Memories consist of momentary flashes, glimpses of the profound and mundane events that became more than mere moments in time; they defined us. "Merit Badges", an unconventional read by Kevin Fenton, feels like rummaging through... Read More

Communes have long been a feature of American life. For centuries, religious, cultural, and political groups have attempted to create their own societies to provide respite from the imperfections of the wider world. In the 1960s,... Read More

Machiavellian Moment: A “Machiavellian Moment,” as described by historian J.G.A. Pocock, in his 1975 book of that name, is when a nation faces such internal threats as a corrupt government, or copes with external ones, such as... Read More

Christie Simpson embarks on a wild ride of self-discovery after receiving a phone call from her husband’s mistress. The call marks the end of her marriage and the beginning of a journey in which she dabbles in everything from angels... Read More

When Frances Hill looks at the Bush administration’s response to the terrorist attacks of 2001, she sees striking parallels to the witch hysteria of 1692. In both instances simple-minded religious and nationalistic fervor predominated... Read More

Best-selling authors must lead a wonderful life. Sharing their vision with a worldwide audience, working at their own pace and under their own roof, and getting paid a lot of money besides—who hasn’t dreamed of that life? For those... Read More

Champion, author of four other Bomber Hanson books, delivers an old-fashioned murder mystery complete with Las Vegas mobsters, a suspicious butler, and a “knockout” model named Cheryl Darling (a parody in itself). Cheryl has been... Read More

History can be enchanting. Too often it is relegated to forensic inquiry, where vast armies and larger-than-life characters engulf simple lives, at which point all present-day relevance can be lost. The genuine stuff of history, though,... Read More