I was thinking about the difference between passionate retelling and dutiful transcription - and how it applies to historical writing.

History isn't just dates and facts. It's easy to forget that history is the story of people once as alive as you and I. They had successes, failures, wins and losses. Their destiny was not at all clear to them as they were living it. And so, a good historian draws out the story in front of the reader's very eyes as it unfolds.

When I write about Delaware's past - whether it's Caesar Rodney's midnight ride through a thunderstorm or Swedish settlers bringing log cabins to America's shores - I'm not just transcribing records. I'm bringing these people back to life, making you feel the stakes they faced, the uncertainty of their moment.

The difference between a passionate retelling and a dutiful transcription? Both have their place, but only one makes you want to keep listening. History deserves storytellers, not just record-keepers.