In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss President Biden’s first year in office.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• Public opinion of President Biden’s first year in office is polarized. Neil and Niki referred to Jamelle Bouie’s New York Times opinion piece comparing Biden and Reagan’s first years as president. Neil also discussed the POLITICO/Morning Consult report card on Biden’s first year. Natalia drew on this POLITICO essay about the substantial time remaining for the Biden administration to prove itself.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed Rainesford Stauffer’s new Teen Vogue advice column “Work in Progress” and Elizabeth Spiers’ New York Times guest essay, “In Defense of Jeremy Strong (And All The Strivers With No Chill).”
• Neil reflected on the death of fashion editor André Leon Talley.
• Niki recommended Rebecca Traister’s book Big Girls Don’t Cry: The Election That Changed Everything for American Women.

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the historical significance of the current craze over the online game Wordle.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• When a Brooklyn software engineer designed a word game as an act of love, he didn’t know Wordle would become an online phenomenon. Neil referred to this Smithsonian Magazine article on the history of the crossword puzzle and Niki to the history of mahjong.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia shared Stephanie H. Murray’s The Week article, “Politics Closed American Schools Last Year. Now Politics Are Keeping Them Open.”
• Neil recommended Emily Hopkins and Melissa Sanchez’ ProPublica article, “Chicago’s ‘Race-Neutral’ Traffic Cameras Ticket Black and Latino Drivers The Most.”
• Niki discussed John Ortved’s New York Times article, “That Cloud of Smoke is Not a Mirage.”

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss the history of rest and relaxation.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• As boundaries between work and home have become blurred during the pandemic, Americans have been thinking more deliberately about rest and relaxation. Neil drew on Judith Shulevitz’ New York Times piece about “bringing back the Sabbath” and this Atlantic review about her book on this topic. Natalia referred to historian Sarah Milov’s history of the cigarette and her discussion of the office “smoke break.”

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia shared the C-SPAN lesson plan based on the lecture she gave on “The Making of American Fitness Culture.”
• Neil discussed Brittany Gibson’s POLITICO piece, “They Stormed the Capitol. Now They’re Running for Office.”
• Niki recommended Brad Plumer’s Vox article, “How America Got Addicted to Road Salt—And Why That’s A Problem.”

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss the historical significance of the January 6, 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• As we approach the one-year anniversary of the Capitol riots, pundits have reflected on how much of a turning point it was. Natalia referred to this Washington Post piece by Sam Tanenhaus and Kerry Howley’s New York profile of three rioters. Niki wrote about the longer slide toward illiberalism that the riots represented, and Neil cited a New York piece by Rick Perlstein that considered the incident in the longer context of American authoritarianism.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed Molly Young’s New York Times Magazine article “How Disgust Explains Everything.”
• Neil recommended Robert W. Fieseler’s book, Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Upstairs Lounge Fire and The Rise of Gay Liberation.
• Niki shared Max Tani’s POLITICO article, “Lawrence O’Donnell Was on TV Life Support. Now He’s MSNBC’s Most Critical Anchor.”