Don't Miss Buying Smithsonian's Olympic Issue

One of the most interesting magazines in America is, without a doubt, the Smithsonian (just when I am writing this I notice that on the July/August 2012 issue it actually states ‘Voted the most interesting magazine in America’, so I am not wrong!). There are always well-written and fascinating articles in the Smithsonian. The current issue, July/August 2012, has a special theme, which is not surprisingly, the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

William Grenfell

I have chosen three articles that I personally found very interesting (and they all have links so you HTBS readers can read them, too): the first one is ‘Britannia Rules the Games’ by the American sport writer Frank Deford. This article tells the stories of the first two Olympic Games held in London, in 1908 and 1948. Being in an American magazine, Deford of course brings up the American flag incident at the 1908 Games (‘This flag dips to no earthly king’), but also about the sportsman (and oarsman) Willie Grenfell, Lord Desborough (and some gossip about his beautiful wife, Ettie, whose cousin observed about Willie: ‘He may be a little dull, but after all, what a comfort it is to be cleverer than one’s husband’), who saved the Games not only for London, but for the future. Read ‘Britannia Rules the Games’ by Frank Deford here.

The second article that I picked might not be directly linked to the Olympics in London this summer, but it has to do with London, or at least the mighty River Thames, ‘Let the Good Thames Roll’ by Joshua Hammer – don’t miss the beautiful photographs by Catherine Karnow (some from Henley!). Read ‘Let the Good Thames Roll’ by Joshua Hammer here.

Joshua Hammer has also written a shorter piece which should be just the HTBS readers’ cup of tea. Read ‘Scull and Bones’ by Joshua Hammer here.