The Beginnings of Investigative Journalism

James Greenwood started out as a printer. Later, he began writing adventure tales before entering journalism. As a journalist, he was the first to go undercover for research and to invent investigative journalism in the process. His subsequent writing was nothing short of revolutionary.

 

The Transvestite Surgeon

Dr James Barry studied at Edinburgh and qualified with a Medical Doctorate. He entered the army and had a sterling career there. But not all things were as they seemed at the time. Who was Dr James Barry?

How to Dress Your Concubine For Dinner

Shi Hu Jilong called himself Emperor of China; a charming affectation that expressed his ambition of once ruling all of China. To further this ambition, he not only depopulated whole cities, he also gave lavish parties. To impress his guests, he put up a lavish display and served only the best at his table. Tale of his banquets survived; his ambition died with him. 

Abolition of Slavery: A Purely Financial Decision

In 1783, a scandal in the slave trade of Great Britain rocked the economy. The court case that ensued sparked righteous outrage throughout the country. It was the beginning of the end of slavery. And the outrage that had gripped the general public had nothing to do at all with slavery. 

Borussia: Not (Quite) Soccer History

Two leading German soccer teams use the word Borussia as part of their name: Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Monchengladbach. The latter's stadium is called Borussia-Park, too. While everybody uses the word Borussia as a matter of course, do you know what it really means and where it came from?