Happy 2018! Nonfiction Picks to Add to your Reading List!

January 1, 2018January 9, 2018 historynavigatorLeave a comment

Happy New Year everyone! I am very excited to begin anew in 2018 as 2017 was not the best year for me. Starting this blog has been important to me in order to keep my passion for history and writing in my life. A few of my 2018 resolutions include growing this blog, keeping on a once to week schedule, and just write daily whether it be creative writing, historical for the blog, or even just personal. I hope I will be able to stick to this commitment in the upcoming months.

Many New Years resolutions include reading more (my own personal is to read 40 books this year!) and I thought I could help fill in that reading list with some of my personal nonfiction picks! In no particular order here they are: Continue reading “Happy 2018! Nonfiction Picks to Add to your Reading List!” →

biography · english history · history

The Tale of Bloody Mary

October 27, 2017October 31, 2017 historynavigatorLeave a comment

Remember that weird ritual we did back in elementary/middle school in order to scare ourselves? If we would go in front of a mirror at night, or exactly at midnight, or whenever they told you and say bloody Mary three times in the dark she would appear in the mirror before you (and apparently curse you or something). When I was in elementary school that used to scare the crap out of me and I refused to even partake. I wouldn’t even look into a mirror at night for a brief period (I know I was a wimp!), but then I grew up and wondered…why are we so scared of Mary Tudor? If I could get this “ritual” to work I would do it to ask her questions about history and what life was like in her time (because I am a nerd)! But, anyway, I wanted to write a post about how she got her name and, well, why I feel bad that she has been remembered this way in a child’s game. Continue reading “The Tale of Bloody Mary” →

biography · history

Sor Juana Ines De La Cruz

September 7, 2017September 26, 2017 historynavigatorLeave a comment

“Like men, do women not have a rational soul? Why then shall they not enjoy the privilege of the enlightenment of letters? Is a woman’s soul not as receptive to God’s grace and glory as a man’s? Then why is she not able to receive learning and knowledge, which are lesser gifts? What divine revelation, what regulation of the Church, what rule of reason framed for us such a severe law?”– From a Spiritual Self Defense, Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz

I have recently been watching the Netflix show titled Juana Ines. It is a very enjoyable historical drama and I thought all the actors were very good. I love these types of shows because they always inspire me to look into the real events and people. I never knew about the genius nun, Sor Juana Ines De La Cruz, from Mexico (then New Spain) during the 17th century. Sor Juana loved to learn and study, yet she was constantly in conflict with the restrictions for women during her time. I admire her because she continued to fight to follow her dreams. In her writings she fought for a woman’s right to learn and questioned the norms of society at the time. She was much ahead of her time in that respect. How had I not been taught her incredible story before? She was a genius, a brilliant writer, and a fighter for the rights of women.

Continue reading “Sor Juana Ines De La Cruz” →