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J.R.R. Tolkien, Using a Tape Recorder for the First Time, Reads from The Hobbit for 30 Minutes (1952)

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When Two Filmmakers Make the Same Movie — and One of Them Is Werner Herzog

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The Birth of Espresso: The Story Behind the Coffee Shots That Fuel Modern Life

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Woody Guthrie Creates a Doodle-Filled List of 33 New Year’s Resolutions (1943): Beat Fascism, Write a Song a Day, and Keep the Hoping Machine Running

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What’s Entering the Public Domain in 2026: Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying, All Quiet on the Western Front, Betty Boop & More

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The Mystery of How a Samurai Ended up in 17th Century Venice

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J. R. R. Tolkien Admitted to Disliking Dune “With Some Intensity” (1966)

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Brian Eno’s Book & Music Recommendations

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How Far Back in History Can You Start to Understand English?

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How to Jumpstart Your Creative Process with William S. Burroughs’ Cut-Up Technique

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Salvador Dalí’s Surreal Jewelry Designs: From Throbbing Heart Necklaces to Medusa Brooches

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Discover the First Depiction of Santa Claus (and Its Origins in Civil War Propaganda)

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Discover 20 Historical Christmas Recipes: Fruitcake, Gingerbread, Figgy Pudding & More

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Top 10 Alternative Christmas Movie Lists: Horror, Action, Comedy & More

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The Life and Work of Afrobeat Creator Fela Kuti Explored by Radiolab’s Jad Abumrad

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What Pompeii Looked Like Hours Before Its Destruction: A Reconstruction

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Langston Hughes’ Homemade Christmas Cards From 1950

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Hunter S. Thompson Sets His Christmas Tree on Fire, Nearly Burning His House Down (1990)

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A Visual Timeline of World History: Watch the Rise & Fall of Civilizations Over 5,000 Years

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Hear Debussy Play Debussy: A Vintage Recording from 1913

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