History

"Hegel was right when he said that we learn from history that man can never learn anything from history." — George Bernard Shaw

The Afterlife of Slavery: On Carole Emberton’s “To Walk About in Freedom”
Jim Downs reviews Carole Emberton’s “To Walk About in Freedom: The Long Emancipation of Priscilla Joyner.”
Jim DownsJan 2, 2023
Is Stealing Redwoods Sometimes Okay?: On Lyndsie Bourgon’s “Tree Thieves”
Jeff Wheelwright reviews Lyndsie Bourgon’s “Tree Thieves: Crime and Survival in North America’s Woods.”
Jeff WheelwrightDec 30, 2022
Constitutional Revival: On Jedediah Purdy’s “Two Cheers for Politics”
Roslyn Fuller reviews Jedediah S. Purdy‘s “Two Cheers for Politics: Why Democracy Is Flawed, Frightening ― and Our Best Hope.”
Roslyn FullerDec 29, 2022
How Do You Know What To Shoot?: On William Wyler and John Sturges’s “Thunderbolt”
On its 75th anniversary, Jason Resnikoff revisits the World War II documentary “Thunderbolt” and how it captures the relationship between filmmaking and war-making.
Jason ResnikoffDec 28, 2022
Hurray for Inventing New Genres or Whatever: On Dr. Moiya McTier’s “The Milky Way”
Joani Etskovitz explores the genres at play — from astronomy and mythology to self-help and romance — in Dr. Moiya McTier’s “The Milky Way: An Autobiography of Our Galaxy.”
Joani EtskovitzDec 24, 2022
Whatever Weapon: On Gender and Italian Literature
Janna Brancolini discusses the dynamic relationship between restrictive Italian gender roles, Italy’s biggest literary prize, and the nation's history of women writers, who have rarely won it.
Janna BrancoliniDec 23, 2022
Hollywood on Hollywood: On Jeanine Basinger and Sam Wasson’s Oral History “Hollywood”
Chris Yogerst reviews Jeanine Basinger and Sam Wasson’s “Hollywood: The Oral History.”
Chris YogerstDec 5, 2022
California, Coming Home: On Julia Scheeres and Allison Gilbert’s “Listen, World!”
Lauren Arrington considers a biography of influential newspaper columnist Elsie Robinson, “Listen, World! How the Intrepid Elsie Robinson Became America’s Most-Read Woman” by Julia Scheeres and Allison Gilbert.
Lauren ArringtonNov 28, 2022
The Archival Abyss of Pinochet’s Chile: On Nona Fernández’s “Space Invaders”
Josh Weeks reviews Chilean author Nona Fernández’s novel “Space Invaders,” translated by Natasha Wimmer.
Josh WeeksNov 24, 2022
An Obituary for Originalism: On Erwin Chemerinsky’s “Worse Than Nothing”
Stephen Rohde reviews Erwin Chemerinsky’s “Worse Than Nothing: The Dangerous Fallacy of Originalism.”
Stephen RohdeNov 23, 2022
The Truth Was Out There: On the Legacy of Art Bell
Jesse Robertson considers the legacy of insomnia-prone radio host Art Bell.
Jesse RobertsonNov 22, 2022
Nada Que Ver: On Julián Cardona and Alice Leora Briggs’s “Abecedario de Juárez”
José Luis Benavides reviews “Abecedario de Juárez: An Illustrated Lexicon” by Julián Cardona and Alice Leora Briggs, with translations by Alice L. Driver.
José Luis BenavidesNov 21, 2022