In the late 19th century, Americans were still trying to figure out why they died of horrible diseases all the time. At this time, the idea of contagion was just beginning to gain acceptance, which wo
Good conversation between Thomas Frank and Barry Lynn over the history of monopoly and politics in the United States connecting the two Gilded Ages, how Americans tamed monopoly, and how monopoly came
I realize I am really scraping the bottom of the relevance barrel here, but I am now fascinated with Gilded Age presidential pets as a way to not write my book. For instance, did you know that Preside
By 1896, the beard trend of the Gilded Age was fading, especially among younger men. The Civil War vets would keep their grizzled old beards, but the Progressives would eschew such resplendent facial
A cowboy poet/singer in the early 20th century talking about the glories of evaporated milk: Carnation milk, best in the lan’ Comes to the table in a little red can. No teats to pull, no hay to
Why has Farley never written on this statue in Lexington of General John Morgan and his mare Bess? See, Bess has testicles because the sculptor felt it wasn’t manly enough for a general to be ri
Good stuff here on shaving and masculinity in Gilded Age Britain. In an era when shaving could be a real health risk, crazy beards made sense. The situation, both in its gendered and public health fac
In Gilded Age cities, people were separated from meat production for the first time in American history. Even in early 19th century American cities, meat was produced nearby. Pork could be something o