You Cannot Change History

Reading The Times today I came across an article by Lee Child condemning cuts to old novels, and preventing future readers from understanding previous eras. I am in total agreement with him. 

I recall my first reading of The Man in the Queue, by Josephine Tey, published in 1929. Yes much of the dialogue would not be acceptable today but it was of it's time and trying to update it to 2026 would be wrong. 

I  was 11 years old when I first read Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier.  My parents had several bookcases filled with books and I was able to read, and read and read. The killing was a real shock.  Something I had not expected

The joy of the book is that you are taken into a different time period.

And thus we learn.

I actually learnt more about history reading crime fiction than from history books. The English civil war meant little to me at 12 years old in 1955.  But then I read The King's General by Daphne Du Maurier and I was hooked and couldn't get enough of reading about The English Civil war.

Likewise I read The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey and learnt about the Princes in the Tower, murdered by Henry V11. OK maybe he didn't do it himself but he certainly arranged it. as while the Princes were alive and stood in his way he could not ascend to the throne,  Read it for yourself. 

Dickens, Thackeray, Priestley, Nevil Shute, and of course the wonderful Agatha Christie. I worked my way through my parents books until I had devoured them all. They were of their time and they were wonderful, and I learnt much. Leave them as they are for future generations to understand the enlightenment reached by learning.

Lizzie