Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with history

Recommend some cookbooks that are also history books.

Kurichina — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:32:02 -0800

Recommend some cookbooks that are also history books. A few months ago, I bought Medieval Cuisine of the Islamic World by Lilia Zaouali and have been having a ball making, adapting and interpreting the recipes. However, what makes this ten times more interesting for me is all the colour Ms. Zaouali provides about the history, culture and context of the recorded recipes and the fact that they are not re-written in modern recipe format (but they, of course, translated into English). I'd love to repeat this process for other areas of the world/historical timeframes. Do mefites know of other good, historical cookbooks that have additional cultural and culinary notes about the food?

Other historical works like 1776?

kingjoeshmoe — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:13:43 -0800

I'd like to buy a book or books for someone who really liked 1776, by David McCullough, but who now wants to know more about the Revolutionary War. I'm looking for both (a) other books that expand on the time period of the revolutionary war in the same breezy style (the book, as implied by the name, stops at the end of 1776), and (b) books about other historical periods or persons that she might like. She's a fan of biographies and politics as well, and also a fan of Toni Morrison.

I'm not interested in buying other books by David McCullough, because I think someone else might buy her one of those, and I don't want to get the same book.

Last, as this is for a gift, I'm perfectly open if you think there's something else she might like that is not strictly a book. This is not my area of expertise. My books have dragons on the cover. Any help?

What first sparked your interest in computers?

pwnguin — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:06:24 -0800

I need help finding citations for a story about programmer's inspirations. A giant whiteboard asks for the spark that interested people in computers and the answers are all video games. I recall reading a story about a whiteboard at a Silicon Valley company, I think it was Google, but for all I recall it could be MS in Redmond.

The story goes: There was a giant whiteboard hallway wall where someone would ask a question for people to answer on the board. One day someone put on the board "What motivated your interest in programming?" and the first answer was Super Mario Bros, (or something like that) leading to an epic list of old video games.

Can anyone point me to a website or reference of this story, or correct my story?

Dairy in Asian Cuisine?

Yiggs — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:23:04 -0800

Why do dairy products have a limited geographic range in Asian cuisine? I've noticed a trend in my (admittedly limited) experience of Asian food: dairy products seem to be rarely featured, if not totally absent, in the cuisines of China, Japan, and some of Southeast Asia. Yet, just over the Himalayas, Indian cuisine has ghee and paneer, and the Mongolians have kumis. This also seems to be correlated with geographic distributions of lactose intolerance, with China, Japan and Southeast Asia having the highest rates in the world.

My initial guess was that, historically, geography prevented cultures with dairy-heavy cuisines from intermingling with dairy-free cultures - either the Himalayas or the Gobi Desert may have limited the movement of cattle into mainland China. But China seems to have plenty of opportunities to intermingle with other cultures, be it the Silk Road, the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty or even later trading with the Portuguese or Dutch. Why would the use of dairy products - which, if Wikipedia is to be trusted, greatly increases the amount of calories extracted from livestock - not be adopted by these cultures?

History blogs

Bleusman — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:02:49 -0800

What are your favorite blogs about history? I've recently had a love affair with history. I love learning about the reasons why people have gone off and done things unfathomable by the modern standpoint. I like to hear about the underdog stories of history, even the times where the underdog was hopelessly crushed. So I'm looking for blogs about history - preferably ones that aren't military-centric - that are written by someone who truly has enthusiasm for history. Interesting stories, reinterpretations of commonly accepted events, and any other history related thing you can think of: I'd like to see some blogs about it.

Previously. But that was two years ago, and we all know the pace of the internet.

cultures in transition, over time

ebesan — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 16:15:01 -0800

Looking for writing on how cultures/nations/tribes handled, fared, cope/d with alien influences. In the past or now, ongoing. Examples of what was irretrievably lost?
Examples of resilient traditions that bent and absorbed.
Involuntary-thru colonialism or war. (e.g. Catholicism on the Aztecs)
Or just the gradual seeping of one tradition into another (advertising, the internet)

Tell me the best movies with knights, swordplay, and the like.

mtphoto — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 11:35:05 -0800

What are some of the best medieval movies? What are some of the best movies set in medieval times? Hint: Not A Knight's Tale.

