When Aldous Huxley Dropped Acid
In Hollywood, the esteemed ex-pat made the acquaintance of Alfred Hubbard, a Kentucky-born smuggler of ill-repute who introduced him to a brave, new world.
Whence Warchitecture
The targeted destruction of the built environment during the Bosnian War led to the emergence of a new term in the discourse of urbicide: warchitecture.
Like, It’s a History of Air Guitar, Dudes!
With roots in the motions and biases of vaudeville, burlesque, mesmerism, and minstrelsy, “air playing” with imaginary instruments long predates rock music.
Labor Day: A Celebration of Working in America
Our best stories about workers' rights, labor unions, and international movements to improve working conditions, from the factory to the farm.
Playing It Straight and Catching a Break
Cue games have had a lingering influence on our language and culture—even before the contributions of “Fast Eddie” Felson.
A Selection of Student Confessions
Did you break a campus rule? Let the students of Millersville Normal School show you how to confess to the administration.
The Bawdy House Riots of 1668
Though so-called bawdy house riots were common in seventeenth-century London, the disorder of 1668 revealed the city’s deep political and religious resentments.
The Curious History of Competitive Eating
The annals of competitive eating contests are full of more than just hot dogs.
“The Crocodile,” Dostoevsky’s Weirdest Short Story
Why being eaten by a crocodile named Little Karl is really a lesson in the dangers of foreign capital.
Writing Online Fiction in China
Many amateur “fan fiction” writers on the Chinese internet use real history as a canvas for time-travel stories that often break the fourth wall.