History AluminumChristmasTrees / Literature

** Some commentators have criticized Cho Chang's name for being an inaccurate Chinese name, or sounding too stereotypically Asian. As it turns out, "Cho Chang" ''is'' a very common name in Chinese-speaking regions - it's the Wade-Giles reading of "張卓," which would be written as "Zhuo Zhang" in Pinyin, the more commonly used Chinese romanization scheme today. Wade-Giles is still in official use in Taiwan, and was still not uncommon when the books were being written.

** A minor example, probably, but one of Rilla Blythe's diary entries in ''Rilla of Ingleside'' (which spans the four years of WWI) tells about her seeing a movie called ''Hearts of the World'' with her mother, Anne, and even describes a scene from it. This was a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearts_of_the_World real movie]] from 1918.

* ''Literature/AutobiographyOfRed'' includes a backstory incident in which a man locked in a prison cell survives a volcanic eruption that wiped out the rest of his town; he goes on to become a circus attraction, known as Lava Man, on the basis of his experience. The oddness of this incident meshes with the MagicRealism of the book as a whole -- but Lava Man is actually [[NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed based on a real person]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludger_Sylbaris Ludger Sylbaris]].

* ''Literature/BrownsPineRidgeStories'': The "Brazier" mentioned in the nineteenth chapter would likely be mistaken by some readers as a [[BrandX made up restaurant]] for the story, but it does exist. Most readers, particularly those born 1990 and after, would recognize it as [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dairy_Queen#Dairy_Queen_Brazier Dairy Queen]].[[note]]More accurately, Dairy Queen has both "regular" Dairy Queen (with a minimal "food", as opposed to ice cream, menu; usually limited to hot dogs) and "brazier" locations ... which still has the big Dairy Queen logo, but additionally a yellow stripe with red letters reading "Brazier" ... which has a more extensive menu including hamburgers.[[/note]]

* ''Literature/TheEyeOfArgon'' features the now-infamous "scarlet emerald". There is in fact such a thing as a red emerald, though it's more commonly known as [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beryl#Red_beryl red beryl]] or bixbite.
* In ''Literature/TheGame'', Neil Strauss and his friends at one point end up taking the wrong road between Moldova and the Ukraine and end up in an unrecognized country that still uses Soviet imagery and propaganda wishing for a return to the glorious days of the USSR. That country, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transnistria Transnistria]], exists.
* ''Literature/TheGiftOfTheMagi'' begins with 'One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. And sixty cents of it was in pennies.' Modern readers may assume an [[WritersCannotDoMath error by the author]] if they are not aware that the US once minted half-cent, two-cent, and three-cent coins, any of which could be used to come up with $1.27 using no pennies. The last 2-cent pieces were issued in 1873 and the last 3-cent pieces in 1889; it's conceivable that some were still circulating in 1906, when the story was written (though [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gresham%27s_law Gresham's law]] makes this unlikely to be true for the half cent).
* ''Literature/GoodOmens'' mentions the angel Aziraphale's collection of Infamous Bibles, named from errors in typesetting. Amazingly, ''all'' of these Bibles (other than the Charing Cross and the Buggre Alle This) ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bible_errata actually exist]]''.

** Many international fans who were unfamiliar with the British education system initially thought that [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prefect#Academic prefects]] and the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_system house system]] were just another part of Rowling's made-up wizarding world. It makes the line "I mean, prefect is something they can understand" from the fifth book seem a little out of place.

* ''Literature/HisFamily'': Roger Gale has a thriving business with several employees that consists of--people paying him to clip out and forward news articles about them. It may seem hard to believe that anyone, even in the pre-radio age, could have made a living, much less run a successful business, clipping out news articles about various people. But press-clipping services of the type that Roger runs were totally a real thing. In a different book, Jubal Harshaw subscribes to one in Creator/RobertAHeinlein's ''Literature/StrangerInAStrangeLand''. Newspaper-only clipping services were around as recently as 1990, and in modified Internet form are [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_monitoring_service still a real thing]]. Franchise/DocSavage also employs a newspaper clipping service, run by one of the graduates from his Crime College.
* One of the plot points in the Literature/HonorHarrington book ''At All Costs'' involves an expired contraceptive implant — a device which sounds exactly like (and is presented to the reader in [[{{Infodump}} the same style]] as) the kind of futuristic medical technology that David Weber might invent for his post-spaceflight universe, but which (in a less long-lived version than Harrington's) [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contraceptive_implant exists right now.]]

