Comments for Writing Historical Fiction http://blogspot.nancypinard.com Sun, 20 May 2012 06:13:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 Comment on The Need for Obsession by Judy DaPolito http://blogspot.nancypinard.com/2012/05/05/the-need-for-obsession/#comment-18771 Judy DaPolito Mon, 07 May 2012 01:57:01 +0000 http://blogspot.nancypinard.com/2012/05/05/the-need-for-obsession/#comment-18771 One thing that informs my fiction is my lack of siblings--exacerbated by the terrible death of my six-years-older cousin when I was three. I don't know whether I truly remember him or not, but I miss him still. A book will come. (It's barely started, but it haunts me.) Oddly, as I think of Nancy's comments about not wanting to write about tennis, I realize that I like to write about skills I don't possess but wish I did. Consequently, Marie, in the medieval YA novel I'm working on, is not only a skillful embroiderer but an artist with her needle, able to envision and create her own thread paintings. I don't come close to having either ability. And her twin, Marguerite, is far braver and more adventurous than I could ever hope to be. I think I explore lives I couldn't live. One thing that informs my fiction is my lack of siblings–exacerbated by the terrible death of my six-years-older cousin when I was three. I don’t know whether I truly remember him or not, but I miss him still. A book will come. (It’s barely started, but it haunts me.) Oddly, as I think of Nancy’s comments about not wanting to write about tennis, I realize that I like to write about skills I don’t possess but wish I did. Consequently, Marie, in the medieval YA novel I’m working on, is not only a skillful embroiderer but an artist with her needle, able to envision and create her own thread paintings. I don’t come close to having either ability. And her twin, Marguerite, is far braver and more adventurous than I could ever hope to be. I think I explore lives I couldn’t live.

]]> Comment on Grappling with Gaps in the Record by Nancy Pinard http://blogspot.nancypinard.com/2011/12/01/grappling-with-gaps-in-the-record/#comment-12110 Nancy Pinard Sun, 04 Dec 2011 15:05:11 +0000 http://blogspot.nancypinard.com/2011/12/01/grappling-with-gaps-in-the-record/#comment-12110 I feel that even within the parameter of the best historical guess there is not just space, but the necessity of fictionalizing. I feel that even within the parameter of the best historical guess there is not just space, but the necessity of fictionalizing.

]]> Comment on Grappling with Gaps in the Record by Elliiot Kennel http://blogspot.nancypinard.com/2011/12/01/grappling-with-gaps-in-the-record/#comment-12079 Elliiot Kennel Sat, 03 Dec 2011 19:04:54 +0000 http://blogspot.nancypinard.com/2011/12/01/grappling-with-gaps-in-the-record/#comment-12079 You seem to like the challenge of making strict rules against portraying any events that are not implied by the historical record. Do you feel you have the freedom to choose the severity and onset of Lieserl's condition, or must you adhere to the best historical guess? You seem to like the challenge of making strict rules against portraying any events that are not implied by the historical record. Do you feel you have the freedom to choose the severity and onset of Lieserl’s condition, or must you adhere to the best historical guess?

]]> Comment on The Path of Creation by Judi Rohrig http://blogspot.nancypinard.com/2011/10/15/the-path-of-creation/#comment-10193 Judi Rohrig Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:14:35 +0000 http://blogspot.nancypinard.com/2011/10/15/the-path-of-creation/#comment-10193 Thanks for this, Nancy, especially noting what you've learned. Thanks for this, Nancy, especially noting what you’ve learned.

]]> Comment on The Path of Creation by Lynne Hugo http://blogspot.nancypinard.com/2011/10/15/the-path-of-creation/#comment-10069 Lynne Hugo Sat, 15 Oct 2011 14:30:12 +0000 http://blogspot.nancypinard.com/2011/10/15/the-path-of-creation/#comment-10069 This is post absolutely wonderful! That letter is such a find. I particularly love what you've drawn from these creative women and men, the lesson you've put together. This is post absolutely wonderful! That letter is such a find. I particularly love what you’ve drawn from these creative women and men, the lesson you’ve put together.

]]> Comment on Zurich by Josh http://blogspot.nancypinard.com/2011/09/19/zurich/#comment-9466 Josh Fri, 23 Sep 2011 19:08:52 +0000 http://blogspot.nancypinard.com/2011/09/19/zurich/#comment-9466 It sounds as if you're getting to see everything despite the weather! Is Herr Pinard tagging along? It sounds as if you’re getting to see everything despite the weather! Is Herr Pinard tagging along?

