The Hunchback Returns

Have just opened my copy of History Today which has playboy Henry V plastered all over the front (Shakespeare fiction again) to find a sympathetic article by Mark Ormrod about where next for Richard.

It's good, and is obviously anti a Leicester burial. That is until he says 'he was a hunchback and walked with a pronounced stoop'.

Aghhhh the fridge suddenly beckons again. H

The latest BBC History magazine also has a spread on Richard. I would advise against even reading it as the comments by what they call "historians" are so inflamatory and cruel and hurtful that I was stunned and shocked; it felt like an assualt on the senses. I picked it up in Sainsbury's to look at the comments before deciding whether to buy it. And after reading some of them, I couldn't bear to read anymore and without being melodramatic couldn't concentrate on getting the shopping as I felt as if I was in shock.
Elaine

--- In , "hjnatdat" <hjnatdat@...> wrote:
>
> Have just opened my copy of History Today which has playboy Henry V plastered all over the front (Shakespeare fiction again) to find a sympathetic article by Mark Ormrod about where next for Richard.
>
> It's good, and is obviously anti a Leicester burial. That is until he says 'he was a hunchback and walked with a pronounced stoop'.
>
> Aghhhh the fridge suddenly beckons again. H
>

I had a quick look at this spread & it has contributions from some well-known names! The balance is generally negative in assessing the king but not entirely so & I suspect that some comments were made just to be provocative. I summarise:
From Nigel Jones a spiteful paragraph.
From Prof Lin Foxhall a sympathetic comment.
From Paulina Kewes a mixed comment which should warn us to avoid exessive adulation - a valid point in my opinion.
From Alison Weir (yes!) a generally negative paragraph but one that supports the king's reburial in York and a new examination of the bones in that urn we know of.
From Tom Holland a positive comment that the British love their history,which leaves us with the problem of where Joe & Jane Public get their knowledge.
From Dr Phil Stone, three cheers for him.
From Dominic Sandbrook who is pleased that the discovery of the king's remains will stimulate discussion and interest.
We have to engage with our opponents and discover what they say so that we can argue back as rationally as possible.
I have avoided talking about fights. Thank goodness we only have to spill ink not blood.
Jan.

Sent from my iPad

On 15 Mar 2013, at 20:43, "ellrosa1452" <kathryn198@...> wrote:

> The latest BBC History magazine also has a spread on Richard. I would advise against even reading it as the comments by what they call "historians" are so inflamatory and cruel and hurtful that I was stunned and shocked; it felt like an assualt on the senses. I picked it up in Sainsbury's to look at the comments before deciding whether to buy it. And after reading some of them, I couldn't bear to read anymore and without being melodramatic couldn't concentrate on getting the shopping as I felt as if I was in shock.
> Elaine
>
> --- In , "hjnatdat" <hjnatdat@...> wrote:
> >
> > Have just opened my copy of History Today which has playboy Henry V plastered all over the front (Shakespeare fiction again) to find a sympathetic article by Mark Ormrod about where next for Richard.
> >
> > It's good, and is obviously anti a Leicester burial. That is until he says 'he was a hunchback and walked with a pronounced stoop'.
> >
> > Aghhhh the fridge suddenly beckons again. H
> >
>
>

He obviously has not been paying attention lately because in the first documentary someone said quite categorically that Richard was not a hunchback. If so called historians are making these mistakes I fear for the quality of learning in Britain.

--- In , "hjnatdat" <hjnatdat@...> wrote:
>
> Have just opened my copy of History Today which has playboy Henry V plastered all over the front (Shakespeare fiction again) to find a sympathetic article by Mark Ormrod about where next for Richard.
>
> It's good, and is obviously anti a Leicester burial. That is until he says 'he was a hunchback and walked with a pronounced stoop'.
>
> Aghhhh the fridge suddenly beckons again. H
>

I shall of course write to the mag but why do I get the feeling this will go on forever? It's very wearing.



________________________________
From: ellrosa1452 <kathryn198@...>
To:
Sent: Friday, 15 March 2013, 20:43
Subject: Re: The Hunchback Returns

 

The latest BBC History magazine also has a spread on Richard. I would advise against even reading it as the comments by what they call "historians" are so inflamatory and cruel and hurtful that I was stunned and shocked; it felt like an assualt on the senses. I picked it up in Sainsbury's to look at the comments before deciding whether to buy it. And after reading some of them, I couldn't bear to read anymore and without being melodramatic couldn't concentrate on getting the shopping as I felt as if I was in shock.
Elaine

--- In , "hjnatdat" <hjnatdat@...> wrote:
>
> Have just opened my copy of History Today which has playboy Henry V plastered all over the front (Shakespeare fiction again) to find a sympathetic article by Mark Ormrod about where next for Richard.
>
> It's good, and is obviously anti a Leicester burial. That is until he says 'he was a hunchback and walked with a pronounced stoop'.
>
> Aghhhh the fridge suddenly beckons again. H
>