History

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

The Soul of the Body: William Empson’s “The Face of the Buddha”
David Auerbach on William Empson’s “The Face of the Buddha.”
David AuerbachMay 7, 2017
Reveries from a Twilight City: The Great Lost Portrait of Weimar Berlin
Michael Blum strolls through “Walking in Berlin” by Franz Hessel.
Michael BlumMay 5, 2017
- Cultural Studies
- History
An Island of Peace: Amanda DeMarco on Franz Hessel
James J. Conway discusses the flânerie of Franz Hessel with translator Amanda DeMarco.
James J. ConwayMay 5, 2017
- Cultural Studies
- History
The Pets’ War: On Hilda Kean’s “The Great Cat and Dog Massacre”
Colin Dickey on Hilda Kean’s “The Great Cat and Dog Massacre: The Real Story of World War Two’s Unknown Tragedy.”
Colin DickeyApr 30, 2017
- History
Riot/Rebellion: The Legacy of 1992
Steph Cha interviews Gary Phillips, Jervey Tervalon, and Nina Revoyr about the legacy of the 1992 Los Angeles “Riots.”
Steph ChaApr 28, 2017
- History
- Politics
The Plot Thickens: James Shapiro’s “The Year of Lear: Shakespeare in 1606”
Michael Paller reviews James Shapiro's latest book.
Michael PallerApr 25, 2017
- History
- Literary Criticism
The Other F-Word: On History, Memory, and Experiments in Armenian-Turkish Conciliation
Mischa Geracoulis recounts her experience discussing the Armenian Genocide with a Turkish acquaintance, and her journey to forgiveness.
Mischa GeracoulisApr 24, 2017
- History
- Nonfiction
The Slide Rule and the Crowbar: Henry David Thoreau in the Anthropocene
Daegan Miller reviews Robert M. Thorson’s “The Boatman: Henry David Thoreau’s River Years.”
Daegan MillerApr 23, 2017
The Two-Bodied King of “Richard II” and Its Trumpian Delusion
Donald Trump will fail as president not because he understands reality TV but because he doesn’t understand how to act, argues a Cornell history professor.
Rachel WeilApr 23, 2017
- History
- Politics
Forging Nature: On “The Rhinoceros and the Megatherium”
Colin Dickey reviews Juan Pimentel’s “The Rhinoceros and the Megatherium: An Essay in Natural History.”
Colin DickeyApr 2, 2017
- History
- Science & Technology
Totalitarianism, At Home and Abroad: Vaughn Rasberry’s “Race and the Totalitarian Century”
Andrew Lanham reviews Vaughn Rasberry’s “Race and the Totalitarian Century.”
Andrew LanhamMar 26, 2017
- History
- Literary Criticism
The Astounding Achievement, Maybe, of the Man Who Definitely Wasn’t Fibonacci
Dan Friedman reckons with “Finding Fibonacci” by Keith Devlin.
Dan FriedmanMar 21, 2017