Historical Podcasts Blog

A Senseless and Squalid War - Norman Rose LSE

2011-09-24T08:32:00.003+01:00

Looking at the history of the Jews in the twentieth century it isn't hard to be sympathetic to them. Looking at the history of the Palestinians, it isn't hard to be sympathetic to them either. But there was another people involved in the creation of the state of Israel in the forties who don't get talked about nearly so much. The British Empire always regarded the Suez canal as of key strategic importance. With the collapse of the empire, what would that mean for their policy to Palestine?

Norman Rose examines that question in this lecture and finds that their motives were far from clear even to themselves.

Norman Rose Chair of International Relations at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem is the author of A Senseless Squalid War': Voices from Palestine 1945-1948.

http://www2.lse.ac.uk/publicEvents/events/2009/20090209t0905z001.aspx

Was the British Empire a Force for Good? - Intelligence Squared Debate

2011-09-23T08:00:00.000+01:00

The star of the show is undoubtedly Niall Ferguson who has the numbers up his sleeve and a an answer for every objection. But there are some splendid cases made by some very eloquent speakers. Personally, I am hopeless. I found myself agreeing with whoever happened to be speaking at the time. I suppose some of us are just natural followers. But an entertaining and very educational listen, though probably more interesting for us Brits.

http://www.intelligencesquared.com/events/the-british-empire-was-a-force-for-good2

Queen Victoria Part 1 - The History Chicks

2011-09-22T08:00:00.000+01:00

If you like your history with a human touch this is the history podcast for you. Queen Victoria is someone everyone has some idea about, but this is a great description of what her life was really like. Be warmed, the HC girls are usually amusing but the description of the wedding of Victoria and Albert is absolutely hilarious. Do not make the mistake I made of listening to it with hot coffee in your mouth.

http://thehistorychicks.com/?page_id=1404

This Week's Most Viewed Podcast Reviews

2011-09-21T20:42:00.002+01:00

I've been out of action for a few days so this is a bit late, but here are the current most viewed podcast reviews. It is a bit of a clean sweep for Ray Harris Junior this week. And his some time collaborator Laslow Montgomery is up there too. Only History Books Review breaks into the top five as well.

World War II series - History of World War 2 Podca...

13 Jun 2011

21 Pageviews

Mussolini - World War 2 History Ray Harris Junior

19 Jun 2011

19 Pageviews

Southern and Northern China Dynasties - China Hist...

21 May 2011

17 Pageviews

Back down to Four Emperors - History Books Review ...

4 May 2011

16 Pageviews

Dunkirk - A History of World War 2 Ray Harris Juni...

23 Jun 2011, 2 comments

14 Pageviews

Heretics - History Books Review Colin Sanders

2011-09-16T08:00:00.000+01:00

Christianity conquered the late Roman Empire under Constantine. But which version of Christianity would prevail? This podcast is basically one prolonged punch up between the factions. By the end of it Colin sounds tired and upset. I get the feeling he didn't enjoy researching this one much. But it does make for good listening.

http://historybooksreview.blogspot.com/2011/09/heretics-gibbons-decline-and-fall-of.html

When Christ and his Saints Slept - History of England David Crowther

2011-09-15T13:16:00.000+01:00

Despite the name, this episode is a lot about explaining why the anarchy of the reign of Stephen wasn't as bad as it is often portrayed.

If you like the kings, dates and battles approach to history this series is the one for you. Personally I like a mixture of the narrative and the social so I could live with a bit more about ordinary people's lives. But this is a good explanation of the complex dynastic goings on of the time which is well worth a listen to get the KD&B side straight. If you really aren't interested in who did what when you might want to give it a skip because that is pretty much all this particular episode delivers.

http://historyofengland.typepad.com/blog/2011/09/32-when-christ-and-his-saints-slept.html

Afgansty - New Books in History Rodric Braithwaite

2011-09-14T08:00:00.000+01:00

Rodric Braithwaite in a former generation would quite likely have been running a colony in the British Empire somewhere. But without an empire to run, the British have finally got around to learning to cook and to writing a few books. This one sounds like a very interesting inside story on the Russian involvement in Afghanistan in the early eighties. There are obvious parallels and lessons for today, but those are for other countries than Britain.

