Books

Dumbo prepares to fly.

The Original 'Dumbo' Story Would Have Had More Twists and Turns

Before soaring into theaters, Disney’s flying elephant was about to be published as a scrolling children’s book

Mary Mildred Williams again takes center stage in Jessie Morgan-Owens’ new book Girl in Black and White.

The Enslaved Girl Who Became America's First Poster Child

In 1855, Mary Mildred Williams energized the abolitionist movement

Paella, a national favorite in Spain, is a hearty dish prominently featuring two of Linford's Seven Wonders—rice and tomato. It may be seasoned with salt and chili flakes as well.

The Mouthwatering History of Seven Fundamental Foodstuffs

A new Smithsonian book whisks readers on a culinary odyssey, tracing the history of salt, pork, honey, chili, tomato, rice and chocolate

George Washington, (Porthole type) by Rembrandt Peale, c. 1853

George Washington and I Go Way Back—Or So Goes the Tale of My Family's Cane

An heirloom is charged with both sentiment and purely speculative history

How First Lady Sarah Polk Set a Model for Conservative Female Power

The popular and pious wife to President James Polk had little use for the nascent suffrage movement

George Washington takes command of the Continental army.

The Plot to Kill George Washington

In <em>The First Conspiracy</em>, thriller writer Brad Meltzer uncovers a real-life story too good to turn into fiction

Damage to the Philippine Legislative Building as a result of World War II. At the time, the Philippines was a U.S. colony.

Telling the History of the U.S. Through Its Territories

In "How to Hide an Empire," Daniel Immerwahr explores America far beyond the borders of the Lower 48

Poe coined the phrase “the imp of the perverse” in an 1845 story of that title about an almost perfect murder.

How Edgar Allan Poe Became Our Era's Premier Storyteller

Fans of the mystery writer have no shortage of ways to pay homage to the scribe behind "The Raven" and so much more

For the First Time in More Than 20 Years, Copyrighted Works Will Enter the Public Domain

A beloved Robert Frost poem is among the many creations that are (finally) losing their protections in 2019

The Ten Best Children's Books of 2018

Our picks deliver feminist history, folklore reimagined and an adventurous romp through awe-inspiring destinations

The Best Books of 2018

In our efforts to increase and diffuse knowledge, we highly recommend these 70 titles released this year

Smithsonian.com's Chief Digital Officer Shares His Favorite Books of the Year

Our own William Allman describes the 2018 titles he found to be the most enjoyable and eye-opening reads

The breakthrough propeller, its blades shaped by hatchet and drawknife from two-ply spruce, was sheathed in linen and sealed with aluminum powder mixed into a heavy varnish.

Why Wilbur Wright Deserves the Bulk of the Credit for the First Flight

A new book advances a controversial theory about the singular contribution that went into the brothers’ pioneering achievement

2018 Smithsonian Ingenuity Awards

Tracy K. Smith, America's Poet Laureate, Travels the Country to Ignite Our Imaginations

Like Johnny Appleseed, Smith has been planting the seeds of verse across the U.S.

The Ten Best Books About Travel of 2018

Armchair travelers, rejoice: you don’t need a passport to experience the world through an author’s prose

This creamy oyster pan roast pays homage to the offerings of oysterman-turned-restaurateur Thomas Downing, a household name in 19th-century New York.

Sweet! You Can Now Cook the Food From the African-American History Museum's Award-Winning Café in Your Own Home

Smithsonian Books introduces the <i>Sweet Home Café Cookbook</i>, chock full of delicious riffs on classic African-American recipes

Smithsonian Scholars Pick Their Favorite Books of 2018

Here are eleven titles that intrigued and thrilled Smithsonian's knowledge seekers this year

Viggo Mortensen (left) and Mahershala Ali star in Green Book.

American South

The True Story of the 'Green Book' Movie

Jazz, race and an unlikely friendship inspire the new film about navigating Jim Crow America

A famous Enlightenment era writer and philosopher, Voltaire made a splash with his first play, Oedipe.

How Voltaire Went from Bastille Prisoner to Famous Playwright

Three hundred years ago this week, the French philosopher and writer began his career with a popular retelling of Sophocles' 'Oedipus'

The Ten Best Books About Food of 2018

These ten titles should satisfy readers hungry to learn more about the history and science of food

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