All Historians are Liars by Carly

All Historians are Liars by Carly - June 2014 Scholarship Essay

"All historians are liars," is a quote that comes to mind when I began imagining a book I would want to write. As I have always been interested in historical events and figures, wondering about the documented histories and accounts we have and how accurate they are. However, even the best records do not capture the thoughts and perceptions of those being recorded. Although, it is difficult to select just one place, person, or event in time that I would want to develop into an entire book, I would elect a personal hero of mine, Florence Nightingale. Who was a forward thinking, a patient advocate, influential in shaping nursing and medicine for years to come, and overall just ahead of her time. From my perspective history just doesn't do women like Florence Nightingale justice when recording their impact on the world.

Therefore, the design behind my book would be to create a story about Florence Nightingale that was based on research of her life, but included her personality and perspective. This information would be compiled from her journals and shaped through any and all recorded works related to her. I believe when the reader can learn something new, while feeling connected to the subject of the book this allows for a deeper appreciation of the story being told. History books and biographies, while they are "accurate", they leave out the personality and reality that is the human experience. As a reader, I want to know the motivations behind a character and experiences (large or small) that lead them to who they become in the end.

Too few women figures of history have been ignored and cast aside, my interest in writing a book about Florence Nightingale would be to foster the public knowledge about influential women. As well as, to expand my own knowledge as a nursing student and patient of the foundations of our own medical system, and personalize a historic figure. By personalize, I mean to create a "coming of age" story about Florence Nightingale's life. I admit that any commentary or drama I might report regarding Florence Nightingale's personality, family life and any personal struggles might be anecdotal or pure interpretation of the available resources. However, much can be gleaned from personal journals, and as we all know a book must be creative and interesting to keep the reader engaged. I believe Florence Nightingale was a strong, intelligent, hardworking woman, who deserves to be remembered and recognized for her contributions to society.