They say “Just start. Don’t wait to get it perfect.” And so I did. But at this point I barely know what Genius Fan is myself, let alone declare its purpose after just three months.
The Eighteenth Century
What I can say is this. I’m fascinated by the Eighteenth century, everything in it, everyone who writes about it, all those who influenced it (before and during), and those who were moulded by it in the decades and centuries after it. I also enjoy visiting places that are particularly linked to the Eighteenth century.
The West
The Eighteenth century that I’m interested in, you’ll see quite clearly, is that of the west. Scotland, Britain, Ireland, Europe, America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand…you get the picture. As I encounter Eighteenth century topics related to other countries, cultures etc, so I’ll start to learn about them, and then they’ll start to appear in posts. I’m not forcing it. If I do, I’ll lose interest. I know what I’m like.
James Boswell
You may notice a lot of my posts are about or include the Scots writer James Boswell. He and his life are at the very centre of my interest. I find him such a fascinating person, in many ways because of the record he left behind, but also because of his character, his flaws, his endeavours and his outlook. He tried so hard, and wrote about it all. And speaking about writing, he’s entertaining. His three books are terrific.
Books
I got into books as a way of steering away from social media and all things online. Ironically, it’s brought me to Genius Fan and writing this blog. I’ve become one of those people who think about books in the course of their day. It’s a pleasure to me to make fun of myself and my interest, but secretly I’m very energised by them. I collect them, I buy them second hand online, I handle them, look after them…and crucially, I read them.
Illustration
Running this Genius Fan blog gives me a reason to draw and paint. I know one doesn’t need a reason to draw…but I do. I’m not good at doing things just for enjoyment. For the past fifty-plus years the only reason I’ve had for drawing and painting has been for birthday and Christmas cards. But illustrating my little posts in Genius Fan has given me a reason. Over time I expect my skill level to increase, and I’ll venture into colour.
Dead White Men
Everything I’ve written about or illustrated so far has been about men, all dead (probably), and all white. That’s not deliberate, but it’s a function of the books I read – second hand, from the pre-1980s era. I understand that and I’m enjoying it. My learning is based on piecing together what went on in Eighteenth century Europe. All the women, black people and other underrepresented groups will pop up in time. I intend living to beyond ninety, so there’s time.
What’s the point of it all
I want people to get the same enjoyment I get from reading about James Boswell, the Enlightenment and the Eighteenth century. It’s very fulfilling and it’s expanded my interest in life in general. There’s something about the century that makes it so enthralling, maybe more so than other centuries. I also feel the time period, Europeans, social attitudes and the very ‘energy’ of the west have all had a bit of a kicking lately. I’m exploring these things in my own way, and I’m writing about it in this blog.
Genius Fan 