Blog

Let’s right a wrong! Kate Summerscale joins me to talk her book The Peepshow: The Murders at Rillington Place. Murder, yellow journalism, and justice denied. Come listen! Buy The Peepshow Check out Kate’s website

Brendan’s Alternate Tagline The Peepshow: Worst liar ever. Except for that one time. Quick synopsis: The story of World War II era serial killer Reg Christie and the possible execution of an innocent man. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: There was at least two serial killers in London during the World War II era. […]

Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Tower: Prisoners, jewels, and animals, oh my! Quick synopsis: The story of the Tower of London. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: It was actually a zoo for a while! Wait, sorry, not aristocratic enough. It was a menagerie. Fun Fact for History Nerds: Short list of big names kept in […]

Let’s be happy! Author and bigwig at Doubleday Books, Todd Doughty, joins me to talk the publishing world and his own book, Little Pieces of Hope: Happy-Making Things in a Difficult World. Buy Little Pieces of Hope Follow his Instagram

Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Strangers in the Land: It didn’t get better once the railroads were finished. Quick synopsis: The story of Chinese immigrants who came to America. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: It took seven weeks for news of the death of President Zachary Taylor to reach California. Fun Fact for History Nerds: […]

Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Scamanda: Giving Amandas everywhere a bad name. Quick synopsis: The story of a woman who faked cancer for nearly a decade. Fact for Non-History People: Factitious disorder is a mental illness where someone intentionally lies about illnesses to gain attention. Fact for History Nerds: Yes, it is the same as Munchausen […]

Let’s go shopping! Julie Satow joins me to discuss her book When Women Ran Fifth Avenue: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion.  Buy When Women Ran Fifth Aveune Check out Julie’s website

Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Rebel Romanov: Even princesses deserve second acts. Quick synopsis: The life of Jule Saxe-Coburg and her flight from Russian court life. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Actual note from Grand Duke Alexander to his future wife included this tidbit that she reported that he was, “authorized by his parents […]

Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Peter the Great: He was enlightened and a drunk. A man after my own heart. Quick synopsis: A (very, very) in depth biography of Peter the Great of Russia. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Peter took what might be the first “gap year” ever. In 1697, he took a group […]

Let’s do some renaming! Russell Shorto joins me to talk his book Taking Manhattan: The Extraordinary Events That Created New York and Shaped America.  Buy Taking Manhattan Check out Russell’s website

Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Taking Manhattan: Business decisions made at cannon-point. Quick synopsis: The story of how New Amsterdam became New York. Fact for Non-History People: In 1673, during the Third Anglo-Dutch War, New York became New Orange when the Dutch retook it, but it was given up again in the treaty ending the war. […]

Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Con Mum: Mama knows best (how to rob you blind). Quick synopsis: The story of a chef and the long-lost mother who showed up and took him for everything he had. Fact for Non-History People: Con artist Victor Lustig sold the Eiffel Tower. Twice. Fact for History Nerds: Bernie Madoff tops […]

Let’s tell the whole story! Hallie Rubenhold, celebrated author of The Five, joins me to talk her true crime book Story of a Murder: The Wives, the Mistress, and Dr. Crippen.  Buy Story of a Murder Check out Hallie’s website

Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Story of a Murder: A story finally fully told. Quick synopsis: The story of murderer Dr. Hawley Crippen, his victims, and maybe an accomplice. Fact for Non-History People: Between 1891 and 1901, the number of female clerks in England and Wales went from 18,947 to 57,736. Fact for History Nerds: A […]

Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Next One Is For You: First, you get the guns. Quick synopsis: The story of how a group of Philadelphia gunrunners supplied the IRA during the Troubles. Fact for Non-History People: In the six months following Bloody Sunday, NORAID sent over $300,000 in donations to Northern Ireland. Fact for History […]