We start off this week with links to two reviews. The first looks at the play “Arcadia,” while the second analyzes the book The Tragedy of American Diplomacy. Then, we point to a series of articles on FDR in a recent issue of TIME magazine.  A number of links this week address history online: take a new look at e-mail lists, read an update on Zotero, learn about iTunes U, get advice on creating digital content, and see photos of Africa from 1860-1960. In recognition of the July 4th holiday this weekend, we bring you two related links. And finally, we wrap up with articles on a new era of historians, Monticello, and Michael Jackson.

• What do we know and what can we prove?
  From the Conservative History Journal blog comes a post that offers an interesting reflection on the historian’s craft, prompted by a revival of Tom Stoppard’s play, “Arcadia.”
• The Triumph of Williams’s ‘Tragedy’
  In the Nation magazine of July 6, 2009, Eric Alterman discusses William Appleman Williams’s The Tragedy of American Diplomacy, "one of those rare works of history that can credibly be said to have changed history itself," in the context of the 50th anniversary of the book’s original appearance in 1959. Alterman also reports on a conference held at Rutgers University to commemorate the event.
• What Barack Obama Can Learn from FDR
  The latest issue of TIME magazine offers a series of articles on FDR, many of which look to how President Obama may compare in the future. They include
• FDR’s Lessons for Obama by David M. Kennedy
• The Relentless Mrs. Roosevelt by Amanda Ripley
• Getting it Right by Bill Clinton
• The First 100 Days by Adam Cohen
• Deal or No Deal? By Amity Shlaes
• The Price of World Peace by Peter Beinart
• The Other War – on Polio by Jeffrey Kluger

History Online

• E-mail Lists White Elephant 2009 or the Original Web 2.0 Application?
  E-mail lists are dying, victims of blogs and Twitter. Or are they? A closer examination reveals many lists are still vibrant forums for academic exchange.
• Return of Mark of Zotero
  And speaking of innovations, Inside Higher Ed’s Scott McLemee takes a look at WebNotes, Zotero’s  newest competitor and some features the Zotero crew might consider for the next version.
• Hey U, Tune In: The Library Is Now on iTunes U
  The Library of Congress announces its new presence on iTunes U. They explain, “Your nation’s Library has millions of stories to tell, so we’re trying to tell them as many places and to as many people as possible.”
• Make It Digital
  This nicely laid out and informative web site provides advice on how to create “digital content in New Zealand,” but may be applicable for digital content creation in other countries as well. Hat tip.
• Northwestern U. Publishes Rare Photos of East Africa Online
  The Chronicle of Higher Ed’s Wired Campus blog reports on newly posted photos, of East Africa in 1860 through 1960, put up by Northwestern University.

July 4th

• Declaration of Independence
  For those not able to make it to the National Archives in Washington this 4th of July, peruse the original Declaration of Independence online and celebrate the day.
• LIFE: 4th of July
  Explore pictures of 4th of July celebrations through the years in LIFE, the magazine that continues to capture American culture through a photographic lens.

What Else We’re Reading

• They’re too cool for school: meet the new history boys and girls
  Who says historians are dry, stuffy, and boring! Read about the new era of historians. Not only are they educated, clever, and witty, but they also bring an edgy creativity to their writings that help readers engage with historical content.
• Time Wastes Too Fast
  Maira Kalman takes a look (through illustrations, images, and facts) at Thomas Jefferson and his home at Monticello.
• Rock, Pop Historian John Covach Assesses Michael Jackson’s Impact
  Everyone has been weighing in on the life and recent death of Michael Jackson, and some historians are speaking up as well.

Contributors: Elisabeth Grant, Vernon Horn, Jessica Pritchard, Pillarisetti Sudhir, and Robert B. Townsend

This post first appeared on AHA Today.