Gavrilo Princip’s Sandwich
Was it really a lunch-hour coincidence that led to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo in 1914—and, by extension, to the great global catastrophes of the 20th century?
September 15, 2011 |
By Mike Dash
What Paul Robeson Said
After the singer and activist spoke at a Soviet-sponsored peace conference, he was reviled in the United States. But was the most widely reported version of his remarks accurate?
September 13, 2011 |
By Gilbert King
The Cowboy in Country Music
In his new book, music historian Don Cusic recounts the enduring icons of western music and their indelible mark on pop culture
September 08, 2011 |
By Katy June-Friesen
Gene Tunney's Gloves Enter the Ring
Fans still argue about who really won the 1927 "long count" fight between Gene Tunney and Jack Dempsey
September 2011 |
By Owen Edwards
Charles Conlon: The Unheralded Baseball Photographer
Stalwarts of early 20th-century sports pages, Conlon’s photos of the national pastime have their second chance at the plate
September 01, 2011 |
By David Davis
A New Look at the Men of Baseball’s Past
Charles Conlon’s classic photographs of baseball players from the early 20th century offer a glimpse into a familiar sport at an otherworldly time
September 01, 2011 |
By David Davis
The Knife in Ty Cobb’s Back
Did the baseball great really confess to murder on his deathbed?
August 30, 2011 |
By Gilbert King
“Mrs. Sherlock Holmes” Takes on the NYPD
When an 18-year-old girl went missing, the police seemed content to let the case grow cold. But Grace Humiston, a soft-spoken private investigator, wouldn't let it lie
August 23, 2011 |
By Karen Abbott
One Man Against Tyranny
A lone German carpenter displays astounding determination, skill and ingenuity—and comes within 8 minutes of assassinating Adolf Hitler at the outset of World War II. So why is Georg Elser's name so nearly forgotten?
August 18, 2011 |
By Mike Dash
Charles Proteus Steinmetz, the Wizard of Schenectady
His contributions to mathematics and electrical engineering made him one of the most beloved and instantly recognizable men of his time.
August 16, 2011 |
By Gilbert King
The Body on Somerton Beach
Name: unknown. Cause of death: unknown. Occupation: unknown. Possessions: a scrap of paper with two words in Persian, torn from a rare first edition book. Welcome to the world's most perplexing cold case.
August 12, 2011 |
By Mike Dash
The Last of the Cornish Packmen
An encounter on a lonely road in the furthest reaches of the English West Country sheds light on the dying days of a once-ubiquitous profession
August 04, 2011 |
By Mike Dash
Minter’s Ring: The Story of One World War II POW
When excavators in Inchon, Korea discovered a U.S. naval officer's ring, they had no knowledge of the pain and suffering associated with its former owner, Minter Dial
August 02, 2011 |
By Gilbert King
The Mystery of Murray Hall
Hall realized his death would set off a national political scandal, inspiring the genuine wonder that he had never been what he seemed
July 21, 2011 |
By Karen Abbott
When Three British Boys Traveled to Medieval England (Or Did They?)
A 1957 "time traveler" recalls "a feeling of unfriendliness and unseen watchers which sent shivers up one’s back"
July 21, 2011 |
By Mike Dash
One Hundred Years of the Indy 500
A century ago, the first Indianapolis 500 race started in high excitement and ended in a muddle
June 2011 |
By Charles Leerhsen
The Early, Deadly Days of Motorcycle Racing
Photographer A.F. Van Order captured the thrills and spills of board-track motorcycle racing in the 1910s
April 2011 |
By David Schonauer
Patience Worth: Author From the Great Beyond
Pearl Curran, a St. Louis housewife, channeled a 17th-century spirit to the heights of 20th-century literary stardom
September 2010 |
By Gioia Diliberto
Tom Swift Turns 100
Tom Swift is turning 100—and he still doesn’t look a day over 18
July 01, 2010 |
By Danny Heitman
