December 1990

We asked dozens of historians to play detective and tell us what case in all of American history they would most like to see cracked

Governor Mario Cuomo of New York has used history as a guide and a solace for a good part of his life.

Fewer than half of O. Henry’s short stories actually take place in New York, but we still see the city through his eyes.

In the early 60s, it was going to revolutionize American education. By the early 70s, it had confounded a generation of schoolchildren. Today, it is virtually forgotten. But, as we head toward another round of educational reforms, we should recall why it went wrong.

Giving the men who died aboard America’s first battleship a decent funeral took 14 years, three-quarters of a million dollars, and some hair-raising engineering. But, in the end, they did it right.