Talking Internet history, and 1995
I had the pleasure recently to be interviewed by the Internet History Podcast, an outstanding and expanding online resource based on the recognition that 1995 was a turning point in … Continue reading
Clinton, his portrait, and the persistent shadow of scandal
The long reach of 1995 was reconfirmed the other day in the interview a portrait artist gave to a Philadelphia tabloid. The artist, Nelson Shanks, said in the interview that … Continue reading
‘The Internet? Bah!’ Classic off-target essay appeared 20 years ago
Tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary of the publication date of a commentary about the Internet so breathtakingly off target that it has become something of an online cult classic. The … Continue reading
Dow opening today at record: Reminiscent of 1995
The Dow Jones Industrial Average opens this morning at an all-time record high, having topped 18,140 points in trading Friday. It’s faintly reminiscent of the Dow’s cracking another barrier, that … Continue reading
Part Two: Interview takes up scandal, and ’90s ‘zeitgeist’
My interview with Nick Gillespie, editor-in-chief of Reason.com and Reason TV, took up the affair between President Bill Clinton and White House intern Monica Lewinsky — a furtive and improbable dalliance … Continue reading
Part One: Highlights of ‘1995’ interview with Reason.com
Nick Gillespie, editor-in-chief of Reason.com and Reason TV, recently spoke with me about my latest book, 1995: The Year the Future Began. The video and the transcript of the interview … Continue reading
20 years on: Recalling O.J.’s wretched bestseller
Claiming top spot on the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list 20 years ago was a wretched, narcissistic little book nominally written by O.J. Simpson, who then was on trial … Continue reading
O.J. and DNA: Applying the ‘Page 99 Test’ to ‘1995’
The “Page 99 Test” holds that the contents of page 99 offer revealing insight about the rest of the book. It is an intriguing if serendipitous approach to assessing quality, … Continue reading
Lewinsky’s essay was solid: But award-winning?
It was no small surprise that Monica Lewinsky today was named a finalist for a National Magazine Award, for her lengthy Vanity Fair essay lamenting the lasting notoriety of her … Continue reading
Much tedium, little drama in CNN rehash of Simpson trial
CNN billed its hour-long program last night about the O.J. Simpson murder trial as revisiting the “drama of the century.” It was hardly that. It was a tedious show that … Continue reading