* Readers of Junichiro Tanizaki's ''In Praise of Shadows'' may be puzzled when the author waxes lyrical about the old custom of ''ohaguro'', or tooth blackening. Yes, prior to the Meiji era, Japanese women would dye their teeth black with a ferrous solution; black smiles were considered more elegant than natural, ivory-coloured teeth. [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohaguro Here you go]].

* Sleepy Hollow, from ''Literature/TheLegendOfSleepyHollow'' by Creator/WashingtonIrving, is a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleepy_Hollow,_New_York real village in Westchester County, New York]][[note]]Whether or not it's "Upstate" depends on whether you think "Upstate" starts at Yonkers (is Upstate), White Plains (same), the Tappan Zee Bridge (just barely) or further north, e.g. somewhere in Putnam or Dutchess County (both not).[[/note]] and it resembles the story version in most ways, except for the actual existence of a HeadlessHorseman. The town certainly celebrates the tale's lore though, especially around Halloween. The Van Tessel family, including Catriena, were real as well. Ichabod Crane was the name of an army captain that Irving met before writing the story.

** In ''Literature/FeetOfClay'', Vimes is unamused to find that much of the heraldry at the Ankh-Morpork College of Arms is composed of visual puns. This is actually based on real-life examples of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canting_arms canting arms]], which depicted puns or rebuses based on the name of the bearer.

** Also in ''The Last Continent'', the regatta where people run along a dry river bed carrying boats is actually happens [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henley-on-Todd_Regatta in Alice Springs, Australia.]]
** [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampire_pumpkins_and_watermelons Vampire pumpkins and watermelons]], as mentioned in ''Literature/CarpeJugulum'', are actual (if somewhat apocryphal) folklore.
** The exploding billiard balls that appear as a gag in ''Literature/MenAtArms'' happen to be real too, based on the use of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrocellulose a highly-flammable early plastic]] as a substitute for ivory.

** Surely the idea of a brutal war being [[Literature/{{Jingo}} fought over an island that's just risen from the ocean]] is a fantasy narrative device used by Terry Pratchett to poke fun at the idiotic nationalism of a bygone age? [[Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} The Other Wiki]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinandea disagrees!]]

* Several characters in the works of Creator/RobertRankin mentioned having been trained in the art of Dimac by Count Dante, and to be able to "kill or maim with the merest pressure of a fingertip". Some people may be surprised to learn that [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touch_of_Death Dim Mak]] is a real thing, albeit one of disputed validity, and not just a martial arts movie trope. However, pretty much everyone would be surprised to learn that [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Count_Dante Count Dante]] was an actual martial arts instructor who was famous for creating some very skilled fighters, advertising in comic books (probably where Rankin got the idea) and being completely bugfuck nuts.

* The character of John Blackthorne in ''Literature/{{Shogun}}'' is quite obviously invented by the author, surely? Well... [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Adams_(sailor) no.]]

* You might be forgiven for thinking the dire wolves from ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' are a D&D reference, but ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dire_wolf Canis dirus]]'' a real creature that went extinct roughly 9,000 years ago, albeit not a true wolf. [[note]]It was actually more of a very, '''very''' big jackal.[[/note]]

* ''Literature/WarriorCats'': Some cats' names are mistaken for unrealistic because they're supposedly not a part of nature. Examples include Thriftkit (named after a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armeria species of flower]]) and Heathertail (another flowering plant, in fact [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ericaceae a whole family of them]]).

* ''Literature/WarriorCats'': Some cats names are mistaken for unrealistic because they're supposedly not a part of nature. Examples include Thriftkit (named after a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armeria species of flower]]) and Heathertail (another flowering plant, in fact [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ericaceae a whole family of them]]).

* ''Literature/BrownsPineRidgeStories'': The "Brazier" mentioned in the nineteenth chapter would likely be mistaken by some readers as a [[BrandX made up restaurant]] for the story, but it does exist. Most readers, particularly those born 1990 and after, would recognize it as [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dairy_Queen#Dairy_Queen_Brazier Dairy Queen]].[[note]]More accurately, Dairy Queen has both "regular" Dairy Queen (with a minimal "food", as opposed to ice cream, menu; usually limited to hot dogs) and "brazier" locations ... which still had the big Dairy Queen logo, but additionally a yellow stripe with red letters reading "Brazier" ... which had a more extensive menu including hamburgers.[[/note]]

