Daily Entertainment.

[muji]

Since LJ is being nice enough to load today, I get to make a DE post!

...not that I have a topic or anything.

Comments

[sdelmonte]

A thought: all four of the summer movies I have seen are set in the past. Do you have a favorite historical in terms of fictional works? Mine is possibly the 60s. So much to use, from the Cold War to Vietnam to Civil Rights. And so much room to get creative.

[yakalskovich]

Depends on what angle a movie is going for. The sixties can feel quite alien, while (in PotC4) some version of the 18th century can feel homey and familiar.

[spooky-lemur.livejournal.com]

I'd go with the turn of the 20th century but then I am a fan of the pulp genre. I would say though that it really depends on the writer. If they are just writing in the era to emulate that period but not bringing anything new it doesn't work for me. For instance, I ate up Naomi Novik's Temeraire series while I couldn't get past the first few chapters of Gail Carrigar's Soulless despite it's interesting premise.

[gorgonfondness]

I'm starting to like westerns, so that would be the 19th century. It wasn't that long ago that I saw The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence with my father and it had a lot going on. Gender issues, race issues, and, perhaps the most important in the context of the story, political issues. One of the biggest parts of the plot (besides shooting Liberty Valence, of course) is the debate on whether the territory should become a state or not.

[ceitfianna]

I've always loved history and one reason I adored doing the Classics was the chance to focus on another era. So for me the answer to this question is pretty much before 1900. Most of my characters have the being from the past is another country thing going on which is one reason they're so fascinating to me, looking at cultural perceptions and issues.

I'd say that my top few eras of history are Ancient Greece, Medieval, Napoleonic/Regency-I've recently discovered Georgette Heyer's books, America's West or late 1800s-I had a cowboy phase in middle school, high school that all the great new Western movies has reawakened and I think that's it. Though I find the early part of the 20th century fascinating too, the Detroit area is full of some great stuff in terms of Ford and that time and that's an era I get to play with a little in terms of Sameth too and Ancelstierre. As I've seen Ancelstierre put as anywhere from 1920s England to 1930s or even 1940s, I tend to put it towards the 1920s myself.

[saphyria.livejournal.com]

I'm a sucker for end-of-the-19th, beginning-of-the-20th century stuff, especially when dealing with life in American cities, then. Devil in the White City and Isaac's Storm, about the 1897 World's Fair in Chicago and the 1900 Galveston Hurricane respectively, are two of my absolute favorites. (It doesn't hurt that Erik Larson's writing style is delightful, either.) Also Women of Murder City, about women murderers of turn-of-the-century Chicago, is very good.

I'm also really fond of Napoleonic War-era stuff, especially if it's English Navy-related. Horatio Hornblower, tales of Nelson, the Aubrey/Maturin novels, I just eat them up.

[saphyria.livejournal.com]

Inserting random html is, apparently, my hidden talent.

[ceitfianna]

Napoleonic era Navy related stories are completely deserving of random italics, it shows how excited they make you.

[alchemistseraph]

I LOVED Women of Murder City. then again I read it right after I saw Chicago for the first time, so. >>

Also, I kind of adore the way everyone puts it as the Aubrey|Maturin novels. They are so, so slashy when read a particular way. (Like I do.)

[saphyria.livejournal.com]

... The novels themselves are pretty slashy when read a particular way.

It's not hard to do, really. It's not our fault that they call each other "love" and "joy" when they're by themselves, go swimming naked and make beautiful music together. >_>

[saphyria.livejournal.com]

ALSO! You should read Sin and the Second City (http://www.amazon.com/Sin-Second-City-Ministers-Playboys/dp/1400065305), which centers on a pair of madams who sought to educate and elevate their girls into some social standing, against the backdrop of early 20th century Chicago, and the rising battle against brothels and houses of sin by reformers and ministers, etc. Wonderful book.

[alchemistseraph]

Oooooh, I will have to check that one out!

And yes, the movels for Aubrey and Maturin are just....yeaaaaaaah. I heart them. <3

[spooky-lemur.livejournal.com]

I think I need to pick up Devil in the White City again, as well as Women of Murder City.

Have you read the Temeraire series? Napoleonic era with a dragon air force.

[saphyria.livejournal.com]

Yep! I've got them all. :D They're a lot of fun.

Also, one of them references the Aubrey/Maturin series, iirc.

[chameno_koritsi]

COol...being lazy and not logging out of character journal.

[saphyria.livejournal.com]

In Victory of Eagles, the character Janus references the physician who gave him the nickname. >_>

[chameno_koritsi]

Ah...I'm actually not that familiar with the other series. In fact the Era does hold a lot for me but Temeraire sucked me in cause Dragons! = )

[saphyria.livejournal.com]

Shouuuuld reeeeead. The Aubrey/Maturin books are delightful. Good blend of naval heroics, battles, and suspenseful espionage.

[chameno_koritsi]

I'll give it a try once I'm through with the books I'm currently reading.

[ceitfianna]

I second this recommendation and what's great about the books is they have a lot of various arcs so you can dip in, read five or so and take a break. Even though I love them, I found I had to at times as the level of detail and care is fantastic. Also go watch the movie if you haven't seen it before, one of my absolute favorites.

I need to get an icon from that movie or just one of cute men in Napoleonic outfits.

[sunbaked_baker]

Might I suggest this one? :D

Or, you know, look here. ^_______^

[ceitfianna]

Thank you. I always admire that first icon whenever Star uses it. And I will have fun looking for just the icon I want. :-)

[hey35andholding]

I have a thing for history, but I think my favorite era was the roaring 20s.