IAN MORTIMER


Notes and Essays

This section of the website is for the on-line publication of various ideas, thoughts and comments. It does not include articles published in print unless they are freely available on the Internet. For printed publications, see Full Bibliography.

25 August 2008

The Paris Catacombs

A personal reaction to the passages beneath the streets of Paris in which the bones of six million of the city's dead now lie.


18 July 2008

Ways with Words, Dartington

I did enjoy this year's Ways with Words. And realised why it is so different from urban literary festivals.


10 July 2008

History in Education

Should history be a compulsory element of education? I don't think so. Here's why.


21 May 2008

Why I do not fly

Self-explanatory.


4 April 2008

A note of the deaths of Edward II

A simplified (but still substantial) explanation of my research into the 'first death' of Edward II in 1327, with an emphasis on the methodology employed.


29 March 2008

Interview for the Richard III Society

Original version of the interview published in the Society's Bulletin in June 2008.


9 November 2007

Interview for The Book Depository

An interview partly about Fears of Henry IV and partly about my writing in general.


28 June 2007

After the Rivalry

A note drawn up the day after Gordon Brown became Prime Minister. It was not published at the time. But it's worth comparing the transitions of power in 1399 and 2007, and what happened afterwards, as recent events have shown.


28 March 2007

History as Literature

Why do history books not feature on lists of all-time favourite books? Why do they no longer feature on lists of important books? Is history still a form of literature or merely an academic exercise?


9 July 2006

The Future of the Academic Monograph

A letter to the Royal Historical Society discussing a suggestion previously made about accessible writing and the sustainability of academic history books.


23 April 2006

Why is St George our patron saint?

A note drawn up for St George's Day 2006, following my appearance on Sky News, trying to explain why St Patrick has such a following and St George does not.


9 March 2006

The Old Icon

A comment published in The Guardian about Edward III and the origins of English nationalism, The editor changed the title to 'Englishness is more about Crécy than cups of tea'. I prefer my own title. [Note: this article opens in a new window.]


19 February 2004

Do we really care about the past?

A short article which I drew up reflecting on some reactions to my book The Greatest Traitor.

   

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