Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchThe Beatles' Gritty Origins: Hamburg, Fame and the Breakup
Episode 13194
Before the matching suits and polite bows, the Beatles were Liverpool teenagers sharpening their sound in the clubs of Hamburg's red-light district. …
6 days, 3 hours ago
The Duke of Wellington: From Awkward Son to the Iron Duke
Episode 13193
Arthur Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington, began as a broke, poorly regarded young aristocrat who burned his violins after Kitty Pakenham's fam…
6 days, 3 hours ago
Jack Johnson: Boxing's First Black Heavyweight Champion
Episode 13192
Jack Johnson, born in Galveston, Texas to formerly enslaved parents, became the first Black world heavyweight boxing champion and one of the most not…
6 days, 3 hours ago
Jan Žižka: The Blind General Who Never Lost a Battle
Episode 13191
Jan Žižka, a 15th century Czech commander, led armies of peasant farmers against crusader knights and never lost a battle, even after going completel…
6 days, 3 hours ago
Marquis de Lafayette: Hero of Two Worlds Caught in the Middle
Episode 13190
The Marquis de Lafayette was a wealthy orphan who defied his king, bought his own ship and sailed to fight in the American Revolution. This episode e…
6 days, 3 hours ago
Chuck Berry: The Brilliant, Troubled Architect of Rock and Roll
Episode 13189
Chuck Berry's guitar is on the Voyager Golden Record, carrying rock and roll into interstellar space. This episode traces his middle-class upbringing…
6 days, 3 hours ago
Themistocles: The Athenian Who Saved Greece and Served Persia
Episode 13188
Themistocles masterminded the defeat of the Persian navy, yet died as a wealthy governor in Persian-ruled Magnesia. This episode traces his rise from…
6 days, 3 hours ago
John Calvin: The Reluctant Reformer Who Shaped the Modern West
Episode 13187
John Calvin helped shape Western religion, politics and economics, yet asked to be buried in an unmarked grave. This episode traces his path from a F…
6 days, 3 hours ago
Tenzing Norgay: The Real Story Behind the Everest Summit Photo
Episode 13186
The famous 1953 photograph of Tenzing Norgay on the summit of Mount Everest hides a far more complex life. This episode explores his disputed origins…
6 days, 3 hours ago
Timur (Tamerlane): Skull Towers and the Timurid Renaissance
Episode 13185
Timur, known in the West as Tamerlane, began as a raider in 14th century Transoxiana and was left lame after arrows struck his hand and leg during a …
6 days, 3 hours ago