Thu. 08/25 - The Fantasy of History

<p><strong><em>Invented traditions. Reimagined visions of the past. History is never free from our present-day biases, but the way we talk about the past often says more about us than the past itself. From the Disneyification of the Middle Ages to the aristocratic invention of Santa Claus in 1800s New York City, let’s talk about how pervading myths reveal the values of those who created them and continue to affect us today.</em></strong></p><p>Sponsors:</p><ul><li>Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at <a href="http://shopify.com/cool" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">shopify.com/cool</a></li><li>Indeed, Get a free $75 credit PLUS earn up to $500 extra in sponsored job credits with Indeed’s Virtual Interviews at <a href="http://indeed.com/goodnews" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Indeed.com/goodnews</a></li></ul><p>Links:</p><ul><li><a href="https://hyperallergic.com/753042/fantasy-of-the-middle-ages-getty-center/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">What Our Fantasies About the European “Middle Ages” Say About Us</a> (Hyperallergic)</li><li><a href="https://www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/fantasy/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Fantasy of the Middle Ages</a> (Getty)</li><li><a href="https://www.getty.edu/research/exhibitions_events/exhibitions/reinventing_americas/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Reinventing the Américas: Construct. Erase. Repeat.</a> (Getty)</li><li><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/pumpkin-the-curious-history-of-an-american-icon/9780295991955" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pumpkin: The Curious History of an American Icon</a> by Cindy Ott</li><li><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-battle-for-christmas-a-social-and-cultural-history-of-our-most-cherished-holiday/9780679740384" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Battle for Christmas: A Social and Cultural History of Our Most Cherished Holiday</a> by Stephen Nissenbaum&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/christmas-a-candid-history-9780520251045/97805