I think the discussion regarding the emphasis in living history fails to
distinguish among practitioners--that is, "buffs" who often become fanatical
about detail of material culture vs. museum uses which, while usually
meticulous about detail, focus on *interpetation.*
I can recommend Jay Anderson's book TIME MACHINES: THE WORLD OF LIVING
HISTORY for a good review of the field and those invovled in it for a
variety of purposes--interpretation, experimental archaeology, and hobbyists.