Whether you are a history buff and would like to compare notes with me about this or that specific episode in the Russian and European history, or someone who just wants another visit to a Long, long time ago in a country far, far away, I thought a guide to the history and fact behind The Age of Ice might be a welcome addition. I will be posting collages of extra information, chapter by chapter, over the next weeks (or as soon as I can assemble them). My first piece provides some background for Chapter One, Birth.