June 2021 Reading Wrap Up

It's that time of the month: my reading wrap up! This is a separate little series that you won't see over on my bookstagram, so stay tuned here for the wrap up of each month!

The Red Prince, Helen Carr

Did I read this? Yes    No

How I read it: Ebook, Kindle app

Rating, out of 5 stars: N/a

Beyond the Halls, Mackenzie Finklea

Did I read this? Yes    No

How I read it: Kindle app

Rating, out of 5 stars: N/a

Elizabeth I, Margaret George

Did I read this? Yes    No - DNF-ed

How I read it: Kindle app

Rating, out of 5 stars: N/a

Oriental Mythology (The Masks of God #2), Joseph Campbell

Did I read this? Yes    No

How I read it: Kindle app

Rating, out of 5 stars: 4 stars

The Pull of the Stars, Emma Donoghue

Did I read this? Yes    No

How I read it: Kindle app

Rating, out of 5 stars: 4 stars

The Nightingale, Kristin Hannah

Did I read this? Yes    No - DNF-ed

How I read it: Kindle app

Rating, out of 5 stars: N/a

The Fountains of Silence, Ruta Sepetys

Did I read this? Yes    No

How I read it: Physical book

Rating, out of 5 stars: 5 stars

Books I read that weren't on my TBR

Occidental Mythology (The Masks of God #3), Joseph Campbell

How I read it: Ebook, Kindle app

Rating, out of 5 stars: 4 stars

Books I started but haven't finished

Creative Mythology (The Masks of God #4), Joseph Campbell

How I read it: Ebook, Kindle app

When Women Ruled the World: Six Queens of Egypt, Kara Cooney

How I read it: Physical book

Blog Update: Posting Break

Hi, everyone!

I'm writing this on Sunday, May 30th, around 5:30 pm my time. I decided to take the week (May 31st through June 4th) off from posting to my bookstagram. That got me thinking a little bit about this blog.

Don't worry, I don't have any plans to stop posting here or end this blog any time soon. However, I do think that I need a bit of a break from writing, drafting, and scheduling posts for this blog.

For me, the first couple of weeks of May went by really quickly since I was wrapping up my Spring Semester of university. And between finishing up classes and now, May seemed to go by in a flash. I haven't had a lot of time to really sit down and write up blog posts. And I'm running out of new, fresh ideas aside from the series I already have going.

As a result, starting tomorrow, June 12, I will be taking the rest of the month off from posting here. That way, I'm not stressing about what to post or rushing to get them scheduled for publication. Also, I can have more time to schedule posts for July and onward.

I do already have some ideas of what else I want to post on this blog. However, I won't start posting again until June 30th, which is when my June Reading Wrap Up will be posted. I will hopefully be back to posting on my bookstagram (@historybookreads) by this past Monday, June 7th.

Thank you all for understanding, and I'll see you all on the other side.

History Book Reads

6 Tips for Journaling

Now that yesterday's post is up and published, I figured it would be nice to have a post that focuses on tips for journaling.

As from the overall theme of yesterday's post, there are pros and cons to journaling. However, the activity isn't for everyone, which is perfectly okay. If you are unsure whether or not you should journal, go through them and decide if journaling is something you would like to start and keep up. If you still don't know, you can try it for about a month, incorporate these tips, and see if it's something you'd like to continue.

Here are 6 tips for journaling.

Tip 1: Figure out what you want to journal about.

If you decide to go for a general journal - i.e. your journal includes everything and anything - then go for that. If you decide to do something more specific - i.e. movies, books, etc. - then make sure you know what you want to journal about before you start your journal.

Tip 2: Decide on a journaling "schedule."

Whether you journal daily, weekly, or monthly, make sure you know when you plan to journal. An alarm or reminder for each day, week, or month so that you know roughly when you should/want to journal.

Tip 3: If you decide to not have a journaling "schedule," decide when and why you will journal.

It's okay to not have a "journaling schedule." If you don't schedule it out, though, decide on your motivation for journaling. If you have a movie journal, maybe you'll journal soon after watching a new movie (a similar idea with a book journal). If you decide to journal on your thoughts and feelings, maybe journal when you have a good day, and why it was a good day; you can also journal when you have a bad day and discuss why it was a bad day. Just decide what your motivation for journaling will be.

