history
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Book Journey Through History
Every summer, since the mid-1990s, I have selected a topic to read and explore. One year, it was Catherine the Great, then Russian history, and another year, Mao Zedong consumed my attention. This year, I am not sure which direction to head. So, over the past couple of weeks, I have spent time on the… Continue reading
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New Doty Land Podcast: Historical Nuggets With Thomas Jefferson, Harry Truman, And Teddy Roosevelt
Quick and memorable historical stories with high production values. Bipartisanship comes alive with Harry Truman and Arthur Vandenberg; Thomas Jefferson wants Italian musicians in our military band; and Teddy Roosevelt skinny-dips in the Potomac River. Gregory Humphrey makes the past witty and interesting. Continue reading
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Chaos In The Republic: What President McKinley’s Assassination Revealed About A Fractured America
Eric Rauchway’s Murdering McKinley situates the assassination of President William McKinley within a nation deeply divided by the forces of industrial capitalism. I probably did not need to pull another book from the shelves this weekend, but I was in the mood for something different, so the slim volume of just over 200 pages fell… Continue reading
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Humphrey History Minute: Mirza Saleh, A Persian With The Love Of Learning
If you want an uplifting, quick slice of history, here it is. I encountered this story today, and must share it with others. Continue reading
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Black History Vital To Understanding The American Story
I read the following segment in Empire of Liberty by David Reynolds and took a photo of a few paragraphs. It is a telling reminder of what our past looked like, felt like, and was like. This account follows the outbreak of World War II. I had copied that historical nugget and kept it in… Continue reading
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Trump Scandals Fit 150-Year Trend Of Republicans In White House
A woman walking in front of our home today stopped to chat about spring-like weather, and of course, the state of the nation. She had noticed several American flags flying upside down. I told her of many flags seen in a similar fashion across Madison over recent weeks. We agreed that what is playing out… Continue reading
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Living The Imperial Presidency In 2026
Arthur Schlesinger Jr.’s The Imperial Presidency was designed to be a warning flare fired across the bow of American democracy, but revisiting it as the new year started in light of Donald Trump’s actions gives it an even sharper edge. I first read this book when living in Sturgeon Bay, during President Reagan’s second term.… Continue reading
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Are We Still Uncertain Why Character And Leadership Matter In The Oval Office?
Last week, Donald Trump’s decision to amplify a grotesque and racist depiction of Barack and Michelle Obama was only the latest crude and offensive action taken by someone we are told to regard as the leader of the free world. Historians and social commentators will undoubtedly study this era for decades, trying to understand how… Continue reading
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Nation Cannot Survive At Shallow End Of Swimming Pool
Somewhere between rereading The Imperial Presidency by Arthur Schlesinger and the daily newspapers, I have been trying to place the lessons of the past into the constant absurdity and irrationality of the present. I am not sure I am making headway in my thinking, but I want to share where I am as of today.… Continue reading
Caffeinated Politics 