As well as reading my Kindle book described on my WordPress ‘memory jar’ site (link provided below), I have also been listening to this audiobook which has the sub-title “A history of England’s Kings and Queens” – an unusual choice for me. As I am neither a lover of history nor particularly interested in Kings and Queens, you might ask why I made this choice. Simple – it’s the comedian David Mitchell, who is funny and this book was no exception! If only history had been taught in this compressed and amusing fashion with modern side notes and comments, I might have found it a bit more interesting. It also has the advantage that it is coming to a close just after Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and into the lead up to the Tudors and Stuarts.
Fortunately, my history education at school ended before the exams (O and A levels) at the Victorian era and I was never very good at it. I say fortunately because both the O’ level and A’ level syllabuses got STUCK in the Tudor and Stuart’s era that I found least interesting. So as soon as I could make a choice (at O’ level) I dropped history and instead focused on languages (French & German), maths and the sciences. Although, I was not too keen on English literature, the modern poetry aspects were interesting and although not enjoying the Shakespeare etc. at school I did get to read lots of French, German and Russian authors at home. OK, I liked to be contrary and do the stuff that others didn’t enjoy and I had lots of other interests like sports & amateur dramatics that I continued well into adulthood.
I was surprised by how many of the early names I recognised in my audiobook and just wish that my school memories of history lessons could have been a little more similar and fun to David Mitchell’s rendition! Aah well, maybe it also has something to do with the fact that I am older now and therefore have a wider experience and perspective by which to judge all the supposed “FACTS” that were rammed down our throats at school.
bibbysmith 