Watched

The first episode of 'Jonathan Strange &  Mr Norrell'  today and enjoyed it a lot.  Why is it that the British are so good at period pieces and Americans make musketeers that look like cowboys or mediaeval folk look like they stepped out of a Renaissance Faire? I think it's because the Brits have a real sense of history,  while we in America do not.  Oh,  we pride ourselves if we can trace our lineage to the founding of the country,  but when it comes to it a Brit is used to being surrounded by things far older than we are.  Most people here seem to think a house built in the 1970s, or, Heaven forfend,  the 1950s, to be ancient and will seek a newer one when buying a home. Old homes for us are mostly made into museums,  whereas Britons may live in a home centuries old and not think twice. Anyway,  the show,  based off the book of the same name by Susanna Clarke,  is set in Britain during the Napoleonic Era,  and they've really brought it to life through excellent costuming and sets.  I particularly love the comparison of the libraries in the first episode.  You should definitely check it out.