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The Danish Deadhead
On May 3, 2023 by ElyseOn a recent visit to Copenhagen, I fell in love with the scenic waterfront, the pastries, the castles and gardens, the pastries, the attractive men, and did I mention the pastries? While none of these are fodder for a history blog, they did send me scurrying to the historical newspapers. There, I stumbled across a
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Two Arms Are Better Than One: A Play in One Act
On April 19, 2023 by ElyseSecond Glance History’s brand-new, ripped-from-the-headlines production has as much nail-biting suspense as 2019’s “Behind Enemy Lines” and as much heart as 2020’s “Letters from the Front Lines.” Five out of five stars! – A totally real and not at all imaginary theater critic Special thanks to the Stark Country Democrat (July 29, 1880) for the
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Romeo Gone Wrong
On February 8, 2023 by ElyseIt’s that time of year again: cliché greeting cards, overpriced supermarket chocolate and for Second Glance History readers, cringeworthy tales of all the ways love can turn sour. History teaches us that all it takes is a misplaced coffin, one small yawn at your wedding or a passing resemblance to your mother, and you might
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The Marathon Musician
On January 11, 2023 by ElyseDo you remember last year’s epic story about our friend James Waterbury, the champion piano torturer? It turns out there’s a spinoff starring one of his chief adversaries, Charles Wright: After practicing on a piano for twenty-seven consecutive hours, a Michigan near-Paderewski was removed to a sanatorium, and will probably die. What happened to the
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Brussels Bonanza
On April 27, 2022 by ElyseDear readers, I have good news or bad news, depending on whether you read this blog for entertainment or out of obligation: Second Glance History is going on a semi-hiatus. Life has taken a surprising turn, and I was unexpectedly offered a position abroad. Can you guess where? Jumping through bureaucratic hoops and moving across
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Eggnog Eggcess
On April 13, 2022 by ElyseAh, the sweet signs of spring: birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, and eggnog consumption is soaring. As we learned last year, with this boozy beverage in hand, your Easter celebrations can be just as merry as your Christmas festivities. Sadly, no matter what time of year you indulge, there’s always somebody out there trying
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The Perfect Foot
On March 30, 2022 by ElyseFolks, put on your comically oversized nightcap—or pour yourself one—because this week, I have another Cinderella-esque fairy tale to read you. Since this blog is not yet available in podcast form, you’ll have to imagine my dulcet tones and/or high-pitched squeaks as you go along. Once upon a time, in the not-so-faraway land of Chicago,
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Bearbnb
On March 16, 2022 by ElyseWhether it’s a thief running through the hallway in his underwear or a night spent inside a whale, everyone has a hotel horror story. For me, it was the giant, unidentified insect I found crawling around the bathtub in a rural South Dakota motel. I may or may not have screamed. However, with some hindsight,
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A Boring Page of the Gilded Age
On March 2, 2022 by ElyseOne who reads this book through will have as rough a mental journey as his physical nature would undergo in riding over a corduroy road in an old stage-coach. It makes no pretension to either scholarship or elegant diction. – Ward McAllister, Society as I Have Found It, 1890 No, dear readers, that is not