If the perfect crime is one that never gets discovered, then the perfect spy is one whose identity is never revealed. Edward Bancroft came close to becoming the latter: a century passed before the public realized that he had engaged in espionage. Many Americans do not even recognize Bancroft’s name,
Ivan Lett Admittedly, it’s a bit early in the season to think about gift returns, but today is the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. The 1773 Tea Act was hardly a gift, but unless you’ve been hiding under the harbor all year, you know all about the current political
Michelle Stein Yale Press’s books manage to take the reader all across the world, and look in depth at a great many topics. They also have a great many books that delve into the city of New York, where I was born and have thoroughly explored. I hope to also
This Sunday the New York Times Book Review featured an excellent review of Julie Flavell’s “When London Was Capital of America”, an historical appraisal of the cultural, political and economic significance of the city on the Thames in the early 18th century. As Flavell recounts, London in the decades before
This day marks the 300th anniversary of the birth of Benjamin Franklin. Franklin is perhaps the most remarkable figure in American history: the greatest statesman of his age, he played a pivotal role in the formation of the American republic. He was also a pioneering scientist, a bestselling author, the