First of all, to those of you who have been following me for years, a huge thank you. If you’ve been following me for a little while or you're just stopping by to visit, you may have noticed that I had gone dark, meaning no new posts here and little by way of social media. … Continue reading That’s Dr. Allard To You
Advice On How To Be Happy From Robert Louis Stevenson
Finding Life Advice At Starbucks I was standing in Starbucks when I saw this list from author Robert Louis Stevenson (Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) hanging from the community board. I think his advice is as appropriate today as it was over a hundred years ago. I’ve been pretty busy lately, … Continue reading Advice On How To Be Happy From Robert Louis Stevenson
What I’m Reading: The Salem Witch Trials and Some Time Travel
Here are some books I've read recently, when I found time between revising my dissertation, as well as the next books on my To Be Read list. Books I've Read Virgins by Diana Gabaldon I read the first five of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander novels while I was knee-deep in dissertatin'. I love the Outlander books … Continue reading What I’m Reading: The Salem Witch Trials and Some Time Travel
Daily Life in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
How Did They Live in Colonial Massachusetts? The main reason I felt drawn to writing Down Salem Way was that there wasn’t much space to explore James and Elizabeth’s lives in 1691-1692 in Her Dear and Loving Husband. We get glimpses of that time through James and Sarah’s memories, but the focus in Her Dear … Continue reading Daily Life in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
How to Live Like a Poet According to Jack Kerouac
Researching and Writing During a Busy Term I can verify that life as a PhD candidate is a lot of work. There are times when, after long days of researching, writing, and teaching courses at my university, I feel as if I'm lacking even one viable brain cell. I can walk into the supermarket for … Continue reading How to Live Like a Poet According to Jack Kerouac
What I’m Reading: Lincoln and Dickens
I tend to go through these phases where I’ll read 10 historical novels in a row, then some literary fiction, then a classic or two, and then I’ll read nonfiction for weeks on end. I've been in quite a nonfiction mood these days, and I've found myself reading a number of historical biographies. Some of … Continue reading What I’m Reading: Lincoln and Dickens
Christmas in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
What Was Christmas Like in the Massachusetts Bay Colony? I started wondering what Christmas would have been like for the Wentworths in Salem in the late 17th century. I hadn't researched Christmas during that time since it wasn't necessary for Her Dear & Loving Husband and the diary for Down Salem Way begins in January … Continue reading Christmas in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
Jobs in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
What Kind of Work Did They Do in Colonial Massachusetts? The North American continent was largely a question mark to those who left their European homelands behind to seek their fortunes, or, in the case of those immigrating to the Massachusetts Bay Colony, religious freedom. The immigrants may have heard great success stories about others … Continue reading Jobs in the Massachusetts Bay Colony