Tip 4: Figure out how you want your journal(s) to look.

As mentioned yesterday, your journals can look however you want them to look. Having a rough idea of how you want your journal to look is a good starting point. And one journal doesn't have to look the same as another.

Tip 5: It's okay to have multiple journals, as long as you use them.

Maybe you have a lot of unused notebooks. It is okay to have 2+ journals. However, it would be a good idea, in my opinion, to decide what notebook will be used as what kind of journal. Maybe one will be a general journal, another could be a movie journal, and so on.

Tip 6: It's okay to go change up the theme of your journal month to month, or even day to day.

Your journal doesn't have to be all cohesive. It is your journal, and it can be however you want it to be. If you want something simple one day something a bit more extravagant the next, that is perfectly okay. However, this tip does require a little less planning and structure to each individual page.

4 Pros and 4 Cons of Journaling

Journaling is a topic I've been thinking about recently. A lot of readers do it, and I've occasionally done it. Over the past week or two, I've considered really getting back into journaling and doing it consistently. However, I've been really trying to think about it. I've asked myself the following questions quite a few times: "What are the benefits of journaling?" "Do those benefits actually help me in any significant way?" and "Am I going to stay committed to it this time?"

I thought I'd do a post like this. Why? If I'm asking myself these questions, then there are most likely others out there asking these as well.

Why journal? Journaling can be a fun way to express yourself. You can do it in a physical notebook or use a notetaking app like Goodnotes or Notability. In both cases - physical or electronic - you can personalize your journal/notebook to be "more you." It's a very good way to record thoughts feelings. Journaling can also help you understand why you're thinking something or feeling a certain way. You can also journal about dreams, books, movies, travel, and so much more. The following link was my Google search for journal ideas.

With all that said, let's get into 4 pros and 4 cons of journaling.

Pro 1: It's a point in time where you can just sit and reflect.

Your reflection can be on anything you want to reflect on: a book, movie, show, your feelings, a dream, and so much more. Journaling simply acts as a pause during your day, week, or month.

Pro 2: The influences of other people don't need to be in play.

Journaling is about you. You don't need to bring up another person's thoughts or feelings on what you're reflecting on. Unless you want to reflect on your relationship with another person, then you only have to focus on your own thoughts or feelings.

Pro 3: It can be as simple or as extravagant as you want it to be.

Whether you prefer something more simplistic or something more embellished, your journal can be however you want it to be. And if you're journaling throughout an entire year, it's okay to change it up from month to month to fit how you're feeling.

Pro 4: It can be done in any format.

Whether you choose to have a physical journal or an electronic version, it's very easy to journal either way. You simply need to choose the format that works best for you.

Con 1: It is taking time out of your day.

No matter how often you journal - daily, weekly, or monthly - it does take time out of your day when you do sit down to work on it. And if you're in a really busy period of your life, you may not have the time to sit down, journal, and keep it up as a habit.

Con 2: It can be a hard habit to begin and maintain.

This is the case with any habit. If you're not used to journaling, and you don't do it regularly, it can be hard to begin and implement it as a habit. And oftentimes, if you stop for a day or two, you may forget to pick it back up and continue.

Con 3: You may just have too many notebooks for whatever reason.

I, too, am guilty of this. I have bought quite a few notebooks in my lifetime, started using them, and then just stopped partway through. And because the first couple of pages "don't fit into the theme of what I want my journal to look like," I just leave the rest of all of these notebooks empty.

Con 4: It can be difficult to be consistent in theming, spacing, etc.

This con is really dependent on having themed journals: i.e. book journals, movie journals, etc. When you're writing down your thoughts, you may have left too much space on a page, or maybe you didn't leave enough. No matter what the "issue" may be, it can be hard to be consistent with journaling.

6 Topics/Backdrops I'd Like to See in Historical Fiction

Piggybacking off of yesterday's post, I thought I'd make a post of what I'd like to see more in historical fiction. Honestly, there is so much I'd like to see in the genre. And many topics have to be done just right for it to be a good book in my opinion.