Help me find this cartoon about Renaissance architecture!

Ms. Informed — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:56:53 -0800

Help me find this cartoon: Disappointed medieval guys standing in front of a half-built gothic building, reading a scroll that says: "Beginning tomorrow, the Renaissance will be mandatory." Ring any bells? My sister-in-law has been trying for months to find this cartoon, which she saw while taking an art history class at the Cleveland Museum of Art in about 1993-94. She's googled, checked the most likely sources (New Yorker, etc.), and even written to the directors of the course, but to no avail. Although she IS creative, this cartoon seems too clever to have been imagined--has anyone seen this before? Any sources--online or print--would be greatly appreciated!

Turning Points

RedEmma — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 08:58:59 -0800

What are some turning points in history? Mr RedEmma is developing an innovative freshman seminar idea, but we're getting stuck on listing moments in history where a small group of people or a meeting of leaders could have changed the course in history had their minds been turned another way.

Something like the summits on the Treaty of Versailles... Any others?

stuff about imaginary beings

past — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:14:41 -0800

Help me find wonderful books about demons, angels, and other beings of the fantastic. I have this conception of a book, or books, that detail the histories, personalities, mythoi, genealogies, etc., of various classes of imaginary creatures.

This book would be very factual and dry, but maybe it has family tree type diagrams, or beautiful sketches.

Do books like this exist? Have you seen them -- what were they like?

Also, extra points if the book is about demons, because I especially like to think about demons.

Tell me your memorable, exciting learning experiences!

Cygnet — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:10:31 -0800

What are the most fun, memorable, interesting, exciting, and long-lasting learning experiences you have had? I'm talking about academic-type learning here, not "life learning", though I realize that sometimes the two are intertwined. I'm interested in things you did that made a subject, era in history, scientific principle, work of literature, or whatever come alive. The opposite of dry, textbook learning and cramming for tests. Engaging, open-ended, low-pressure, and, most of all, deeply memorable - the kind of learning that really gives you a lasting fondness for the subject.

Examples of the kind of thing I mean:
1. When I was 13 I toured the Castle of Edinburgh, and they had a fantastic audio tour that made me fall in love with the dark and mysterious history of the castle - and the whole region.
2. In high school, I took a European History class that put on a Greek Olympics (complete with Greek drama and hand-made masks, home-made Greek food, sporting events, traditional offerings to the Gods), a Welsh Eisteddfod (poetry, daffodils, Welsh music), and a Sienese Palio (with teams, bribing of the judges, sonnets for each mascot, traditional food, Italian art and architecture), and a Victorian Tea (with Oscar Wilde skits, appropriate outfits and food, Gilbert and Sullivan, and appropriate social and political discussions for the era). Totally memorable.
3. As a kid, I had the magnificent Classical Kids tapes, which introduced music history and the greatest works in story-form, with amazingly good quality acting and musicianship.
4. Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" videos, and Lawrence Blair's "Ring of Fire" videos - informative, beautiful, and memorable.

What other things, places, and experiences would you suggest? I'm interested in pretty much anything, but bonus points for things that are possible for me, a not-so-wealthy female graduate student (in the sciences) in Boston, to do without heroic measures. Even more bonus points if friends could participate in said learning.

Where are the kid unfriendly places in Western Pennsylvania?

arabelladragon — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:55:18 -0800

Where in Western Pennsylvania / Northern West Virginia are the places you'd take your Mom but not your kids? Mom's coming to visit us in Pittsburgh. She visits fairly often, and we've done all the normal tourist stuff. The catch is that this time, she isn't bringing any of my younger siblings. I want to take her to all the awesome places you wouldn't take kids.

Mom loves history and politics. She doesn't drink, and has been lukewarm about Fallingwater and art&architecture. The Heinz history museum could be saved for a trip when the kids are here.

