The fruit took on cult status in China after Mao gifted his workers a box of mangoes sent from Pakistan.
collectors weekly
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Mao Mango Cult of 1968 and the Rise of China’s Working Class
“Apparently, Mao didn’t like fruit. It was an easy re-gift.”
Posted inNonfiction, Quotes
A Mystery Wrapped in an Engima, Then Shoved Under the Desk
Waste paper baskets: deeply symbolic, paradoxical items. Who knew?
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Existential Conundrum That Is the American Waste Paper Basket
“Until I read Paradox, I had not considered the possibility that waste paper baskets could be imbued with paradox, but Legrand has convinced me.”
Posted inNonfiction, Quotes
Before the Avon Lady, There Were a Bunch of Monks With a Bottle of Vinegar
Meet the lifestyle and wellness hawkers of 13th century Italy: the Monks of Santa Maria Novella.
Posted inEditor's Pick
When Medieval Monks Couldn’t Cure the Plague, They Launched a Luxe Skincare Line
Whether you were European royalty desperately seeking a cure for impotence or a working-class neighbor looking for the latest deodorant, Santa Maria Novella was the place to go.
Posted inFeatured, Nonfiction, Quotes
The Slow Death of Restaurant Kitsch
When minimalism goes down-market, where do the tchotchkes go?
Posted inNonfiction, Reading List, Top 5
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
Our favorite stories of the week, featuring The New Yorker, California Sunday, n+1, Boston Magazine, and Collectors Weekly.
Posted inNonfiction, Quotes
How the Hand Painted Rock ‘n’ Roll Billboards of the Sunset Strip Came to Be
Collectors Weekly: Who started the music industry’s billboard trend?
Landau: As far as I can tell, it was the Doors in 1967 for their debut album. I talked with Jac Holzman—the head of Elektra Records who signed the Doors—while writing my book. In 1967, he had just come out here from the East Coast and opened an office on La Cienega Boulevard, not far from Sunset Boulevard, and it occurred to him that billboards were being used for everything except promoting records and music. A lot of radio stations where popular disc jockeys worked were farther east on Sunset, and he knew they drove on the Strip, and that the entertainment industry in general was based there.
Posted inNonfiction, Reading List, Top 5
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
Below, our favorite stories of the week. Kindle users, you can also get them as a Readlist. Sign up to receive this list free every Friday in your inbox. * * *