She Gave Birth to Rabbits! (and Other Tales of Sooterkin)
Fancies breed strange children.
The French King Who Believed He Was Made of Glass
King Charles VI of France was the most exalted representative of a rash of “Glass Men,” who appeared throughout Europe between the 15th and 17th centuries.
The Ultimate Bespoke Manuscript
In The Miscellany of Iskandar Sultan, sections of text stack on top of one another, interlaced like fretwork. Bursts of flowers and tangles of vines fill the empty spaces.
The Other Alexander the Great
Stories emerged in the centuries after Alexander the Great’s death. They revolved around Alexander’s failures, not his victories. The portrait that emerges is strangely poignant.
The Secret Sign Language of the Ottoman Court
Deaf servants were favored companions of the Ottoman sultan, and their facility in nonverbal communication made them indispensable to the court.
Ancient Maps Are Mirrors for the Ancient Psyche
Maps from the distant past look nothing like the world…
