The end of an era. HRH Prince Philip passed away this week. Much coverage in the press and elsewhere. Most of it at least respectful. Whatever your views of the institution of the monarchy he was still someone's husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather and a decorated veteran who used his position to help others. His … Continue reading R.I.P.
It always pays to do some research, even, when as I am, you are creating your literary world. My novels are set in a post-apocalyptic but not dystopian future England, very roughly Edwardian society meets Tudor politics. This means that I can play a little bit with how things are in relative safety and the … Continue reading Ely… The visit that nearly unravelled my plot…
I have to share this incredibly fascinating discussion from Dr David Starkey about the Wuhan virus and the aftermath in Britain. He traces historical pandemics and how they have had more or less profound effects but at a high human cost. He makes the distinction about this virus - that the cost in human life … Continue reading Fascinating Discussion…
I found my old blog the other day. Quite illuminating. I was a bit of a blog maniac in those days, posting several times a week, often at great length. Quite a lot was about food, more about dealing with depression. Looking back, it is interesting to see the changes. You don't notice changes in … Continue reading Back In Time
Castles. Camelot. Soaring stone towers. Damsels in distress. Jousting. Or if you are a gloomy soul; prisons, torture chambers, oppressive hulking grey monsters on the skyline. Well, both have elements of truth but most castles were much more humble. In England the vast majority of castles were in fact, for the longest time, wood. Simple … Continue reading Castles – The Motte & Bailey
Passing the cathedral on the last warm evening of autumn I heard the choir practicing. The building towered away into a bright starry sky and the sound of the organ drifted on the breeze, an echo of the ages. A cathedral has stood here in one form or another since the time of Alfred The … Continue reading Requiem In Pace…
Given my previous post about war and questioning the representation of it maybe it is a little perverse to set down to write a brief canter through the history of fortifications. However, defensive structures can, and have, prevented conflict for millennia. They have also be the focus of conflict, resistance, survival and defeat. Many castles … Continue reading Fortification – A Brief History… Part 1
Post-apocalyptic food. Is it ever mentioned? Rarely, except where it has been reduced to a joyless protein pill that meets all a human's nutritional needs or the terrifying Soylent Green. Speaking personally food is one of the great pleasures. I am sure, even in these neurotic times, I am not alone. Why should a recovering … Continue reading After The Deluge…Part 3: Food
Jeremiah Hope 