Tribute to SIMON SCHAMA

The Ultimate SIMON SCHAMA Tribute Page

By Amanda Hallay

NAME: Simon Schama

OCCUPATION: Professor of History and Art History (my subject!) at Columbia, widely published author, charismatic presenter of BBC’s A History of Britain… and DEMI-GOD.

Simon Schama, A History of Britain
Dreamy Simon Schama

WHY I LOVE SIMON SCHAMA

I love Simon Schama for a variety of reasons, the first being his ambition to take history OUT of the arid halls of uptight academia and return it to ‘THE PEOPLE’! His astonishing three part series, A History of Britain, discards the dry statistics and military manoeuvres usually favoured by historians. Instead, Simon Schama presents us with a ‘new’ history of an old nation, a history based – not upon politics and warfare – but upon people; the rulers, the peasants, the movers and the shakers. His very ‘human’ approach to his subject renders it incredibly personable and inviting; you come away from an episode of ‘H of B’ wanting to learn even more – and that’s the sign of a truly gifted pedagogue.

(He also has a really nice black leather double-breasted jacket.)

A History of Britain, Simon Schama
No bones about it, Schama rocks hard

OTHER REASONS WHY I LOVE SIMON SCHAMA.

He is an Art Historian, and we at KIU like Art Historians very much; not only is my own B.A in Art History, but some of our best friends are Art Historians (proper ones, like Simon Schama) and we happen to know that A.H people are ‘Can-Do People!’
His quirky manner and ironic tone (so refreshing in a historian!) He also has a very soothing voice. This is why I watch an episode of A History of Britain every night to fall asleep to. Not that it is remotely ‘slumber inducing’, but there is something very comforting and benign about Schama’s delivery, and I am therefore lulled into tranquil slumber (often before the end of the Battle of Hastings, actually.)
His looks; I think Simon Schama is HOT! He has a full head of hair (and he’s in his mid-fifties, don’t forget) and his ‘personal style’ is a playful mix of ‘traditional academic’ with ‘London urban’. Delightful.
His niceness! Simon Schama is so nice (well, he seems nice, anyway.) Look how nice he was to me when he and I had an all-too-fleeting online moment in June.

Amanda - As an art historian, did you find it difficult to resist referring to the power of art when making 'A History of Britain'?

Simon Schama - I tried to sneak in art moments when I thought they were really important, as in the case of the paintings Peter Paul Reubens did for the Banqueting House at Whitehall, glorifying the reign of James I. That was an act of gorgeous propaganda which we could usefully mull on. I was aware though that there has been a really terrific TV series on British art just a few years back, and I also have the sneaking ambition to do a proper arts series myself, so perhaps I was saving some opinionated performances for a later date.

His modernist approach to teaching; Simon Schama teaches a course where the students don’t even have to use footnotes! How funky is that?! (Apologies at this point to Professor Filiz Burhan, my personal guru, Art History mentor, and footnote fiend.)
Pierre loves Simon Schama! How tiresome it would be if I had an obsessive crush which wasn’t shared by my husband. Fortunately for all concerned (well…for me and Pierre; I doubt Simon Schama would give a toss) we both love this hippest of historians, and Pierre is more than happy to fall asleep watching A History of Britain every night, too.
MAIN REASON WHY I LOVE SIMON SCHAMA: Because he is so, incredibly, unbelievably sexy. Basically, personifies all the qualities I find appealing in a man; brains, wit, kindness, humour, looks, black leather jacket - and he doesn’t like footnotes.

If you want to know more about Simon Schama, visit BBC.com and click on ‘History of Britain’.

And if you ARE Simon Schama, PLEASE GET IN TOUCH! Just an email would do; I could treasure it forever and keep it neatly folded in my Rembrandt’s Eyes.