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Fireside this week! First off, it seems like last week’s post on the Hollywood myth of archery volley fire really got out there, so if you are a new reader just joining us, welcome! If you are in to discussions of historical tactics with an eye towards correcting common myths in games and film, you … Continue reading Fireside Friday, May 9, 2025 (On Lighter Bows) →
This week we’re looking at a specific visual motif common in TV and film: the arrow volley. You know the scene: the general readies his archers, he orders them to ‘draw!’ and then holds up his hand with that ‘wait for it’ gesture and then shouts ‘loose!’ (or worse yet, ‘fire!’) and all of the … Continue reading Collections: Why Archers Didn’t Volley Fire →
This week, I want to keep unloading my Tolkien-related thoughts, turning from last week’s character study to a look at the way ‘magic’ and spiritual power work in Tolkien’s legendarium and in particular to how contests between fundamentally magical beings in Middle-earth are decided. This is a topic that I think even the best adaptations … Continue reading Collections: How Gandalf Proved Mightiest: Spiritual Power in Tolkien →
This week (and probably next) I want to talk a bit more Tolkien, but in a somewhat different vein from normal. Rather than discussing the historicity of Tolkien’s world or adaptations of it, I want to take a moment to discuss some of the themes of Tolkien’s work, which express themselves in the metaphysical architecture … Continue reading Collections: Why Celebrimbor Fell but Boromir Conquered: the Moral Universe of Tolkien →
This is the final part of our five part (I, II, III, IV) series on the Siege of Eregion in Amazon’s Rings of Power. Last time, we looked at the orc siege and marveled at both their lack of works and also their nonsensical siege engines, concluding that Adar had launched a siege assault which … Continue reading Collections: The Siege of Eregion, Part V: What Tactics? →
More in history
Traditionally, excavations deep in the jungles of Mexico, Central, and South America are difficult at best and dangerous at worst. With rough terrain, violent storms, and the watchful eyes of local animals, archeologists often turn to modern equipment to cover as much ground as possible without disrupting the local wildlife. As more land is […]
“I was working on my own, and I was wrestling with what the highest and best use of the photograph in color could be. Eventually, I came up with a formulation for myself that went something like, “in the good or successful color photograph, the definition or the meaning of the picture will somehow arise … Continue reading "Summer in Nags Head, North Carolina, 1975" The post Summer in Nags Head, North Carolina, 1975 appeared first on Flashbak.
Ancient Egypt looms large in popular culture, from Indiana Jones to The Prince of Egypt. The country is a treasure trove of pyramids, pharaohs, and nods to ancient cats. The country’s location at the nexus of its African home and of Asia and Europe has led to its fascinating contemporary history. Egypt, after the […]
Wrong Side of History Newsletter #62
