Why the COP28 climate change talks are a farce, a fraud and an insult.
On Dec. 12, when UN Secretary-General Guterres reports yet another dismal failure to deal with the climate crisis, just laugh at him. He doesn't get it.
Latest
Behind the scenes: Watergate, a Geographic History.
My newest video examines the geographic dimensions of America's foremost political scandal.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
Have a great holiday and thanks for reading.
The JFK Assassination at 60, and the poisoning of history.
Holding out for facts rather than conspiracy fantasy is an increasingly lonely vocation, but it's part of my job.
Historic Painting: “The First Thanksgiving” by Jennie Augusta Brownscombe, 1914.
This view of the first Thanksgiving in 1621 is very far from accurate, but it's extremely American.
Smoke on the water: The Yarmouth Castle disaster.
The 1965 disaster that claimed 90 lives is obscure in history books, but alive in memories of people touched by it.
The darkest night: the Great Northeast Power Blackout of 1965.
On a cold November night, much of the U.S. Northeast and part of Canada went dark. Here's what happened next.
The malleable past: How easy is it to "fake" history?
Denial of certain historical facts--usually motivated by conspiracy theory--involves a misconception of what history is and how it works.
Historic Photo: The Rows, Chester, England, about 1895.
These medieval-era buildings were captured in a magnificent photo from the very end of the 19th century.
Behind the Scenes: The Fall of the Monarchies.
My newest and biggest video yet explores the spectacular collapse of five ruling families, who once controlled the fate of 1/3 of the world's population.
We're entering an era of history where anything can happen.
From the war in Israel to the effects of human-caused climate change, we live in a much more chaotic and dangerous world than we're used to.
Historic Painting: Amsterdam in winter, George Hendrik Breitner, 1897.
This interesting painting is obviously impressionist, but is posed like a photograph.
Celebrating Leigh Brackett: A journey from pulp sci-fi to Star Wars.
Star-crossed voyager: The sad career of the MS Achille Lauro.
Burned, blown up, hijacked, bankrupted, and finally sunk...ships don't get much unluckier than this one.
Historic Photo: Yonge Street Mall, Toronto, 1975.
Today one of Toronto's busiest intersections, this urban space was once a pedestrian mall back in the groovy 70s.
Circle in the sand: reflecting on the summer of 2023.
The summer of 2023 has been full of disaster and pessimism, but there's also been some very good things about it.
How did the Great Fire of Moscow start?
Was the city fired by the Russians themselves, or did the blaze begin accidentally?
Behind the Scenes: Manson, a Geographic History.
My newest deep-dive video attempts to tell an old story from an environmental historian's angle.
Where September 11 sits in history.
It's appropriate to memorialize 9/11, but we should not let that process obscure our understanding of the true event.
The Mad Baron of Mongolia: The bizarre bloody story of Roman von Ungern-Sternberg.
Meet the insane fake Russian baron who thought he was Genghis Khan and tried to take over Mongolia.
Historic Painting: "Many Happy Returns" by William Powell Frith, 1856.
There's a lot going on in this Victorian-era painting of a young girl's birthday party.
Hippies in space: A "Star Trek" episode in 1960s historical context.
One of Star Trek's "worst" episodes provides a fascinating insight into America in 1969.
Historic Photo: Cliff House, San Francisco, 1901, a lost building with a fascinating story.
This is not a matte painting from a 1930s horror movie, but a real place with a checkered history spanning some 150 years.
Behind the Scenes: The Persian Gulf War, Explained.
My newest deep-dive video takes on the short war that lies at a critical juncture in modern world history.
23 minutes on Venus: the hellish voyage of Venera 7.
Spending less than half an hour on the surface of Venus would give Dante Alighieri a run for his money.
All that sizzles: a geohistory of the great American steak houses.
The great American steak houses are about a lot more than just good steak. They tell a key part of the American story.
The Great Daylight Fireball of 1972.
This famous photo depicts an earth-grazing meteor, a comparatively rare event.
The day after Hiroshima.
Let's stop arguing about an unchangeable decision made in 1945. What are we going to do about today's existential problem, global warming?
A late summer reflection on history, climate and the world.
