Roberta Rich’s Midwife’s Trilogy proves that powerful Renaissance women don’t have to be real; they can also be fictional. Hannah Levi, the heroine of Roberta Rich’s exciting Midwife’s trilogy is an example. The three historical novels are fast-paced, the characters believable and sympathetic, the plots well structured, and the settings brilliantly portrayed. Rich is a …
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16th Century poison trials were a gruesome business. They were also an early example of the scientific method at work. This is the claim of Alisha Rankin in her recent book, The Poison Trials. She details a dozen of these trials conducted during the 1500s to make her case. In 1524, Pope Clement VII gave …
Early Epidemics: the Plague — the Black Death When people think about early epidemics in France, the plague — the Black Death — is the first that usually springs to mind. It arrived in Europe — Genoa to be precise — in 1348. By 1350 it has killed from ⅓ to ½ the population of …
You don’t want to grow the world’s most dangerous garden! When you sniff those beautiful flowers, remember they may be killers. Did you know that foxglove, monkshood and columbine are all dangerous to eat? Well, they are. That’s why you should admire, but not put unknown substances into your mouth. If you’re in England and …
