In 1776, the 13 Colonies declared their independence from Britain, formed a nation, and fought a war to gain their sovereignty. Right? Wrong, according to historian Joseph J. Ellis, who puts to rest one of the most persistent myths of our national history: that the United States was founded in 1776. Instead, he explains, the US of that pivotal year was never meant to last—the Union was merely a stopgap measure put in place until after the British were defeated.
by Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus with Mary Jordan and Kevin Sullivan
For ten years, Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight were kept chained up in the home of a school-bus driver who raped and regularly berated the girls. In that time, Berry kept a diary, which forms the basis of Hope. It’s told in conjunction with one of her fellow captives and two Washington Post reporters. The result is a profoundly disturbing tale, told with astonishing candor.
Shakespeare did not die a famed, lauded genius. It took two friends several years to assemble his plays in book form (now called the First Folio), ensuring that Shakespeare’s legacy not only survived, but flourished. Without it, he might still be considered a minor author skipped over in most high-school literature classes. And without Henry Folger—who helped run Standard Oil in its heyday but lived for Shakespeare memorabilia—the largest collection of Shakespeareana in the world, in DC’s Folger Shakespeare Library, might not exist. Mays traces these two stories at once.
Hillary writes about interiors, real estate, arts, and culture. She is the former digital media editor of The New Republic, and her work has also been published in Glamour, The New York Times Book Review, and The Washington Post, among others. You can follow her on Instagram @hillarylouisekelly or on Pinterest @hlkelly.
3 Must-Read Books for May
New books Washingtonians should be reading.
The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution, 1783-1789
by Joseph J. Ellis
In 1776, the 13 Colonies declared their independence from Britain, formed a nation, and fought a war to gain their sovereignty. Right? Wrong, according to historian Joseph J. Ellis, who puts to rest one of the most persistent myths of our national history: that the United States was founded in 1776. Instead, he explains, the US of that pivotal year was never meant to last—the Union was merely a stopgap measure put in place until after the British were defeated.
Hope: A Memoir of Survival in Cleveland
by Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus with Mary Jordan and Kevin Sullivan
For ten years, Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight were kept chained up in the home of a school-bus driver who raped and regularly berated the girls. In that time, Berry kept a diary, which forms the basis of Hope. It’s told in conjunction with one of her fellow captives and two Washington Post reporters. The result is a profoundly disturbing tale, told with astonishing candor.
The Millionaire and the Bard
by Andrea Mays
Shakespeare did not die a famed, lauded genius. It took two friends several years to assemble his plays in book form (now called the First Folio), ensuring that Shakespeare’s legacy not only survived, but flourished. Without it, he might still be considered a minor author skipped over in most high-school literature classes. And without Henry Folger—who helped run Standard Oil in its heyday but lived for Shakespeare memorabilia—the largest collection of Shakespeareana in the world, in DC’s Folger Shakespeare Library, might not exist. Mays traces these two stories at once.
Hillary Kelly is a freelance writer in Washington.
This article appears in our May 2015 issue of Washingtonian.
Hillary writes about interiors, real estate, arts, and culture. She is the former digital media editor of The New Republic, and her work has also been published in Glamour, The New York Times Book Review, and The Washington Post, among others. You can follow her on Instagram @hillarylouisekelly or on Pinterest @hlkelly.
Most Popular in News & Politics
See a Spotted Lanternfly? Here’s What to Do.
Meet DC’s 2025 Tech Titans
Patel Dined at Rao’s After Kirk Shooting, Nonviolent Offenses Led to Most Arrests During Trump’s DC Crackdown, and You Should Try These Gougères
The “MAGA Former Dancer” Named to a Top Job at the Kennedy Center Inherits a Troubled Program
Trump Travels One Block From White House, Declares DC Crime-Free; Barron Trump Moves to Town; and GOP Begins Siege of Home Rule
Washingtonian Magazine
September Issue: Style Setters
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
Why a Lost DC Novel Is Getting New Attention
These Confusing Bands Aren’t Actually From DC
11 Fall Book Sales in the DC Area You Won’t Want to Miss
Fiona Apple Wrote a Song About This Maryland Court-Watching Effort
More from News & Politics
Administration Steps Up War on Comedians, Car Exhibition on the Mall Canceled After Tragedy, and Ted Leonsis Wants to Buy D.C. United
What Happens After We Die? These UVA Researchers Are Investigating It.
Why a Lost DC Novel Is Getting New Attention
Bondi Irks Conservatives With Plan to Limit “Hate Speech,” DC Council Returns to Office, and Chipotle Wants Some Money Back
GOP Candidate Quits Virginia Race After Losing Federal Contracting Job, Trump Plans Crackdown on Left Following Kirk’s Death, and Theatre Week Starts Thursday
5 Things to Know About “Severance” Star Tramell Tillman
See a Spotted Lanternfly? Here’s What to Do.
Patel Dined at Rao’s After Kirk Shooting, Nonviolent Offenses Led to Most Arrests During Trump’s DC Crackdown, and You Should Try These Gougères