Here's what I'm working on, writing and thinking about in August 2023.
Historic Painting: "Home from Sea" by Arthur Hughes, 1862.
This beautiful painting shows many of the characteristics I love about 19th century art.
The July Crisis of 1914: How the world lost control.
The crowned heads and diplomats of Europe thought they were in control--just as our modern day leaders do.
Geography of murder: The Manson saga in space and time.
Eight places where some of the most infamous crimes of the 20th century occurred offer an unusual perspective on the events.
Oppenheimer: My spoiler-free, historical context review.
This is not a film about technology. It's about morality, relationships, the environment, and much more.
From the Moon to Jackson Park: Where are the Apollo space capsules now?
What happened to all the space capsules after they came back to Earth?
Historic Photo: Shipwreck at Chasland's Mistake, New Zealand, 1876.
I'm not sure who Chasland was, but this was certainly somebody's mistake.
The New York City Draft/Race Riots and "Gangs of New York."
The deadliest race riot in U.S. history is depicted in a controversial 2002 film which I think deserves another look.
The future sucks! The year 1999, as envisioned from 1967.
See the bizarre result when a 1960s company that manufactures TVs tries to tell us what they think the future will be like.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny: My spoiler-free, historical context review.
The fifth Indiana Jones film isn't perfect, but it has a lot to commend it.
Shakespeare's wooden universe: London's old Globe Theatre.
The theater world of late 16th century London was an amazing panoply of egos, creativity, architecture and politics.
Historic Painting: Winter Scene on Broadway by Hippolyte Sebron, 1855.
There's a lot going on in this famous scene of Manhattan in a mid-19th century winter.
The lesson from medieval history that Putin didn't learn.
It's dangerous to rely on mercenaries. They may turn on you. Why didn't Putin know this?
The world turned upside down: Brexit, seven years on.
Seven years ago, this is what I thought Brexit would mean. I think I got it right.
The Leader is unavailable: The legend of Stalin's post-invasion breakdown.
Was Stalin so upset by the German invasion that he collapsed and went on a bender? Or is it a myth?
Historic Photo: Dining saloon of the SS Great Eastern, 1859.
Your table is ready aboard the Great Eastern. Hope you're not in a hurry!
Watergate: a place haunted by history.
An unusual view of the Peter Iredale, Oregon's beloved shipwreck.
The wreck, stuck in the sand since 1906, is more exposed now than almost ever before. Here are some photos.
Global warming, air quality, and the "Dark Day" of 1780.
New York's air quality catastrophe has some parallels in history, but climate change also makes it unique.
The 50 Most Important Things in History.
My new book will be out June 20 on Kindle. Pre-ordering it is a great idea!
Some thoughts on the Tiananmen Square massacre.
The 1989 massacre of pro-democratic demonstrators continues to resonate throughout recent world history.
Free history books! The man who survived the end of the world.
George Sphrantzes survived the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks in 1453. His book is online, for free.
Historic Photo: The barricades of Bordeaux, France, 1968 (and what it looks like now).
Introducing The Morning History Show.
My new YouTube podcast profiles historical news that readers of this blog might find interesting.
The organic blockbuster: the original release of "Star Wars."
The triumph of the original Star Wars was not driven by marketing. It probably couldn't happen today.
Heeeeeere's Johnny's legacy: The Tonight Show's golden age.
For 30 years Johnny Carson was the face of the Tonight Show. When he signed off in 1992, an era ended.
KV35: Ancient Egypt's chamber of horrors.
It contained the remains of 12 people, dead for more than 2,000 years. What's their story?
Historic Painting: "Le Tache Noire" (The Black Spot) by Albert Bettannier, 1887.
This painting is a masterwork of light, emotion and human expression, but it also contains an explicitly political message.
The little prince: Charles, coronation and climate change.
Charles finally got his crown, but the kingdom he inherits is spinning apart.
Deadly poker game: The moral gamble of the Lusitania.
The Lusitania disaster was a terrible collision of chutzpah on one side and naïvete on the other.
"Chimborazo": the environmental romanticism of Frederic Edwin Church.
This 1864 painting is a beautiful example of Romantic-era environmental consciousness.
Retro future queen: the QE2's brief heyday as a 1960s design icon.
For three years after its introduction in 1969, the QE2 was the floating embodiment of that bizarre age.
Historic Photo: Nagasaki, Japan, 1865.
The medieval future: Villeneuve's "Dune" through the lens of history.
This science fiction film set in the distant future has a lot of elements that hark back to the past.
The Battle of Dan-no-ura: Japan's medieval reckoning.
The great battle for control of Japan, fought in 1185, has resonated in legend for 800 years.
Free history books! The heartbreaking story of the Fourth Crusade.
My lunch with Robert Sheckley, classic SF writer.
Historic Painting: "San Francisco Fire" by William A. Coulter, 1906.
Her cheating heart: That beautiful woman who wants me to buy crypto.
This doe-eyed model is unwittingly the public face of a monstrous global criminal empire.
The last thing Lincoln saw: the story of "Our American Cousin."
The play Lincoln was watching at the time of his assassination has an interesting history of its own.
Historic Painting: Ernest Blumenschein, "Star Road and White Sun," 1920.
This style of art brings back wonderful memories of New Mexico.
Norway’s Titanic: the “Scandinavian Star” disaster and its enduring mystery.
The dissenters: five who voted against American entry into World War I.
What I've been working on: the troublesome "Daniel Vanished."
The premium tier has launched.
You can now support this blog, and my historical work, at the premium tier.
Historic Painting: "The Colossi of Memnon" by Hubert Sattler, 1846.
Franklin Pierce: The Saddest President. (Video)
This in-depth video explores the life story of one of the most problematic U.S. Presidents.
Streets of fire: two New York City disasters converge in space and time.
Two similar disasters, one in 1911, another in 1958, occurred within a 5-block area. How are they linked?
Behind the Scenes: the enigma of Franklin Pierce.
My upcoming in-depth YouTube video examines the tragic, frustrating life of the 14th President.
The Iraq War, 20 years on: what we failed to learn.
America flunks history class yet again. There's no excuse this time.
Historic Photo: Aftermath of the Great Blizzard of 1888, New York City.
"All Quiet on the Western Front" and the meaning of World War I.
This classic story still resonates today because of the profound questions the war left unanswered.
Tragedy and farce: "Mister Roberts" and the not-so-Greatest generation.
Why fascism is on the rise again, and why it's so hard to stop it.
The road to dictatorship is paved with reply guys and tone police insisting, "It can't happen here."
Historic Photo: "Radio Row," New York City (later the World Trade Center site), 1936.
This area, whose shops used to sell old vacuum tubes, became one of the most tragic places in U.S. history.
The Caves of Nerja: humankind's rediscovered Stone Age home.
Frozen giant: Putin's options, one year into the Ukraine war.
The key to gaming out what Putin will do is to see him in the context of Russian rulers of the past.
Free history books! The solution to a submarine mystery.
Historic Painting: "The Funeral of Shelley" by Louis Édouard Fournier, 1889.
This painting captures the essence of a defining moment in 19th century Romantic literary history.
Gerontocracy and the fall of nations.
Speak no evil: the Satanic Verses affair, 34 years on.
The controversy over one of the world's most infamous books still leaves a lot of questions unanswered.
Free history books! The best presidential biography I've read.
It started with a bad glass of wine: the St. Scholastica Day riots.
The amazing story of how a single glass of wine led to a violent riot and a watershed moment in English history.
Iran-Contra: the real life "wall of crazy." (Video)
My new video analyzes and deconstructs the poorly-understood foreign policy scandal of the 1980s.
Behind the Scenes: Iran-Contra Explained, my most challenging video (to date).
June 18, 1178: The day the Moon blew up.
How five English monks witnessed an extraordinary astronomical event.
The Strait of Magellan: A passage through time and space.
Mr. Spock to the bridge: the real-life search for planet Vulcan.
In 1860, a French astronomer was convinced he'd discovered a planet he called Vulcan. Wait, what?
Saga of the Week: The epic TV miniseries of the 1970s.
In the late 1970s, the world came to a screeching halt when the latest epic miniseries came on network TV.
The long journey to this blog.
Here is how I got here, what came before, and why you might want to read what I write.