The Metaphysical Story of Chiropractic
Chiropractic medicine began as a practice built on an approach to the human condition that was distinctly opposed to Christianity.
Exploring the Yardbird Reader
Initiated under the editorial directorship of Ishmael Reed, Yardbird made room in publishing for marginalized artists from many walks of life.
What Convenience Stores Say About “Urban War Zones”
The Korean-owned corner shop in a Black neighborhood serves as shorthand for racial conflict, obscuring Los Angeles’s intersectional histories.
Alfalfa: A Crop that Feeds Our Food
In 2023, American farmers grew more than 9 million acres of alfalfa. What makes this legume hay so special?
But Why a Penguin?
Penguin Books built on an already strong tradition of branding through cute mascot “media stars” when they introduced their cartoon bird in 1935.
When All the English Had Tails
Where did the myth that English men (and probably women) were hiding tails beneath their clothing come from? And what was that about eggs?
Shakespeare and Fanfiction
Despite an enduring slice of audience that treats his work as precious and mythic, most Shakespeare fans have rarely met an adaptive concept they didn’t like.
Sheet Music: the Original Problematic Pop?
A Johns Hopkins University curator of sheet music and pop culture discusses a “Middle East-inspired” sheet-music collection that’s anything but.
Ostrich Bubbles
The birds aren’t the only ones with their heads in the sand.
Smells, Sounds, and the WNBA
Well-researched stories from The New Yorker, The Conversation, and other great publications that bridge the gap between news and scholarship.