[stylist] {Spam?} Research

[Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter]

Tessa,

Googling those specific hymns should bring up a quick search. Personally, I
have found the internet to be very resourceful. I usually just Google and
search through the various sites it finds, and I continue to refine the
search as I go along.

Books are also helpful. Often, you can find books on a particular topic,
even very specific ones. I once was curious about dress customs in the
1500s, and I found a book that went into detail about the various styles of
dress during this time period. You can research books on accessible
platforms like BookShare and BARD and NLS, but also Kindel and Audible. And
you can scan a print book too.

Contact historical societies and/or professors at universities who teach
history and/or literature. They would have a wealth of info to give you
along with suggested resources.

Good luck.

Bridgit

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tessa via
stylist
Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2016 7:54 AM
To: Writers' Division Mailing List <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Tessa <puppycat at tbaytel.net>
Subject: [stylist] {Spam?} Research

Hi:
I am curious to find out how those of you who do research for your writings
manage it.

The novel I'm closest to having publisher ready is set in London and
Cornwall during the second world war. It's the story of a young woman who
loses her family and home to the blitz and ends up working in the hospital
caring for victims of shell-shock.

I wanted to write something about civilian life during that time as all the
books I'd seen were all about the military side of things. Since then of
course I've discovered a half dozen or so authors who have done just what
I'm attempting. Anyway my issues are around getting information about the
time how people lived, what they ate what they wore that sort of thing.

I know sighted writers use the internet a lot for this sort of thing but
what I find is that a lot of information is stored as photos or as
inaccessible pdf's or I simply don't know how to find the details I need,
such as the basics on the structure of a nurses training program at the
time.
Basically I'm winging it LOL. I read a dozen or more books on the subject,
diaries as well as fiction and the rest I'm just making up as I go along. I
have talked a lot with the ladies and one guy at our local public library
and they provided me with a few web sites for example "which ships were sunk
in november of 1941?" They know how to find that stuff and have been a
tremendous help.

So, I wonder if any of you have research tips that you'd care to share or
websites that are accessible and useful.

Two things I'm looking for in particular, hymns that were sung before 1941
and popular music of 1940/1941.
There are a couple dances in the book and I would like to be sure the
musical references are correct.
I have several friends who were alive at the time, but they were children so
don't remember much of the detail for many of my questions.

With my second piece that I submitted here it's a little closer to home the
Alberta Badlands about which I know nothing and getting information is a
little challenging, again it's mostly pictures. Ideally I'd like to go
there, visit the area get a sense of it, see what it smells like, feels like
all that stuff, the details of a dig, though I have some of that already
from a background in anthropology.

As you see, I tend to be rather detail oriented LOL.
Anyway if anyone has tips for finding info to share I'd love to hear them.
Tessa 


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