the sinews of history

𝒸. 𝟣𝟫𝟤𝟢 𝓉𝑜 𝟣𝟫𝟦𝟧

[sinewsofhistory]

What is this blog about?

Sinews of History is a blog documenting the interwar and WWII eras, blending both serious and lighthearted themes to capture the zeitgeist of this bygone age. The majority of original content here is either sourced from or directly related to 1920 to 1945; however, I occasionally make exceptions in both directions. Of particular interest are British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald, the Harding-Coolidge-Hoover era in the US, the twilight years of the Weimar Republic in Germany, global appeasement policy, and the road to World War II — especially in the UK, US, and Germany — although other countries such as Austria, France, and Italy make occasional appearances.

Directory

☞ My original content ☞ All things lolitics ☞ 1921–33 presidencies ☞ Vintage fashion ☞ Vintage reproduction fashion ☞ Language learning ☞ Art by other users ☞ Questions I've answered ☞ Reader submissions ☞ Reader requests ☞ About this blog (old pinned) ☞ My personal collection ☞ How to revive old posts ☞ Unsavoury history tag ☞ My ask box

Reader's note: all original posts from before 20 June 2026 are from the old version of this blog, which began on 1 August 2025.

[usnatarchives]

Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover with President Warren Harding on the 1923 Alaskan trip.

By Matthew Schaefer  | Hoover Heads

Herbert Hoover was head of the United States Food Administration (USFA)when he first met Warren Harding.  As Hoover tells the tale, Senator Harding came into his office late one evening and said: “I am here to serve and to help.’  This kind of voluntarism resonated, and Hoover took accepted his offer.  On December 4, 1917, they each made presentations at the First Presbyterian Church in DC to more than 500 Ohio farm youths exhorting them to continue their good work for the USFA.

Hoover supported Harding in his 1920 run for President.  After being elected, Harding offered Hoover his choice from three Cabinet positions: Agriculture, Commerce and Interior. Hoover chose the Commerce position. 

While serving as Secretary of Commerce, Hoover and Harding corresponded nearly every day.  These memos and letters cover a range of topics: foreign loans, unemployment, fisheries, sugar imports, housing, the coal strike, the Colorado River Commission.  Astute readers will notice that not all of these topics were within the defined purview of Commerce.  Read More of this story at Hoover Heads

[frankidacre]

This is my fav article about them! Harding and Hoover were such unexpected friends :)

[sinewsofhistory]

From Lions and Lambs by David Low, pp. 20–22.

☞ Full book on HathiTrust ☞ High-res sketch on Wikimedia Commons

[sinewsofhistory]

Old world aesthetic, 1907–1938

Garments which evoke eras past

Image 1: Fashion sketch, "Gazette du Bon Ton, Les Lignes Géométriques dans la Mode," designer unknown, October 1922. Image 2: Orthochrome illustration by Madame Yna Majeska, c. 1930.

Image 1: Evening dress, Callot Soeurs, c. 1920–1924. Image 2: Redingote velvet dress, House of Worth, 1923.

All images: Crocheted evening dress, Kostio de War, 1938.

Image 1: Coat, Paul Poiret, 1919. Image 2: Suzanne Talbot in the evening coat "Titus," black silk velvet with gold embroidery, photographed by Madame d'Ora for L'Officiel, April 1926. Image 3: Dress, Paul Poiret, 1907.

Image 1: Norma Talmadge photographed by Edwin Bower Hesser for Motion Picture Magazine, December 1922. Image 2: №7 "Beaux-Arts des Modes," 1925.

All images: Crocheted evening dress, Kostio de War, 1937.

Dividers: angeliicide

[the---hermit]

"is it better to read non fiction or novels?" No. It is better to read than not to read full stop. That is the only argument. Let's not create yet another fake scale of who is a better reader. I am so fucking tired of this kind of discourse. If you only read graphic novels you are still reading and that is better than not reading. If you only read middle grade books despite being in your 30s you are still reading and that is better than no reading. If you read one single book a year it is still good because you are reading. And that makes you a reader.

[sinewsofhistory]

I love when history books include a cast of characters. This book names over one hundred figures across nine different countries and it's still accessible to read 😊

From The Nazi Menace: Hitler, Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin, and the Road to War by Benjamin Carter Hett, p. iv.

[kaiserin-erzsebet]

As a general rule, you're probably not imagining historical figures* consuming enough tobacco products.

*if said historical figure is not from the Americas, this only applies after The Columbian Exchange.

[almaprincess66]

And wine! You don't imagine them drinking it like it's water to them enough

[sinewsofhistory]

From The Ladies of Londonderry by Diane Urquhart, p. 165; Society Racket by Patrick Balfour, p. 125.

[frankidacre]

scrunkly blorbos except they’re a nuanced dead person that you need to handle with care like a fragile package

[frankidacre]

I originally wrote this post about Bruce Ismay and Warren G Harding but I’m so happy to read about everyone else’s historical faves!

[doodle-blight]

I want to hear the most unhinged stories you know about your favorite historical figures

[sinewsofhistory]

That time the British Prime Minister nearly dropped Oliver Cromwell's sword on the future King of England (1934)

[sinewsofhistory]

Reblogging this so others can join in :)

@solisequium @kenmagazine @reg1ment @tolaboury @frankidacre @absurdlyvintage @threeroyalcousinsfan1914 @reinekes-fox @pestilenceboy @archdyke-von-hoehenberg @historicallolitics @thebrownsugars @wiliband @majorism @g1pper @yonderghostshistories @undeadp0et @dr-cav1ar

[eisbecherovka]

History is so good for nosy people

[gzeidraws]

Commission sketch for No1FandeGaulle of French historical figures Charles de Gaulle and Philippe Pétain !

[Originally protégé and mentor during WW1, de Gaulle led a Free French resistance fighting together with the Allied powers during WW2, while Pétain chose to sign an armistice with then Nazi Germany instead]

[sinewsofhistory]

Senators Warren G. Harding and George Chamberlain at Theodore Roosevelt's funeral, January 1919. Found on the Bibliothèque nationale de France.

☞ Link to the image ☞ Link to more Harding images

[joydoesathing]

the roaring twenties 🥂

needed a slight breather from studying, so i continued some of my anime girl president doodles

(aight, back to studying and my hiatus)

context of these doodles is in the captions of this post.

also credit to @tinytimism for suggesting me to make harding

[sinewsofhistory]

when the evil historical figure had a slay wardrobe

[mxjackparker]

One of the (lower-ranked but still important!) reasons I think people should learn a second language if they are monolingual is to viscerally understand the frustration that comes with trying to explain yourself in a language you don't speak well and are learning, and so they know that broken spoken language doesn't mean anything about someone's level of intelligence or interiority.

[sinewsofhistory]

I found this compilation of Ramsay MacDonald's home footage on a Lossiemouth local history channel. The footage appears to span the early 1920s into the mid-1930s, and the majority was likely filmed by MacDonald himself. Very interesting glimpse into his life beyond public office :)