I wouldn't go so far as to call myself a history buff, but I do like reading about history from time to time.  I guess it's probably along the lines of "those who are not aware of history are doomed to repeat it", but, for whatever reason, I do like history.

Recently, my interest was piqued in the Titanic.  I suppose it did have a bit to do with the movie, but it certainly was an interesting event.   Although I certainly had a bit of a different perspective upon rewatching the movie, after reading Ballard and Lord.  I don't really want to go into the movie here, but the event itself was very interesting in a number of ways.  Its effects upon society were subtle, but rather profound.  Beforehand, people really felt like they had conquered nature, but the sinking was a dramatic (and perhaps necessary) reminder that Mother Nature is not to be taken lightly.  From a societal perspective, it was an interesting commentary on the way that the rich lived, vis a vis the poor.   It was also interesting to see the many different ways that people reacted to the disaster.  One wonders what would happen with a similar disaster today.  It's also interesting to speculate on how one would act, if faced with those circumstances.

Currently, I'm working on a comprehensive history of Europe, a history of Japan, and Gibbon's seminal work on the Roman Empire.  I'll probably add more to this page as I continue reading.

This page brought to you by Dave Clemmer.   Last modified Oct 6th, 1998.