Black Friday? Cyber Monday? Wind back 2000 years to Ancient Rome

Campus Martius Rome, AD 300 (reconstruction)

Shopping is a national obsession in many countries and December is the peak of the frenzy. In a way, it’s a sign of the relative wealth of 21st century people, but in another it plays to the instincts of acquisition and, somewhere in the lizard brain, survival. […]

Exile - Thirteen historical authors tackle this thorny subject

Today, I’m celebrating a book of beautifully written, poignant, triumphant, sad and personal stories of exile. Some end well, some brim with determination, others have a sad end or are personally satisfying. All will leave you wanting for more. I certainly went straight to buying several full-length books by my fellow authors even when I’d […]

Roman dishwashing

Ancient Roman kitchen (Museum of London reconstruction) Author photo

When our dishwasher broke down, we ended up washing and rinsing by hand – glass, cutlery, crockery, kitchen casseroles, pots and pans – and it provoked thoughts about Roman kitchens and cleaning the dishes two thousand years ago.

Memories of camping washing-up in my […]