http://newbooksinhistory.com/2011/08/26/rodric-braithwaite-afgantsy-the-russians-in-afghanistan-1979-89-oxford-up-2011/

Being a British Colonist - Joanne Freeman

2011-09-13T09:48:00.000+01:00

What was it like being a British Colonist in the American colonies prior to the War of Independence? It is always a problem in history of projecting current views onto an historical event, and nowhere is more prone to this temptation than this period. Prepare to have your eyes opened.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/itunes-u/the-american-revolution-audio/id429260982

Art of the English Renaissance - Heather Teysko

2011-09-12T09:16:00.003+01:00

This is episode 15 of a series on Renaissance history in England. It is a good listen and very informative. It is surprising how much you can cram into just over 11 minutes, but even so you'll probably end up wanting more, so it is a bit of a tease. I'll go back through the series and see if there are any other episodes worth a plug.

http://englandcast.blogspot.com/2011/09/episode-015-art-in-renaissance-england.html

This weeks most viewed podcast reviews

2011-09-11T10:53:00.000+01:00

Dave Crowther tops the chart this week. If I remember rightly that one was a bonus episode so that was good. Page views in general on the up, so that is good too.

Anglo Saxon England - History of England Dave Crow...

17 Jun 2011

28 Pageviews

5 tips for studying the American Revolution - Yale...

5 Jun 2011

18 Pageviews

The Heian Era - The History of Japan Podacast Came...

14 Jun 2011

17 Pageviews

World War II series - History of World War 2 Podca...

13 Jun 2011

16 Pageviews

Southern and Northern China Dynasties - China Hist...

21 May 2011

14 Pageviews

Conversion of Constantine - History Books Review Colin Sanders

2011-09-10T08:00:00.001+01:00

In the last History Books Review podcast we left Julian on the Rhine fighting the Germans. If you have tuned in to find out what happens to Julian next, you will be disappointed because we are back in the reign of Constantine looking in detail at his relationship with Christianity. Some surprises as usual.

http://historybooksreview.blogspot.com/2011/09/conversion-of-constantine-gibbons.html

Lynching - New Books in History Robert Thurston

2011-09-09T08:00:00.001+01:00

This book takes a fresh look at the role of lynching in American history. Its thesis is that while bad, it wasn't perhaps quite as bad as it is often portrayed and was rather more complex than you might imagine. Personally, I had no idea it was so prevalent so the revelation was rather lost on me. A gruesome and not particularly enjoyable podcast that frankly I can't recommend for any other reason than to make you realise just how bad humans can behave when the mood takes them.

http://newbooksinhistory.com/2011/08/05/robert-thurston-lynching-american-mob-murder-in-global-perspective-ashgate-2011/

Keynes versus Hayek Debate - LSE

2011-09-08T08:00:00.000+01:00

This is a bit of ramshackle podcast because they have left in the bits they did for the purposes of editing for Radio Four. I suppose it gives you the feeling of being there. The supporters of Keynes have the best of the argument. The main reason for this is the pro-Hayek speaker seems to have adopted the strategy of making out that Hayek was not that different to Keynes in his approach.

This is a shame because the debate between Keynes and Hayek is quite a key one to the history of the twentieth century. Does a strong state inevitably lead to authoritarian governments and a decline in private enterprise and individual freedom? I'd really like to know the answer to that one. This podcast gives you a bit more background and is worth a listen but I think it was a bit of a missed opportunity to go a bit deeper.

http://www2.lse.ac.uk/publicEvents/events/2011/20110726t1830vOT.aspx

Churchill Debate, was he a liability?

2011-09-07T08:00:00.000+01:00

This Intelligence Squared podcast broadcasts a debate about the role of Churchill in the history of the twentieth century. Interesting stuff it is too.

