The backstory on our favorite summertime foods:
The Crucial Southern Blackberry
July 12, 2018
In the 19th century, blackberry picking was both hobby and money-making endeavor for many Americans. Increased regulation of land use changed all that.
How Barbecue Defined America
May 25, 2018
The barbecue boom in 1950s American was tied to nationalistic concepts of the "perfect family": patriarchal, suburban, and white.
The Delicious Origins of the Domesticated Blueberry
June 29, 2016
Frederick Coville and Elizabeth White, two strangers, domesticated the blueberry together. They valued beauty and worked to support local communities.
Hot Dogs: America’s Fast, Cheap Meat
August 20, 2014
With all due respect to hamburgers and apple pie, hot dogs are arguably the most American of foods.
Vacation, all you ever wanted:
The Five Types of Summer Vacation
June 20, 2018
Each of them has a distinctive structure and a complex history.
How American Tourism Began
June 13, 2016
American tourism took the scenic route over the course of the twentieth century. A growing middle class and car ownership helped.
Summer Camp Has Always Been About Escaping Modern Life
April 26, 2016
The first summer camps presented themselves as an natural alternative to encroaching industrial society.
Why Europeans Have Such Long Summer Vacations
July 28, 2018
In the 1920s, politicians saw workers’ time off as a way to mold society, encouraging workers to engage in politics and patriotism during their time off.
How the Victorians Went Camping
June 27, 2017
If you’re going camping this summer, will you rough it on a wilderness hike, or relax in a ...
Readings that capture the spirit of summer:
Summer Reading in JSTOR
June 22, 2018
Stories by Meg Wolitzer, David Sedaris, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, E. Annie Proulx, Amy Tan, Donna Tartt, Lydia Millet, Lauren Groff, and more.
Ten Poems about Travel
December 27, 2018
Poetry about all kinds of travel—from grand adventures to family vacations—by Elizabeth Bishop, Rita Dove, and more.
Summertime Poems and Paintings
July 27, 2018
Summery poems by Mary Oliver, Matthew Zapruder, and other poets, along with seasonal paintings by Claude Monet and other artists.
And a few caveats to keep in mind:
What Causes Brain Freeze AKA Ice Cream Headaches?
October 2, 2015
Brain freeze, or the ice cream headache, is still little understood.
Shark Attacks: A History of Hype
July 28, 2015
A history of shark attacks and public response to them.
