#ScholarSunday Thread 196

Published on October 27, 2024

Here it is, my 196^th #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the last week. Add more below & enjoy, all!

Starting with a few favorites from the week as usual, including Dylan Penningroth for LitHut curating essential reading on Black legal history (featuring Martha S. Jones & many more):

https://lithub.com/seven-essential-texts-that-show-the-human-side-of-black-legal-history/

I really enjoyed Anya Jabour for The Conversation on what childless cat ladies have contributed to American history:

https://theconversation.com/childless-cat-ladies-have-long-contributed-to-the-welfare-of-american-children-and-the-nation-240199?fbclid=IwY2xjawGIy7BleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHTsSsTO5iyi7H_KuAEImQCMKsnakpGo8ZKQYZrf9Qv4_lpbNKTt_huhp4w_aem_YK3WKhiS6drVPwv-r52g0Q

For his blog, Matthew Teutsch wrote about the new Broadway adaptation of Gatsby and what it helps us see about the novel and America:

https://interminablerambling.medium.com/the-great-gatsby-on-broadway-42e2a56bb9aa

Two great pieces from Saturday Evening Post colleagues of mine this week, including Tanya Roth on one of my favorite Americans, Zitkala-Ša:

https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2024/10/womens-work-from-assimilation-to-activism-the-life-and-work-of-indigenous-daughter-zitkala-sa/

& Lawrence Samuel wrote for the Post on why despite fears the joy of reading isn’t going away:

https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2024/10/the-joy-of-reading-isnt-going-away/

For a great public scholarly resource, check out the new Viral Texts database (h/t its co-founder Ryan Cordell):

https://viraltexts.org/2024/10/18/new-database/

& for lots more public scholarly reading, here’s the newest issue of King’s College’s Zeal magazine (h/t its editor Robin Field):

https://zeal.kings.edu/zeal/issue/view/7

Turning to current events, Rick Perlstein wrote for his American Prospect column on why science & expertise are political:

https://prospect.org/politics/2024-10-23-science-is-political/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGIWVtleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHfqBCPE32Z2_P1b64lgR6pc2V4DNne_cjtm1oMhVHI6X7Ez1xnINtGXcVA_aem_S-XH96FlgJ47D7xB4umqgA

& while I refuse to turn this thread entirely over to the election, I found Jeffrey Goldberg’s latest for The Atlantic a must-read on what’s at stake next week:

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2024/10/trump-military-generals-hitler/680327/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGF5sNleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHUScHkKHW94QeBfzUbapm-oPtY029xtOycw-H-701bpi2ke85xLeyb5r2Q_aem_ZfEVdDuY6nfZQCMnfVv7VA

Lots of great new podcast episodes this week, including the latest Unsung History featuring Paul Renfro on Ryan White & the CARE Act of 1990:

https://www.unsunghistorypodcast.com/Ryan-White/

For episode 54 of Drafting the Past, Kate Carpenter welcomed Prithi Kanakamedala to talk about her public history writing & projects:

https://draftingthepast.com/podcast-episodes/episode-54-prithi-kanakamedala-invites-us-into-the-past/

For the latest Axelbank Reports History & Today, Evan interviewed Megan Gorman on her book All the Presidents’ Money:

While for episode 31 of his Holocaust History podcast, Waitman Beorn talked with Christian Jennings about British code-breakers:

I really loved the chance to talk with Liam Heffernan on his America: A History podcast about the 19^th century history of baseball & my new podcast:

& here’s a special bonus episode featuring more deep-dives into baseball’s American histories & meanings:

https://player.captivate.fm/episode/25d45bcd-efd1-4ea6-9c87-908ec37ac58c/

Speaking of my new podcast, make sure to catch up on the Eighth Inning: Lingering Losses & Vital Victories before the Ninth Inning drops later today!

https://americanstudier.podbean.com/e/eighth-inning-lingering-losses-and-vital-victories/

Half-a-dozen great new pieces for Time’s Made By History this week, including Rebecca Brenner Graham on Frances Perkins:

https://time.com/7024196/frances-perkins-history/

Elizabeth Marshall wrote for Made By History on what Prohibition reveals about the dangers of Trump’s immigration rhetoric:

https://time.com/7088140/prohibition-immigration-rhetoric-trump/

Here’s Robert A. Mitchell for Made By History on the long history of the “October surprise”:

https://time.com/7095847/october-surprise-history/

While Bruce A. Schulman wrote for Made By History on why Trump’s rhetoric on tariffs doesn’t have to make sense to appeal to voters:

https://time.com/7095746/trump-tariffs-politics-rhetoric/

Important work from Domingo Morel for Made By History on the troubling consequences when states take over local governments:

https://time.com/7030956/state-takeovers-local-government-history/

& finally for Made By History, I really enjoyed Lorena Chambers on the history behind James Earl Jones’ connection to Michigan football:

https://time.com/7097323/michigan-football-james-earl-jones/

Four great new pieces for AAIHS’ Black Perspectives this week, including Lois Leveen’s wonderful tribute to the site & the arc of Black intellectual history:

https://www.aaihs.org/celebrating-black-intellectual-history-then-and-now/

Just in time for Halloween, Kaela Buchanan & Yasmine Guy wrote for Black Perspectives about the groundbreaking horror film Candyman:

https://www.aaihs.org/a-critique-of-black-capitalism-in-an-american-horror-film/

While Gina Benavidez wrote for Black Perspectives about why we must better remember the activist & author Salaria Kea:

https://www.aaihs.org/revisiting-salaria-keas-story/

& finally for Black Perspectives, Nancy A. Andoh reviewed David Weinfeld’s new book An American Friendship:

https://www.aaihs.org/book-review-an-american-friendship/

Speaking of important new books, check out Brycchan Carey’s The Unnatural Trade: Slavery, Abolition, & Environmental Writing, 1650-1807 from Yale University Press:

https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300224412/the-unnatural-trade/

Just published this week is Jennifer R. Nájera’s Learning to Lead: Undocumented Students Mobilizing Education from Duke University Press:

https://www.dukeupress.edu/learning-to-lead

I’m excited to share that my two most recent books, both published in Rowman & Littlefield’s American Ways series, are now available in paperback. That includes We the People: The 500-Year Battle Over Who is American:

https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781538128541/We-the-People-The-500-Year-Battle-Over-Who-Is-American

& also out in paperback is my latest book, Of Thee I Sing: The Contested History of American Patriotism:

https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781538199916/Of-Thee-I-Sing-The-Contested-History-of-American-Patriotism

Now available for pre-order is Seth Rockman’s important Plantation Goods: A Material History of American Slavery from the University of Chicago Press:

https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/P/bo237040605.html

Gonna end with some great new newsletters as usual, including the latest in Vaughn Joy’s spooooooky Review Roulette series, on the camp classic Damn Yankees:

The Devil's Own Switch Hitter

For his Civil War Memory newsletter, Kevin Levin wrote about a community in Georgia’s choice to honor a supposed Black Confederate:

The Curious Case of Charley Benger

While for his Becoming Full newsletter, Etienne Toussaint wrote about how a mindset shift can help change our career arcs:

Tired of Burnout? A Mindset Shift Could Change Everything

For his Academic Bubble newsletter, Dion Georgiou reviewed the important first Rambo film, First Blood:

First Blood (1982)

& speaking of the Academic Bubble, if you want more public scholarly goodness make sure to check out Dion’s 36^th Stop, Look, & Listen compilation:

Stop, Look, and Listen #36

PS. I’m sure I missed plenty as ever, so please share more writing & work, podcasts, new & forthcoming books below. Thanks, happy reading, listening, & learning, & enjoy, all!