It amuses me that popular history books and programs must follow the “everything you ever learned about “xyz” is wrong” pattern. Its always “buy my book and learn how all of the founding fathers were cross-dressers!” based on some “newly discovered” source such as “new evidence my dog just dug up in my back yard!”
Here’s an idea. How about doing real research and then writing as scholarship which can actually provide new insight into the era you are discussing.
It is much easier to pick up a belief others have rather than doing your own research. It does not seem to be worth the effort - and often it really isn’t.
