American History

The American Play and The Tainted Muse in review

“Some people make history; others make history interesting.” So begins a two-page spread in the October issue of Dramatics Magazine featuring two recent highlights from Yale’s drama list, Marc Robinson‘s The American Play and Robert Brustein‘s The Tainted Muse. Produced by the Educational Theatre Association and oriented toward practitioners in

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Gifts dads will love (neckties not included)

As Father’s Day rapidly approaches, we at the Press would like to suggest a few great picks for last-minute shoppers hoping to give dad a gift that can be enjoyed for years to come. For fans of real-life tales of espionage, John Earl Haynes, Harvey Klehr, and Alexander Vassiliev’s Spies:

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Paul VanDevelder on Smithsonian.com

Paul VanDevelder is a featured author on Smithsonian.com’s History and Archeology page this week, giving readers a sneak peek at his new book, Savages and Scoundrels: The Untold Story of America’s Road to Empire through Indian Territory. His latest post sets the scene on what the tribes called “The Great

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Hamalainen wins Bancroft Prize

Congratulations are in order for Pekka Hamalainen, author of Comanche Empire and winner of the 2009 Bancroft Prize. One of the most prestigious honors in the field of history, the Bancroft Prize is awarded annually by the trustees of Columbia University to the authors of exceptional works in the fields

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Kathleen Brown in conversation on Foul Bodies

When we look back at the conditions that early Americans tolerated every day (sewage streaming through the streets, animals sharing spaces with their keepers) it’s amazing that they ever achieved that near-godly state known as cleanliness. In an enlightening discussion at the University of Pennsylvania, YUP author and UPenn historian

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New York Times calls Scrapbooks best gift book of the year

If you’re looking for a great gift book for the holiday season, Jessica Helfand‘s Scrapbooks: An American History may be your answer. The New York Times recently called the volume the best gift book of the year, praising its stunning, evocative visuals that “work to bring the world into our

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“Railway” exhibit leaves WSJ reporter “wanting more”

Today’s Wall Street Journal features an enthusiastic review of the Nelson-Atkins Museum’s exhibit “Art in the Age of Steam: Europe, America, and the Railway, 1830-1960,” in which the author praises the “outstanding” essays collected in the accompanying catalog published by the Yale University Press. With more than 250 illustrations, The

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100 Years of the FBI

This summer marks the 100th anniversary of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the institution that redefined American justice and fascinated the collective imagination of the American people with its cases and characters. Last week, Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones, author of The FBI: A History, appeared on the NPR show On Point. Jeffreys-Jones

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Once Upon a Bayou

Ken Wells, author of upcoming Yale Press release The Good Pirates of the Forgotten Bayous: Fighting to Save a Way of Life in the Wake of Hurricane Katrina, shares his thoughts on storytelling in the new issue of Mayborn magazine. In the article, Wells reflects on his experiences growing up

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Let Freedom Read

While you’re staking out prime fireworks real estate at your local Independence Day celebration, pass the hours before nightfall with some entertaining and thought-provoking reading material from Yale Press’s American Icon Series. Gore Vidal’s treatment of our Founding Fathers in his book Inventing a Nation: Washington, Adams, Jefferson is the

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