Wilhelm Lamszus: Oracle of Doom

In 1912, Wilhelm Lamszus published his anti-war novel The Human Slaughterhouse. It was a vision of the Armageddon of World War I still to come. The book was written for a young audience, but received general interest and much acclaim. It became an unlikely bestseller and a thorn in the side of the Kaiser.

Wilhelm Lamszus

Nicolaus Copernicus: A National Treasure

German and Polish historians have been wasting their time over an issue of nationality. Is the eminent astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus German of Polish? Whole tomes have been filled with learned dissertations proving the one or the other to the author's liking. I do have an answer to that question, and nobody will like it. 

Nicolaus Copernicus

Johann Sebastian Bach: Christmas Oratorio

For over 100 years, Johann Sebastian Bach's Christmas Oratorio lay in archives. The sheets were rediscovered around 1850. Music historians were amazed and excited, then bemused and dismayed: Johann Sebastian Bach had composed important parts of the work before. At places he plagiarized earlier compositions into the oratorio. The originals, however, had had very different texts, and they hadn't been intended for Christmas recitals.

Johann Sebastian Bach

The Widely Ignored Parts of Le Corbusier's Biography

Le Corbusier is hailed as a great architect. He is depicted on the Swiss 10 Franc note. At his funeral in 1965, tributes from all over the world poured into Paris. It is time to have a look at the real Le Corbusier and what he stood for.

Must Read Classic: Wilhelm Lamszus

Wilhelm Lamszus was the visionary who wrote the most realistic description of World War I two years before it started. He also managed to do this without any hero clap trap and emotional arms selling. He stuck to the bloody, gory details he foresaw so correctly. It's no wonder Hollywood never wanted to do the movie.

Wilhelm Lamszus

Prime Minister Well Cooked

Johan de Witt was Grand Pensionary of Holland, an office with powers similar to that of a Prime Minister cum Foreign Secretary all rolled into one. He led the country during the first stadtholder-less time from 1650 to 1672 when Republicans saw their chance to get more power for themselves and their families at the expense of the hereditary House of Orange.

Victoria Beckham and Her Circus Horse

Victoria Beckham owns at least one circus horse. Didn't you know that? I have incontrovertible proof of it. The pictures were taken in England. And once you look at them and consider the implications, it must be quite obvious to you, too.

Victoria Beckham

Catholic London: It's Anecdotal

When a catholic priest tells anecdotes about well known and less well known people levitating around the power center of Britain, don't expect earth shaking revelations. Have some fun laughing about people you don't like anyhow and get some insights into some people you shouldn't like, but did so far. Sinners And Saints by Father Michael Seed was published by Metro Publishing. 

Mother Teresa

Anna Goeldi, Last Witch

Anna Göldi was one of the last victims of the superstitious belief in witches in Europe. The legal proceedings took place in Glarus, Switzerland, a Republic that had been very reticent on holding such trials through the entire witch craze. Historians had been puzzled why a witch trial should have been held as late as 1782 there, until they discovered proof that there had been two trials going on at the same time.

Monica Seles on Yo-Yo Diets

JR Books published Getting A Grip by Monica Seles. The autobiography gives an insight into women’s tennis, dieting, and binge eating. Monica tells the story of fame, her very own nightmare and the demons hounding her.

Monica Seles

Roger Federer Has Created a Monster

Roger Federer will end the season with an ATP world ranking position of 6. He hasn't been ranked so low since 2002 when he ended the year on the same ranking. Has the career of Roger Federer ended because of that? Ask the guys ranked in above the 100 mark what they would think of being ranked in the top 10. So what can we expect for Roger Federer in 2014?

Wilhelm Lamszus: Human Slaughterhouse

Wilhelm Lamszus wrote a disturbing prophecy with his bestseller "The Human Slaughterhouse – Pictures of the Coming War". In 1912, the German teacher anticipated the horrors of World War I in his novel.

President Thomas Jefferson Was a Slave Owner

Who said: "We believe that all men are created equal"? I suppose it all comes down to what definition you apply to "men." One of the first presidents of the United States was a well-known slave owner. Meanwhile, we have the first Afro-American President in the White House. Annette Gordon-Reed’s The Hemingses Of Monticello: An American Family was published by Norton as it a timely reminder of a second family of a historic president.

Thomas Jefferson

When Jean-Paul Sartre Refused The Nobel Prize For Literature

22 October 1964, everyone was waiting for the announcement of who had won the Nobel Prize for Literature. Finally, it was already afternoon, the news-tickers started working: Jean-Paul Sartre had been chosen to be honored in Stockholm. A short time later, the news-tickers were busily writing again: Jean-Paul Sartre rejected the Nobel Prize for Literature. The literary world was left either speechlessly astounded or vociferously outraged.

Jean-Paul Sartre

Nobel Errors

Every year, the awarding of the Nobel Prizes and the subsequent announcement of the winners gives ample opportunity to make snide remarks and scope for a good gripe. Did the right person get it or was the wrong person overlooked and went away empty-handed? Was the award given from political motivation or was it handed out on the basis of a great discovery? The Nobel Prize has many stories that range from strange to touching and outright tragic.

ITV Failed in Catching Tom Daley

ITV, usually in the lead when catching Tom Daley for a show, failed in getting him onto I'm a Celebrity 2013. Rumors have it that Tom Daley has turned down a £250,000 offer to appear in the most brainless show ITV has the honor of putting on every year. As it is also a show for has-been D-listers, I don't think Tom Daley should really be on it.

Tom Daley

Banksy Exhibition in New York

When a graffiti containing the words 'Banksy Oct. 2013' appeared in Los Angeles a few weeks ago, it was clear the anonymous celebrity artist was planning a new exhibition. As usual, there were pretty few clues as to where it would take place. Now the secret is out: New York's streets have the honor of being embellished under the title "Better Out Than In".

Police at Martina Hingis' Residence Over Alleged Attack

Martina Hingis had called an early end to her tennis season recently. Her come-back to the tennis circuit as a doubles player had been less than an inspiration. It was an unmitigated disaster instead. And now the police were called to the residence of Martina Hingis and her estranged husband Thibault Hutin; according to the police report, they were called in by the latter.

Thibault Hutin and Martina Hingis

One Direction Is Good For Education

Would you believe it? One Direction is actually good for education. At least, one Australian mother showed that the band's concerts can be used for educational purposes. If you extend her principle, the same can be said about Justin Bieber and several other young teenage celebrities. If you are parents, read on and learn. I found it most instructive.

One Direction

Marathon Man Stanislas Wawrinka

Stanislas Wawrinka earned himself the epithet of Marathon Man over many long fought five set matches in Grand Slams. But he has been running a marathon for years; being Swiss, he has been ranked number 2 in Switzerland for many years behind Roger Federer. Unlike others I could name, he never complained about playing in an era of outstanding tennis players.

Stanislas Wawrinka

Oprah Winfrey and a Bag of Lies?

Oprah Winfrey's supposed ordeal in Zurich is coming more and more under scrutiny. And it seems that her story is starting to show cracks. It doesn't even matter if she is right, the publicity stunt has already gone wrong. Next time, she might talk it over with her public relations team beforehand. There are more positive ways to get in the headlines if you are desperate to get noticed.

Grandage, Inishmaan, and Daniel Radcliffe

Daniel Radcliffe is one of those actors that don't need an introduction. A star since he started playing Harry Potter, the movie series saw him grow from child to man. He then made his memorable stage appearance in Equus. Next came his singing debut in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. He is a bag full of surprises. And now he plays a cripple in the West End.

Daniel Radcliffe in The Cripple of Inishmaan