To Duel or to Not Duel: That is the Question

From today's vantage point, duels truly seem stupid. So why did they occur so often?

End-of-Summer Reading 2021

End of summer, in which I share some of my recent favourites, particularly in the realm of historical women's fiction.

Voting, Venetian style

Lately there is a lot of talk about elections. In Canada, word on the street is that Justin Trudeau will call an election late summer or early fall. (I still don't fully understand the parliamentary system.) In the US, there is the usual partisan wrangling over voting rights - who gets to vote, where, when, … Continue reading Voting, Venetian style →

I need help! Take my title poll

I'm working on revising my new novel and am having trouble settling on a title. Thus, I need your help! Please take my poll to help me decide.

I Love Paris – Anytime

A review of Paris in Ruins and a Q&A with the author M.K. Tod, who also writes the A Writer of History blog.

Happy 1600th Birthday, Venice!

Celebrating Venice's 1600th birthday.

Let the Good Times Roll! A Brief History of Venetian Carnival

A brief history of Carnival in Venice, almost 1000 years old.

Black History: Renaissance Gondoliers of African Descent

How were black servants and slaves treated in Renaissance Venice?

How Trump is like a 14th-Century Venetian Doge

Trump and his attempted coup have much in common with the 14th-century Venetian doge, Marino Faliero. If we do not learn from history, we are condemned to repeat it.