Suggested Readings: Dinosaur Feathers, Filthy Showerheads, and the American Dream

By The EditorsDecember 13, 20162 min read

Extra Credit: Our pick of stories from around the web that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.

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How a trip to New Orleans radicalized young Abraham Lincoln

Best-selling author David M. Rubenstein and historian Douglas Brinkley discuss America's tumultuous 19th century and why Lincoln was its defining figure.

11 min read

The Conversation

Great mysteries of archaeology: an ancient Amazonian world revealed from the sky

Archaeologists thought ancient Amazonia was only home to wandering people, but new technology has uncovered complex societies living in forest cities.

José Iriarte, Professor of Archaeology, University of ExeterJun 8, 2026

The Rumpus

Why not read Moby-Dick? - The Rumpus

Historian Nathaniel Philbrick lays out a convincing, if scholarly, case for why Moby-Dick is relevant to modern audiences. Nathaniel Philbrick opens this

Lisa LevyOct 20, 20115 min read

The Conversation

Cincinnati, where Vance converted, gives a glimpse of Catholicism’s history in America’s heartland

For more than a century, anti-Catholicism was a powerful force in the region’s culture and politics. But religious pluralism ultimately triumphed in the ‘Queen City.’

Matthew Smith, Visiting Assistant Professor of History, Miami UniversityJun 8, 2026

The Paris Review

The Summer of Lion Meat

In the medieval period it was common for translators to insert commentary on their theories and methods directly into the text.

Tere Dávila and Rebecca Hanssens-ReedJun 8, 2026

Literary Hub

Lauren Acampora Recommends 7 Books About Deep Human-Animal Connections

From birth, we’re surrounded by animals. We cling to stuffed animal friends, wear clothing adorned with bunnies and bears, and listen to stories of anthropomorphized creatures. The first books we encounter, too, are often tributes to animals. As a child,

Lauren AcamporaJun 9, 2026