HistoryExtra podcast

The HistoryExtra podcast brings you gripping stories from the past and fascinating historical conversations with the world's leading historical experts.


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History
2076
Suzannah Lipscomb on women’s lives in Reformati...
Dr Suzannah Lipscomb talks to her fellow historian Dan Jones about her latest book, The Voices of Nîmes, which offers a fascinating window into sex and morality and the lives of women in 16th-century France. Historyextra.com/podcast
57 min
2077
Tom Holland on Christianity’s enduring legacy
Tom Holland discusses his new book Dominion, which argues that Christianity has had a transformative and enduring impact on the western mindset. Historyextra.com/podcast
37 min
2078
The Crusades, with Dan Jones
Dan Jones and Helen Castor discuss Dan’s new book Crusaders, which tells the stories of these religious conflicts through the people who were involved in them. Historyextra.com/podcast
61 min
2079
Poland, 1939: World War Two begins
Roger Moorhouse tells the story of the 1939 battle for Poland that saw the country dismembered by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Historyextra.com/podcast
45 min
2080
Hitler’s war with Anglo-America
Brendan Simms explains how Hitler’s main preoccupation was rivalry with Britain and America, rather than the Soviet Union. Historyextra.com/podcast
37 min
2081
War trauma
Dr Emma Butcher and Dr Hannah Partis-Jennings explore the history of war trauma, from the Napoleonic Wars to the 21st century. Historyextra.com/podcast
41 min
2082
Chernobyl: the story of a tragedy
Serhii Plokhy explores the causes and consequences of the Chernobyl accident and offers his thoughts on the accuracy of the recent drama series. Historyextra.com/podcast
31 min
2083
The real Peaky Blinders
Andrew Davies discusses the Birmingham gangsters who inspired the BBC drama, and explains how late-Victorian society contributed to a rise in gang violence. Historyextra.com/podcast
45 min
2084
The corner shop revolution
BBC journalist and author Babita Sharma explores the history of the British corner shop, explaining how Asian immigrants managed to transform these local businesses in the age of the supermarket. Historyextra.com/podcast
24 min
2085
Peterloo: the story of a massacre
Ahead of the 200th anniversary of Peterloo, Robert Poole reveals why a peaceful demonstration ended in death and injury. Historyextra.com/podcast
36 min
2086
Britain's key archaeological discoveries
Mike Pitts discusses some of the British Isles' most exciting archaeological sites.
35 min
2087
Gordon Brown on Andrew Carnegie
Former prime minister Gordon Brown describes the astonishing philanthropic activities of the American businessman Andrew Carnegie, who gave away almost all of his gigantic fortune at the turn of the 20th century. Historyextra.com/podcast
12 min
2088
Prisoner dilemmas
Lawyer and historian Harry Potter explores the twists and turns in the history of the British penal system, describing how attempts at reform have met with mixed success over the years. Historyextra.com/podcast
32 min
2089
Why black hair matters
Emma Dabiri explains how the history of black hair reflects themes such as capitalism, slavery and colonialism. Historyextra.com/podcast
33 min
2090
The Zinoviev Letter conspiracy
Gill Bennett explores how a forged letter in 1924 shocked Britain and helped undermine the Labour Party. Historyextra.com/podcast
31 min
2091
Making jokes about Romans
Greg Jenner, historical consultant for Horrible Histories, talks their new film, Rotten Romans. He also explores wider questions about presenting history to the public. Historyextra.com/podcast
18 min
2092
Charlemagne: medieval empire builder
Professor Dame Janet L Nelson talks about her major new biography of Charlemagne, the 8th-century king of the Franks who became one of medieval Europe’s most important and influential rulers. Historyextra.com/podcast
21 min
2093
Stonewall and the fight for gay rights
Chris Parkes explores the background to the Stonewall riots and shows how the episode became a pivotal moment in LGBTQ+ history. Historyextra.com/podcast
41 min
2094
The race to the moon
Kendrick Oliver explores the space race that led to the 1969 moon landing and considers the legacy of the momentous events of July 1969. Historyextra.com/podcasts
43 min
2095
An Indian cricket team in imperial Britain
Prashant Kidambi revisits the first Indian cricket tour of Britain, which took place in the summer of 1911. Historyextra.com/podcasts
34 min
2096
The battle of Trafalgar
Sam Willis describes the 1805 British naval victory and challenges misconceptions about the importance of the battle in the war against Napoleon. Historyextra.com/podcasts
35 min
2097
King killers in America
Matthew Jenkinson tells the stories of Edward Whalley and William Goffe who fled to New England following their involvement in the execution of Charles I. Historyextra.com/podcasts
34 min
2098
AC Grayling on the history of philosophy
Author and philosopher AC Grayling ranges through 2,500 years of history to explore the impact of great thinkers like Aristotle, Immanuel Kant and Bertrand Russell and to show how philosophers have guided and been guided by the great changes of their t...
36 min
2099
The problem with the Anglo-Saxons
Archaeologist Professor Susan Oosthuizen considers what doesn’t add up about the way we talk about the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons at the end of Roman period in Britain. historyextra.com/podcasts
45 min
2100
Victorian freak shows
Dr John Woolf explores the extraordinary and complex stories of 19th-century performers such as General Tom Thumb who became stars in the age of PT Barnum. historyextra.com/podcasts
29 min