Notanda 6.25
June 3, 2025: A Newsletter from Al Zambone and Historically Thinking
Dear friends,
First, you’ll have noticed that this newsletter is not only the first in…years…but it mysteriously came from Substack. That’s because we have slipped the surly bonds of MailChimp, and moved our list over to the Continuing Hotness here on Substack, meaning that Substack is almost certain to take a nosedive in the next couple of months.
Second, since Historically Thinking began in 2015, I’ve released over 400 episodes—and I am pretty proud that every one…nearly ever one, let’s be honest…is the result of thoughtful reading, conversation as meaningful as I can make it, and careful editing.
To preserve that standard, I’m making a small change: beginning this week, new episodes will now drop on Wednesday mornings. As I am now the sole employee of Historically Thinking, and have taken on the audio editing (which turns out to be really fun), this gives me a bit more space to prepare and polish. I want what you hear to continue to be worth your time and attention.
If you subscribe, nothing changes. But if you mark your calendar, adjust it by two days. I’ll be there on Wednesdays.
In the meantime, here are a few things I’ve been reading, pondering, and bookmarking in May.
Curiosities & Essays
🧓 Old Tom Parr and the Longevity Trade
You’ve probably seen references to Tom Parr in 18th-century writing. I had—but I didn’t realize he was a spry 152 years old when he made the fatal mistake of visiting London.
🛣 Obituary: The End of Roadside Attractions
My father never stopped at any. Which makes this oddly affecting.
🎧 The Compassion of Sound
Or: why Historically Thinking will never be a video chat show.
🙏 Ronald Reagan’s Guiding Light
I didn’t know anything about the Disciples of Christ—but this makes Ronald Reagan’s seemingly eclectic spirituality far more legible. At least it made sense for Disciples.
From Construction Physics (and Highly Recommended)
50 Things I’ve Learned Writing Construction Physics
Example: “Outside of a few brief windows, construction in the U.S. has never gotten cheaper.”
Why Can’t the U.S. Build Ships?
Spoiler: we never truly mastered the transition from wood to steel.
Urbanism, Memory, and the Strange
Liminal Space Discovered in Houston Airport
Walt Disney’s unintentional ghost of mass transit.
The City That Forgot Itself: Thessaloniki
A once-cosmopolitan city and its difficult 20th century.
We’re All Viennese Now
Hysterics, status-anxiety, and our shared central European neuroses.
Essay-Episode Callbacks
The 80,000-Year History of the Tomato
Episode 270: Great Tomatoes of World History
A Primer on Settler Colonialism
Episode 289: Peace and Friendship in the American West
Rome: What Lies Beneath
Episode 322: Roman Walks
Secret Societies at Mr. Jefferson's University
Episode 16: Mark Carnes on Playing Games with History
Einstein’s Note on Happiness
Episode 405: Free Creations
If something here sparks your interest, reply and let me know—and please share it with someone who also thinks historically, or probably ought to.
Warmly,
Al Zambone
Historian, host of Historically Thinking