As I said in yesterday's post, there is a lot of World War II historical fiction. This isn't an issue, and it can definitely be good if done right. However, there are so many directions an author can go in when writing historical fiction. It doesn't have to be World War II, and it doesn't even have to be a war.

Here are 6 topics/backdrops I'd like to see in historical fiction. Some of these topics/backdrops do have to be written about with consideration, but there is so much to explore in all 6 of these!

Topic/Backdrop 1: Leadership

Initially, I had this as "monarchy," but I feel like "leadership" suits this better. But think about how much can be done if you look at Rome's Senate (or even emperors), or Athens' democracy, or Sparta's oligarchy-type situation. So much can be done if authors look at the leadership roles and positions within historic civilizations, past and present.

Topic/Backdrop 2: Egypt

I know I mentioned Anne Rice's Ramses the Damned duology yesterday, and I know there are some other historical fiction books about or set in Egypt out there. But there is so much to be explored within Egyptian history, and it makes a great backdrop for historical fiction.

Topic/Backdrop 3: Nubia

Nubia is essentially modern-day Sudan, and again: there is so much to explore here. Egypt got much of its gold from Nubia. And there's the relationship between Egypt and Nubia to consider here too.

Topic/Backdrop 4: Ancient Greece

I don't think I need to explain this one much, but it feels like I haven't seen any historical fiction set in Ancient Greece. Authors could look at the city-states, the relationship with the Mediterranean, and so much more. 

Topic/Backdrop 5: (Pre-)Colonial United States and Americas

The Colonial United States and the original 13 colonies would be a fun topic to cover in historical fiction. Although it's a short period of time, roughly 169 years between the founding of Jamestown and the start of the American Revolution, there are so many possibilities. If an author wanted to go the Pre-Colonial Americas route with their fiction, this is where they'd have to be careful and do a bunch of research around their book's topic.

Topic/Backdrop 6: Celtic Britain

Celtic Britain - or any Celtic civilization in Europe - would be so fun to read about. And if an author doesn't factor in the negative Roman view of the Celts, than a book on the subject could be so fun to read.

Why is World War II Such a Popular Topic for Historical Fiction Authors?

The historical fiction genre of books and literature is, to be frank, inundated with World War II settings. This is something I've always found a bit overwhelming. While it is a good backdrop for a story, there are too many books with WWII as its setting in one form or another.

Don't get me wrong. I have enjoyed the historical fiction books I've read that have WWII as its setting. I haven't read a lot, but I have enjoyed them. But there are so many books out there now that focus on WWII and/or its aftermath that it feels like too much.

So, why is this the case?

Firstly, World War II is fairly close to when we're living right now. It started 82 years ago and ended 75 years ago. It hasn't been even 100 years since the end of the war, let alone its start.

Secondly, there's a lot - and I mean a whole lot - of documentation surrounding World War II. War correspondence, newspapers, radio broadcasts, limited television, and others. There are leaders' speeches, negotiations, treaties, and others. While not all of this information is easily accessible by the layperson, it's very easy to do research regarding WWII.

However, I do think that there is a thin line between a well-written WWII historical fiction book and a poorly-written book on the same topic. And this line can represent different standards for different people, depending on their preferences.

Personally, I tend to steer away from war or military history, both in the nonfiction and fiction genres of literature. There isn't anything wrong with it, but it just doesn't help my own mental health. And I'm not really a war history buff.

I would like to see more variety in the historical genre fiction. And there is some of variety in the genre, even more so if you include mythology retellings (think The Song of Achilles, Circe, or Helen of Troy). There have been some World War I historical fiction books. Anne Rice wrote Ramses the Damned duology and The Feast of All Saints. There's also Margaret George's Nero duology along with some of her other fictional biographies of other historical figures (Cleopatra, Henry VIII, Mary Queen of Scotland).

So there is a lot of variety if you know what you're looking for (i.e. subject of the book or even a specific author). It's just that the historical fiction genre is pretty much flooded with World War II.