Simply going to Homestead or Donora and saying "stuff happened here" won't be too much fun. We'd rather go somewhere with a story - either with tours, or a museum, or something more than dollar general stores and a vague historical plaque.

The Duckboat tours won't be running the days she's here.

We're willing to drive up to 2-3 hours away but we need to be back in Pittsburgh at night.

Books about the British Empire in Afghanistan?

epersonae — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:27:35 -0800

I was talking with a friend about the "graveyard of empires," b*tching about politics, and we both realized that we knew pretty much nothing about the British experience in Afghanistan in the 19th century. (I have a vague recollection about it being background for some Sherlock Holmes stories. She remembered some Kipling.) What books would you recommend for getting a good understanding of that period of history? Bonus points for an engaging writing style and for not being the length of an encyclopedia. Thanks!

when Wikipedia articles fall short, it's time for a book

bluishorange — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:49:48 -0800

Have you read an informative, engaging book on German history? If so, what is it? After visiting Berlin last year, I became quite interested in German history. In particular I was fascinated by the city of Berlin itself, WWII and the events leading up to and following it, and the Berlin Wall years.

The 20th anniversary of the fall of the wall has me thinking about it again, so I've decided it's time to stop my casual internet reading and move on to a proper book. I read very little nonfiction, so I'm hoping for something that's not too dry. But I was an English major, so it doesn't have to be, you know, a kids' book or anything. Also, military strategy puts me to sleep.

I know this is a very broad subject to ask for A book about, but as of now I'm just trying to get my feet wet. Anything helps. Thanks!

Are there any examples of East German wifes informing on their husbands for Stasi?

Kattullus — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:50:11 -0800

In a critique of Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others) Slavoj Žižek asserts that "in all known cases of a married couple where a spouse betrayed a partner, it was always a man who became an informant." Famously, Ulrich Mühe, star of Das Leben der Anderen, asserted that his ex-wife spied on him for Stasi, though both the ex-wife and her supposed Stasi superior denied this. Other than that case, are there any examples of East German wifes informing on their husbands for Stasi?

Early Chinese History

shothotbot — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:19:07 -0800

What are some good books about the history of China, up to say the Qing dynasty? I am particularly interested in the Warring States period up to the first empire. Extra credit for discussions of the spread of Buddhism.

Business leaders who made great strides for the environment?

carrolldamian — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:05:00 -0800

I am trying to come up with names of prominent business leaders through history who took major steps forward on environmental stewardship/protection. These should be industry titans who went against the grain in emphasizing environmentalism as part of their business model. Extra points if the person saw unexpected or un-predicted success as a result of their decision to "go green."

Boston area professor with alternative history interest?

UMDirector — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:23:12 -0800

Are there any professors in the Boston area (especially Harvard) that have an avowed interest in alternate history or have authored books (fiction or non) on the subject?

Kiva Han

xanthippe — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:48:18 -0800

Where is the first coffee house in the world? I'm told it's a place called Kiva Han in the suburbs of Istanbul. Has anyone visited, seen, or discovered any details on the history or location of this place?

When did people stop being ok with soup just being itself?

Lutoslawski — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:27:42 -0800

When, why and where did people start putting crackers in their soup? Oyster crackers, saltines, and more exotic varieties of crackers are now ubiquitous and 'traditional' companions to a bowl of soup at diners everywhere. Why did this start? Where? When? Was there some sort of culinary evolution - like people used to put bread crumbs in their stew and now we have this oyster cracker skeuomorph? Answers or directions to good resources regarding the history of crackers and soup are very welcome.

Poles from Lviv/Lwow - emigration or forced resettlement?

mdonley — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 13:21:04 -0800

At the end of World War II, would a Polish-ethnicity girl/young woman and her family from Lwów/Lviv have been given the option of moving west of the Curzon line to post-war Poland, or would they have been forcibly resettled? On a train from Warsaw to Bydgoszcz today, I met a woman in her seventies or eighties who was telling me about her childhood. Like many older people in the western part of what is now Poland, her roots go back to the areas which belonged to Poland between 1919-1939 and no longer do.

