April 2013 in Review

This is an index and summary of the things I’ve talked about over the last month. Links for multi-post subjects go to the first post (even if it’s before this month), you can follow the internal navigation links from there.

Books

Fiction

“Before the Golden Age 3” ed. Isaac Asimov. Part of Read All the Fiction, short stories from 1935-1938 plus autobiography of Asimov during those years. Boxed up.

“Isaac Asimov Presents Great SF Stories #9 (1947)” ed. Isaac Asimov & Martin H. Greenberg. Anthology of the best short stories of 1947. Part of Read All the Fiction, boxed up.

“Control Point” Myke Cole. Military fantasy set mostly in a present day US. Library book.

“The Iron King” Maurice Druon. Fictionalised history of the Capet Dynasty in France in the early 14th Century. Library book.

“Wool” Hugh Howey. Post-apocalypse dystopia with the flavour of a generation ship (without being in a ship). Library book.

“In Great Waters” Kit Whitfield. Fantastical alternate history in Tudor-ish times where the royal families of Europe are hybrids with merpeople. Library book.

Total: 6

Non-Fiction

“China: The World’s Oldest Civilisation Revealed” John Makeham. Part of Chapter-by-Chapter, an overview of the sweep of Chinese history from the Paleolithic through to the death of the last Emperor in the 20th Century.

Total: 1

Concerts

Marillion Weekend 2013.

Total: 1

Photos

Brute Force & Ignorance.

Lampstand.

Peel Here.

Turtle.

Total: 4

Radio

Epicureanism. In Our Time episode about the philosophy of Epicurus.

Ice Ages. In Our Time episode about ice ages.

Romulus and Remus. In Our Time episode about Rome’s founding myth.

The War of 1812. In Our Time episode about the war between Britain & the US which started in 1812.

Total: 4

Talks

“Farming & Agriculture in the Nile Valley” Victor Blunden. Talk at the EEG meeting in April, about the farming methods of the ancient Egyptians.

Total: 1

Television

Fiction

Doctor Who: The Rings of Akhaten.

Doctor Who: Cold War.

Doctor Who: Hide.

Doctor Who: Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS.

Total: 4

Non-Fiction

Ancient Egypt – Life and Death in the Valley of the Kings. Programme about the more ordinary Egyptians – those who lived in the workmen’s village at Deir el-Medina.

Chivalry & Betrayal: The Hundred Years War. Programme about the Hundred Years War between England & France, presented by Janina Ramirez.

Egypt’s Mystery Chamber. Mini-review of programme about KV63.

A History of Syria with Dan Snow. Documentary about the historical context for the current civil war in Syria.

Howard Goodall’s Story of Music. History of Western music presented by Howard Goodall.

Israel: Facing the Future. John Ware visits Israel to talk to the people about the future of the country.

Museum Secrets: Cairo Museum. Mini-review of programme about selected objects from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

Nefertiti. Mini-review of old programme about Nefertiti.

The Other Pompeii: Life & Death in Herculaneum. One-off programme about what we can learn about Roman life from Herculaneum.

Pompeii: The Mystery of the People Frozen in Time. Margaret Mountford presents a programme about the eruption of Vesuvius and how the people of Pompeii & Herculaneum died.

Ramesses III: The Pharaoh Behind the Myth. Mini-review of programme about the harem conspiracy against Ramesses III.

Sun Pharaoh. Mini-review of dreadful documentary about Akhenaten.

Tutankhamun Conspiracies with Bettany Hughes. Mini-review of unfocussed documentary mostly about Tutankhamun.

Wild Arabia. Nature show about the wildlife & people living in Arabia.

Total: 14

Trip

Berlin – we spent a long weekend in Berlin in March.

Total: 1