When my husband and I moved to California, we put getting new drivers' licenses near the top of our to-do list. This was not because we both wanted better pictures and smaller numbers for our weight, but because you have to have a drivers' license in order to get a library card. Yes, we are that nerdy.
On my first trip to our new library, I picked up the book A Woman in the Crossfire: Diaries of the Syrian Revolution by Samar Yazbek. I was curious to read a first hand account of what was happening in a country that I know little about. I also put in a request for Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie, which I had seen in bookstores as we traveled across country. I have had a strange girl crush on Catherine the Great since jr. high when I read my first biography on her and went to a grand exhibit on her life where I even bought a t-shirt with her picture on it, which I proudly wore on a weekly basis for many years. Again, yes, I am that nerdy.
As I have read these two books, some interesting things began to happen. First of all, reading the news has taken on new dimensions as I had some background and another perspective for the information I was receiving. Although, I will admit that when reading Yazbek's book I wish I had known even more of the history and culture of Syria to give me more understanding of her account. Second, I began to question the historical references I was hearing in the news. What does it mean for the economic recovery measures of today to be compared to the New Deal of the 20's? If a presidential candidate is compared to Ronald Reagan, is that a good thing? I wasn't exactly tuned into the political scene during Reagan's time as president, so the only impression I have of his two terms in office is from the music video to Phil Collins' "Land of Confusion."
The 50th anniversary also occurred as I read these books, and ignited in me a desire to get to all that history that got skipped or skimmed over in history classes while I was in school. Been there, done that a hundred times over on the Civil War, the Revolutionary War and WWII (not sure what happened to WWI, but it is a little foggy for me). But what exactly happened during those intense days of the Cuban Missile Crisis? What happened down in Central and South America in the 70's and 80's? I've seen vague references that those events are tied to the flow of immigrants from the area into the US. What exactly did Che Gueverra do to earn himself a spot on so many t-shirts? What about African history other than the focus on Egypt and the American slave trade of the colonial era? I would like to do is fill in some holes from neglected continents and decades of the recent past.
I realize the easy route for this would be to watch the numerous and
highly entertaining movies that are based on historical events. I want
to avoid those for now, because I realize that movies have to be
abbreviated and condensed, so you lose some of the details, motivations
and background for events. Also I fear that in order to be entertaining
and draw in audiences events are sometimes exaggerated in movies (not
that inaccuracies are not found in books as well), but I want to have
more than one source for my information. I will probably read several
books on JFK and the Cold War, so that I don't get just one
perspective.
Another fascinating thing about studying history is seeing how history could have been vastly different if one event had been delayed or happened sooner. As I read the book on Catherine the Great this weekend, I learned of the nearly complete defeat of King Fredrick the II of Prussia during the Seven Years' War. Prussia was spared defeat and more than likely dissolution of the country by Russia, Austria and France by the sudden death of Empress Elizabeth of Russia. This brought her heir, Catherine's husband, Peter II to the throne. Peter had an unhealthy man crush on the King of Prussia, and quickly hit undo button on all military victories and alliances Russia had over and against Prussia. This begs the question: What if Empress Elizabeth had lived another year to see the war to its end and Prussia completely defeated? Would we then have been spared World War I?
Since my husband has gone back to school and has to read 30 plus books every 4 months, I have been inspired to continue in a little academic reading myself and the answering of some of my wonderings above, filling the blank spaces and asking new "what if" questions. For my reading list, I am using a list of the Best History Books from Good Reads, but I welcome your suggestions as well. Until then, I have a lot of reading to do. . .