* ''Literature/TheKaneChronicles'' has one exchange between Carter and Sadie, wherein a restaurant has chicken and waffles — that is, fried chicken, served with waffles and maple syrup. Sadie, who was raised in the UK, is unsurprisingly confused (and somewhat disgusted) at this combination — similar to most people in the United Kingdom. Truth be told, until the mid-2010s, most ''Americans'' would have been weirded out by the combination, as it was historically limited to the Southern and Soul Food (i.e. Black) culinary traditions,[[note]]There is actually a form of chicken and waffles native to the North, but it is very different and much narrower: it is an old Pennsylvania Dutch recipe of ''stewed'' chicken on top of waffles, and knowledge of it is basically limited to certain parts of Pennsylvania — particularly Lancaster County.[[/note]] though some national chains did have it on their (voluminous) breakfast menus. Around 2013, though, Lay's Potato Chips included a "Chicken and Waffles" flavor in their "Do Us A Flavor" competition; while the flavor didn't win, it raised the profile of the combination enough that Americans (though nobody else) would regard it as unsurprising.

* ''Literature/AubreyMaturin'': Hold on: a black bosun onboard HMS ''Sophie''? Multiracial crews with sizable Muslim, Jewish, and Lascar minorities? ''East Asian'' crew members? And all living in relative harmony? Surely [[FanNickname P.O'B.]] is writing a bit of PoliticallyCorrectHistory? As it turns out, nope. He wasn't. The Royal Navy's global reach and perpetual manpower shortage meant that it would recruit whatever seamen were available, wherever they were (a fact also explained at the beginning of ''Literature/BillyBudd''). It helps that the best captains and crews would largely ignore race--as long as you were a good seaman, you were in.

* You might be forgiven for thinking the dire wolves from ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' are a D&D reference, but ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dire_wolf Canis dirus]]'' was [[ScienceMarchesOn at the time of writing]] a real creature that went extinct roughly 9,000 years ago (Since then, genetic analysis has shown that the real life Dire wolf was not a true wolf at all, but a member of a more primitive canine lineage that evolved in South America.)

* All of the dishes in the late Brian Jacques' ''Literature/{{Redwall}}'' series are real. He found out about Turnip'n'tater'n'beetroot pie from a New York restaurant, in fact.

** Similar to the ''Literature/ManiacMagee'' example, Harry's line about buying Mars Bars is maintained in the American line. Blooper? Actually, no - at the time the book was published, a candy bar known as [[https://lerevdr.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/us-mars-bar.jpg?w=584 Mars]] was sold in the states, and prior to TheTurnOfTheMillennium, was just as common a sight in vending machines, candy stores, and convenience stores as Mars bars is everywhere ''else'' in the world.

** Similar to the ''Literature/ManiacMagee'' example above, Harry's line about buying Mars Bars is maintained in the American line. Blooper? Actually, no - at the time the book was published, a candy bar known as [[https://lerevdr.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/us-mars-bar.jpg?w=584 Mars]] was sold in the states.

*** However, one thing that some people get wrong is the fact that Mars bars (in the united states at least) actually used to have almonds in them - in most of the world, Mars bars are just nougat and caramel.

* ''Literature/AutobiographyOfRed'' includes a backstory incident in which a man locked in a prison cell survives a volcanic eruption that wiped out the rest of his town; he goes on to become a circus attraction, known as Lava Man, on the basis of his experience. The oddness of this incident meshes with the MagicRealism of the book as a whole -- but Lava Man is actually an {{Expy}} of a real person, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludger_Sylbaris Ludger Sylbaris]].

* You might be forgiven for thinking the dire wolves from ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' are a D&D reference, but ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dire_wolf Canis dirus]]'' was a real creature that went extinct roughly 9,000 years ago.
** As of 2021, this is no longer the case, since genetic analysis has shown that the real life Dire wolf was not a wolf at all, and was a member of a more primitive canine lineage that evolved in South America.

* The setting of Bram Stoker's ''{{Literature/Dracula}}'', Transylvania, is sometimes thought of a fictional setting. It's a real place - a region of Romania.

* The setting of Bram Stoker's ''Literature/Dracula'', Transylvania, is sometimes thought of a fictional setting. It's a real place - a region of Romania.

** They're pretty high up on the list of "extinct species we might be able to get back", too, given how very recently they went extinct and the ease of finding not only a host-mother, but reasonable odds of normal socialization, since dire wolf social behaviour was, to our best knowledge, pretty much standard canid. A large female Giant Malamute, for instance, could probably be a very effective mum to a litter of ickle dire wolfies. Also, quite a focused and increasingly successful attempt has been made for some years by the "American Alsatian" people to produce a dog that matched the skeletons and best-guesses otherwise about dire wolves in appearance, while having the temperament of the perfect pet (not hunter, not working dog...big loving wolfskin rug that occasionally lifts its head to see if its food bowl has been refilled).

