SC - Speaking of non-period children's material

[Jenne Heise]

> Jadwiga Zajaczkowa said:
> > Anyone seen the 'Smelly History' scratch'n'sniff series from Oxford
> > University Press? Argh....
> Wierd. More details please. I wonder what they could come up with,
> and synethesis, that would be more characteristic of some periods
> than others.

Um, mostly they just smell BAD.  The books themselves are clearly designed
for the purient interests of 8-11 year olds. In cartoon style, they depict
various sources of bad smells (and some good ones) in period being
discussed. Unfortunately, both the Tudor and Middle Ages volumes drag out
the old rotten-meat heresy, and the one from the Middle Ages mentions
strewing herbs in the context that rushes were changed but once a year,
which is misconception that is now widely discredited, by references to
changing of the rushes in period handbooks.

On the other hand, I ran across a picture book on the Middle Ages-- "The
Medieval World" by Philip Steele ( Larousse Kingfisher Chambers, to be
released August 2000) that appeared to be quite accurate in its statements
generally AND which mentioned the recipe for three colored pottage
(someone help me here-- which recipe am I thinking of-- the one with
green, yellow and red?) and accurately mentioned the three tinting agents.
(The author also wrote a book on Knights and another on Castles...)

Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, mka Jennifer Heise	      jenne at tulgey.browser.net
disclaimer: i speak for no-one and no-one speaks for me.
   "My hands are small I know, but they're not yours, they are my own"