also subsequently been approved too. So at some point I'll have to go in and change them.

BTW have you checked out my Attila the Hun entry?

Sorry for the delay in getting back - been away for a much needed holiday.

Yes, I have read your Attila entry - very punchy and very readable. Well done. I had also heard that he died while doing the deed - nice to have that confirmed (or at least hear that you had heard the same story).

I reckon that there is scope for a pile of biographies of early medieval "Barbarian" leaders. I've been reading lately about some of the leaders of the Goths - Theoderic, Odoacer, etc. Might get on to this at some point ... I have given myself an insane timetable this semester, so who knows what I might be able to produce.

Cheers
Bran.

Well, it appears we've already hit the big time - your Celts and my Merovingians have been given links in the new Guide browser on the front page.

Speaking of great leaders, perhaps someone (maybe even me) should do an Entry on Mohammed, or at least on Islam. I think it's amazing that within a century of Mohammed's death, his followers had surged through the North African coast and up into Spain.

So where'd you go for your hols?

Yes, I had seen our entries on the browser - we have hit the big time indeed! I am assuming that it is still in progress as there weren't a great deal of them on history. Who knows ...

Mohammed and the spread of Islam in the 7th century would be a great idea. I know very little about it (just a passing understanding of the Pirenne thesis about the disruption of trade in silver etc that resulted from Islamic control of the Mediterranean). I have managed to accidently bypass middle-eastern history somehow in my travels.

I was given "How the Irish Saved Civilisation" for a Christmas present and just managed to read it. Interesting idea that is quite justified, but could have been argued a whole lot better. The historiography wasn't that great and a bit out of date. Had some good points, but unfortunately studying history has made me too damn exacting (or analy-retentive) for my own enjoyment sometimes. Ah well.

For hols we went to a place on the west coast of Tassie called Strahan. It is where the wilderness boat tours leave from to go up the Gordon River - site of the protest of the 80s to stop a dam being built. A great wee town that is, unusually for Tassie, growing in size. It is about a 4-5 hour drive from Hobart, a lot of it through World Heritage listed wilderness - amazing scenery (perhaps not as splendid as the Southern Alps in NZ though). Basically sat about, read, drank coffee, and vegged for a week. Wot fun!

Cheers
Bran.

Sounds like the very definition of vacation!

Amazed you actually read a book you took with you on holiday, I thought they were essentially ballast for a suitcase.

Yes ... that is usually the case! Yet, managed to finish one, complete a second, and begin a third. Now, THAT is a holiday.
Bran.

Made a few modifications to the Historical Society page, and I'm just about to go give the prominent people sections its own wing.

Let me know what you think!