By David Wilkes
|
From a dramatic account of Pompeii being buried under ash by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD79 seen through a teenage girl's eyes to the Allies' attack on the Merville Battery during D-Day, budding young authors are rising to the challenge.
Both ideas are among the hundreds of imaginative entries so far to the Chalke Valley History Prize, run in partnership with the Daily Mail and Waterstones, which challenges children to write vivid stories bringing particular periods to life.
But there is still time to enter for the prize, which was launched last month and is being run for the first time this year as part of the Chalke Valley History Festival in Wiltshire.
This computer-generated graphic shows how the eruption of Vesuvius would have looked above ancient Pompeii
ITN political editor Tom Bradby, an acclaimed author of historical fiction, and actress Haydn Gwynne will read extracts from some of the finalists at the festival, which runs from June 26 to July 1.
Mr Bradby said: 'This is an absolutely fantastic prize and I am delighted to contribute.
'My own love of history was fuelled by the fiction I read as a child and this is a brilliant way of encouraging a new generation to explore our incredibly rich and fascinating past.'
The stellar cast of authors and historians appearing at the festival includes bestselling novelist Victoria Hislop, whose novels are set against a backdrop of 20th century history in Greece and Spain, as well as Jeremy Paxman, Max Hastings, Antony Beevor and Tom Holland.
Mrs Hislop, who is married to Private Eye editor Ian Hislop, who will also be appearing at the festival, said: 'Good teaching of history in school is crucial â€" but some children will “get it†and others won't.
'But for those who aren't switched on to it as an academic subject, historical fiction is another way in â€" and a very valuable one.
It is a very valid form of writing â€" to research an event, and then to imagine what it would have been like to live through it.'
The festival, which is greatly expanded this year, also features a series of 'living history' displays to teach what it was like, for instance, to pull a bow at Agincourt or to duel with swords.
Tickets can be bought at www.cvhf.org.uk
Â
-
Woman, 22, given two life sentences for allowing professor,... -
Bad hair, soft focus, lots of leather and FAR too much... -
Mother 'made sex tape with her son, 16, and sent him naked... -
Salma Hayek's billionaire husband 'wanted supermodel Linda... -
Friends' Monica Geller was 'a slut' and 'a trollop'... -
One in three Americans would 'fail citizenship test' -
Tanning mom lashes out at 'jealous, fat and ugly' critics... -
Woman, 41, 'had sexual relationship with sick friend's son,... -
Young Barack Obama had great 'sexual warmth' but sharp... -
Au revoir, Carla! The Rottweiler wants to be France's new... -
Four Georgia men arrested for 'beating to death' ex-Marine... -
Awe-inspiring courage of the little girl with the deformed...
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar