History’s great atrocities are blamed on tyrants or mobs, but it was also clerks, administrators, and middle managers who made all this mayhem possible.
Born into an affluent family, Patricia Hearst was likely used to the public’s attention by the time she was 19, but then her whole life turned upside-down. What followed was one of the most sensationalized cases ever faced in America. Seen as a domestic terrorist by some, and a hero by others, Patricia would live to answer for her actions and provide her side of the story—even if the details remain foggy to this day.
We're still learning amazing new things about the brain even after more than 2,000 years of study.
The United States of America was barely formed when Abraham Lincoln took power. The 16th person to hold the office of president, he inherited an America that was increasingly divided. Lincoln fought to close that divide, and his noble nature earned him the nickname of “Honest Abe”. To some, this reputation contributed to him being considered the country’s greatest president—while for others, he’s become a caricature of history. So, who was the man behind the title? Was Honest Abe really so honorable? Let’s find out.
By turns tragic, misunderstood, power-hungry, and traumatized, King Richard II was one of the most notorious monarchs to sit on the English throne. Shakespeare may have immortalized Richard's villainous reign, but his true story is both darker and much more complicated than all that. Dust off that hollow crown and read these facts about Richard II.
Famous for her iconic hair styles, lavish soirées, and political activism, Georgiana Cavendish was the toast of the town. But as the high society beauty struggled with her cruel husband, illicit affairs, and gambling addiction, her popularity plummeted. Banished, mistreated, and heartbroken, Georgiana would learn that money and parties can’t buy happiness. Like her tragic descendant Princess Diana, the Duchess of Devonshire led both a charmed and a cursed life.
Pat Garrett was the New Mexico lawman remembered for one moment etched in time: his deadly confrontation with Billy the Kid in 1881.
William Randolph Hearst wasn’t just the scion of the Hearst dynasty—he was a king-making media magnate. But his penchant for sensational “yellow” journalism, rivalries with competing newspapers, and scandalous affairs nearly depleted the family fortune.
From the very beginning, Daisy and Violet Hilton were doomed to a heartbreaking end. As conjoined twins, their rise to fame was synonymous with exploitation and prejudice. Poked, prodded, and called "freaks" by audiences everywhere, they grew up in a world void of love. But that's not the saddest part. Just when the tide began to turn, the Hilton twins faced their most disturbing chapter of all.
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