Ghost Writer
If you’ve heard of the English writer and wit Dr. Samuel Johnson, it’s probably thanks to his dictionary. Johnson was essentially England’s Noah Webster; he spent more than a …
The Drinking Age
The German composer Johann Sebastian Bach famously loved coffee so much that he wrote an entire ten-movement cantata about it. The so-called Coffee Cantata, or rather, as it is …
A Rabbit’s Tale
In September 1726, news of a story so remarkable that it was told to King George I himself, reached London: A 25-year-old woman named Mary Toft, in the village …
Taking The Pee
Throughout history, rulers and despots all over the world have sought to impose levies on all kinds of unlikely things. Hearths, windows, candles, and even soap have all been …
Jumping Into The History Books
One of the problems with inventing something is that the time eventually arrives when you have to test your invention out, which usually involves testing it yourself. That’s not …
A Grand Tour
Everyone does foolish things when they’ve had one too many drinks. In 2015, French police reported discovering a 22-year-old intoxicated man in a shipyard in Brittany in northern France, …
Horror Movie
John Wayne is one of Hollywood’s most legendary performers, the Oscar-winning star of such movies as True Grit, Stagecoach, The Searchers, and The Quiet Man. In a career full …
Music Royalty
Queen Elizabeth II is known for owning several corgi dogs, a striking collection of hats and handbags, the Crown Jewels, no fewer than six royal residences and, of course, …
Which Witch
Looking back through history, it’s often surprising to find that many things happen somewhat later or earlier than we might expect. The last time the guillotine was used in …
Stars Warred
Few movies have attracted as great a following and fandom as 1977’s Star Wars, the first movie in what has become a nine-part series and a multibillion dollar franchise. …