Twentieth Century – Page 104 – History in the Margins

Dangerous Melodies

By Pamela | February 4, 2020 |

Several years ago, I reported on an excellent book about how pianist Van Cliburn’s victory at Russia’s first Tchaikovsky Competition in 1958 helped change the course of the Cold War. It was a revelation, but I didn’t realize that the culture battles of the Cold War were only one example of the role that…

Road Trip Through History, Nuremberg, Pt. 2, Nazis

By Pamela | January 21, 2020 |

One of the most impressive things about Nuremberg is the way the city looks directly at its Nazi past, and encourages visitors to do the same. Nowhere is that more evident than in two major museums: the Documentation Center-Nazi Party Rally Grounds and the Nuremberg Trial Memorial. The Documentation Center, generally called the Doku-Centrum by…

Dorothy Sayers, Lord Peter Whimsey, and The Mutual Admiration Society

By Pamela | January 8, 2020 |

I am a long-time fan of Dorothy Sayers’ mystery novels. With the exception of The Nine Tailors,* I’ve read all of them many times. I would go so far as to say that her picture of educated women’s lives helped shape my image of the life I wanted. I was thrilled when I got a…