Sometime around the invention of agriculture, the cats came crawling. It was mice and rats, probably, that attracted the wild felines. The rats came because of stores of grain, made possible by…
The Challenge of Memorializing America’s Wars
Each Memorial Day, tourists descend on the nation’s capital to visit memorials and monuments honoring members of the U.S. armed forces who’ve died defending their country. For the family and friends of…
How the Ballpoint Pen Killed Cursive
Recently, Bic launched a campaign to “save handwriting.” Named “Fight for Your Write,” it includes a pledge to “encourage the act of handwriting” in the pledge-taker’s home and community, and emphasizes putting…
When Labor Day Meant Something
Labor Day online specials at Walmart this year “celebrate hard work with big savings.” For brick-and-mortar shoppers near my home in Chicago, several Walmart stores are open all 24 hours of Labor…
Decoration Day, a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
If there was ever such a thing as an Atlantic poet laureate, the honors would have to go to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, hands down. He was already the most renowned American poet…
The President and the Press
“I was determined to tell my story directly to the people rather than to funnel it to them through a press account.” — Richard Nixon, Six Crises President Richard Nixon was in…
Confessions of a Novelist
I I have hesitated for some time before beginning this article, since any attempt to analyze work of one’s own doing seems to imply that one regards it as likely to be…
Relativity and the Absurdities of Alice
‘Yes, that’s it,’ said the Hatter with a sigh. ‘It’s always tea-time and we’ve no time to wash the things between whiles.’ This sounded pleasant enough, but, of course, odd too, which…
The English Governess at the Siamese Court
In 1825, a royal prince of Siam (his birthright wrested from him, and his life imperilled) took refuge in a Buddhist monastery and assumed the yellow garb of a priest. His father,…
An Appeal to Congress for Impartial Suffrage
A very limited statement of the argument for impartial suffrage, and for including the negro in the body politic, would require more space than can be reasonably asked here. It is supported…