My Polish wasn't good enough to pick out much more than this:

• She was born in Lwów/Lviv.
• "In the 1940s", according to her, she moved to what is now Poland. Soon after this, she went to university in Gliwice, near Katowice, perhaps at the Silesian University of Technology (my own guess - she didn't say, but their Wikipedia page turned up that many of Lwów/Lviv Polytechnic's professors and curricula ended up there.
• She met her husband after she left Gliwice, while they were both studying in Szczecin.
• She now lives in Bydgoszcz.

While I've consulted the Wikipedia article on the Repatriation of Poles (1944-1946) here and found this book (which, from the title, seems perhaps less than objective?), I don't have much in the way of English-language sources for what it was like for those moving/being moved.

I realize this is a really specific question, but any additional information you can provide would be amazing. Thank you!

Amo Amas Awhat?

The Whelk — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:23:36 -0800

Is there a Medieval Linguist in the house? I need a very short conversation between Cistercian nuns in Saxony translated into Medieval Latin. Any help so I don't sound like a complete idiot warmly welcomed. Background, it's 1301 in Lower Saxony at Wienhausen Abbey

"He wishes in all humbleness to adore the relic."

"Impossible."

"But abbess, he has brought a wonder! He says it is a gift. He only wants a moment with it."

"Bring him to me."

Total Side Question: I can't figure out if the nuns wouldn't used Old German or Latin when speaking to each other rather than writing religious texts. Some sources say Old French, even.

Help me understand America.

lapsangsouchong — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:35:06 -0800

Americans: if you had to represent the USA with only three things, what would they be? I've just moved to the US. For the moment I'm still in decompression mode: the fact that I've crossed the Atlantic hasn't properly sunk in yet. But I'm here, and will be for the next two years.

So--Americans: If you had to choose three things to represent what you take to be the essential parts of US history, culture, society, to help a recent arrival understand the place, what would they be? And why?

Three things for Britain might be a copy of What a carve up! by Jonathan Coe (I've given this to several UK-resident foreign friends: pretty good guide to the country, post-WWII); the way you can never get a decent cup of tea in places that sell you a cup of tea, only places that sell it to you in a pot; and, more positively, the view from the Malvern Hills. Obviously I could come up with loads more, good and bad.

In Damascus, just after arriving for the first of several long stays, I met a chap who was about to go and work as a pastry chef in the Taif Sheraton (Saudi Arabia). The night before his departure he invited me to join him and his friends for a night out eating fatteh (way too heavy for me) followed by a trip to the Midan for pastries ("the best!"). Then we all piled into a car and just drove around the city, which I'd just arrived in for the first time. It was his way of saying goodbye to his hometown, and it was also the most intensely "Syrian" evening I had in all my time there.

And a Canadian once made me watch Strange Brew so that I would understand Canada, though I've often wondered if that was more of a self-hatred thing.

It can be anything. Driving over the Brooklyn Bridge; Sunday morning service at a mega-church in exurban Illinois; or going to a certain Georgia diner on a Wednesday morning, getting a cup of coffee, and just looking out across the street. Please, tell me about it--and tell me why you think it represents America. Positive, negative, or sentimental things are all fine, provided they're thoughtful too.

Last weekend I saw this exhibition of Robert Frank photos, which was a start...

New Years Eve, London, 1899?

gottabefunky — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:33:32 -0800

How can I find out what sort of New Year's Eve events and festivities were held on December 31, 1899? I'm specifically interested in London, but other places would help too. I know 12/31/1900 was technically the start of the 20th century, but I'm specifically interested in 12/31/1899 - I'm assuming there were celebrations then too, like in 1999.

Who were the highest ranking Jewish officers in the World War II militaries?

Joe Beese — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:36:26 -0800

Who were the highest ranking Jewish officers in the World War II militaries? Any service of any combatant nation can be considered - including Germany's.

For example: In the American army, it was Major General Maurice Rose.