Total Immersion

Me (from upstairs): Are you ready H?
H: .........(no reply)........
Me: H? Have you packed your lunch and sorted out your recorder?
H: Erm...
Me: Have you got your socks and shoes on?
H: Sort of.
Me: Sort of? You *are* getting ready aren't you?
H: Sort of...

I know my son and he *wasn't* getting ready ;-) He was reading Horrible Histories, Rotten Romans and listening to the the audio book of the same name on the iPod in the kitchen. Total immersion in the Roman period. He doesn't do things by half does H...except getting ready.

Have you read any of the Horrible Histories books? They are totally gruesome. Some of the stuff actually makes my stomach churn. But they are funny (the audio version is hilarious) and packed full of facts (not all of them horrible). I've actually learned loads about the Romans in the past few days!

I heard Terry Deary being interviewed the other day. I was surprised that he isn't an historian or even remotely academic. He was a bit terse and snappy too. Interestingly he said he cringes when students come up to him and tell him that his books are the reason they are now studying history! He actually doesn't like historians!!

There's a good interview here.

Anyway, his books are good fun, even if he is a bit chippy ;-)