Historic Photo: Paris in winter, near Saint-Augustin Church, 1952.
Paris was a bit bleak in the first few postwar years, but it never lost its charm or resilience.
Latest
Year’s end: The best of the Garden in 2025.
The Poseidon phenomenon: Thoughts on a New Year’s Eve disaster that never was.
Have a wonderful Christmas!
The Truce of 1914: A thought of hope for Christmas.
Behind the Scenes: The Cult of Technology, From Railroads to AI.
It’s Not Love, Actually: Watch me do an about-face on the world’s worst Christmas movie.
The Verge
Historic Photo: Paris in winter, near Saint-Augustin Church, 1952.
Paris was a bit bleak in the first few postwar years, but it never lost its charm or resilience.
The Poseidon phenomenon: Thoughts on a New Year’s Eve disaster that never was.
Behind the Scenes: The Cult of Technology, From Railroads to AI.
Interiors: The “Commodore Club” aboard the ocean liner Queen Mary 2.
A thousand points of denial: The global warming legacy of George H.W. Bush.
Willkommen, again: “Cabaret” and its renewed relevance.
While I was gone: Some images, and history, from my trip. (Part II)
The Outer Garden
Year’s end: The best of the Garden in 2025.
Goodbye to 2025. Here are what I think are the best articles I wrote this year.
Have a wonderful Christmas!
The Truce of 1914: A thought of hope for Christmas.
Expulsion from paradise: The civilian evacuees from Hawaii after Pearl Harbor.
Thanksgiving 2025: Best wishes to all of you.
Historic Painting: “Napoleon and his General Staff” by Jean-Léon Gérôme, 1867.
Blog hiatus: Gone to sea.
The Inner Garden
It’s Not Love, Actually: Watch me do an about-face on the world’s worst Christmas movie.
A dozen years ago, I passionately defended this film. In 2025, I'm ashamed of myself.
Behind the Scenes: China’s Long Revolution, 1900-1950.
Behind the Scenes: Brazil in the World Wars.
Searching for a story: A look at my chaotic writing process.
Behind the Scenes: The American Revolution, In Its Own Words.
The book(s) I’m working on: “Faraway Star” and “Wild Among the Moons.”
