Book Review History

How Upton Sinclair Accidentally Reformed the Meatpacking Industry

Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle was first published as a magazine serial 1905. It was subsequently released as a novel in 1906, after which it quickly became a bestseller. Its impact upon United States legislature was almost immediate. Sinclair’s novel, however, was written with a different purpose in mind. Who is Upton Sinclair? Upton Sinclair is […]

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History Mystery

The Princes in the Tower: A Medieval Murder Mystery

Richard III was never meant to be the king of England. He was, in fact, several degrees removed from this position for most of his life. Born in 1452 as the fourth surviving son to the powerful Duke of York, Richard was certainly positioned to be a man of importance, however his elder brothers would […]

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Book Review History

The Universe According to Menocchio: A Review of Carlo Ginzburg’s “The Cheese and the Worms”

The Cheese and the Worms by Carlo Ginzburg is a fascinating glimpse into the private lives and personal beliefs of the Renaissance commoner. This human-centered history presents the story of a miller who committed the unthinkable crime of developing and sharing his own personal cosmology. Human History Before exploring the specifics of what makes this […]

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History Mystery

An American Mummy: The John Wilkes Booth Conspiracy

John Wilkes Booth was a celebrity in his own right long before the act that would install him permanently as one of the most infamous figures in American history. Born to a family of British actors, Booth was touring the United States performing in Shakespearean plays and other productions by the time he was about […]

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Biography History Mystery

The Murder of Christopher Marlowe and the Mysterious Life He Led

Who is Christopher Marlowe? Christopher Marlowe, also referred to as “Kit” Marlowe, led a short but impactful life. Born in 1564, the young Marlowe studied at The King’s School in Canterbury on a scholarship before earning another scholarship to study at Corpus Christi College in Cambridge. Marlowe earned a bachelor’s degree in the arts in […]

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Biography History Mystery

Was the Last Pharaoh of Egypt the Son of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra VII?

Gaius Julius Caesar was a conqueror, dictator, reformist, and divisive politician whose name remains synonymous with empire and dominance. He was assassinated by a group of sixty conspirators including several men whom he considered to be steadfast allies. His death on the “Ides of March” in 44 BC has endured as one of history’s greatest […]

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Biography History Mystery

The Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe is a literary giant, famous for his poems and short stories which are known for their gruesome imagery, themes of loss and melancholy, and chilling horror. Poe may be most known for tales such as The Fall of the House of Usher and The Black Cat, or poems like The Raven and […]

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History Mystery

The Pied Piper Story: What Really Happened to the Children of Hamelin?

The Pied Piper of Hamelin is a classic story which has been retold and adapted time and again. As a result, this story one of the most familiar and beloved fairy tales around. The following is yet another brief retelling of the story for readers who need a refresher. This version of the story includes […]

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Biography History Mystery

The Strange Story of Mesmerism and its Namesake Franz Mesmer

What is Mesmerism? The phrase “animal magnetism” evokes mental images of emanating sensuality, of raw primal attraction. Colloquially, this is what animal magnetism means. However, animal magnetism once held a very different definition. There was a time, in fact, when it was thought, albeit by a small group of believers, that animal magnetism would completely […]

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History Mystery

The Bizarre and Mysterious Travel Memoir from the Middle Ages That Features Dragons, Giants, Monsters, and More

The Travels of Sir John Mandeville is a strange manuscript. This Medieval tale recounts the narrator’s supposed journey through the Eurasian continent. It features fanciful records of lands both real and fictional. According to the narrator, just beyond the horizon of Medieval Europe was a land of wonders and horrors; the wide world was a […]

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