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Writing

Russell Shorto: The Dutch-American Perspective

January 29, 2023 by Guest Contributor 1 Comment

Children playing in the churchyard of St. Mark’s-in-the-Bowery, 1994The work that historians do influences their lives, especially if they spend a considerable time in a foreign land that they write about. Slowly, their topic of choice becomes an essential part of their identity. Russell Shorto, a renowned writer of narrative history, writes about his own evolution at the intersection of Dutch-American history.

This essay concerns itself with the intersection of Dutch and American history. Previous posts have explored slavery in New Amsterdam, the naming – and renaming – of that city, and John Adams’ role as unofficial ambassador to the Netherlands during the American war of independence. As I pondered the task of contributing to that lineup, and scrolled through a mental list of possible topics, it occurred to me that, as I have lived at the intersection of Dutch and American history for more than twenty years, my own identity, and its evolution over that time, might be a relevant topic. [Read more…] about Russell Shorto: The Dutch-American Perspective

Filed Under: History, New York City Tagged With: Academia, Dutch History, Henry Hudson, Museums, New Amsterdam, New Netherland, New Netherland Institute, New Netherland Project, New Netherland Research Center, New York City, Public History, Publishing, Writing

‘Ever & Affectionally your Daughter’: The Flora Jewett Letters

December 22, 2022 by Dave Waite Leave a Comment

Flora Jewett Letter to her father April 14, 1808 (courtesy William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan)Over 200 years ago a young woman picked up a quill and wrote of her happiness, success, sadness, and loss as she embarked on a new life far from family and friends. The woman was 24-year-old Flora Jewett and the place was Galway, a small community in rural Saratoga County, New York.

Flora Baldwin had married Thaddeus Jewett in early 1807 and soon after they left Newtown, Connecticut for Galway where Thaddeus’ family resided. It was shortly after arriving in Galway that the letters begin. [Read more…] about ‘Ever & Affectionally your Daughter’: The Flora Jewett Letters

Filed Under: Arts, Capital-Saratoga, History Tagged With: Connecticut, Galway, Saratoga County, Saratoga County History Roundtable, Writing

Fenimore Cooper’s Literary Offences

December 15, 2022 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

Detail of a portrait of James Fenimore Cooper by John Wesley Jarvis (1822)What follows is a humorous essay by Mark Twain (1835 – 1910), written in 1895 as satire and literary criticism of the work of James Fenimore Cooper (1789 – 1851). Not included here are quotes from Yale University’s Thomas Lounsbury (1838 – 1915), Columbia University’s James Brander Matthews (1852 – 1929); and English novelist and playwright Wilkie Collins (1824 – 1889) which preceded the essay and raved about Cooper as a great novelist. Note that some of the language reproduced here is offensive.

It seems to me that it was far from right for the Professor of English Literature in Yale, the Professor of English Literature in Columbia, and Wilkie Collins to deliver opinions on Cooper’s literature without having read some of it. It would have been much more decorous to keep silent and let persons talk who have read Cooper.

Cooper’s art has some defects. In one place in Deerslayer, and in the restricted space of two-thirds of a page, Cooper has scored 114 offences against literary art out of a possible 115. It breaks the record.

There are nineteen rules governing literary art in the domain of romantic fiction—some say twenty-two. In Deerslayer Cooper violated eighteen of them. [Read more…] about Fenimore Cooper’s Literary Offences

Filed Under: History Tagged With: Cultural History, James Fenimore Cooper, Literature, Mark Twain, Writing

Documentary: The Great American Novel, Truman Capote & Che Guevara

October 26, 2022 by Jaap Harskamp Leave a Comment

Great American NovelIn 1868, just a few years after the end of the Civil War, novelist John William De Forest published an essay in The Nation, a political magazine that had been founded in July 1865 in Nassau Street, Manhattan. His contribution was titled “The Great American Novel.” [Read more…] about Documentary: The Great American Novel, Truman Capote & Che Guevara

Filed Under: Arts, History, New York City Tagged With: Art History, Documentary, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Literature, Oral History, Photography, Publishing, World War Two, Writing

Fort Ticonderoga Museum’s Journal Call for Papers

October 17, 2022 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Bulletin of the Fort Ticonderoga MuseumFort Ticonderoga has announced an open call for submissions for The Bulletin of the Fort Ticonderoga Museum. Published since 1927, the Bulletin has been a resource for historians, scholars, and the public for over 90 years, publishing a wide range of articles on North American military history. After a 15-year hiatus, The Bulletin returned to print in 2016 as an illustrated, annual publication. [Read more…] about Fort Ticonderoga Museum’s Journal Call for Papers

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, History Tagged With: Academia, Fort Ticonderoga, Military History, Writing

Adirondack Correctional Facility Writing Anthology Published

October 15, 2022 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Adirondack Correctional Facility Writing AnthologyIn the spring and summer of 2022, with a grant from New York State Council on the Arts and the support of the creative aging experts at Lifetime Arts Inc, Adirondack Center for Writing (ACW) created a writing workshop program at Adirondack Correctional Facility, a state prison located in Ray Brook, Essex County, NY, populated mostly by older adults. [Read more…] about Adirondack Correctional Facility Writing Anthology Published

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Arts Tagged With: Adirondack Center for Writing, Adirondack Correctional Facility, Crime and Justice, Essex County, Publishing, Ray Brook, Writing

How To Write An Historical Novel

October 14, 2022 by Bob Cudmore Leave a Comment

The Historians LogoThis week on The Historians Podcast, how to write historical fiction with Alyson Richman, co-author with Shaunna Edwards of The Thread Collectors (Graydon House, 2022), a Civil War novel. [Read more…] about How To Write An Historical Novel

Filed Under: Arts, History Tagged With: Podcasts, Writing

5 New Yorkers Named 2022 MacArthur Fellows

October 12, 2022 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

MacArthur Fellows MacArthur FoundationAmong the twenty-five 2022 MacArthur Fellows announced this week are five New York State residents. The MacArthur Fellowship is a $800,000, no-strings-attached award to extraordinarily talented and creative individuals as an investment in their potential. Among the awardees are: [Read more…] about 5 New Yorkers Named 2022 MacArthur Fellows

Filed Under: Arts Tagged With: Art History, film, MacArthur Fellows, Performing Arts, Writing

Warren County Historical Society Creates Publishing Division

October 12, 2022 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

warren county historical societyThe Warren County Historical Society has created the Warren History Press imprint as a publishing division in furtherance of its goals of promoting the rich history of Warren County, NY. [Read more…] about Warren County Historical Society Creates Publishing Division

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Arts, History Tagged With: Publishing, Queensbury, Warren County, Warren County Historical Society, Writing

Adirondack Center for Writing Launches Teen Writing Anthology

October 1, 2022 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

wild wordsThe Adirondack Center for Writing (ACW) has announced that submissions are open for Wild Words, the first Adirondack Teen Writing Anthology.

This brand new, yearly print publication is designed to be a place for teens living in the North Country to publish their creative writing, including poetry, short stories, memoirs, personal essays, sci-fi, and fantasy. [Read more…] about Adirondack Center for Writing Launches Teen Writing Anthology

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Arts Tagged With: Adirondack Center for Writing, Publishing, Writing

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