Fittingly I will keep this edition of ON THIS DATE brief…
On this date in 1922 the first edition of Reader’s Digest Magazine was issued. That is all.

Fittingly I will keep this edition of ON THIS DATE brief…
On this date in 1922 the first edition of Reader’s Digest Magazine was issued. That is all.

They say it all began in 1922 when young DeWitt Wallace wandered into a dusty Minnesota attic and discovered a peculiar, leather-bound book titled The Tale of Tiresias. Tiresias, the blind seer of Greek legend, claimed he could distill the world’s knowledge into brief, bite-sized verses—a wisdom “easily swallowed, yet slow to fade.” Inspired, DeWitt imagined a modern oracle for everyday folks, something like a Southern storyteller in a rocking chair, spinning tall tales with a wink and a pipe.
Legend holds that on the very night DeWitt dreamed up Reader’s Digest, a fierce storm rattled his windowpanes, and the ghost of Tiresias whispered in his ear:
“Keep it short, son, and they’ll read it forever.”
And so he did.
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Wow. Interesting explanation. I cannot vouch for its reliability but I love the story. This is exactly what myths should do for us. Thanks very much! I enjoyed reading it.
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