Medieval Underpants and Other Blunders: A Writer’s (& Editor’s) Guide to Keeping Historical Fiction Free of Common Anachronisms, Errors, & Myths [Third Edition]

The title made me LOL so I had to "See Inside..." This has been my most entertaining book purchase in many months! I chortled and snorted my way through in a single sitting - I finished at 5:20 in the morning and giggled myself to sleep. Besides being written for maximum enjoyment, the information presented was fascinating. I'm not a writer, but I love Jane Austen and always enjoyed Georgette Heyer's regency works immensely. I greatly appreciate lots of other historical periods and reading about them whether novels or non-fiction. "Medieval Underpants and Other Blunders" illustrates how much work and research is needed to create a plausible representation of any period in the past. The sample blunders run the gamut from "who doesn't know *that*?" to "I never knew that!" and provoked "I need to reassess my opinions of the French Revolution" because I never bothered to check the veracity of what I've read about the so-called Terror. Ms. Alleyn is clearly enamoured of her subject and her presentation is witty, includes modern popular examples - think Downton Abbey - and educates the reader painlessly. Unless aching smile muscles count.Any budding historical fiction writer needs this in their reference library, and if they're going to be published, their editor should read it before laying eyes on their MS.

If you write historical fiction, you need this book. If you read historical fiction or just love history, you will enjoy this book. Packed with information on everything from money to food to technology to English titles, Alleyn will point writers in the right direction and answer questions readers have puzzled about. With examples of wild anachronisms and just plain errors from (politely unnamed) novels and very much named movies (William Wallace never wore a quilt, despite what you saw in Braveheart, and that's just the beginning), Alleyn is both passionate and funny about historical accuracy. I love this book.

I admit I read through the 1- and 2- and some of the 3-star reviews after I read the book (I bought it because a) it sounded funny; and, b) I felt I would learn something). The good news is, I was right on both accounts.Ms. Alleyn warns us throughout the book to research our historical novels. I assume she also means her information, especially since she admits some of her own errors. As this is not the first version of "Underpants," I also assume she has cleaned up a few errors here and there since the first edition. Thus, the inquisitive writer can believe that what the author has written in this book is built on reality. (Then again, follow the author’s advise and verify).Though some of the reviews gave lower ratings, in most only a single item or reason was cited, as if this was enough to condemn the entire book. Perhaps there may be an error or two in Ms. Alleyn’s work, or it could be the difficulty discerning the truth from what we think happened. No matter, there is enough here to educate all of us, and plenty more to make us smile.What I found most astounding was the bibliography at the end of the book. Addressing all the areas discussed in “Underpants,” this sharing of the author’s library was, to me, worth much more than the price of the book. After all, these are the books used by a person who sets accuracy above all else when writing historical fiction. I’ve already check-marked the books I want to purchase first.Overall, a great resource for writers and a fun read for those who read historical fiction. At the very least, it is an enjoyable walk through the garden of history trivia. Five stars.

2.5 starsGood information, but at what price? I’ve gone from resenting the author’s condescension to pitying her. How can anyone with such a fanatical obsession with details ever derive any enjoyment from literature, plays, or television? For example, a writer should understand that conflict drives the plot, yet in the diatribe about presentism, Alleyn cites a reality show that placed a 21st century family in a 1900 house. Alleyn grouses about the stupidity of having a modern-day vegetarian live in such a house because people back then weren’t vegetarians. She’s so wrapped up in the minutiae that she can’t appreciate that that conflict creates drama, and drama creates story.And don’t get me started on the Cro Magnon BMI Index rationale, which she had to have made up on the fly (basically, that the smallest Cro Magnon men were less likely to find a mate and reproduce because they can’t wield a spear well and therefore won’t taint the gene pool with their smaller coordinates). The woman who has spent the last two hours haranguing me to NEVER ASSUME really should have footnoted that yarn.

As other reviewers have said, there is a LOT of irritating and unnecessary repetition, particularly in the first few chapters. American writers should note that there are some basic errors about acceptable British English words. Unfortunately I am unable to give examples, but they are quite elementary mistakes. Delivery is a bit smug to get away with it.There are some useful bits, but how reliable are they if she falls down on such a basic thing ? However, it's handy to have reminders of common errors, just don't take her word for the solutions.

Essential reading for anyone interested in writing or reading historical fiction. The book is informative and amusing. There is a lot of repetition (particularly about the underpants) but Susanne Alleyn highlights that writing about the past means an author has to 'time travel' to their chosen period and geographical location and be true to that period in every way. Researching even the smallest reference from the garments worn (or not worn), the food eaten and the method of preparation, in fact every aspect of life, not just in the past, but in that particular time.

I've only just started this, but already I know I'm going to enjoy it. From page 2, where we meet the historical fiction author who had her 11th century knight lighting up a cigar - cue for howling with mirth and almost literal rolling around on floor (and you know, I wish Susanne Alleyne had given the name of the book - I find I really, really want to read it! ) it looks as though this will not only be educational - not about the cigar, I knew that - but a source of some hilarity. But I had better not laugh too much at the errors of others. How does that saying go? Let him (or her) who is without sin cast the first stone. Hmmm. But, hopefully, it will help me to avoid a few blunders if not all.Amusng and useful. Well worth reading. I hope it will help me to check up on things I may not have thought of before. I would recommend it to anyone thinking of writing historic fiction.

This is a truly excellent book: witty, humorous, but also full of easily-missed pitfalls and essential warnings for the aspiring writer. I have too often thrown a book aside, because I became irritated by the number of silly and obvious mistakes in dealing with the chosen period. I don't mean the kind of things only a scholar or a nerd would notice; I mean major blunders that bring the reader up short and distract from the story.What it all comes down to, as Ms. Alleyn explains, is checking your facts and showing respect for your readers. Near enough will not do; nor will assumptions or half-recalled snippets from school. If you don't want to do the research, chose another period to write about. Even famous writers, when they stray outside their usual historical territory, make silly errors.It's also good to see the editors come in for some stick! I sometimes wonder whether such animals even exist in publishing houses today, given the typos, grammar howlers and half-erased rewrites that make it onto the printed page.

We bought this book because we're currently writing a historical novella. Plus the title made us laugh. It is really useful for anyone writing historical fiction, or even those who just have an interest in history. It is well-written, funny and we like the fact the author even included the blunders she had made. It made us think about things like how dark streets would have before streetlights, which foods were around during our chosen time period and that peasants' teeth were not that bad. We enjoyed the chapter devoted to the French Revolution and learned a lot - know your guillotine!We highly recommend this book. And there's no such thing as medieval underpants.