12 Tips for Approaching a Goodreads Reading Challenge (Or Any Reading Challenge)

Yesterday, I made a post talking about where I'm at with my Goodreads reading challenge. However, today I wanted to focus on tips and suggestions for tackling your own Goodreads reading challenge.

A lot of these tips will most likely overlap with reading tips I've given in the past, so don't be surprised or confused about that. Many reading tips do correlate with different sections of reading, whether it's a reading challenge, reading more, or other.

Here are 12 tips for approaching a Goodreads reading challenge (or any reading challenge).

Tip 1: Set a goal that's right for you.

You don't need to set a reading goal of 100+ books because that's what other people are doing. If you feel comfortable reading 100+ books in one year, then set that as your goal if you think you can do it. However, just because Friend A and Person B are setting their goals at 100 and 200 books respectively, that doesn't mean you have to. If a goal of 50 books feels right for you, then that's what it should be.

Tip 2: Pace yourself.

I feel like I've touched on this tip a few times, but pacing yourself is super important for reading. It's not always the healthiest thing to be reading book after book after book after book. You don't have to read slowly, but allow yourself some breathing room between books, and even between activities. I.e. give yourself time to go from studying to reading for fun.

Tip 3: Include any and all books you read for classes if you're a student.

If you're a student like me, include the books you read for your classes. Yes, this includes any textbooks you have to read. This really depends on the subject material of the books, but include these books. That'll bump up the number of books you've read by the end of the semester.

Note: Not everyone will want to do this, and that's okay. It may be because they want to include only the books they actively chose to read (rather than being assigned something), or they don't actually read books assigned in class. (We've all been there at some point...) Do what you feel comfortable doing.

Tip 4: Have a book on hand at all times.

I've talked about this a bunch already, but I'll say one last thing on it. Having a book on hand at all times will help you out in the end, no matter the reason.

Tip 5: Don't limit yourself to physical books.

I have talked about this one so much, but I'll mention it again. Ebooks and audiobooks are so helpful, especially if you're out and about.

Tip 6: Borrow books.

Whether it's from your local library or from reader friends and family, borrowing books is a great help to your reading challenge. And there are apps, like Libby and OverDrive, that will let you borrow audiobooks and ebooks from the library. However, if you're borrowing a physical book, please remember to return the book in the condition it was given to you.

Tip 7: If you have friends and family who are big readers, do a buddy read or two.

Buddy reads can really help you get through a book. How you set up the buddy read is up to you. You can meet regularly and read the book together for an hour, or you can set a date to be finished by and discuss it then. You can read another book at the same time.

Tip 8: Set aside time to read.

This is the most crucial tip in my opinion. Setting aside time to read can ultimately help you read more. You'll ultimately finish more books as a result. It doesn't matter if this time is daily or weekly as long as you have time you know you can just relax and read.

Tip 9: Read 2-3 books at once, if you feel comfortable doing so.

I've talked about reading 2+ books at once, and if you feel comfortable doing it, it can also help bump up how many books you read per year. However, all the other tips do come into play with this one.

Tip 10: Have any physical books you're currently reading in an obvious spot.

Having a stack of your currently reading pile (the physical books, at least), can help you gauge what books you need to finish. It can also help you determine if your currently reading list is getting a bit too big or long.

Tip 11: Keep track of your TBR and currently reading piles.

Whether you do this through Goodreads, a notebook, a document, or otherwise, keep track of what's on your TBR list and what you're currently reading. This way, you can know what you have read, what you need to finish, and what you can read next.

Tip 12: It is okay to DNF books.

Thank god DNF-ing books is becoming more normal. But there are still some of us readers out there who aren't comfortable with this concept quite yet. It is okay to DNF books. It doesn't matter the reason, but if you aren't feeling a book, it's okay to set it down.

Where I'm At With My Goodreads Reading Challenge

I thought I'd give you all an update on how I'm doing with my Goodreads reading challenge. If you aren't familiar with the Goodreads reading challenge, here's the gist: you set a specific number of books that you plan to read over the course of the year.

