(no subject)

More fuel for my Zombie Theory of History (which I think I shall develop and use in my next novel, because I really, really can't write a scholarly article about it):

"Vegetables soon sour, and corrode metals and glazed red ware, by which a strong poison is produced. Some years ago, the death of several gentlemen was occasioned at Salt-hill, by the cook sending a ragout to table, which she had kept from the preceding day in a copper vessel badly tinned."

This is from the same source as the pomatum recipes.

(no subject)

I've decided it's time to collect evidence of my Zombie Theory of History into a notebook. This is partly so I have Evidence should anyone dare to disbelieve, but mostly so that I can give the theory to a character. If any of you come across anything that might belong in that notebook, I'd be happy to hear about it. In return, if I find anything particularly juicy, I'll be sure to report on it.

For those who missed the theory when I originally propounded it, you can find a previous post on it here. I also posted something on my Food History blog, which I can repost (since the blog has been denuded of my name, since 451Press went under) should you be interested.


PS Chuck - my Zombie Theory of History has got nothing to do with the zombie book infestation you are currently cultivating.

(no subject)

I was pulling together my comments on zombie ancestry and discovered that I made most of them in 2008. My brain must have been pretty much on hold between then and now.

I started off with vast screeds of heated argument (and I've entirely mislaid the major one, where I was exceedingly sarcastic about many peoples' notion of historical nutrition), but by the end of it I simply said to students and on my blogs: "Consider carefully: do you assume that people did stupid things because they lived in the Middle Ages? If you do, you might suffer from zombie ancestry. (People who are naturally stupid are allowed to do stupid things in any era.)" and "If your ancestors believed in eating rotten meat then maybe you’re descended from a zombie."

All this leads to the inevitable working title for my novel-to-be (which will not include a single undead person unless specific characters misuse the concepts woefully): "In Search of Zombie Ancestry."

So now you know.