At the tender age of 15, when of course there was nothing that I did not know and everything that my parents didn't, I can still remember my mother imploring me tearfully to study history in my final two years at high school. 'You'll regret it for the rest of your life Jessica!'
Many years later, those words are still ringing in my ears... well smashing around actually to be honest, and I have regretted it, long before embarking on a career in antiques. Of course I'm feeling it more acutely now that history has become paramount to my everyday working life. After all, if you don't understand where you have come from, then how do you know where you are going?
So, in my quest to re-educate myself, I have stepped onto the travelator of time and history. Fortunately for me my partners lovely mum is an encyclopedia of historical fact, and has been only too happy to pass on some of that knowledge to me with a suggestion that I try a particular trilogy. If you're a bit of a history buff, like something well written and are fascinated by the intrigues of 18th century France and England then Karleen Koen's trilogy is absolutely riveting. The three books, 'Through a Glass Darkly', 'Now Face to Face' and 'Dark Angels' are all of this and more.
A fictional novel, based around historical fact and set in 18th century England and France, when George I, and James III both claimed the right to wear the crown. The description was wonderful and the best part for me was being able to give real context to the antiques of that period, some of which are sitting right in front of me centuries later, all with their own individual history, some which is known but most of it hidden in their grain forever.
Be warned though, they're not that easy to track down. I was given the first book, loved it so much I turned the second hand bookshops upside down for the other two. Really worth a read!
So, in my quest to re-educate myself, I have stepped onto the travelator of time and history. Fortunately for me my partners lovely mum is an encyclopedia of historical fact, and has been only too happy to pass on some of that knowledge to me with a suggestion that I try a particular trilogy. If you're a bit of a history buff, like something well written and are fascinated by the intrigues of 18th century France and England then Karleen Koen's trilogy is absolutely riveting. The three books, 'Through a Glass Darkly', 'Now Face to Face' and 'Dark Angels' are all of this and more.
A fictional novel, based around historical fact and set in 18th century England and France, when George I, and James III both claimed the right to wear the crown. The description was wonderful and the best part for me was being able to give real context to the antiques of that period, some of which are sitting right in front of me centuries later, all with their own individual history, some which is known but most of it hidden in their grain forever.
Be warned though, they're not that easy to track down. I was given the first book, loved it so much I turned the second hand bookshops upside down for the other two. Really worth a read!
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