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Great Americans
Great Americans: John Steinbeck Lives with Us Still
Sixty years after his death, the novelist’s broken, striving, stubborn country looks a lot like ours.
June 4, 2026
Major Garrett
Great Americans: The Man Who Birthed the Skyscraper
At the 1854 World’s Fair, Elisha Otis stepped into an elevator and had its rope cut, staking his life on a safety brake of his own invention. It caught…
June 3, 2026
Daniel Akst
Great Americans: Louis Armstrong
His feats of creativity reshaped American jazz—and found a way to say what needed saying through his music.
June 2, 2026
Joe Nocera
Great Americans: The Mensch on the Mound
Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax was, at one point, the most famous Jew in America and an athlete of genuine humility.
June 2, 2026
Joseph Epstein
Thomas Jefferson’s Last Wish
Introducing a month-long celebration of great Americans, starting with the author of the Declaration of Independence.
June 1, 2026
Jane Kamensky
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