“Maritime supremacy is the key which unlocks most, if not all, large questions of modern history … how and why we—the Western democracies—are as we are.” This is the author’s bold thesis, first advanced in Maritime Supremacy... Read More

Most scholars and laypeople agree that Thomas Jefferson was a Renaissance man. But scholarly treatments of his accomplishments in government, literature, philosophy, and invention omit his influence on the culinary world. Curious minds... Read More

Everyone is talking about Jane Austen and thats the problem, according to the author. The greater the “Jane” sensation, the less we know about the real Jane Austen. Auerbach wants to stage an intervention in the popular perception of... Read More

After 9/11 the threat of global terrorism and its impact on business and economy became frighteningly clear, from stock market drops to effects on business operations and security. “Terrorists weaken industry and society,” writes the... Read More

With both amigos laughing riotously “Oh Pancho!” “Oh Cisco!” were the enduring closing lines of each "The Cisco Kid" television show from 1950 to 1956. Starring Duncan Renaldo and Leo Carrillo they were the Don Quixote and Sancha... Read More

Not yet an Asian Tiger in the mold of Thai or Vietnamese cooking, Indonesia is rich with indigenous, is-land-food sensibilities complemented by Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, British, and Spanish influences. Over the past 500 years,... Read More

Comic art has entered an unprecedented global upswing. If comics now signify art, then the wordless graphic novel has a claim on the highest art yet achieved. Perhaps the absence of dialogue impels the artist—a small number of artists... Read More

A culinary tour of the west coast wouldn’t be complete without visiting Chez Panisse in Berkeley. Therein we discover A Platter of Figs and Other Recipes: A Year of Menus For a Table of Friends (Artisan, 978-1-57965-346-0), the newly... Read More