Jane Alexander

Joined: Apr 26, 2021

Jane Alexander is a freelance writer based in the UK. She focuses on literature, history, and the visual arts, and has previously written for Londonist, among other publications.

Modern revival of Chorister Bishop tradition at Salisbury Cathedral.

Every Christmas, some medieval churches put a child in charge. Learn the surprising history of the boy bishop and the Feast of the Holy Innocents.

'Echo and Narcissus' (1903) by John William Waterhouse.

More than 2,000 years ago, the myth of Narcissus gave us a word we still use today. Here’s the story behind “narcissist.”

The real story behind "Jaws" is stranger than fiction. Here's the shark encounter that inspired Peter Benchley's famous novel.

The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado

While staying at the Stanley Hotel, Stephen King had an unsettling dream that inspired one of his most terrifying books. Here's the story of the real hotel that gave King the idea for 'The Shining.'

Why do we say “add insult to injury”? Discover the surprising history behind this common phrase, which dates back to Ancient Rome.

Apollo 11 astronauts Michael Collins, Neil Armstrong, backup Command Module Pilot Bill Anders, and Apollo 11's Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin at breakfast hours before blastoff July 16th.

What did the Apollo 11 astronauts eat on their historic journey to the moon? From freeze-dried chicken and rice to bacon cubes, here's what fueled the mission.

The phrase was first used back in 1828.

It’s hard not to get emotional learning about a love for an animal. Listen to the song “Delilah” here.

Portrait Of Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

That motivational Henry David Thoreau quote might actually be a dupe. From "go confidently in the direction of your dreams" to "happiness is like a butterfly," these lines were never said by Thoreau at all.

One day in 1965, Keith Richards woke up to discover he had recorded the chorus of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" on tape, but had no memory of doing so.

Blue postal mailbox standing beside road and green grass

U.S. mailboxes have been many different colors, but blue was adopted surprisingly recently. Here's the story behind the shade.

Frida Kahlo's letters to her friends and lovers, sometimes sealed with a lipstick kiss, display both the artist's vulnerability and her precision.

Jane Alexander

Joined: Apr 26, 2021

5 Things Movies Get Wrong About Victorian Life

5 Household Items Every Gilded Age Family Owned

Why Are Hot Dog Buns Sold in Different Numbers Than Hot Dogs?

The Louis Armstrong Song That Knocked the Beatles From No. 1

The Medieval Feast Where Children Were Temporarily Put in Charge

The 2,000-Year-Old Greek Myth That Gave Us the Word "Narcissist"

The Real-Life Story Everyone Associates With 'Jaws' Isn't the One That Inspired It

The Creepy Real Hotel That Terrified Stephen King Into Writing ‘The Shining’

Why Do We Say "Add Insult to Injury"?

What the Apollo 11 Astronauts Actually Ate on Their Journey to the Moon

Why Do We Say “On the Fence”?

The Queen Ballad Freddie Mercury Wrote About His Favorite Cat

5 Popular Quotes Commonly Misattributed to Henry David Thoreau

The Iconic Rolling Stones Song Keith Richards Wrote in His Sleep

Why Are U.S. Mailboxes Blue?

Frida Kahlo's Handwritten Notes Reveal a Different Side of the Artist