Category Archives: England

Tell Me About the Dragons, George

Posted on April 26, 2022 by Nathan

I had a few other things I wanted to write about, but since I found out Saturday was St. George’s Day, I thought he might be worth looking into. As someone who didn’t attend a church where saints were really … Continue reading →

Posted in Anglicanism, Authors, Catholicism, Christianity, Chronicles of Chrestomanci, Crusades, Diana Wynne Jones, Eastern Orthodox, England, Greek Mythology, History, Holidays, Humor, Islam, J.R.R. Tolkien, L. Frank Baum, Monsters, Mythology, Oz, Oz Authors, Religion, Roman, Roman Empire, Stan Freberg, Tom Holt | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Angling for the Saxons

Posted on April 24, 2021 by Nathan

Marjorie Taylor Greene’s idea for an America First Caucus based on Anglo-Saxon values sounds kind of bizarre to those of us who don’t run in white supremacist circles. Like, why Anglo-Saxon in particular, and why would a group focusing on … Continue reading →

Posted in Arthurian Legend, Authors, British, Celtic, Colonization of America, England, Ethnicity, Etymology, History, J.R.R. Tolkien, Language, Lewis Carroll, Monarchy, Monsters, Mythology, Names, Norse, Politics, Prejudice, Roman Empire, United Kingdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Let Us Contemplate the Sadness of a Banjo-Playing Frog

Posted on May 18, 2019 by Nathan

One thing I noticed in the book Yama Yama Land, by Grace Duffie Boylan, was a reference to a giant frog playing a tennis racquet like a banjo. Picture by Edgar Keller So what’s the connection between frogs and banjos? … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Art, Authors, Cartoons, Comics, England, History, Humor, Muppets, Music, Neil Gaiman, Nursery Rhymes, Poetry, Relationships, Television, Terry Pratchett, They Might Be Giants | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A House Full of Ginger

Posted on November 30, 2018 by Nathan

Gingerbread houses are a well-known Christmas tradition, not that I’ve ever seen anyone actually make one. They’re a pretty cool idea, though. The idea of objects made of foodstuffs is an old one in legends throughout the world, especially when … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising, Authors, Characters, Christmas, England, Fairy Tales, Food, Germany, History, Holidays, Jasper Fforde, L. Frank Baum, Magic, Nursery Crime, Oz, Oz Authors, Plays, Ruth Plumly Thompson | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Guinevere Out of Control

Posted on February 4, 2018 by Nathan

Arthurian literature hasn’t often been kind to Arthur’s wife Guinevere, presenting her as having an ongoing affair with his favorite knight, sometimes even goading him into it when he doesn’t really want to go against the king. It’s pretty much … Continue reading →

Posted in Arthurian Legend, British, England, History, Magic, Mythology, Relationships, Welsh | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Knight Time Is the Right Time

Posted on January 27, 2018 by Nathan

The King Arthur Collection – I’ve been reading this one on and off for about a year and a half. It’s long, but worth reading. There are six separate works included, as well as some background information about the historicity … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Arthurian Legend, Authors, Book Reviews, British, Christianity, England, Fairy Tales, Final Fantasy, History, J.R.R. Tolkien, Magic, Mythology, Poetry, Religion, Roman Empire, Video Games | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Land of Dairy Milk Bars and Honey

Posted on April 13, 2016 by Nathan

Tonight, I’m going to take a look at British Israelism, the movement popular in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries that insisted the British were descended from refugees from Israel. This was essentially a way to be pro-Semitic and … Continue reading →

Posted in Arthurian Legend, British, Christianity, Conspiracy Theories, England, Ethnicity, History, Judaism, Language, Middle East, Mythology, Religion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

In 1215 at Runnymede, Doo-Dah, Doo-Dah

Posted on June 16, 2015 by Nathan

Magna Carta is now 800 years old, but I’m not sure what you’re supposed to do to celebrate the birthday of a document. The main way academia seems to be calling attention to it is by destroying some of the … Continue reading →

Posted in England, History, Monarchy, Politics | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Britain’s Brutal Beginning

Posted on August 31, 2013 by Nathan

At one point in history, every nation apparently wanted to have origins tied to Troy. I suppose they wanted to have a link to the classics, but for some reason preferred the defeated Trojans to the victorious Greeks. Hey, I … Continue reading →

Posted in British, Bronze Age, England, Greek Mythology, History, Mythology, Roman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Cole Mining

Posted on September 27, 2012 by Nathan

While we know that Old King Cole was a merry old soul with a love for music, whether he actually existed is a matter of some debate. There are records of a few different British rulers named Coel, dating back … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, British, Comics, England, History, L. Frank Baum, Mythology, Nursery Rhymes, Oz, Oz Authors, Robert Rankin, United Kingdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments