"There is nothing new in the world except the history you do not know."
We've all heard it before: Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it.
History gives us the gift of retrospect. The past allows us to look back, think about our past mistakes, and build a better future.
Why did this war happen? How did we lose? Who are the fighters? How did we solve the problem? Everything is already written down in our history books. All we have to do is look closely and analyze the present.
But some people find history a boring subject. They don't want to remember "insignificant" events from the past. After all, we just have to keep moving forward. There's no reason to get stuck in the past.
Technological advancements warped people's perception of history. Today, the only sources of historical facts we have are "Did You Know" pages and channels in social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Millennials don't even know the story behind the important holidays they're celebrating every year.
Sadly, history became a thing of the past.
Fortunately, there are other sources of history that people enjoy. A great example of this is historical films. Historical films provide a flavorful taste of history without having to sit in a boring class. Some of the most famous movies based on history are Pearl Harbor, Hidden Figures, The Trial of the Chicago 7, The Big Short, Trumbo, The Post, The Founder, and Schindler's List, among others.
Historical fiction has also become popular among readers in this generation. One of the best examples of historical fiction today is Eleanor Collins' The Last Chapter. This novel masterfully weaves the fictional world with historical facts to create a poignant story of love, family, war, anguish, and sorrow.
The Last Chapter describes the effects of war on the soldiers and the family members. After finding an Australian World War One mass grave in France, a century-old mystery about Thomas Stanwell's disappearance begins to unfold. Thomas' great-grandson is determined to find out what happened, so he embarks on a quest in Australia to Europe to find some answers. In Thomas's journey, he discovers the rich tapestry of his family saga, learning about his descendants from Australia, England, Scotland, and Germany. But, the mystery begins to unravel with an unexpected meeting in Glasgow.
Thomas' search for truth covers the entire 20th Century, which will surely delight the readers who love historical fiction.
The past affects all people, no matter what political affiliation, economic status, or birthplace. Being aware of history means understanding the contemporary, which equips us with useful knowledge to face the future.
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