* ''Literature/AubreyMaturin'': Hold on: a black bosun onboard HMS ''Sophie''? Multiracial crews with sizable Muslim, Jewish, and Lascar minorities? ''East Asian'' crew members? And all living in relative harmony? Surely [[FanNickname P.O'B.]] is rewriting a bit of PoliticallyCorrectHistory? As it turns out, nope. He wasn't. The Royal Navy's global reach and perpetual manpower shortage meant that it would recruit whatever seamen were available, wherever they were (a fact also explained at the beginning of ''Literature/BillyBudd''). It helps that the best captains and crews would largely ignore race--as long as you were a good seaman, you were in.

* ''Literature/AubreyMaturin'': Hold on: a black bosun onboard HMS ''Sophie''? Multiracial crews with sizable Muslim, Jewish, and Lascar minorities? ''East Asian'' crew members, and all living in relative harmony? Surely [[FanNickname P.O'B.]] is rewriting a bit of PoliticallyCorrectHistory? As it turns out, nope. He wasn't. The Royal Navy's global reach and perpetual manpower shortage meant that it would recruit whatever seamen were available, wherever they were (a fact also explained at the beginning of ''Literature/BillyBudd''). It helps that the best captains and crews would largely ignore race--as long as you were a good seaman, you were in.

* Sleepy Hollow, from ''Literature/TheLegendOfSleepyHollow'' by Washington Irving, is a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleepy_Hollow,_New_York real village in Westchester County, New York]][[note]]Whether or not it's "Upstate" depends on whether you think "Upstate" starts at Yonkers (is Upstate), White Plains (same), the Tappan Zee Bridge (just barely) or further north, e.g. somewhere in Putnam or Dutchess County (both not).[[/note]] and it resembles the story version in most ways, except for the actual existence of a HeadlessHorseman. The town certainly celebrates the tale's lore though, especially around Halloween. The Van Tessel family, including Catriena, were real as well. Ichabod Crane was the name of an army captain that Irving met before writing the story.

* The fourth book of Literature/TheLightbringerSeries, ''The Blood Mirror'', has a point of drama that hinges on a recently married couple unable to consummate their marriage because of a disorder on the wife's part that causes her vagina to reflexively close during the act. Author Brent Weeks devotes the book's afterword to explaining that this is a real disorder called Vaginismus that more than one of his friends suffered through, yet even trained gynecologists haven't all heard of.

* The fourth book of Literature/TheLightbringerSeries, ''The Blood Mirror'' has a point of drama that hinges on a recently married couple unable to consummate their marriage because of a disorder on the wife's part that causes her vagina to reflexively close during the act. Author Brent Weeks devotes the book's afterword to explaining that this is a real disorder called Vaginismus that more than one of his friends suffered through, yet even trained gynecologists haven't all heard of.

** Similar to the ''Literature/ManiacMagee'' example above, Harry's line about buying Mars Bars is maintained in the American line. Blooper? Actually, no - at the time the book was published, a candy bar known as [[https://lerevdr.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/us-mars-bar.jpg?w=584 Mars]] was sold in the states - however it was just chocolate, nougat, and almonds.

*** However, one thing that some people get wrong is the fact that Mars bars (in the united states at least) actually used to have nuts in them - in most of the world, Mars bars are just nougat and caramel.

** Also in Elizabethan England people were really fond of sugar and had the expected dental hygiene practices of Elizabethan English (i.e. none), with predictable results for their teeth. Those who could not afford their dose of sugar sometimes coloured their teeth to gain the proper look.

* ''Literature/HisFamily'': Roger Gale has a thriving business with several employees that consists of--people paying him to clip out and forward news articles about them. It may seem hard to believe that anyone, even in the pre-radio age, could have made a living, much less run a successful business, clipping out news articles about various people. But press-clipping services of the type that Roger runs were totally a real thing. In a different book, Jubal Harshaw subscribes to one in Creator/RobertAHeinlein's ''Literature/StrangerInAStrangeLand''. Newspaper-only clipping services were around as recently as 1990, and in modified Internet form are [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_monitoring_service still a real thing]]. Franchise/DocSavage also employs a newspaper clipping service, run by one the graduates from his Crime College.