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History
George Psalmanazar, Fake Formosan
In 1703, at the dawn of the eighteenth century, a traveler came to London Town. A native of a far-off land, kidnapped by Catholic missionaries but rescued by a Protestant minister, he was practically tailor-made for the fervently Protestant…
Hans Fallada, German Author
Content warning: this column discusses suicide and episodes of suicidal ideation in the life of Hans Fallada.
Societies don’t go wrong all at once. Things get worse by degrees, and it can slowly creep up on you. You convince yourself…
Artful Historians | 306 Hollywood, Julia Huynh and the Art of Cultural Preservation
History is a presence in everyday life and few would likely combat such a sentiment. However, the actual study of history, namely historical objects, be they visual or material, has long remained an academic endeavour. Yet in the last few…
The Layover | Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller take Shannon
Playwright Arthur Miller became a prominent name in 20th century theatre penning plays such as Death of a Salesman, All My Sons and A View from the Bridge to name just a few. He had built a sturdy career for himself in the theatre world but…
9 wild facts about the history of juggling
The word "juggler" usually conjures images of the circus, performers on street corners, or that one weird guy named Desmond Sunfire at the party last week. But - did you know that juggling has an ancient past?
Here are just some of the…
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Artist of Montmartre
One of the big problems with using paintings and other art pieces as a historical source is that most artists don’t depict reality as it is but rather reality as they wished it would be. Idealised and more attractive versions of historical…
Hetty Green, the Witch of Wall Street
Hetty Green, America’s richest woman, was born as Henrietta Robinson in New Bedford, Massachusetts in 1834. Her father Edward owned the biggest whaling company in the city, and New Bedford was at the time the biggest whaling city in…
A Terrible Beauty | Pop Culture’s Obsession With W.B. Yeats
On the 28th of January 1939, William Butler Yeats departed the world of the living, and this year will mark the 80th anniversary of his passing.
The works of Yeats are known to us all. You need not be a poetry snob to know at least one…
Joseph Fouché, Villain of the French Revolution
There are always those who see opportunity in chaos. The destruction of the old order leaves gaps that need filling, and “men of vision” see nobody better than themselves to fill those gaps. This does require a certain moral flexibility, of…
Thomas Griffiths Wainewright, Artist and Suspected Poisoner
The idea that someone you know is capable of murder is a shocking thought. And in the London literary scene of the 1820s everyone knew Thomas Griffiths Wainewright. He threw the best parties, he wore the best clothes, and his distinctive…