Ancient Rome never had an industrial revolution. Granted, certain historians have objected now and again to that once-settled claim, gesturing toward large heaps of pottery discovered in garbage dumps and other such artifacts clearly produced in large numbers. Still, the fact remains that Ancient Rome never had an industrial revolution of the kind that fired […]

…might not be the same as making an impact. Making a point doesn’t take very long and it can be gratifying in the moment. Making an impact happens over time, and rarely brings the same sort of short-term glee.

We’ve long used the French word milieu in English, but not with quite the same range of meanings it has back in France. For example, French society (and especially the members of its older generations) explicitly recognizes the value of a milieu in the sense of the collected friends, acquaintances, and relations with whom one has […]

Often, the things we want the most aren’t directly related to the things we need. In fact, they might be very similar to things we already have. Wants are fueled by stories, and stories come from culture and connection and marketing, not from our actual physical or spiritual needs.

“Early cookbooks were fit for kings,” writes Henry Notaker at The Atlantic. “The oldest published recipe collections” in the 15th and 16th centuries in Western Europe “emanated from the palaces of monarchs, princes, and grand señores.” Cookbooks were more than recipe collections—they were guides to court etiquette and sumptuous records of luxurious living. In ancient […]