The study of history is commonly regarded as essential to a full education. It figures prominently in school syllabuses; history departments in universities are well- populated; and publishers’ lists are crowded with historical titles. Why? Because it is widely believed that the modern world cannot be properly conceived without a knowledge of the past: as […]
The discovery of antibiotics in the 20th century brought remarkable changes to modern medicine, enabling people to live longer, healthier lives. But in the last generation, new strains of bacteria have emerged that are resistant to these wonder drugs. One of the main causes of resistance is the overuse of antibiotics. That includes drugs given […]
Tourism is travelling for recreation. Tourists originated when large numbers of middle class people began to join the more wealthy aristocratic travellers. As societies became wealthier, and people lived longer, it became more and more likely that lower-middle class and middle class people steadily employed would retire in good health and with significant savings. A […]
Long before men learned how to fly, they sent objects soaring through the air. The arrow dates from the Stone Age. The ancient Chinese flew kites. The early inhabitants of Australia invented the boomerang, the blades of which they carved in the shape of an airfoil. As early as the Middle Ages, men of scientific […]
Paul McCartney was born in Liverpool, England, to Mary and James McCartney. Paul’s introduction to music was through his father, who was the founder of Jim Mac’s Jazz Band. It was shortly after his mother’s death from breast cancer in 1956 that McCartney immersed himself in learning to play the guitar. His mastery of early […]
The legend of jolly old Santa Claus, or St. Nick, began with a real person: St. Nicholas, who lived many centuries ago. Although he is one of the most popular saints honoured by Christians, very little is actually known about him. He lived during the 4th century in Lycia, a province on the southwest coast […]
Gifted with a keen insight into human character, Katherine Mansfield wrote a number of almost perfect short stories. Much of her work is based on incidents and scenes from her own life. She was born Kathleen Beauchamp in Wellington, New Zealand, on October 14, 1888, as the daughter of a banker. Katherine Mansfield was her […]
An old Italian proverb says, “See Naples and die!” It testifies to the enduring attraction of this remarkable city, the third largest city in Italy and one of the most beautiful in the world. Approximately 190 kilometres southeast of Rome, the city is on the north side of the Bay of Naples. The bay juts […]
Susan Eloise Hinton is an American author, born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1950. As a young writer, Hinton decided to write under her initials in order to deflect attention from her gender. She set out to write about the difficult social system that teenagers create among themselves. Her books struck a chord with adolescents who […]
Most great cities have beautiful fountains, but in Rome they are a living part of the city. Italian poets have immortalized them in verse. One of Italy’s major composers, Ottorino Respighi, enshrined them in two richly descriptive symphonic poems. Books about Rome’s fountains published in Italian, French and English have contributed to their fame. The […]