history

Revelations of the Dead-Alive

Some fun bits from an 1824 novel set in 2023.

Oct 4 •

The Gettier Knight

Justified and true beliefs of Sir Charles Aldis, MD.

Sep 23 •

The Barber on Fifth and Prune

A tale of a 19th-century Philadelphian and his extraordinary family.

Sep 14 •

The Jews and the Bicycle Riders

History of a snark.

Sep 11 •

Burr at Elsinore

How Aaron Burr, Laurence Sterne, Hamlet, and Tristram Shandy were shaped by their uncles.

Aug 21 •

OP and needs to be nerfed

A guide to a phrase I keep being disappointed is not in popular use.

Aug 10 •

How "philistine" stopped meaning "cop"

What the history of a slur can teach us about humility and art.

Aug 8 •

Hymns to the Hydraulic

Music and meditations about the small wonders of the ancient, modern, and future world.

Jul 26 •

Would Mary Shelley listen to Taylor Swift?

This may be my best clickbait title yet.

Jul 25 •

Someone Stole My Silver

In which I try to track down a thief from 1748.

Jul 19 •

The Divine Narcissus

The pious and powerful immodesty of Juana Inés de la Cruz.

Jul 17 •

Nothing is systemic in an unmarked system.

Jul 10 •

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