The Exotic “Pornography” of the Arabian Nights
The heated debates over Burton’s explicit translation of the beloved tales exposed Victorian England’s preoccupation with sex.
Inventing the Beach Read
Feeling guilty about kicking back with a paperback during vacation? There’s a precedent for escapist holiday reading, particularly during times of anxiety.
From Didion to Hesiod: The Center Will Not Hold
Hesiod's poem reminds us that in the end, we must all make sense of our works and days, with the help of—or in spite of—the stories in our heads.
What We’re Reading 2021
Mini book reports from your favorite bloggers and editors here at JSTOR Daily.
Return to Pirate Island
The history of piracy illustrates a surprising connection to democratic Utopian radicalism—and, of course, stolen treasure.
Emily Brontë’s Lost Second Novel
The author of the English literary classic Wuthering Heights died tragically young, leaving her second novel unfinished.
Victorian Knitting Manuals Collection
The first manuals for knitting were printed in the 1830s. Those interested in the history of knitting will find them a rich primary source for research.
How Early Sci-Fi Authors Imagined Climate Change
A century before the modern “cli-fi” genre, many authors envisioned unsettling worlds shaped by man-made climate chaos.
Roald Dahl’s Anti-Black Racism
The first edition of the beloved novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory featured "pygmy" characters taken from Africa.