What Are You Researching Today?

I'm doing some research on the Regency Era for an Alt History book. I know quite a lot about the clothing, but need more background on society, travel, and technology of the era.

I'm reading an article on tactics of the Franco-Prussian War:

Tactics in the Franco-Prussian War

I'm mainly interested in the transition from muzzle-loaders to breech-loaders and how tactics were seemingly lagging for a while. For example, the French were still attacking in columns when breech-loading small arms and artillery made such compact formations highly vulnerable during frontal attacks.

It's a good article.

Lillith1991 said:

I'm doing some research on the Regency Era for an Alt History book. I know quite a lot about the clothing, but need more background on society, travel, and technology of the era.

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Oh interesting. I like that era, though from the Empire perspective.

Malaya and Singapore 1941-42. I love research - especially self-pubbed personal histories by people who lived through it.

I've been researching early medieval armor. It started as a WIP project, but now it's rapidly become a fascination.

Manchu mythology and folklore. The Manchus had their own mythology seperate from the Chinese.

Doing some more research on Djinn. Pretty tough. Probably need to head to the university library this week and try to look for more source material.

There's a good book called The World of the Jinn and Devils that might help you. Its available on Amazon pretty cheap.

gothicangel said:

Doesn't have to be one of the big ones: historical era or culture, it could be a smaller part of what will be your WIP.

I'm currently reading Slavery in the Roman World (Sandra R Joshell), because my Roman spy has gone undercover as an escaped slave, and things are about to go horribly wrong . . .

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Hah, slavery too! Mine's Slavery in Private Households Toward the End of the Third Millenium B.C. (what a mouthful)

Lillith1991 said:

I'm doing some research on the Regency Era for an Alt History book. I know quite a lot about the clothing, but need more background on society, travel, and technology of the era.

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Ooh! My WIP is Georgian, but I did quite a bit of research on the Regency. Let me know if you need any help.

I'm doing a little light research on the Dollar Princesses of the Victorian Era for a new idea!

I'm researching mythical monsters. Trying to find something ... Different.

I am researching the Black pharaohs,Nubian empire and kingdom of Kush.

I am also looking up Irish folklore. I love me some banshees!

Daily life in Merovingian France. If anyone has any recommendations, lay them on me. I can find sources about daily life under Charlemagne and daily life in Gallo-Roman France. But not much in between. I've got clothing and jewelry covered. Trying to figure out diet and what sorts of buildings people would inhabit.

Sunflowerrei said:

Ooh! My WIP is Georgian, but I did quite a bit of research on the Regency. Let me know if you need any help.

I'm doing a little light research on the Dollar Princesses of the Victorian Era for a new idea!

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Yes please! I'm always happy for the help.

I have also been researching all things Regency. I enjoy the Regency Redingote blog.

StarWombat said:

I've been researching early medieval armor. It started as a WIP project, but now it's rapidly become a fascination.

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Have you discovered The Armour Archive yet?

mayqueen said:

Daily life in Merovingian France.

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Woot!

Hitler Youth Camps and US companies that flourished in Nazi Germany--- those that assisted in the holocaust either directly or indirectly! REALLY fascinating stuff.

Today, I am googling pictures of poisoned cats. Really. It's not pleasant and i wish i didn't have to look, but... sometimes you just have to kill a cat, and be able to describe it realistically.

French & Indian War. Loving it!

Kallithrix said:

Today, I am googling pictures of poisoned cats. Really. It's not pleasant and i wish i didn't have to look, but... sometimes you just have to kill a cat, and be able to describe it realistically.

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Oh, the things we've Googled. God help us if they ever seize our computers.

Raising pigs on clover, here at AW. Looks like my 1934 farmer is in for another bad year.

Kitty27 said:

I am researching the Black pharaohs,Nubian empire and kingdom of Kush.

I am also looking up Irish folklore. I love me some banshees!

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I've seen those pharoahs. 11 and 12th Dynasties.

Meanwhile, I've been reading a book on the Achaemenid Empire (over a thousand years after the 11th Dynasty) -- yes those same Persians who overwhelmed the Spartans at Thermopylae in 480 BC and then eventually financed the Spartan's eventual drubbing of Athens in 404 BC -- just to note a few of their historical doings. They also helped the Judeans rebuild their temple in Jerusalem.

Kallithrix said:

Today, I am googling pictures of poisoned cats. Really. It's not pleasant and i wish i didn't have to look, but... sometimes you just have to kill a cat, and be able to describe it realistically.

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And yes, god help me if anyone ever looked at my search history.
"How much force does it take to break someone's neck?"
"How long do broken ribs take to heal?"
"How does flaying work?"

Lutist and royal musician Jacques Gautier, and why he was imprisoned and tortured in 1627 for something so secret that only the King and the Duke of Buckingham could interrogate him. Alas, it seems the only source of info is the possibly unfounded speculations of the Venetian ambassador to London (who seems convinced it was a sex scandal).