This seems to be what I will be doing in my spare time for the next year and a half. Me, and my buddy who just finished a biography of William, Prince of Orange, later to be king. He's awesome with archives. He's awesome in writing. I was honoured to be asked by him to cooperate on a book.
The idea is that we don't just write the next account of Waterloo, although that hasn't been done in Dutch for quite some time. My buddy brings along a mastery of the political, cultural and social history of the period, both in the Netherlands and Europe. I bring my military and economic interests. Together we can make something special happen.
We have a publisher. We have a rough deadline. We have a rough planning and a rough outline..
For me this is and incredibly exciting idea. A once in a lifetime opportunity and somebody who will kick my butt and keep me on track.
This will require an unprecedented amount of self control and focus on my part. It will probably mean me taking unpaid leave for a few months.
So it also should mean I will be posting here less. And it should mean that when I post, I will not be all over the place, and more about Waterloo than before. Life could be worse for you.
In this rear guard action, there's an opportunity for a counter attack. And I'm taking it.
That's fantastic news and I wish you well.
ReplyDeleteI will be more than ever interested in what your writing here
Ian
Something I've always fancied doing, but lack of talent and innate idleness has always held me back ;O)
ReplyDeleteThe very best of luck with the project and I look forward to your updates.
best of luck with your project I think deep down we would all love to be able to become published
ReplyDeletePeace James
Thanks gents! I hope to keep you interested
ReplyDeleteOkay, I give up. What does the map show exactly?
ReplyDeleteCongratulations. My only advice would be to think of a number of months work, and then double it.
Sorry for that Mike,
ReplyDeletethe map itself is of the Waterloo battlefield (note Plancenoit in the lower right).
I wanted to convey our idea that in a book on Waterloo restricting yourself to the 100 days, or even 1,000 days will not help explaining why the battle ended as it did and why we are still talking about it, rather than for example Leipzig, Lützen or Bautzen.
So I see the battle as the center of a much bigger story, both in time and space. Obviously that didn't come off too well. Looks more like the Lion Dome now, perhaps.
Be glad I won't be doing the graphic design for this book myself!
I think I spotted the Waterloo bit...!
ReplyDeletePffeeww! I was afraid even that had become messed up.
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