Since I've started the Goodreads reading challenge, I've changed my reading goal a couple of times. I either increased or decreased the number of books based on how many books I've read by that point. Usually, this happens by the end of the year, usually in late November or December. And I usually do this when I feel like I can squeeze in a couple more books or if I want to relieve any pressure or stress.

This year, my reading goal is at 125 books. I think I changed it once earlier this year, but I can't quite recall. (Oops, lol.) To meet this goal, I need to read about 10.5 books per month. So far, I've read 56 books. Apparently, I'm also 8 books ahead of schedule. I'm actually feeling pretty good about my reading challenge for 2021, which is a positive thing.

To calculate how many books you need to read per month to meet your reading challenge, simply divide your reading goal by 12. For mine, it's 125÷12, which results in 10.416. I just rounded mine up to 10.5 since that's the easiest thing to do.

However, do not feel pressured to know how many books you need to read per month. If it helps you gauge your time, then go for it. But it's not a necessity. Oftentimes, it can stress you out. Unless calculating how many books you need to read per month actually helps you in one way or another, don't feel obligated to do it.

10 Tips for How to Begin a History Research Paper

Given what I posted yesterday, I wanted to make a post on how to begin a history research paper. Whether this paper is for a class, for publication, or for any other reason, I hope this post helps you begin your research and research paper.

This post will focus on __ tips for beginning your history research paper.

Tip 1: First, and foremost, you need to know what you'll write about in your history paper.

If you're writing a research paper for a history class, you most likely have a prompt of some sort. However, you should know how you'll answer that prompt. Do you agree with the prompt? Disagree with it? Are you in the middle ground when it comes to the prompt? (Yes, you can agree and disagree with a prompt, especially if it has multiple parts to it.) However, if you're a professional historian, you won't have an official "prompt" for your paper. You may have topics you want to write on based on books you've read or something you've watched. No matter what situation you're in, you need to know what your paper will be about. So know what your prompt is, know what question you're trying to answer.

Tip 2: Go to Amazon (US link), Goodreads, Google Books, and Google NGram and look up books on your topic.

Look at the years the books were published. If it's a more recently published book, maybe steer away from that topic. If the book was published 10 or more years ago, then feel free to go with the topic Looking at the sites listed above can also show you how much has been written on a particular topic, so they're definitely great resources to start off at.

Tip 3: If you're able, read the first chapter or two of any books you find.

Usually, you can get books 100+ years old for free through Google Books. However, if copyright is still in place due to how old the book is, Google Books usually offers a preview of some sort. Amazon may also offer previews, but book previews are hit or miss on Amazon. Usually, you get the author's thesis within the first chapter of the book they wrote on the topic. And you can 100% disagree with their thesis in your own thesis. I.e. if someone says that the Crusades were only about religion, but you found evidence to the contrary, you can say that: "[Scholar A] claimed in [Source B] that the Crusades were only about religion. The Crusades were not just about religion. They were about X, Y, and Z as well."

Tip 4: Use Wikipedia as a starting point.

I made the following post about using Wikipedia back in March: Why Wikipedia IS Your Best Friend for Research. As I mentioned in that post, though, Wikipedia is only a starting point for your research. It is a great place to start your research because you can get basic information on your research topic. From there, you can move on to databases and other resources for your paper.

Tip 5: Remember that your paper should be based mostly on primary sources.

Your research paper needs to be based on your interpretations and argument about the primary sources for your topic. While secondary sources can be helpful for boosting an argument, those secondary sources are not what your paper should be based on.

Tip 6: Secondary sources should be used mostly for context and historiography.

Historiography is the study of history and/or historical writing. This is where your secondary sources come in the handiest - you're showing what other scholars have said about a topic, and you're giving context to your own paper. However, your secondary sources shouldn't outnumber your primary sources,

Tip 7: Take notes on your sources.

Your notes do not have to be super in-depth and detailed. It can be as simple as what quotes you want to use in your paper. However, taking notes on your sources can really help hone in your thesis and argument if you have notes and keep them all in one place.

Tip 8: Paraphrase quotes as much as possible.

