Albanian culture has something it calls “besa”, which is concept that “obligates Albanians to provide shelter and safe passage for anyone seeking protection, particularly if there has been a promise to do so. Failure to act results in a loss of honor and standing. “It involves uncompromising protection of a guest, even at the point… Read more Besa is Best! How Albania Saved Thousands from the Holocaust
I admit to a certain fascination with female pirate captains who were just awesome levels of badass. So much so, I might write a book about it. If I do, I call dibs on Ladies Who Launch as the title. Seriously, I might write the book just because I have fallen deeply in love with… Read more Ladies Who Launch
One of the things I discuss in my book on Edward VI is whether or not there was likelihood that Arthur, Fitzroy, and Edward all received a mutated CRFT gene (inherited an atypical cystic fibrosis) from both parents. After a quick romp in the genealogy I am slightly surprised that royal babies weren’t born three… Read more Was everyone an offshoot of the Plantagenets??
My eldest daughter, Blossom, loves me to tell her stories of things I did when I was a little girl her age. When she turned ten years old yesterday, she asked me to tell her stories of what SHE was like as a little girl, since she was now a mature pre-woman in the double… Read more Back in the Day
I have a guest post up over on Saints, Sisters, and Sluts regarding the ancient Israelite queen Jezebel and the feminine personification (or hypostasis) of God. This is not a topic that brings joy to my friends and relatives who have a more orthodox view on theology. In sharp contrast, I am fascinated by it… Read more Hagia Sophia
Jessa Duggar Seewald, reality TV ‘star’ and fundamentalist evangelical Christian, recently posted a screed on Facebook explaining why she was ‘saved’ from Hell but liberal (i.e. tolerant) Christians like me were headed straight into perditions flames. According to her, that fact that not-real-Christians like me “believe in a loving God, not one who would send… Read more From Jezebel to Jessa
One of the slut shamed queens my new book focuses on is Catherine the Great of Russia, whose mythical sex life has gone to extremes. For instance, have you heard the titillating historical trivia about Catherine the Great? You know, the one about how she had a special sling to hold up her horse while… Read more Catherine the Great
I have great news! (At least, it is great from my perspective. Y’all just jump on my train, okay?) I have a release date for my second non-fiction book, The Jezebel Effect: Why the slut shaming of famous queens still matters. It will be officially released into the wild on February 27, 2015. That’s right!… Read more Release Date for The Jezebel Effect!!
Every religion has a history of violence carried out by its fringe and/or power-players. Every religion. Let’s just look at the “Big Four” though, for examples. Hinduism has a violent history. It was the 17th century Hindu warrior king Shivaji Bhonsle who first invented and used guerrilla warfare methods (Shiva sutra or ganimi kava), which… Read more The Truth For Truth’s Sake
Doctors were expensive and hard to come by for the average person in the Tudor era. Most of the nitty-gritty healthcare and healing came from women. Armed only with herbs and folklore, women – especially older married women — acted as de facto nurse practioners for their communities. These skills were taught via informal apprenticeship… Read more Ollie Petite Morgan Blakely, Wise Woman