To my mind the format didn't work as well as it could have done for the subject. There were a total of six speakers which meant that we got quite a lot of perspectives. Personally I'd have preferred a couple of speakers and a bit more depth. But it was an interesting listen nonetheless.

http://www.intelligencesquared.com/events/churchill

State of Emergency, Britain 1970-74 LSE Podcast Dominic Sandbrook

2011-09-06T08:00:00.001+01:00

In this time of financial crisis it is interesting to look back forty years to a time when one of the major world economies had a crisis so serious that the lights actually went out. It is quite comforting in fact. Even though everything seemed to be going wrong, somehow we muddled through. But it was neither an heroic era nor a stylish one. If 1940 was Britain's finest hour, the seventies were probably its least well groomed.

http://www2.lse.ac.uk/newsAndMedia/videoAndAudio/channels/publicLecturesAndEvents/player.aspx?id=773

France Crumbles - History of World War 2 Ray Harris Junior

2011-09-05T08:00:00.001+01:00

It is a bit of a mystery why France played so small a part in the second world war. It could have been so different - on paper the French might easily have beaten Germany. It makes a lot more sense when you follow the details of the politics at the top level. The pace of this podcast remains its single best feature allowing you to really get into the details.

http://web.me.com/mtcove1/MountainCoveProductions/World_War_II_Podcast/Entries/2011/8/31_WWII_Podcast-Episode_33.html

This weeks most viewed podcast reviews

2011-09-04T10:33:00.000+01:00

Another dead heat this week. World War 2 and New Books in History slugging it out at the top. But it is good to see Lars Bronsworth making the top five this week.

World War II series - History of World War 2 Podca...

13 Jun 2011

18 Pageviews

The Ottoman Age of Exploration - New Books in Hist...

9 Jun 2011

18 Pageviews

Domitian - Bread and Circuses Adrian Murdoch

8 May 2011, 1 comment

16 Pageviews

Rise of a King - Norman Centuries Lars Bronsworth

21 Jun 2011

15 Pageviews

Custer's Last Stand - In Our Time

8 Jun 2011

14 Pageviews

U.S. Debt and the Millennials: Is Washington Creating a Lost Generation? - Cato Institute Podcast

2011-09-03T08:00:00.001+01:00

The overthrow of the Gadaffi regime in Tripoli will go down as one of the historic events of 2011. France and Britain were key players in this via the military support they offered the rebels. A story is going around that at around the time the rebels reached the Libyan capital their supporters had run out of ammunition and had to borrow some from the Americans. I don't know if this is actually true but it doesn't matter because nobody really doubts that it could be true. We all know that the US outspends the world on military items.

The really big boost in US military spending came in the term of office of Ronald Reagan. This had the effect of bankrupting the USSR and making the world a safer place, so it could be considered to be a really good investment. President Bush was another enthusiastic spender and it may well be that it was his generous funding that has brought about the demise of Gadaffi. Libya wasn't the menace that the Soviet Union was, but nonetheless the removal from power of a dangerous and unpredictable tyrant does sound like something worth paying for.

The trouble is that all spending has to be paid for. In this Cato Institute podcast the problem of the enormous American budget deficit is on the agenda. Interestingly, cutting spending on weapons isn't. The connection between the military budget and taxing and spending barely gets a mention. But some very good points are made and it is fascinating listening. One speaker makes the point that spending is the actual problem. Any government expenditure must require taxes to pay for it. You can tax now, or you can tax later. You can tax in any number of ways. But it all has to be paid for.

And ultimately, that is what history really is. It is nothing more than the results of the decisions of what governments choose to spend money on, and how they choose to finance it. I am not at all sure that the huge deficit the US is running will necessarily prove to be a disaster for the US in the long run as a lot of commentators seem to think. But there is no doubt that it will affect the world we live in in lots of ways. And to hear some very smart people discussing it with so obviously little idea of what effect it is going to have is sobering. I wonder what future historians will make of it all.

http://www.cato.org/event.php?eventid=8180

The Great Conspiracy - The History of Rome Mike Duncan

2011-09-02T08:00:00.001+01:00

What was the great conspiracy of the title? It refers to a huge co-ordinated attack on the province of Britain by Picts, Irish, Franks and the Germanic tribe that was to have a surprisingly impressive CV later in history, the Saxons. Sorting out this conspiracy was going to allow a new dynasty to emerge. For a foggy out of the way island where it rains a lot, Britain was to play a disproportionate role in the history of the empire.

The Populist Vision - New Books in History Charles Postel

2011-09-01T08:00:00.000+01:00

Imagine an American political party that is in favour of public ownership of things like the railways, that has progressive views on science and women's rights and that believes in organising the financial system to help small farmers.

