As we watch the horrific events in Ukraine unfold, many are trying to understand how we got here. With Vladimir Putin leading a brutal invasion of Ukraine by Russia, many who have praised Putin over the years for his leadership skills now look foolish. Also, given the embarrassing performance of the Russian armed forces thus far and the heroic resistance of the Ukrainians, the praise heaped upon Putin for the efficiency of his authoritarian state look even more ridiculous. Events are unfolding quickly and none of us know how this will end, but it’s useful to put the current situation…
Author: Gerardo Orlando
We’ve sadly entered a period in which some of the most basic principles underlying the American experiment are coming under attack. In the leadup to and aftermath of January 6th, it’s deeply troubling to see how many Americans and elected officials, mostly on the right, are willing say or do anything to undermine an election. In this context, historian Joshua Tait has written an essay in The Bulwark detailing historical examples of anti-democratic thought in American conservatism. As you might expect, the writings of conservative icon William F. Buckley are featured prominently in the essay: “Now let me say that…
President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas on today’s date in 1963. He was planning to give a speech that night in Austin, Texas, and the photo below includes the final paragraphs from that planned speech. Kennedy’s words still resonate today. Hat tip: Russell Contreras
“If we are to have another contest in the near future of our national existence, I predict that the dividing line will not be Mason and Dixon’s, but between patriotism and intelligence on the one side, and superstition, ambition, and ignorance on the other.” — Ulysses S. Grant Is there a better quote out there that sums up the absurdity of our current political climate?
I came across this quote from a Robert F. Kennedy speech years ago when browsing a bookstore and coming across a book called “RFK: Collected Speeches.” The quote was on the back cover of the book. It resonated with me then, and it’s just as applicable today. Too much and for too long, we seemed to have surrendered personal excellence and community values in the mere accumulation of material things. Our Gross National Product, now, is over $800 billion dollars a year, but that Gross National Product – if we judge the United States of America by that – that…
One of the goals of this website is to curate, catalog and share the most informative, interesting and entertaining resources for learning about history. That naturally includes documentaries, one of the most effective means of describing history that also provides the opportunity for a great deal of creativity in how to present a story and facts. Thus, the following tweet and all the response caught my attention, as it helps provide a useful reference of documentaries I should watch (or watch again) and then share with the audience. What is the best documentary you have ever seen? — Marina Amaral…
As we get started with this new project, I don’t have any of my own recommendations for new books from 2018, though I’ve found a number of new books I’d love to read. I’ve consulted a number of “best of” lists from the past year which you can review as well: From Smithsonian.com, by Angela Serratore From History Today, by a variety of historians From The Amazon Book Review, by Chris Schluep From The Archive, Dave Adams From The Financial Times, by Tony Barber From these list and other sources I’ve compiled a list of history books published in 2018…
“I don’t think of myself as an historian in the conventional understanding of the word. I’m a writer, who has chosen other days from our own, other times, as my field. That’s what I want to write about.” David McCullough wasn’t trained as an historian, but he’s one of the most respected and celebrated historians of our time. In this HBO documentary that originally aired in 2008, “David McCullough: Painting with Words,” McCullough discusses how he began his writing career and how he approaches his craft. It’s also an intimate look at the man and the joy and pride he…
Podcasting has become increasingly popular over the past several years with the ubiquity of smartphones. We can now listen anywhere, and we don’t have to be limited to what’s streaming at the moment. Podcasts offer a variety of sources and topics to help fill out time while working out or on long drives. But it’s not just the convenience that’s driving this trend. Podcasts offer a powerful platform to deliver content and tell all types of stories. Many topics that would have been confined in the past to a book or documentary can now be explored through a podcast. This…