More Research/Reading Material
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Julie Barrett
Thursday, March 10, 2011
I have a fascination with the Gilded Age and the politics and technology intertwined with that period of history. In England it would be the late Victorian and early Edwardian era. Here, it's the late 1800s through the dawn of the World War I. It was a time when the rich were very rich indeed, technology was changing at a rapid pace, and the Progressive Movement was a force, not to mention Socialism.
Hey, that sounds familiar, doesn't it? I suppose that's one reason I'm so taken with that era. I've been toying with an alternate history tale set during that time. What if one key event didn't happen, or was just a little different? One key event was the assassination of William McKinley in 1901, which brought VP Teddy Roosevelt to office. What would have happened if McKinley had never been shot? What if he had lived? What if he had stayed in office, physically and intellectually weak? Or, what if he had returned to office at full strength after Roosevelt had taken office during his convalescence? What might have changed? What technology would have gotten a boost or might have been pushed aside in favor of competing technologies or standards?
My reading of late has pulled me in that direction. Currently I'm reading Jerome K. Jerome's "All Roads Lead to Calvary." Yep, this is the same man who penned "Three Men in a Boat, to Say Nothing of the Dog." (And if you haven't read "To Say Nothing of the Dog," by Connie Willis, please consider doing so.) Jerome was more known for his humorous works, but this book is a little different. It's certainly humorous, but the central figure is a woman who is using her beauty and brains to put forth her Progressive ideas. I have a funny feeling about how this is going to end. Please don't spoil it for me if you've read it.
Next on the plate are two books more rooted in history. "Murdering McKinley," by Erich Rauchway, chronicles the aftermath of the president's assassination, the rush to bring someone to justice, and Roosevelt's role in the whole affair. Should be interesting reading.
The other is from Erik Larson. I still need to read "The Devil in the White City." Dang. But I saw this today and grabbed it. Called "Thunderstruck," it intersects the Gilded Age, the Crippen case, and Marconi. Holy moley, what's not to like about that premise?
That should keep me busy for a while. I'll report back on the books.
Tags: What I'm Reading
Filed under: What I'm Reading
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