History

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

An Unreconstructed Nation: On Henry Louis Gates Jr.’s “Stony the Road”
A new history of Reconstruction traces the roots of American “respectability” politics, and reveals an argument conducted largely through artwork.
Robert D. BlandMay 10, 2019
- History
- Politics
To Infinity and Beyond: The Power of Calculus
Michael J. Barany reviews "Infinite Powers: How Calculus Reveals the Secrets of the Universe" by Steven Strogatz.
Michael J. BaranyMay 9, 2019
- History
- Science & Technology
No Savior on the Horizon: Native Peoples’ Fight for Environmental and Cultural Protection
Debra Utacia Krol reviews Dina Gilio-Whitaker's "As Long as Grass Grows."
Debra Utacia KrolMay 7, 2019
- History
- Politics
Resistance Is a State of Mind: On Lynne Olson’s “Madame Fourcade’s Secret War: The Daring Young Woman Who Led France’s Largest Spy Network Against Hitler”
Alexander C. Kafka uncovers “Madame Fourcade’s Secret War,” a “tense new page-turner” by Lynne Olson.
Alexander C. KafkaMay 6, 2019
- Around the World
- History
Saidiya Hartman’s “Beautiful Experiments”
Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor reviews Saidiya Hartman's genre-defying "Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments."
Keeanga-Yamahtta TaylorMay 5, 2019
- History
Ornamental Thinking: On “Irrationality: A History of the Dark Side of Reason”
Is Justin E. H. Smith's assemblage of material actually illuminating? Yes, but only sometimes.
Evan SelingerMay 4, 2019
We Hold These Ideas to Be Self-Evident
Michael Kimmage considers "The Ideas That Made America: A Brief History" by Jennifer Ratner-Rosenhagen.
Michael KimmageApr 29, 2019
Hidden in Plain Sight: A Forgotten Queer Brooklyn
Michael Valinsky reviews Hugh Ryan’s new study of Brooklyn’s queer history.
Michael ValinskyApr 27, 2019
- Gender & Sexuality
- History
The History of English and the Pedagogy of Belonging
Seth Lerer reflects on a lifetime of teaching the history of the English language.
Seth LererApr 23, 2019
Whatever You Say … Say Nothing: An Interview with Patrick Radden Keefe
Benedict Cosgrove interviews Patrick Radden Keefe, author of “Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland.”
Benedict CosgroveApr 21, 2019
The Persisting Relevance of Walter Rodney’s “How Europe Underdeveloped Africa”
Walter Rodney’s "How Europe Underdeveloped Africa" still reads cogently after almost 50 years.
Giovanni VimercatiApr 18, 2019
The Chance for Transformation: On Giorgio van Straten’s “In Search of Lost Books”
Dalia Sofer explores “In Search of Lost Books: The Forgotten Stories of Eight Mythical Volumes” by Giorgio van Straten.
Dalia SoferApr 17, 2019