Today’s featured articles
Behind the frothing petticoats and high kicks of this most Parisian of dances, the history of the can-can is a story of Anglo-French exchange.
The slave trade was an international criminal enterprise. In 1811 an uprising on the slaving ship Amelia off the coast of West Africa revealed a complex network spanning four continents.
Rightly revered in her adopted France, did Josephine Baker’s fame help launder a poisonous colonial legacy?
Most recent
The Invention of Microbiology
On 9 October 1676 Antonie van Leeuwenhoek – the ‘Father of Microbiology’ – presented his findings to the Royal Society.
Noah’s Ark and the Slave Trade
After the Flood, Noah’s sons were repurposed to support a new worldview justifying racial hierarchy and slavery.
‘The Indefatigable Asa Briggs’ by Adam Sisman review
The Indefatigable Asa Briggs: A Biography by Adam Sisman is a detailed portrait of that voluminous chronicler of Victorian things.
The Race to Write a History of Naples
The lifelong rivalry of two early modern Neapolitan printers was a battle of books, power, and, ultimately, fire.
‘Fenwomen’ by Mary Chamberlain review
Mary Chamberlain’s groundbreaking oral history turns 50. This new edition of Fenwomen: A Portrait of Women in an English Village invites reflection on half a century of change.
Lost in the Kennedy Files
The release of government documents related to the Kennedy assassination will keep scholars busy for years, but will we learn anything new?
The Heroic Remains of Homer’s Odyssey
For those living on the Greek island of Ithaka, The Odyssey is written all around.
‘The Medieval Moon’ by Ayoush Lazikani review
More than science waiting to be understood, The Medieval Moon: A History of Haunting and Blessing by Ayoush Lazikani illuminates the enchanted orb of poets.
Current issue
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In the October issue:
Zoroastrians in the Great Game, Chinese astronomy, slavery after abolition, the North African roots of Saint Augustine, the Chamberlen family forceps, and more.
Plus: reviews, opinion, crossword and much more!
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