Another American publication, Stndrds, has interviewed me about fireworks, having spotted my book A History of Fireworks from their Origins to the Present Day (Reaktion). 

I told the writer about their mysterious origins back in ancient China, about how they came to Europe and featured in all manner of important occasions - church services, royal occasions, celebrations of military victories and the ends of wars.

I revealed their first known appearance in Britain, and in America, where they were used to overawe native Americans. Then we went on to how they helped to mark American independence and other significant celebrations, as well as covering the chemical and technological innovations that have created the great global displays we now all see on television.

You can find the article here https://www.stndrds.com/cultivate/how-fireworks-became-an-american-fourth-of-july-tradition

July 4! 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. A busy fireworks night beckons

July 4, America's biggest fireworks night, draws on apace and my book 'A History of Fireworks from their Origins to the Present Day' (Reaktion Books) is drawn on heavily in this article for the American educational magazine 'Science World'. This year being the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the displays will probably be bigger than ever.

My CBS Radio interview about 4 July and the history of fireworks

Great to be interviewed by CBS Radio about the history of fireworks for their 4 July special. My contribution comes at about 18 minutes in. The interview draws on my book 'A History of Fireworks from their Origins to the Present Day' (Reaktion Books), and we cover the mysterious origins of fireworks, how they became part of Independence Day celebrations, accidents they were involved in, and how some Americans tried to get them banned https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cbs-news-radio-independence-day-special-2025-hour-1/id1524962402?i=1000715564238

My history of fireworks - a review for July 4 in the WSJ

4 July, Independence Day, is America's biggest fireworks day, and right on cue, the 'Wall Street Journal' has reviewed my book - 'A History of Fireworks from their Origins to the Present Day' (Reaktion Books). Not all Americans have been fans of the revelry - with some complaining that more people had died celebrating independence than were killed in the battles that won it. The book tells the warts-and-all story of pyrotechnics' triumphs and tragedies across the world

https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/a-history-of-fireworks-review-the-pursuit-of-big-bangs-fc0a5023

Fireworks make waves in America!

My new book A History of Fireworks from their Origins to the Present Day (Reaktion Books) is making waves in America!

Dozens of pieces appeared on National Public Radio station websites all over the country. This is just one. A Google search will reveal many more

https://www.wmot.org/2024-07-04/the-explosive-history-of-fireworks-from-ancient-china-to-revolutionary-america

The Philadelphia Inquirer also wrote about the book:

https://www.inquirer.com/arts/books/fireworks-history-philadelphia-book-john-withington-20240704.html

 

As did Books & Review

https://www.booksnreview.com/articles/19708/20240705/john-withington-s-new-book-explores-fireworks-history-philadelphias-role.htm

A History of Fireworks will be published in the UK on 1 August

https://reaktionbooks.co.uk/work/a-history-of-fireworks-from-their-origins-to-the-present-day

I-Spy Penang, Malaysia. A reward for losing America

This is Fort Cornwallis, built by the British East India Company in the late 18th century to defend Penang against pirates. It was named after Earl Cornwallis, who lost America. Maybe I should have lost America, then I could have had a fort named after me!

Actually, that's a bit unfair to Cornwallis. There were plenty of British defeats and disasters in the American War of Independence (see my book Britain's 20 Worst Military Disasters, Spellmount), but the British never recovered from Cornwallis's surrender at Yorktown in 1781 and the following year parliament voted to end the war. Cornwallis went on to become Governor-General of India, and Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland.

The Irish Potato Famine

Part of my book Disaster! A History of Earthquakes, Floods, Plagues, and other Catastrophes (Skyhorse) covering the Irish potato famine of the 1840s, is quoted on this ‘History of Donegal’ blog - https://historyofdonegal.com/

The failure of the potato crop through a microscopic fungus brought dreadful suffering, and the response of the British government, which then ruled all of Ireland, was grotesquely inadequate. The ruling political party were free market fanatics, and were afraid that if the authorities handed out food to the starving, it would create a dangerous distortion.

In the end, theories were modified in the face of facts, and by mid-1847, soup kitchens were providing food for more than 3 million people a day. But by the time the blight was over, one and a half million people had perished from starvation and disease.

Another million had fled the country, but many never reached their destination. Of 100,000 sailing to the US in 1847, a fifth died from disease or malnutrition. Those who arrived often faced hostility and discrimination, but a ‘greater Ireland across the sea’ was created by the likes of John F. Kennedy’s great-grandfather who fled County Wexford in 1849.

https://www.amazon.com/Disaster-History-Earthquakes-Plagues-Catastrophes/dp/1620871815/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1527441876&sr=1-2&keywords=disaster+withington&dpID=51eNCWPg6HL&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch

Floods in deserts

That’s me in the Lower Antelope Canyon near Page in the deserts of Arizona, USA,  which I visited last month.  It’s place of bizarre, fascinating rock formations, but also a reminder that disastrous floods can strike almost anywhere, even in deserts.

On August 12, 1997, 11 tourists, including 7 from France, were walking through the long narrow, ‘slot’ canyon.   There had been little rain close to the site, but a thunderstorm had dumped a lot of water into the canyon basin seven miles upstream.

By the time it swept into the slot canyon, this flash flood was swelled by logs and stones.    The tourists’  guide managed to wedge himself behind an outcrop, and for a time he held on to two of his party, but eventually the careering waters dragged them from his grasp.

Then he too was swept downstream.   He was found alive on a ledge – the only survivor.   Two of the victims’ bodies have never been found.     You can find more detail here - http://climb-utah.com/Powell/flash_antelope.htm

Picture by Anne Clements http://www.anneclements.com/