History

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

I Knew Somebody Would Come: Svetlana Alexievich’s Wars
Paul Delany on Nobel laureate Svetlana Alexievich and the legacies of war.
Paul DelanyNov 14, 2017
Zeitgeist to Obsolete: Rewinding the Walkman’s Inverted Cinderella Story
The Walkman revolutionized music listening, creating personal experiences in public spaces.
Carissa StoltingNov 12, 2017
“I’ll Take You to a Place Called Italian Hall”: On Daniel Wolff’s “Grown-Up Anger” and the Calumet Massacre of 1913
Darryl Holter reflects on “Grown-Up Anger” by Daniel Wolff.
Darryl HolterNov 12, 2017
Russia’s Race to the Past
Why is Russia so eager to meddle in Ukrainian affairs? Because they see it as the true birthplace of Russia.
Evan BurkinNov 11, 2017
The Bloody History of Bible Translators
The poet Willis Barnstone on the dangers of translating the Bible.
Willis BarnstoneNov 11, 2017
- History
- Religion
Helena Modjeska: California’s Stage Star
Gerald Maa on Helena Modjeska, the quintessentially Californian immigrant, homesteader, and theatrical star.
Gerald MaaNov 4, 2017
- Around the World
- History
Wiry Minstrels and Bloodletting Monster: William McKeen’s “Everybody Had an Ocean: Music and Mayhem in 1960s Los Angeles”
Anthony Mostrom breezes through “Everybody Had an Ocean: Music and Mayhem in 1960s Los Angeles” by William McKeen.
Anthony MostromOct 29, 2017
- History
- Music
Speak, Mongoose: On “Gef!: The Strange Tale of an Extra-Special Talking Mongoose”
Colin Dickey on the tale of a talking mongoose.
Colin DickeyOct 29, 2017
- History
Female Code Warriors
Two new books on female codebreakers.
Joseph PeschelOct 28, 2017
Above the Fray
Aurelian Craiutu reviews John Avlon's "Washington’s Farewell: The Founding Father’s Warning to Future Generations."
Aurelian CraiutuOct 28, 2017
- History
- Politics
The Party’s Over: Looking Back on Communism
Patrick Iber reviews two new books on communism and its aftermath.
Patrick IberOct 24, 2017
- Around the World
- History
Hollywood, Los Angeles Spies, and the Underground Battle Against Hitler
Two new books tell the story of how one alarmed volunteer in L.A.’s Jewish community helped take down Nazi spies in the years leading up to World War II.
Chris YogerstOct 23, 2017
- History
- Politics