Topic

Biography & Personal Stories

A collection of 198 issues

Throne of Blood: The 2001 Nepalese Royal Massacre and the Fall of a Dynasty

On June 1, 2001, Nepal's Crown Prince Dipendra, enraged over a marriage dispute, shot and killed ten members of his family, including his parents, the King and Queen. He then turned the gun on himself, plunging the nation into chaos and ending a dynasty.

History Wars, Conflict & Heroes Biography & Personal Stories

The Unbroken Chain: Inside the Kong Family's 2,500-Year, 2-Million-Member Family Tree

The Kong family, direct descendants of Confucius, possess the world's longest family tree. Spanning over 2,500 years and 83 generations, this meticulously documented lineage now includes over 2 million members, a testament to enduring cultural and familial heritage.

History Biography & Personal Stories Religion & Philosophy

Dimples and Diplomacy: Shirley Temple's Surprising Role in the Fall of Communism

Shirley Temple, the iconic child star, had a remarkable second act as a diplomat. As US Ambassador to Czechoslovakia in 1989, she witnessed and supported the Velvet Revolution, playing a key role in the nation's peaceful transition from communism to democracy.

Biography & Personal Stories History Wars, Conflict & Heroes

The Audacious Clerk Who Put His Own Face on Money and Changed U.S. Law Forever

In 1866, when Congress authorized a 5¢ bill honoring explorer 'Clark,' Treasury official Spencer Clark seized the ambiguity and put his own portrait on the currency. The resulting outrage led to a permanent ban on depicting any living person on U.S. money, a law that stands today.

History Business & Economics Biography & Personal Stories

Fallen from the Sky: The Unthinkable Story of 9/11's First Fallen Firefighter

Daniel Suhr, the first FDNY member killed on 9/11, was responding to the World Trade Center when he was tragically struck and killed by a person who had jumped or fallen from the South Tower, a harrowing testament to the chaos of that day.

History Wars, Conflict & Heroes Biography & Personal Stories

The Cult of Lysenko: How Pseudoscience and Political Power Starved Millions

Trofim Lysenko, a Soviet agronomist, rejected genetics for his own pseudoscientific theories. Backed by Stalin, his policies, like planting seeds densely, were forced upon farmers, leading to catastrophic crop failures and contributing to devastating famines in the USSR and China.

History Science & Nature Biography & Personal Stories

From Gold Medals to Ground Meat: The Olympian Who Chose a Butcher's Apron

Olympic cycling champion Franco Testa won gold in 1960 and silver in 1964. At the peak of his career, he retired at 26, not to coach or commentate, but to take over his family's butcher shop in Padua, Italy, choosing a life of community and tradition over continued fame.

Sports & Games Biography & Personal Stories

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