March: Have You Ever Wanted to Live in a Different Time?
Our featured March title, Leviathan, is set in a Steampunk era. Author Scott Westerfeld asks, "Have you ever wanted to live in a different time in history?"
This is a question I've asked myself so many times over the years. I've always loved historical fiction, so my answer is always swayed by whatever my favorite story is at the time. Or what my favorite fashion might be... Right now I'm fascinated with the era around WWI and the early 1920's. War, a flu pandemic, suffrage, spiritualism, prohibition and so much more. Also because this is a period of history I wasn't taught much about in school, but which really set so much of the framework for the modern world.
I think that I would like to live in the colonial era. I know in that time there were cons and pros but overall I would totally live in a different time period.
Oddly enough, I've never really wanted to. Really, I think the past would be HARD for me. THough there are tons of places and times I would WANT to see, I don't think I would actually want to LIVE in any of them.
I have often thought about this... especially when in the throws of reading a book set in the past... especially when reading a book where dragons exist (not dinosaurs - Dragons!). I usually come to the conclusion that I wouldn't cope without my computer, modern medicine, instant communications, books, movies and inside toilets! But isn't an imagination a wonderful thing!
I love all the decades of the 20th century in different ways, maybe because I know more about them than the more distant past. But the thing is, while I'd love to twirl around in a 1950s prom dress (and I did on my wedding night!), I would find it so hard to face the social atmosphere of that time (segregation, women in the kitchen, etc). So I think I'll stick to now.
Absolutely! I look at the past with rose colored glasses, though. I was born to wear Victorian dresses, but forget about the corsets. I love horses and carriages, but forget about the poop all over the roads. And so it goes.
I'm with Jackie, in that the 1910s and 20s were some of the most interesting, as far as building the modern world. Cars, planes, radio, and rockets all appeared in that period. Plus, awesome clothes.
Of course, I'd probably just rather visit the past than live there. I like the dentistry and toilets here in the present, and the fact that women can vote, and that everyone gets to use the same water coolers.
In a way, that's what makes steampunk cool. You can take the good bits of history while changing (or at least circumventing, as Deryn does) the bad bits.
It's funny, whenever I thought about possible careers for myself, I always wanted to pick something that would have been a "real" job, a job that existed a hundred years ago. For some reason that would make it seem less frivolous than, say, an interior decorator (I hope that doesn't offend anyone). But I think you get the point.
This is a question I've asked myself so many times over the years. I've always loved historical fiction, so my answer is always swayed by whatever my favorite story is at the time. Or what my favorite fashion might be... Right now I'm fascinated with the era around WWI and the early 1920's. War, a flu pandemic, suffrage, spiritualism, prohibition and so much more. Also because this is a period of history I wasn't taught much about in school, but which really set so much of the framework for the modern world.
ReplyDeleteI think that I would like to live in the colonial era. I know in that time there were cons and pros but overall I would totally live in a different time period.
ReplyDeleteOooo. I might choose the early 1500s in Geneva, Switzerland, myself!
ReplyDeleteOh yeah! I'd love to sample just about every time period. I love history so much.
ReplyDeleteOddly enough, I've never really wanted to. Really, I think the past would be HARD for me. THough there are tons of places and times I would WANT to see, I don't think I would actually want to LIVE in any of them.
ReplyDeleteI have often thought about this... especially when in the throws of reading a book set in the past... especially when reading a book where dragons exist (not dinosaurs - Dragons!).
ReplyDeleteI usually come to the conclusion that I wouldn't cope without my computer, modern medicine, instant communications, books, movies and inside toilets!
But isn't an imagination a wonderful thing!
Yes. Daily.
ReplyDeleteI'd be Jackie's neighbor in the 1920s. Great outfits. :)
I love all the decades of the 20th century in different ways, maybe because I know more about them than the more distant past. But the thing is, while I'd love to twirl around in a 1950s prom dress (and I did on my wedding night!), I would find it so hard to face the social atmosphere of that time (segregation, women in the kitchen, etc). So I think I'll stick to now.
ReplyDeleteIt seems as though almost all of the postergirlz want to go the age of the flappers. I'll meet you at Gatsby's party, okay, ladies?
ReplyDeleteI'd love to visit various time periods, including but not limited to:
Ancient Egypt
The Roaring 20s
The heyday of Hollywood (MGM studios, etc) in the 30s and 40s
Absolutely! I look at the past with rose colored glasses, though.
ReplyDeleteI was born to wear Victorian dresses, but forget about the corsets. I love horses and carriages, but forget about the poop all over the roads. And so it goes.
I'm with Jackie, in that the 1910s and 20s were some of the most interesting, as far as building the modern world. Cars, planes, radio, and rockets all appeared in that period. Plus, awesome clothes.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I'd probably just rather visit the past than live there. I like the dentistry and toilets here in the present, and the fact that women can vote, and that everyone gets to use the same water coolers.
In a way, that's what makes steampunk cool. You can take the good bits of history while changing (or at least circumventing, as Deryn does) the bad bits.
Right on, Scott. Here's to dentists, toilets, and deodorant!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny, whenever I thought about possible careers for myself, I always wanted to pick something that would have been a "real" job, a job that existed a hundred years ago. For some reason that would make it seem less frivolous than, say, an interior decorator (I hope that doesn't offend anyone). But I think you get the point.
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