Pet dogs were forbidden in the capital of Iceland until the ban was finally lifted in 1984
When John Gotti ordered the murder of his boss, “Big Paul” Castellano, outside Sparks Steak House, it became “the hit of the century”
“I pity the fool!” Mr. T. started out as a Chicago bouncer and a bodyguard for celebrities Steve McQueen, Michael Jackson, and Diana Ross
When Athelhampton House’s owner died in 1598, his four daughters equally divided the manor and it remained divided for 250 years
Portugal’s wondrous azulejos: Ceramic art touted by a 15th century king, revived and cherished in the 20th century
Mary Austin: The friend who inspired and supported Freddie Mercury, and inherited a portion of his wealth
The early version of chess was chaturanga, a 7th century AD Indian board game of elephants, generals, and chariots
The Seven Sisters of Moscow: The peculiar history of Stalin’s Skyscrapers
The sinking of the HMS Birkenhead: The event that gave rise to the “women and children first” protocol
Simon & Garfunkel’s “Mrs. Robinson,” originally titled “Mrs. Roosevelt” as a tribute to Eleanor Roosevelt, was reworked for “The Graduate”
