Search results for

Writer Tamim Ansary was born in Afghanistan, and his new book, Games Without Rules, traces the country's turbulent history over the past two centuries. The title refers both to the game played for control of Afghanistan and the popular sport of buzkashi, a sort of chaotic polo played with a goat carcass.

The Price of Democracy tells the history of taxation from colonization to the present day. It's essential reading for anyone who cares about preserving democracy.

The effort is focused on bringing the organization in line with President Trump's cultural directives ahead of the country's 250th anniversary celebrations.

Journalist, novelist and playwright Thulani Davis traces her roots in My Confederate Kinfolk: a Twenty-First Century Freedwoman Discovers Her Roots. Among the revelations Davis uncovered was that her ancestors include a Scots-Irish clan of cotton planters as well as Africans from Sierra Leone.

The introduction of Umaru Musa Yar'Adua as Nigeria's new president marks a significant point in the nation's history — the first time since independence from Britain in 1960 that Nigeria has witnessed the peaceful transition of power from one elected civilian leader to another.

In the second part of our series examining our perceptions of history, novelist Robert Harris speaks with Steve Inskeep about how the history of Rome is reflected in our modern-day world. Harris sees parallels between the time of Rome's transition from republican to imperial rule and the challenges the U.S. faces now.

Congress opens its investigation into the cause of the largest electrical outage in U.S. history. Two other probes -- one by a joint U.S.-Canadian task force and the other by the North American Electric Reliability Council -- are already under way. Analysts express concern over possible conflicting recommendations. Hear NPR's David Kestenbaum.