Creating the Musical Canon
When you look at the canon of popular music, who's on the list looks very much like those who made the list.
How Physicians Became Scientists
The introduction of formal peer review to journals aided medical doctors in their quest to bring more scientific rigor to their field.
Julian of Norwich, Anchoress and Mystic
A religious recluse, mystic and author, Julian of Norwich wrote of Jesus Christ as a nurturing mother and teacher to the faithful.
White Shoes, WASPs and Law Firms
Law firms founded on Protestant identity necessitated the creation of firms that would hire those shut out by WASP gatekeeping.
Off-Trail Trampling Has Lasting Impacts
Sometimes taking the trail less traveled actually does more harm than good.
We All “Scream” for the Metatextual
Do you like scary movies? How about movies that scare you while satirizing and paying homage to their genre?
Burning Kelp for War
World War I saw the availability of potash plummet, while its price doubled. The US found this critical component for multiple industries in Pacific kelp.
The Age of the Birth Certificate
When states began restricting labor by children, verifying a person's age became an important means of enforcement.
Percy Shelley: Trendsetting Vegetarian
The poet adopted a "Pythagorean" diet, which eliminated meat, and wrote that vegetarians would "no longer pine under the lethargy of ennui."
Making Steel All Shiny and New
When it seemed that steel had lost its gleam with American consumers, the industry turned to marketing to make it shine again.