Christmas! Yuletide!

[starlady]

Well, I hope that all who celebrate are having a very Merry Christmas, and that everyone is having an excellent Thursday. I did not do Yuletide this year, as my sporadic attempts to pick up pinch hits were too slow and I am buried in Festivids. Festivids! I have to go back to mine when I finish this.

I did, however, read a Yuletide story that was 83K words and was really great.

Nothing Lost (83269 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 11/11
Fandom: Oxford Time Travel Universe - Connie Willis
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Colin Templer, Kivrin Engle, Verity Kindle, Ned Henry
Additional Tags: Yuletide Treat
Summary:

Colin’s ten-year journey to bring Polly home.




For whatsoeuer from one place doth fall,
Is with the tide vnto an other brought:
For there is nothing lost, that may be found, if sought.

Edmund Spenser Faerie Queene V.ii

I haven't read any more of Connie Willis' Oxford Time Travel books than The Doomsday Book, which I read nearly 20 years ago anyway, and poking around the internet, I gather that attempting to read the books that this story is most proximately based on would probably, as a professional historian, make my blood pressure spike. But, unlike the novels, the story is about the professional historian work, i.e. archival research, that Colin does for more than 10 years, and though I can't quite shake the expectation that even at bloody Oxford things will be quite different in the profession by 2060, I really enjoyed it, because it's research related with heart, and because whoever wrote this, I think, understands what makes a good historian--which even some professionals don't, to be sure.

In other news, I have consumed most of a bottle of champagne over the course of a day, made weird but tasty latkes and delicious braised brussels sprouts, and had my weird tomato "brownie" Christmas cake that was really not much like a brownie but was good nonetheless. I also opened my presents from the States and sent a few last New Year's cards. And now I am probably going to finish said champagne, have another piece of cake, do some more Festividding, and go to bed. A Merry Christmas to all who celebrate, and to all, a good night!

Comments

[rachelmanija]

I'd been wondering if that story/novel made sense without having read Blackout/All Clear.

[starlady]

I only know what I've picked up from the book jacket/internet osmosis, and though a few technical details remained obscure, it was very readable with just that much knowledge.

[serene]

This is such good timing, as I'm in the middle of The Doomsday Book (my first time reading Willis at all). Thanks!

[starlady]

You're welcome! I should state for the record that the fic massively spoils Blackout and All Clear, though I was able to read it without much more than book jacket knowledge of both. :D

[serene]

In general, I don't mind spoilers at all, but the warning is appreciated anyway.