New Books for Christmas!

Wow! Have I really neglected the blog for almost two weeks? Things have been busy, but really.....

So, no one actually bought me books for Christmas (which is probably a good thing), but I did get a couple of gift cards from Barnes & Noble. Thanks to a 30% employee discount courtesy of a friend of mine, I was able to stretch my money and parlay the gift card funds into three books. First, I got Francis Parkman's classic history of the French and Indian War, Montcalm and Wolfe. The other two books I picked up were both new titles (or fairly new anyway); Jay Winik's The Great Upheaval: America and the Birth of the Modern World, 1788-1800, and Robert W. Merry's A Country of Vast Designs: James K. Polk, the Mexican War, and the Conquest of the American Continent.

In looking back over all my book purchases and acquisitions in 2009, I have noticed a trend. My library has been greatly expanded in the area of US history from 1781 to 1850. While Civil War books are always in the mix, my recent acquisitions have focused on the New Republic, Jacksonian America, and the Mexican War. Upon further reflection, it seems that in 2008 my collection grew in the areas of colonial/F&I/American Revolution. While I am still acquiring books that deal with those earlier time periods, this year's focus seems to have shifted forward, and thus has served to start bridging the gap between the earlier time periods and the Civil War.

My American history library is becoming more complete. Once my new office is finished and I can unpack all of it, you are welcome to come visit!

Two Down, One to Go

The colonial Christmas program at Historic Halifax this past Saturday was a lot of fun. As always, we set up shop in the Tap Room. We did some cooking outside, as well as the usual musket and swivel gun demonstrations. My new 1728 French musket was fired for the first time and fired flawlessly all day. This Saturday we head to Tryon Palace for the muster of the Craven Regiment of Governor Tryon's militia. In the meantime, here's some photos from Halifax.

Living in Colonial Christmas

I am in the midst of finishing up the 2009 living history year with three successive colonial Christmas programs. Last Saturday, my friend John Moseley and I joined a couple of others fine fellows in portraying a colonial militia company at Brunswick Town-Fort Anderson's holiday program. The visitor's center was very nicely decorated in the Colonial Williamsburg fashion, there was an artist demonstrating scherenschnitte (German papercutting art), wonderful refreshments were enjoyed, and the wonderfully talented Ken Bloom provided period musical entertainment. The weather was somewhat uncooperative, which stifled visitation, but we had a good time nonetheless. Photos will follow as soon as I can get my hands on some.

This Saturday, our merry little band will be at Historic Halifax for the third consecutive year for their annual Christmas program. We'll finish up the three week run at Tryon Palace on December 19. More to follow on these two programs in their wake.