When you paraphrase quotes, you show that you have an understanding of that quote, and you can make it easier for your readers to understand. Unless your research paper is heavily based on a person's writing, or you can't think of a better way to rephrase the quote, you want to paraphrase quotes as much as possible. And depending on the quote's length, it can really tidy up your paper.

Tip 9: Remember that you will be using the Chicago citation style with most history research papers.

The two most useful resources are the Chicago Manual of Style Online and Kate Turabian's A Manuel for Writers (US Amazon link) for learning how to set up Chicago citations for both the bibliography and footnotes. It can be confusing, whether or not you're used to it. So remember to always look at these two sources for help.

Tip 10: If you can't find enough primary sources for your paper, or you can't get access to primary sources, it's okay to change gears for your paper. But make sure to do it as early as possible.

I had to do this with my paper for my history proseminar in the Spring 2021 semester. I was finding primary resources for one part of my thesis, but I didn't have access to them without paying 50+ USD. As a university student, paying $50+ for one primary resource that I was probably not going to look at again is not the best option for me right now. That's when I had to switch gears. And it is perfectly okay to switch gears. But you need to do it as early as possible so that you're not rushing at the end to wrap up your paper.

Specific Resources for Research on Google: Google Books and Google NGram

This is a resource I learned about over this past semester, and I found it so useful. Google Books and Google NGram are two of the most useful Google sources for researching, especially if you aren't attached to a school or university.

In my History Proseminar class this past semester (the Spring 2021 semester by the US university system), I wrote a research paper on the writings of Giovanni Belzoni and Thomas Young, two Egyptologists who worked for the British in the early 19th century. My paper turned out really well, and I got a __% on it.

However, I wouldn't have been able to get far in my research without Google Books or the Google NGram. My university's databases had some resources, but they didn't have enough primary sources for me to make a strong case for my thesis. That's where Google Books and Google NGram came in to the picture.

Why is Google NGram so useful? In Google NGram, you can include 1 or more terms, phrases, names, etc., and see when the term(s) was most used during a specific period of time. You can also set a specific time frame for the term you're searching for, For your research, this can really help you figure out what periods of time your primary sources should be coming from.

Why is Google Books so useful? If there is a primary resource you need, and it's over 100 years old, you will most likely be able to access that resource through Google Books. And YES, books are considered primary resources IF they're published during the time the event happened, are autobiographies, or are by the person you're researching. Books aren't always primary resources, but they can be.

Has Reading Changed or Helped Me?

This may sound like a cliche. And it is. "[Insert word/activity] changed me." But that doesn't mean that this phrase doesn't hold ground when it comes to important items or activities in your life.

For me, reading has "changed" me quite a bit. I put changed in quotations because I don't think reading has changed me in the traditional meaning of the word "change."

Reading has changed me in the sense that, as I grow older and read more, my curiosity only increases. It's also changed me in the sense that I feel like I have an entire world open to me, at my disposal. And in Covid, quarantine times, reading has definitely helped me "go places" while at home. Reading history books - the Tudors, Ancient Egypt, world history, etc. - has also changed me. It's helped me to understand history in relation to today. It's also humbled me quite a bit.

So, for me at least, reading hasn't so much "changed" me. There are a lot of things that factor into who I am. As a result, as much as it pains me to say this, reading is simply one factor in what makes me "me." I guess that means it's more helped me rather than changed me.

June 2021 TBR

It's that time of the month: my monthly TBR list! As you may know from my TBR posts over on my history bookstagram, I keep my monthly TBR at 6 books per month.

June's TBR post should be up on my history bookstagram by 7:00am PT (Pacific Time/West Coast of North America).

June 2021 TBR

1. The Red Prince, Helen Carr
2. Beyond the Halls, Mackenzie Finklea
3. Elizabeth I, Margaret George

June 2021 TBR: Books I Need to Finish

1. Oriental Mythology (The Masks of God #2), Joseph Campbell
2. The Pull of the Stars, Emma Donoghue
3. The Nightingale, Kristin Hannah
4. The Fountains of Silence, Ruta Sepetys

I'm keeping my official TBR at 3 books this month, mainly because of the 4 books I started in May and need to finish.