]]> Comment on The Einstein Tour Part I, Lake Como by Lynn Campbell http://blogspot.nancypinard.com/2011/09/15/the-einstein-tour-part-i-lake-como/#comment-9294 Lynn Campbell Thu, 15 Sep 2011 20:08:54 +0000 http://blogspot.nancypinard.com/2011/09/15/the-einstein-tour-part-i-lake-como/#comment-9294 Thanks for the trip report. I love seeing it through your writers eyes and relating things you see back to your current subject - everything from the 'chattering' masts to the inclined heads of the lovers. All I can say is WOW. Thanks for the trip report. I love seeing it through your writers eyes and relating things you see back to your current subject - everything from the ‘chattering’ masts to the inclined heads of the lovers. All I can say is WOW.

]]> Comment on The Paper Garden by Allen Esterson http://blogspot.nancypinard.com/2011/08/18/the-paper-garden/#comment-9237 Allen Esterson Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:00:23 +0000 http://blogspot.nancypinard.com/2011/08/18/the-paper-garden/#comment-9237 Clarification on grades: I have just seen where you got the score of 9 for Mileva and 10 for Einstein for theoretical physics – the final diploma exam grades for 1900. Apologies for not recalling that straight off. Given the grading systems in the US/UK, I misinterpreted you to mean that 10 was the top grade, and Mileva had achieved 9 out of 10, and Einstein the maximum grade. In fact, as the German version (with English footnotes) of the Einstein Collected Papers reports (vol. 1, p. 247, n. 2), for the two physics candidates the grades for the physics topics, theoretical and practical physics, were originally recorded on the usual Swiss scale 1-6. with 1 as the lowest grade. For Einstein and Mileva the weighting of physics topics, plus theory of functions, was such that these grade scores were doubled for the purpose of obtaining an overall grade average, so their actual grades for theoretical physics on the original scale 1-6 were 4.5 for Mileva and 5 for Einstein, i.e. equivalent to 9 and 10 respectively on a scale 1-12. Clarification on grades:

I have just seen where you got the score of 9 for Mileva and 10 for Einstein for theoretical physics – the final diploma exam grades for 1900. Apologies for not recalling that straight off. Given the grading systems in the US/UK, I misinterpreted you to mean that 10 was the top grade, and Mileva had achieved 9 out of 10, and Einstein the maximum grade. In fact, as the German version (with English footnotes) of the Einstein Collected Papers reports (vol. 1, p. 247, n. 2), for the two physics candidates the grades for the physics topics, theoretical and practical physics, were originally recorded on the usual Swiss scale 1-6. with 1 as the lowest grade. For Einstein and Mileva the weighting of physics topics, plus theory of functions, was such that these grade scores were doubled for the purpose of obtaining an overall grade average, so their actual grades for theoretical physics on the original scale 1-6 were 4.5 for Mileva and 5 for Einstein, i.e. equivalent to 9 and 10 respectively on a scale 1-12.

]]> Comment on The Paper Garden by Allen Esterson http://blogspot.nancypinard.com/2011/08/18/the-paper-garden/#comment-9197 Allen Esterson Sun, 11 Sep 2011 17:54:47 +0000 http://blogspot.nancypinard.com/2011/08/18/the-paper-garden/#comment-9197 "Their son, Hans Albert, reported that his mother stayed up late at night, checking Albert’s work, re-working the math." I know of no statements of Hans Albert's in which he writes this. If it is supposed to pertain to the three celebrated 1905 papers it could hardly be direct reporting, as he was born in 1904. "Where she scored a 9 to Albert’s 10 in theoretical physics, one might also imagine her usefulness as a sounding board for new ideas–that person who can see the notion, but possibly also the cracks. Should she get credit for that? Doesn’t it take both minds?" Leaving aside that on no occasion did Mileva score the equivalent of 9 in theoretical physics, what have her (moderate) student grades to do with Einstein's great achievements several years later? "… the locus of Albert’s work was accomplished during their marriage. Input from Michelle Besso, Marcel Grossman, and others continued after the marriage ended, but the revolutionary thought did not. What conclusion do you draw?" The marriage between Einstein and Maric was effectively over in 1914 when they separated, and had broken down at least two years earlier than that. The theory of General Relativity, described by Max Born as "the greatest feat of human thinking about nature, the most amazing combination of philosophical penetration, physical intuition, and mathematical skill", was completed in 1915-1916, so it is not the case that Einstein's revolutionary thoughts ceased after their marriage breakdown. In any case, there is no evidence that Mileva had any input into Einstein's wide-ranging work in physics, only unsubstantiated surmise. “Their son, Hans Albert, reported that his mother stayed up late at night, checking Albert’s work, re-working the math.”

