How, why, and what we collect as souvenirs has a history. The human impulse to collect physical objects with a direct connection to special experiences,…
The Origins of Souvenir
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word souvenir in English originally comes from French, where it has a long history. Appearing first in Old…
How We Know Who We Are
In the same way that I claim that the books in my library help me remember “how I know what I know,” we may say…
How I Know What I Know
Books are not traditionally thought of as souvenirs, but the books on my shelves have always served as intellectual souvenirs for me. They represent the…
An Epic Journey
As I watched my daughters shop for souvenirs during our family vacations long ago, I saw how this ordinary, if not often maligned, act raises myriad cultural…