Books
November 28, 2025

Mark Twain Was the First Person To Use a Typewriter To Write a Novel

In his 1904 autobiography, Mark Twain asserted that he was the “first person in the world who ever had a telephone in his house for practical purposes.” He also purported to be the first writer to use a typewriter for what he called “manuscript work.” As one of the world’s most prolific authors, Twain was no stranger to hyperbole, and yet his claim about his typewritten manuscript seems historically accurate.

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Portrait Photography
November 28, 2025

Annie Leibovitz’s ‘Women’ Book Is a Daring Quest Into the Heart of Contemporary Womanhood

For Annie Leibovitz, there is perhaps no more fruitful of a subject than women. “Women are a work in progress,” the photographer remarked in a 2016 interview with the New York Times. “To my dying day, I’ll be doing these photographs.” If the work of photographing women is forever ongoing, then Phaidon’s reprint of her 1999 classic, Women, is an ambitious continuation of that mission.

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Travel
November 27, 2025

Explore ‘90s Japan With 100 Soundscapes Celebrating Its Natural and Cultural Sounds

Japan captures the imagination of travelers everywhere, and those fortunate enough to visit often find themselves blown away by its breathtaking beauty. From cherry blossom season and zen gardens to ancient temples and Mount Fuji, there’s so much to see. However, Japan’s magic isn’t only in what meets the eye—it’s also in the sounds that fill the air.

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History
November 27, 2025

Mark Twain Shared 60 American Dishes He Missed the Most While Traveling Abroad

Mark Twain is often hailed as one of America’s greatest writers, partly due to his deep love for his homeland. His life was spent in various regions of the United States; he grew up in Missouri, piloted steamboats along the Mississippi, mined in Nevada, wrote in California, and even ventured as far as the Sandwich Islands (now Hawaii). Much of Twain’s writing draws from these real-life experiences.

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My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.