I know of no statements of Hans Albert’s in which he writes this. If it is supposed to pertain to the three celebrated 1905 papers it could hardly be direct reporting, as he was born in 1904.

“Where she scored a 9 to Albert’s 10 in theoretical physics, one might also imagine her usefulness as a sounding board for new ideas–that person who can see the notion, but possibly also the cracks. Should she get credit for that? Doesn’t it take both minds?”

Leaving aside that on no occasion did Mileva score the equivalent of 9 in theoretical physics, what have her (moderate) student grades to do with Einstein’s great achievements several years later?

“… the locus of Albert’s work was accomplished during their marriage. Input from Michelle Besso, Marcel Grossman, and others continued after the marriage ended, but the revolutionary thought did not. What conclusion do you draw?”

The marriage between Einstein and Maric was effectively over in 1914 when they separated, and had broken down at least two years earlier than that. The theory of General Relativity, described by Max Born as “the greatest feat of human thinking about nature, the most amazing combination of philosophical penetration, physical intuition, and mathematical skill”, was completed in 1915-1916, so it is not the case that Einstein’s revolutionary thoughts ceased after their marriage breakdown. In any case, there is no evidence that Mileva had any input into Einstein’s wide-ranging work in physics, only unsubstantiated surmise.

]]> Comment on How much of this is true? by Allen Esterson http://blogspot.nancypinard.com/2011/08/11/how-much-of-this-is-true/#comment-9149 Allen Esterson Fri, 09 Sep 2011 10:07:33 +0000 http://blogspot.nancypinard.com/2011/08/11/how-much-of-this-is-true/#comment-9149 Some points on Mileva's letters in the period you cite: First, there is absolutely no doubt that were many other letters written by Mileva that have not survived. Second, it is not possible that some were destroyed by the executors of Einstein's estate, as they did not have them. They were in the possession of the family of Hans Albert Einstein, and discovered by chance as a result of the endeavours of the historian and Einstein specialist Robert Schulmann. (See details of their discovery in Highfield and Carter, pp. 279-281.) Third, the most likely explanation for the missing letters is that they were not kept by Einstein at the time. Quite simply, he was unconcerned about his personal possessions: in one letter, after telling Mileva he had no idea where his pillows were, he wrote: "You know what a dreadful mess my worldly possessions are in – it's lucky I don't have much." (17 December 1901). I would imagine that after they were married Mileva collected together all her letters that Einstein still had in his possession together with those she had received from him, and the batch of letters passed on to Hans Albert after she died. I don't think there is any problem about translations, undertaken by experts: Renn and Schulmann (eds.) *Albert Einstein: The Love Letters*, and in volume 1 of the Albert Einstein Collected Papers (separate German and English language vols.) If there is anything one wants to be absolutely clear about, there are two translations to compare (those in the Collected Papers tend to be more literal), as well as the original German. One factual clarification. You write: "...Mileva had failed her exams and went home pregnant to Vojvodina (Serbia) to tell her parents." Mileva was not pregnant in August 1900 when she went home to her parents' place after her first failure to obtain a teaching diploma. She became pregnant the following year. Some points on Mileva’s letters in the period you cite: First, there is absolutely no doubt that were many other letters written by Mileva that have not survived. Second, it is not possible that some were destroyed by the executors of Einstein’s estate, as they did not have them. They were in the possession of the family of Hans Albert Einstein, and discovered by chance as a result of the endeavours of the historian and Einstein specialist Robert Schulmann. (See details of their discovery in Highfield and Carter, pp. 279-281.) Third, the most likely explanation for the missing letters is that they were not kept by Einstein at the time. Quite simply, he was unconcerned about his personal possessions: in one letter, after telling Mileva he had no idea where his pillows were, he wrote: “You know what a dreadful mess my worldly possessions are in – it’s lucky I don’t have much.” (17 December 1901). I would imagine that after they were married Mileva collected together all her letters that Einstein still had in his possession together with those she had received from him, and the batch of letters passed on to Hans Albert after she died.

I don’t think there is any problem about translations, undertaken by experts: Renn and Schulmann (eds.) *Albert Einstein: The Love Letters*, and in volume 1 of the Albert Einstein Collected Papers (separate German and English language vols.) If there is anything one wants to be absolutely clear about, there are two translations to compare (those in the Collected Papers tend to be more literal), as well as the original German.

One factual clarification. You write: “…Mileva had failed her exams and went home pregnant to Vojvodina (Serbia) to tell her parents.” Mileva was not pregnant in August 1900 when she went home to her parents’ place after her first failure to obtain a teaching diploma. She became pregnant the following year.

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