Franklin Roosevelt could see it right in front of him. His chance. It was a late-June afternoon in San Francisco, the opening day of the Democratic Party's 1920 convention. Only a few paces away from him, a couple of overfed party functionaries were

My first “Everyday Heroes” column began with a suicidal veteran named Blade. He had served as a Marine Corps medic for an artillery unit in Iraq, and after returning home to California, he struggled with PTSD, nightmares, alcoholism, and sudden rage.

The night before I bought an abandoned house in the Tuscan hills, I couldn't sleep. For one thing, the church bells near the hotel rang not only the hour but sent out a few bonus clangs for quarter and half hours as well. I was about to get rope burn

When income tax was introduced in 1913, the annual filing date was set two months into the next year. But people had trouble finishing on time, so the filing date was moved back to March 15. Still, people had trouble finishing on time, so the deadlin

She went nose to nose with a llama on national television … told the world she could never have an affair because she didn't have the underwear for it … rode as grand marshal of the 1986 Tournament of Roses Parade … shopped on Beverly Hills’ Rodeo Dr

In the early 17th century, Captain John Smith of the Jamestown colony described North America's only marsupial as a cross between a pig, a rat, and a cat. With its pointed nose, beady eyes, and hairless tail, the Virginia opossum isn't winning any cu

In recent years, crowds have made enjoying our 63 national parks sadly difficult. So this year, plan your next outdoor vacation at one of the more than 6,000 state parks instead. State parks are bastions of breathtaking landscapes, historic landmarks

William has hunted ducks and other birds along the Mississippi River for more than 50 years. He and a group of fellow hunters gather at a hunting lodge owned by one of William's longtime friends. From the lodge, the group ventures out into the tall g

Another winter has come and gone and once again my dreams of looking better didn't materialize. I had intended to look like the man on the Harlequin Romance book covers, but I still have the same little ministerial potbelly I had at the first of the

HEART BEAT Internationally acclaimed cardiologist, professor, author, inventor, and authority on pacing and electrophysiology (rhythms of the heart) Being a physician has been a joyful but demanding endeavor, perhaps more challenging now than ever be

Doctors and researchers have long touted the benefits of spending time outdoors. With houseplants, you can bring some of those benefits indoors, too. According to research, houseplants can be beneficial for your health in several ways. Reduce stress

It's not easy to fully appreciate the majesty of California's giant redwood and sequoia trees. For one thing, how can you relate to the advanced age of these living organisms? Coastal redwoods can live up to 2,000 years — none has ever been known to

Unlike us, the rain proved tireless. All day we'd walked through the steady downpour falling on New Hampshire's White Mountains. Every few feet along the trail, my hiking companion — my mom — stooped to examine teensy wildflowers, water dripping from

This country is littered with dying small towns that lacked a plan B, one they should have had in place before the mill shut down or the factory moved to Mexico. Mount Shasta, California, and Ashland, Oregon, did it right. Located in the California-O

Taylor Swift is a huge celebrity. Let's agree on that. But what about Elon Musk? Stephen King? Are they true celebrities? Or are they just well known? Hard to remember in this era of Oscars, Grammys, and self-aggrandizing awards shows of every kind,

Flooded with so many sources of nutrition information in the world today, it's sometimes hard to know what's true. We turned to health experts to separate fact from fiction. Myth You should avoid all fats if you're trying to be healthy or lose weight

WINNER 2024 GREAT AMERICAN FICTION CONTEST Congratulations to Sophie Newman for winning the Post's 2024 Great American Fiction Contest with “Shanda.” This really is an excellent story and enjoyable read. It covers so many things all of us can relate

Originally published November 1, 1989 How did Steve Martin, a basically shy, almost introverted “nice guy,” become the goofball who paraded before thousands of people with bunny ears on his head? “You're not going to get into my past, are you?” Marti

Dinah was on a dogged hunt for Aunt Jane's recipe for purée Léontine. The day was sodden gray, as the past several weeks had been, and she had her heart set on the green soup — the concoction (wonderful word!) of spring-like things that always raised

Burly scrap dealer Nick Kovalchick, 50, could hardly believe what he'd just bought. Six steam locomotives, some still warm to the touch, dripped oil and collected dust in a turn-of-the-century roundhouse. Vintage coaches and hopper cars reposed on si

In June 2015, biology professor Colleen Hanlon went to a conference on drug dependence. As she met other researchers and wandered around a glitzy Phoenix resort's conference rooms to learn about the latest work on therapies for drug and alcohol use d

True story: Julia Child once made lunch for me in the kitchen of her Cambridge, Massachusetts, house. A tuna salad sandwich and what she called “crunchilly underdone” veggies. Yes, in that kitchen, the one now on display in the Smithsonian Institutio

This 1945 cover might remind some of our readers of the days when clocks and watches were only expected to tell time, when they weren't also a telephone and television, and when people were grateful for large public clocks that helped them keep appoi

After all the sumptuous holiday feasts, it's time to eat healthy and stay cozy. And in the Stone household, that means winter soups. I love to have a big pot simmering on the stove, filling the house with delicious aromas. Root vegetables are wonderf