Topic

History

A collection of 336 issues

31 Years in the Red: How Arkham House Published Lovecraft & Bradbury Without Making a Dime

Founded in 1939 to preserve H.P. Lovecraft's work, Arkham House published literary giants like Ray Bradbury. Fueled by founder August Derleth's own money, the legendary horror press incredibly operated for over three decades without a single profitable year, a true labor of love.

The Heist That Made Her Famous: How Three Handymen Turned the Mona Lisa into a Masterpiece

Before 1911, the Mona Lisa was just another Renaissance painting. It took a simple heist by a museum handyman, a 26-hour delay in noticing its absence, and a global media frenzy to transform Leonardo's portrait into the most famous work of art in the world.

The Awkwardest Houseguest: How Hans Christian Andersen Ruined His Friendship with Charles Dickens

In 1857, Hans Christian Andersen visited his idol, Charles Dickens. A planned two-week stay stretched to five, marked by weeping fits and social blunders. The strangest moment? When Andersen demanded Dickens's son shave him daily, a "custom" that ended their friendship for good.

The Houseguest from Hell: When Hans Christian Andersen's Visit Drove Charles Dickens Mad

When fairy tale author Hans Christian Andersen visited his idol Charles Dickens, his five-week stay became a nightmare. His bizarre behavior, including asking Dickens's son for a daily shave, destroyed their friendship and left the Dickens family utterly exasperated.

The Great Midwestern Pepper-Mango Mystery: Why Some People Call Bell Peppers "Mangoes"

In parts of the Midwest, some call green bell peppers "mangoes." This isn't a mistake, but a linguistic fossil from the 18th century when "mango" referred to pickled items. Stuffed, pickled peppers were called "mangoes," and the name eventually stuck to the raw pepper itself.

More Than a Mansion: The Insane True Value of a Single Tulip Bulb in the 1630s

During the 1630s Dutch Tulip Mania, a single tulip bulb became a symbol of immense wealth. At its peak, a rare bulb's value was equivalent to a mansion, a large estate of land, or decades of a skilled worker's wages, showcasing one of history's first and most dramatic speculative bubbles.