History
Blaise Pascal on Christian and Jew
The great thinker’s turn toward the theological has lessons for us even today.
When Historians Go Bananas
The relentless search for racism in the past has reached the point of diminishing returns.
Sherman’s Hard Truths About War Ring True Today
The Civil War general’s experiences offer important lessons for critics of Israel’s military tactics.
‘Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem’
Evangelicals’ support for Israel is historical. But it’s also broader than current political alliances.
The Balance of Tragedy and History in ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’
Martin Scorsese’s latest is a model of nuanced adaptation that reckons honestly with America’s past.
Lessons in Complicity
Tyrants and terrorists deserve the blame for their atrocities, but we cannot ignore those who acknowledge injustice and do nothing, either.
History Is Short Enough, if You Know How to Use It
On our current obsession with the Roman Empire.
To Thine Own Self Be True
Tara Isabella Burton’s new book ‘Self-Made’ surveys the grand, and sometimes ridiculous, history of how crafting identities shaped our modern world.
The Coolidge Miracle
How ‘Silent Cal’ cleaned up the federal government after Warren Harding’s many scandals.
Picking a President: Back to the Future?
Character mattered in the 18th century, just as it matters in 2024.
Hitting Rewind on ‘Woke’
This isn’t the first time a slogan became a tool for sowing cultural confusion.
The Other Legacy of Watergate: Nicknames
The Plumbers are about to get their own show. But there was also Le Grand Fromage and the German Shepherds.