Damn Interesting

Author: J. A. Macfarlane • Page 1/2

J. A. Macfarlane is among other things a curmudgeonly scribe, a Shakespearean scholar, and a persnickety stylist with a particular penchant for alliterative prose. He ekes out a living as an editor and proofreader in both French and English, and is always willing to consider taking on new projects, particularly interesting ones.
Curio/Podcast:

A Taste of Italy

In the mid-1800s, Italy was consumed by two parallel fights: one to rid itself of Austrian domination (a holdover fro...
Written by J. A. Macfarlane • 14 May 2021 • Read/Listen →
Long-Form/Podcast:

Fifteen Years Forsaken

A true story of castaways on a lost and hostile scrap of land, all thanks to some meddlesome Frenchmen and terrible luck.
Written by J. A. Macfarlane • 28 Apr 2021 • Read/Listen →
Curio/Podcast:

The Comforts of the Throne

In the days when hunting was a more common pursuit than it is today, those involved in the job cultivated a taxonomy...
Written by J. A. Macfarlane • 18 Mar 2021 • Read/Listen →
Curio/Podcast:

Haydn and Seek

It can be tough to give the boss a hint, but it was even more difficult back in the days of domestic servitude when t...
Written by J. A. Macfarlane • 25 Jan 2021 • Read/Listen →
Curio/Podcast:

Buzzing on the Green

Popeye the Sailor is well known for his penchant for spinach, and the popularity of the character led to generations...
Written by J. A. Macfarlane • 12 Jan 2021 • Read/Listen →
Curio:

Apparent Homicide

The self-castrating devotees of Inanna in ancient Mesopotamia are evidence enough that religious fanatics can demonst...
Written by J. A. Macfarlane • 19 Oct 2017 • Read →
Curio:

The Making of the Archetypal Englishman

Jonas Hanway (1712–1786) may be the most contradictory character ever involved in the formation of British culture. O...
Written by J. A. Macfarlane • 06 Jul 2017 • Read →
Curio/Podcast:

Do Not Go Lulled Into That Good Night

While today’s vision of the conductor is that of the be-tuxedoed individual standing in front of an orchestra holding...
Written by J. A. Macfarlane • 17 Nov 2016 • Read/Listen →
Curio:

The Sack of Champagne

It is a cliché that Shakespeare ranks among the great inventors of the English language, a commonly-believed fallacy...
Written by J. A. Macfarlane • 01 Sep 2016 • Read →
Curio/Podcast:

The Cantaloupe Peril

Serving your melon with a layer of prosciutto around it may simply seem like one of the many lovely contributions of...
Written by J. A. Macfarlane • 01 Jul 2016 • Read/Listen →
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