Good morning. It's Saturday, Oct. 24. Welcome to this week's Society & Culture newsletter. First time reading? Sign up here or hit forward to share with friends.
Michael Jordan made his NBA debut on Oct. 26, 1984, so we dove into his life and career to mark the anniversary. Then, we explored a case of stolen art, some famous book bans, the return of HBO's "Girls," and much, much more.
What's on your mind? Let me know if there's anything we could improve, a topic you'd like to see us cover, or something you've been aching to get off your chest. I'm all ears! Send your thoughts to [email protected].
—Kevin Kearney, 1440 Society & Culture Section Editor |
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Michael Jordan is an American athlete, businessperson, and actor who is widely considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Jordan played in the National Basketball Association for 15 seasons, earning 14 All-Star appearances, six championship titles, and five Most Valuable Player awards.
> Watch 50 of the best moments from his career. (Watch)
> Watch highlights from his first game in the NBA in 1984. (Watch)
Jordan first gained attention at Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina, before heading to the University of North Carolina, where he was a standout guard. He entered the NBA Draft in 1984 after his junior year and was selected third by the Chicago Bulls. Jordan's relentless play and fierce competitiveness made him an instant star in the league, but by the early '90s, he said he had grown tired of basketball and retired, then attempted a career in professional baseball.
> Jordan was not cut from his high school team, despite a popular myth. (Read)
> He finished his degree in geography while in the NBA. (Watch)
> After his father died, Jordan retired from the NBA, then announced he was suiting up for the Chicago White Sox organization. (Read)
Jordan's retirement was short-lived: He returned to the NBA in 1995 and helped the Bulls win three consecutive NBA championships before retiring, again, in 1999. Jordan would mount one more comeback in 2001, when he returned to the Washington Wizards, before retiring for the final time in 2003.
> When he returned to the NBA in 1995, Jordan wore the number 45 rather than his iconic 23. (Read)
> Jordan owned a stake in the Wizards, which he had to sell before joining the team in 2001. (Read)
Discover more:
> The NBA warned Jordan about wearing custom Nikes, and Nike capitalized on the controversy by building a marketing campaign around it. (Read)
> Jordan had a contract clause that allowed him to play pickup games whenever he wanted, something that's often prohibited for NBA players. (Read)
> Watch Jordan's 1988 Slam Dunk Contest win, including his legendary leap from the free-throw line. (Watch) |
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1440 brings you the knowledge behind the week's stories:
Stolen Renoir paintings found behind a cinder block wall. (More)
> Stolen art is often ransomed rather than resold because it is too risky for collectors to purchase.
> Explore one of Renoir's masterpieces, "Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette."
Man convicted in Tupac Shakur's murder sentenced to 40 years to life in prison. (More)
> The teenage Shakur dreamed of becoming a Shakespearean actor.
> Explore a guide to the rapper's extensive discography.
HBO's "Girls to return for a limited run. (More)
> Dunham's breakthrough was an indie film she wrote, directed, and starred in.
> "Girls" helped turn one Robyn song into a generational anthem.
Publisher stops sales of Sally Rooney's books in the UK following the author's plans to donate royalties to Palestine Action, a group the British government has designated as a terrorist organization. (More)
> "Lady Chatterley's Lover" was banned in numerous countries, but it became an underground sensation in the 1920s thanks to private printings.
> Read Kurt Vonnegut's letter to the school board that banned his book. |
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Beyond our weekly deep dives, we love finding great takes on the culture currently shaping our lives. Here are some of the best reactions, profiles, and think pieces we encountered this week.
How the CIA Smuggled Liberal Arts Behind the Iron Curtain
The MIT Press Reader | Henry T. Edmondson III. Throughout the Cold War, the CIA coordinated the dissemination of Western literature throughout the Eastern Bloc and the Soviet Union, including works by Albert Camus, Agatha Christie, George Orwell, and many more. (Read)
> Scholars allege the CIA funded the prestigious Iowa Writers' Workshop to influence the style of American writing.
Inside the Fake World of '30 Rock'
The Ringer | Alan Siegel. Tina Fey's post-"SNL" sitcom regularly satirized NBC's programming choices, creating an absurd, bizarre, and hilarious alternate entertainment universe. Siegel catalogs the show's many fake franchises, making the case that our current media isn't all that different. (Read)
> "30 Rock" initially competed with an Aaron Sorkin show that had a nearly identical premise.
> Watch a collection of the show's best cameos.
Is Cameron Winter Serious?
NY Times | Lindsay Zoladz. One of my favorite albums from this fall is "Live at Carnegie Hall," which captures 23-year-old Cameron Winter's 2025 concert at the storied venue. Like me, Zoladz is mesmerized by Winter's music, even if—perhaps precisely because—it confounds others. (Read, free w/email)
> Billie Holiday played a sold-out show at Carnegie Hall days after being released from prison.
> Listen to Joni Mitchell's 1969 debut at Carnegie Hall. |
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Why do people believe in ghosts? How did a piece of plastic change the way we spend money? And how did coffee become one of the world's most influential drinks?
Turns out, even the most familiar things have some extraordinary stories to tell. Our flagship podcast, "1440 Explores," uncovers the surprising science, fascinating history, and unexpected twists behind the things you thought you knew.
> Ghosts: The science behind some of our spine-chilling encounters.
> Credit Cards: From an experiment in 1958 to the economics behind every swipe.
> Coffee: The world's favorite pick-me-up has a surprisingly complicated story.
Follow "1440 Explores" and find your next listen on Apple or Spotify. |
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> Steven Spielberg cowrote the supernatural thriller "Poltergeist," but some cast and crew say he also directed it.
> "Jeopardy!" was conceived to earn back skeptical audiences' trust after a series of quiz show scandals.
> One of the most sought-after video games is also one of the most notoriously boring.
> A parent group named one Prince song as obscene, even though it ends with a Christian message.
> Ralph Waldo Emerson celebrated a young Walt Whitman only to later regret it.
> Sci-fi legend Isaac Asimov hated George Orwell's "1984," which he said was "not science fiction."
> Conan O'Brien is responsible for one of the most-celebrated episodes of "The Simpsons."
> An 11-story office building in New York was home to Paul Simon, Carole King, and George Clinton before they became stars.
> Before the WNBA, there was the WBL, the US' first professional women's basketball league.
> "Saturday Night Live" creates up to 200 costumes every week, sometimes with just a few hours' notice.
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"I think he's God disguised as Michael Jordan." |
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