Robert J. McNamara, your Guide to 19th Century History, first became obsessed with history during a childhood spent partly in western Maryland, not far from the battlefield at Antietam.
As a journalist living in New York City, Robert spent many hours researching aspects of the city's history and visiting historic locations.
Recently he has been researching the history of a rural corner of Ireland, a project which began with some modest genealogical research and has snowballed into a book project.
Experience:
Robert spent years working in the magazine business in New York City. One of his earliest jobs was as a staffer at Rolling Stone.
Robert was recruited to be a telecommuting editor for Amazon.com, a stint that lasted for more than six years. He was the company's first nonfiction editor and later its history editor.
While working for Amazon.com he reviewed a number of history books and interviewed historians and authors including Taylor Branch, Leon Litwack, Tony Horwitz, and Greil Marcus.
Education:
Robert studied history and journalism at New York University.
From Robert McNamara:
Interest in Irish history led me to research my own ancestors a few years ago, and I was startled by how much I could discover using microfilmed copies of Irish parish records. I followed up by making several trips to rural Ireland. And in a rectory in County Clare I was able to examine the handwritten ledger begun in 1816 by a parish priest.
Reading the baptismal record of my grandfather's grandfather, who was born in 1824, was a great thrill. It was like finding my own personal Smithsonian.
I believe history should be a living adventure. And I feel fortunate to be the Guide for the 19th Century, an amazingly lively period. I hope you'll find my work to be illuminating and entertaining.