Queen Margrethe I and the Kalmar Union

At this point our trip to Norway back in June seems like a distant memory, and some of the stories I planned to share with you seem equally vague. But one story resonated with me too strongly to ignore: Queen Margrethe (1353-1412), the first great ruling queen in European history. Like many ruling queens in…

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In which I review Abbott Kahler’s Eden Undone

Abbott Kahler, who previously published under the name Karen Abbot, consistently writes works of narrative non-fiction that combine impeccable research, the story-telling devices of fiction, memorable characters, and impeccable prose. As a reader, I find it hard to put them down. As a writer, I marvel at her writing chops. As a reviewer, I struggle…

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From the Archives: Joan of Arc and the French resistance

More than once in the last few years, I’ve stumbled across stories in old issues of the Chicago Tribune that caught my imagination even though they did not deal with my current project. This headline from May 13, 1945, grabbed my attention: “FRANCE HONORS JOAN OF ARC AS ‘FIRST PARTISAN’. “ The piece began “The…

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