Posts Categorized: 19th century
Welcome to Flashback Friday! It seems fitting that, with just a few days to go before Christmas, we take a look at that classic editorial from a veteran newspaper journalist to a little 8-yr-old girl, Virginia O’Hanlon. Yes, I’m talking about the unsigned editorial: “Is there a Santa Claus?” published in The New York Sun…
For those of you already looking at snow on the ground, or envious of those who have the white stuff, this one’s for you. Folks in the 19th century had a lot of fun sledding, and doing other winter sports, too. (Click here for last year’s post on 19thc Ice-Skating in Central Park). Here’s an excerpt…
Samuel Clemens, widely-known by his pen name Mark Twain, is probably one of the best commentators regarding the nature of human beings. He’s certainly one of the most quotable, too. I won’t be going into his biography because it’s crazy-extensive, but for those interested, this Biography.com link has a good one on him. Today, Mr. Clemens has…
In honor of the upcoming Halloween festivities, let’s take a closer look at how the holiday came to be, and how it was celebrated by some in the late nineteenth century. Thank the Irish: 2 people like this post. Like Unlike
October: the month for general spookiness. Halloween ghosts, tombstones, skeletons, etc, have been popping up in my yard/neighborhood, and probably in yours, too. Even in my historical mystery-writing, it’s been all about the spooky lately. I’ve been elbow-deep in a scene where my spirit medium character, Madame Durand, attempts to get answers from the spirit…
What fictional forms were the precursors to mystery stories? Many point to Edgar Allan Poe’s (1809-1849) work, especially his August Dupin short stories. While his influence is huge, there’s more to the origins of the modern mystery. Let’s look at another contributing genre: Victorian Sensation Fiction Critics agree that Victorian sensation fiction (approx. 1850s to…
Welcome to Fashion Friday, where we take a look at an item or aspect of 19th century fashion. I haven’t done one of these in a while, but Jenny Hansen’s recent celebration of National Underwear Day set off a flurry of “undie” posts by fab writers August McLaughlin, Natalie Hartford, and Julie Glover, so here’s my contribution to the “undie”…
It was a dark and stormy night. …the pen is mightier than the sword. …in pursuit of the almighty dollar. Who wrote these? Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton, (1803-1873). He was a member of Parliament, later made peer of the realm (and attended House of Lords sessions), served as Secretary of State…
