20th Century Notes

John Herrman,"Giz Explains: Why Every Country Has a Different F#$%ing Plug," Gizmodo, 29 October, includes a helpful map of where a dozen different male plugs and female sockets are used around the world. Thanks to Manan Ahmed for the tip.

Jacob Silverman,"‘I Have Decided Not to Die'," VQR, Fall, reviews Grigoris Balakian's Armenian Golgotha and Peter Balakian's Black Dog of Fate: A Memoir.

Today marks the 71st anniversary of the Orson Welles's 1938 live radio production of H. G. Wells's story of a Martian invasion,"The War of the Worlds." Its realism apparently caused widespread panic in its radio audience. WaroftheWorldsTribute.com will live stream the original radio production tonight, beginning at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Nick Gillespie,"Ready for Her Close-Up," Wilson Quarterly, Autumn, reviews Jennifer Burns's Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right and Anne C. Heller's Ayn Rand and the World She Made.

Michael Tomasky,"In The Tank," TNR, 28 October, reviews Taylor Branch's The Clinton Tapes: Wrestling History with the President.