History

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

Melancholy Recollections: On Sarah Abrevaya Stein’s “Family Papers”
Sarah Abrevaya Stein’s “Family Papers” is a rigorously researched chronicle of a Sephardic clan.
Elaine MargolinNov 28, 2019
An Ardent Call to Arms: On Harriet A. Washington’s “A Terrible Thing to Waste: Environmental Racism and Its Assault on the American Mind”
Eisa Nefertari Ulen reviews Harriet A. Washington's new book, "A Terrible Thing to Waste: Environmental Racism and Its Assault on the American Mind."
Eisa Nefertari UlenNov 26, 2019
- History
- Nonfiction
Vasily Grossman: Myths and Counter-Myths
Robert Chandler and Yury Bit-Yunan demythologize the life of Vasily Grossman.
Robert Chandler, Yury Bit-YunanNov 13, 2019
- Around the World
- History
Horror and Moral Splendor: On Douglas Smith’s “The Russian Job: The Forgotten Story of How America Saved the Soviet Union from Ruin”
Richard Lourie takes on “The Russian Job: The Forgotten Story of How America Saved the Soviet Union from Ruin” by Douglas Smith.
Richard LourieNov 8, 2019
The History of IP Illustrated
Intellectual property lawyer Dale E. Nelson reviews "A History of Intellectual Property in 50 Objects," edited by Claudy Op den Kamp and Dan Hunter.
Dale E. NelsonNov 3, 2019
- History
- Law
Before Climate Change, a Dynamic Arctic
A dazzling new history of the Arctic region between the United States and Russia is leavened with sharp prose and well-informed insights.
Erika HowsareNov 2, 2019
How to Forget a Massacre: What Happened in Paris on October 17, 1961
Laurel Berger revisits the events of October 17, 1961.
Laurel BergerOct 17, 2019
- Around the World
- History
Decline and Fall of American Democracy?
Don Franzen reviews Edward Watts's "Mortal Republic: How Rome Fell into Tyranny."
Don FranzenOct 14, 2019
How to Forget: On Lewis Hyde’s “A Primer for Forgetting: Getting Past the Past”
Sebastian Stockman reviews Lewis Hyde’s “A Primer for Forgetting.”
Sebastian StockmanOct 14, 2019
- History
- Politics
The Mild, Mild West: On “Dreams of El Dorado: A History of the American West”
A one-volume history of the American West reads too much like a movie we’ve already seen.
Karl JacobyOct 13, 2019
- History
- Politics
Dark Days Are Coming: On Peter Pomerantsev’s “This Is Not Propaganda: Adventures in the War Against Reality”
Douglas Smith is chilled by “This Is Not Propaganda: Adventures in the War Against Reality” by Peter Pomerantsev.
Douglas SmithOct 10, 2019
- History
- Politics
Regard for One Another: A Conversation Between Rizvana Bradley and Saidiya Hartman
Rizvana Bradley and Saidiya Hartman talk about Hartman's new book, "Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments."
Rizvana BradleyOct 8, 2019
- History
- Philosophy & Religion