More news, random facts, etc.

Here's a review of a new book on the royal impostor "Jean I," by Tommaso di Carpegna Falconieri. The reviewer is somewhat skeptical at the tone/success of the book, as am I from the description, but it sounds like it is tailor-made for an excellent micro-study, something along the lines of The Return of Martin Guerre.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/10/17/bofal117.xml

Well, here's an article from a clearly left-wing online publication, interviewing James Carroll on the documentary just released, based on his book Constantine's Sword. I've seen this book around, but never read it. I guess it should go on the list. While I appreciate his concerns, some of which he voices in this interview with passion and eloquence, I think he has much to review/learn regarding Christianity during Late Antiquity, not to mention the crusades. The Knights Templar, after all, didn't lead the Rhineland Massacres in 1096, for the simple reason that they didn't exist yet...

http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/interviews/130

But then again, I haven't read the book, so I'll withhold further judgment until then.


On a more light-hearted note, here's a brief history of "biscuits" from "the UK's oldest student newspaper." It mentions Richard the Lionheart, ergo the mention here...
http://www.studentnewspaper.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=166:thats-the-way-the-cookie-crumbled&catid=35:features&Itemid=55

The Royal Academy in London is running what looks to be an exciting exhibit on the Byzantine Empire (should open this Saturday--I don't know how long it runs).
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/10/18/babyzantium118.xml


The Knights Templar in Yorkshire, by Diane Holloway and Trish Colton; looks like an interesting book, taking as its basis the ever-popular Templar myths and "treasure" and doing some down-to-earth, painstaking research into early fourteenth-century Yorkshire society.
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/features/The-stuff-of-legend.4582115.jp

[As I've said to my students on more than one occasion, "Go ahead and dig for the 'templar treasure.' If you find any, I want a cut. Good luck--there is no Templar treasure!" At which one chap grinned and said, "No smoke without fire, man, no smoke without fire!" Heh...]

Anyone interested in viewing some Robin Hood sillyness?
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_stage_theat/2008/10/theater-revie-1.html

Oh, the humanity...