People are having to find new things to do to keep themselves occupied while the world is in lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic. I’ve been a bit remiss on this blog recently through a combination of different things, but I have really been struggling to find things to keep me occupied – here is my list of some of the history-related things that are keeping me sane during this very difficult and unprecedented time.
- Listening to history podcasts
There are a couple of really great history podcasts that I love, and I am getting my history fix from these, not all Tudor-related.
- Talking Tudors – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tudors/id1413504428
Natalie Grueninger talks with various people about different aspects of the Tudor period; there are currently 67 episodes covering everything from Anne Boleyn to Tudor Christmases, from Anne Clifford to the Golden Hinde.
2. Ten Minute Tudors – https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/10-minute-tudors-leanda-de-lisle/id1267848238
Leanda de Lisle discusses the Tudors and Stuarts in easily digestible 10-minute chunks from Henry VI to Charles I, the Gunpowder Plot to the role of royal consort. There are plenty of topics to find something of interest to everyone.
3. The History of England – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-history-of-england/id412308812
David Crowther podcasts from his shed, currently with 286 episodes covering a history of England from the Anglo-Saxons currently up to the accession of Elizabeth I, though further episodes are to come.
4. History Extra – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/history-extra-podcast/id256580326
This is a podcast linked to magazines like BBC History and History Revealed. It deals with historical topics from across time as well as different countries. If you’re going to find something to interest you, you’ll find it here.
- Researching new historical topics
There are a couple of websites that have made more material free for people to access to help stem off boredom, so researching a topic that you’ve wanted to but haven’t had a chance is a good way to engage your brain.
- History Extra – https://www.historyextra.com/
History Extra (like the podcast, above) has some articles available for free on its website, but there are others that are normally only available to subscribers of one of their magazines (BBC History, History Revealed, World Histories). These have now been made available temporarily to everyone.
2. JSTOR – https://www.jstor.org/
If you’re a student of a participating institution JSTOR have now made more resources available for free. Take advantage of these while you can!
- Reading all those books that you’ve been collecting but haven’t gotten around to reading
If you’re anything like me, you keep buying new history books, but you haven’t had the chance to get around to reading them yet. I get lovely publishers sending me books to review on this blog, but I haven’t had a chance to read them all yet. This is something I’m intending on sorting while I’m stuck at home on my own. My current list of books to review is as follows:
- Conor Byrne – Katherine Howard: Henry VIII’s Slandered Queen
- John Ashdown-Hill – Elizabeth Widville: Lady Grey
- John Matusiak – Martyrs of Henry VIII: Repression, Defiance, Sacrifice
- John Matusiak – The Tudors in 100 Objects
- Peter Marsden – 1545: Who Sank the Mary Rose?
- Phil Carradice – Following in the Footsteps of Henry Tudor
- Kirsten Claiden-Yardley – The Man Behind the Tudors: Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk
- Robert Stedall – Elizabeth I’s Secret Lover: Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester
- If you’re a female history blogger or history lover (sorry guys!) get involved on Instagram with the #HistoryGirls hashtag
I am proud to be a part of the #HistoryGirls (@thehistorygirls) community on Instagram – there are loads of great accounts out there and wonderful women who write blogs about all aspects of history. Some of my favourite accounts are below but you can get involved with anyone using the hashtag.
- @hisdoryan
- @natalieisahistorybuff
- @thetudortracker
- @anhistorianabouttown
- @aregencygirl
- @the_lassicist
- @historymakesmehappy
If there’s anything else that you love doing on lockdown, drop me a message in the comments below!
Tudor Blogger 