Jack El-Hai

@Jack_ElHai

Author: FACE IN THE MIRROR; THE LOST BROTHERS; THE LOBOTOMIST; THE NAZI & THE PSYCHIATRIST (adapted to film NUREMBERG). DAMN HISTORY newsletter. [email protected]

Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A.

Joined February 2009

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3KFollowers

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Jack El-Hai@Jack_ElHai · Jul 1

Now out: the July issue of DAMN HISTORY, my free monthly newsletter for #history readers and writers. Overlooked historical figures, what's happening Nov. 7, a pullman porter's murder, pigeon cameras, donkey work + more. Read/subscribe: damn-history-16d93f.beehiiv.com/subscribe

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Jack El-Hai@Jack_ElHai · Jul 22

"Most #writing is too vague and abstract — which is to say, it's under-invented; it doesn't dig down to the blood and meat." – Jack Matthews, born 100 years ago on today's date

Jack_ElHai's tweet image. "Most #writing is too vague and abstract — which is to say, it's under-invented; it doesn't dig down to the blood and meat." – Jack Matthews, born 100 years ago on today's date

Jack El-Hai@Jack_ElHai · Jul 21

#Writing: "I am always afraid of things being too simple, too obvious, but I've learned that when there are too many stories going at once, it is like having ten different songs playing at once in a room." – Arya Samuelson

Jack_ElHai's tweet image. #Writing: "I am always afraid of things being too simple, too obvious, but I've learned that when there are too many stories going at once, it is like having ten different songs playing at once in a room." – Arya Samuelson

Jack El-Hai@Jack_ElHai · Jul 21

"Biggest mass shooting in the modern history of New Orleans." Today's book pick from Damn History, a free monthly newsletter for readers/writers of #popularhistory. Congrats to author @markhertsgaard & @PegasusBooksUSA! Read/subscribe to Damn History: damn-history-16d93f.beehiiv.com/subscribe

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Jack El-Hai@Jack_ElHai · Jul 21

#Writing: "Normal is a setting on a washing machine." - Christopher Barzak, born 50 years ago on today's date

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Jack El-Hai@Jack_ElHai · Jul 20

#Writing: "There are too many idiots in this world. And having said it, I have the burden of proving it." – Frantz Fanon, born 100 years ago on today's date

Jack_ElHai's tweet image. #Writing: "There are too many idiots in this world. And having said it, I have the burden of proving it." – Frantz Fanon, born 100 years ago on today's date

Jack El-Hai@Jack_ElHai · Jul 20

“Family members may wait days before finding out where their loved ones are being held — or if they’re even still in the country.” truthout.org/articles/by-re…

Jack_ElHai's tweet card. The masked, plainclothes ICE agents terrorizing immigrant communities are indistinguishable from racist vigilantes.

Jack El-Hai Retweeted

Jack El-Hai: writing wisdom and tips@WriterMDs · Jul 18

#Writing: "A story's greatest challenge is just a hair away from its greatest opportunity." – Peter Rock

Jack El-Hai@Jack_ElHai · Jul 18

"New forms of warfare." Today's book pick from Damn History, a free monthly newsletter for readers/writers of #popularhistory. Congrats to author @davidchaffetz & @wwnorton! Read/subscribe to Damn History: damn-history-16d93f.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Jack El-Hai@Jack_ElHai · Jul 17

Today is the 136th anniversary of the birth of Erle Stanley Gardner, the writer of the Perry Mason mysteries and many other novels and short stories. He is an important figure in my next nonfiction book, forthcoming in 2026.

Jack_ElHai's tweet image. Today is the 136th anniversary of the birth of Erle Stanley Gardner, the writer of the Perry Mason mysteries and many other novels and short stories. He is an important figure in my next nonfiction book, forthcoming in 2026.

Jack El-Hai Retweeted

Jack El-Hai: writing wisdom and tips@WriterMDs · Jul 17

#Writing: "He who has never been an apprentice will never become a master." – Konstantine Gamsakhurdia, who died 50 years ago on today's date

Jack El-Hai@Jack_ElHai · Jul 17

"A failed English teaching initiative." Today's article pick from Damn History, a free monthly newsletter for readers/writers of #popularhistory. Congrats to writer @emmaloffhagen & @guardiannews! Read/subscribe to Damn History: damn-history-16d93f.beehiiv.com/subscribe theguardian.com/education/2025…

Jack_ElHai's tweet card. Decades ago, a generation of UK schoolchildren unwittingly took part in an initiative aimed at boosting reading skills – with lasting consequences

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Jack El-Hai@Jack_ElHai · Jul 17

"An unhealed wound." Today's book pick from Damn History, a free monthly newsletter for readers/writers of #popularhistory. Congrats to author @TanyaTalaga & @HarperCollins! Read/subscribe to Damn History: damn-history-16d93f.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Jack El-Hai@Jack_ElHai · Jul 16

"No opening of the cranium, no cutting into the brain, no blood." nationalpost.com/feature/psycho…

Jack_ElHai's tweet card. Psychosurgery is back. But these are not the ice-pick-through-the-eye-socket lobotomies of the past

Jack El-Hai Retweeted

Jack El-Hai: writing wisdom and tips@WriterMDs · Jul 16

#Writing: "Young fiction writers are making a terrible mistake by self-publishing. And I believe the platforms that are selling those tools are doing them a disservice." – Margaret Verble

Jack El-Hai@Jack_ElHai · Jul 16

"Did abuse make them more violent?" Today's article pick from Damn History, a free monthly newsletter for readers/writers of #popularhistory. Congrats to writer @WriterLeonora & @MarshallProj! Read/subscribe to Damn History: damn-history-16d93f.beehiiv.com/subscribe themarshallproject.org/2025/07/14/flo…

Jack_ElHai's tweet card. At least 34 boys from the Dozier School were later sentenced to death. Did abuse make them more violent?

Jack El-Hai@Jack_ElHai · Jul 16

"Eight calamitous years." Today's book pick from Damn History, a free monthly newsletter for readers/writers of #popularhistory. Congrats to author @Unseen_Archive & @yalepress! Read/subscribe to Damn History: damn-history-16d93f.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Jack El-Hai@Jack_ElHai · Jul 15

Up for auction: A historic movie #typewriter and authentic Hollywood Ten Commandments tablets! finebooksmagazine.com/fine-books-new…

Jack_ElHai's tweet card. The typewriter that Cecil B. DeMille used for his 1914 movie The Squaw Man goes under the hammer at Heritage Auctions tomorrow in its dedicated Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Collection auction.

Jack El-Hai Retweeted

Jack El-Hai: writing wisdom and tips@WriterMDs · Jul 15

#Writing: "People don't really want reality. They want theater, and that's different." – D. A. Pennebaker

Jack El-Hai@Jack_ElHai · Jul 15

"California without its Latino residents." Today's article pick from Damn History, a free monthly newsletter for readers/writers of #popularhistory. Congrats to writer @ByMattStevens & @nytimes! Read/subscribe to Damn History: damn-history-16d93f.beehiiv.com/subscribe nytimes.com/2025/07/14/us/…

Jack_ElHai's tweet card. The 2004 indie film imagined an absurd, Latino-less California. As fears of immigration raids empty out parts of Los Angeles, the film’s premise feels all too real, its creators say.

Jack El-Hai@Jack_ElHai · Jul 15

"A unique and dangerous natural laboratory." Today's book pick from Damn History, a free monthly newsletter for readers/writers of #popularhistory. Congrats to author @PAweatherPhoto! Read/subscribe to Damn History: damn-history-16d93f.beehiiv.com/subscribe