Project 500 Years: Communique #4

Hi everyone. Last Thursday, June 24, I published the 176th daily bulletin in this project, which covered the year 1695 CE. I had anyway been planning a pause when I reached 1700 CE, but a family emergency called me away from my work so I put the project’s daily bulletins on hold as of last Friday. The next few weeks will, quite predictably, be busy ones for me family-wise, so I shan’t be planning to resume the project any time before mid-August; and even then, I am not yet sure what form my work on it will take. I may or may not continue with the daily/yearly bulletins. They provided a very distinctive view on world history; and I learned a huge amount by doing them. One of the next steps I am certainly considering is a longform article or two on the emergence of the whole phenomenon (and concept) of “the West”, or on the real historical origin of “Atlanticism” in all the grotesque historical resonances of that term….

Anyway, for the next few weeks my prime focus will be on the family. Meanwhile, though, I have this whole rich storehouse of content in the Project’s archives on which I can draw when I’m ready, and over which I can mull in the meantime.

In a very real sense, this project is *for* my six grandchilren and all the youngsters of their generation, most of whom will, I hope, be living into the next century, CE. I’m hoping to be able to help give them all a keen awareness of the tides of world history. Meantime, though, some grandparenting is called for.

Till soon, then.

(By the way, the earlier communiques in this series, which give more information about its goals and its scope, are here: 1, 2, 3.)