This was exactly what the People's Party of the mid Nineteenth Century was. The judgement of history has not been kind to the Populists, and in this podcast we hear that the judgement was probably unfair. The Populists have been slammed as backward looking agrarian romantics rather than their true identity as the closest the US has ever got to a proper socialist party.

http://newbooksinhistory.com/2009/07/22/charles-postel-the-populist-vision/

Constantius and Julian - History Books Review Colin Sanders

2011-08-31T08:00:00.001+01:00

Julian was catapulted from political prisoner to Caesar of the West. He was supposed to be a figurehead through which Constantius was to rule. But that wasn't how it turned out. A story of hard deadly fighting and even more deadly politics as the declining empire is attacked on all sides. Don't miss this one.

http://historybooksreview.blogspot.com/2011/08/constantius-and-julian-gibbons-decline.html

Richard II -Rex Factor

2011-08-30T08:00:00.000+01:00

England has another child king in 1377 with the accession of Richard II. Richard takes after his great-grandfather Edward II with his tendency for promoting lowly favourites and being considered of dubious heterosexuality and he frequently is at odds with the great nobles of the realm. However, he is also a surprisingly cultured monarch and shows impressive courage during the Peasants Revolt. His fortunes fluctuate rather wildly and troubles with his uncles and cousins (in particular Henry Bolingbroke) will test him to the utmost.

http://rexfactor.podbean.com/2011/05/05/28-richard-ii/

This weeks most viewed podcast reviews

2011-08-28T09:37:00.000+01:00

In Our Time leads the field this week, but with strong showings from Dave Crowther's History of England and Cameron Foster's History of Japan. So a good week for histories of densely populated highly industrialised islands.

Custer's Last Stand - In Our Time

8 Jun 2011

20 Page views

The West Saxon Bretwalda - History of England by D...

1 Feb 2011

16 Page views

The Heian Era - The History of Japan Podacast Came...

14 Jun 2011

16 Page views

The Ottoman Age of Exploration - New Books in Hist...

9 Jun 2011

14 Page views

Tiber and the Potomac - History Books Review

3 Feb 2011

12 Page views

Helping Humanity -New Books in History Keith Pomakoy

2011-08-28T08:00:00.002+01:00

It can't be easy being American if you are sensitive to criticism. America gets slammed not only for doing things, but also for failing to do things. What's a superpower to do, eh?

This podcast is a good antidote to both American triumphalism and general anti-Americanism. When it comes to genocide, on the whole the United States has tried to do what it can, but it turns out that generally what it can do isn't very much. Basically, they are just humans trying their best in a difficult world rather than superheros riding to the rescue or uniquely wicked villains out to do the rest of us down. An hour and a bit of common sense and plain talking.

A good listen for everyone except conspiracy theorists and bigoted patriots.

http://newbooksinhistory.com/2011/08/19/keith-pomakoy-helping-humanity-american-policy-and-genocide-rescue-lexington-books-2011/

Petain takes over - History of World War 2 Ray Harris Junior

2011-08-27T08:00:00.001+01:00

With half the country overrun by panzers, you might imagine that the French government would have been concentrating on trying to recover the military position. But in fact they were engaging in a struggle that was to leave Petain, a defeatist general, in charge of France. It is a grim story.

http://web.me.com/mtcove1/MountainCoveProductions/World_War_II_Podcast/Entries/2011/8/19_WWII_Podcast-Episode_32.html

Constantius and Gallus - History Books Review Colin Sanders

2011-08-26T08:00:00.005+01:00

The sons of Constantine were all killed in civil wars with the exception of Constantius. He found running the empire alone to be difficult, and recruited his cousin Gallus to act as emperor in the East. Unfortunately it didn't work out too well. Colin gives us the story of the unfortunate Gallus and in the process illuminates just how decadent the court in Constantinople was becoming.

http://historybooksreview.blogspot.com/2011/08/constantius-and-gallus-gibbons-decline.html

Edward III - Rex Factor

2011-08-24T08:00:00.001+01:00

With his father deposed in 1327 and Roger Mortimer all-powerful, things did not look too promising for the young Edward III, but this turned out to be one of the most remarkable reigns of the medieval period. Encompassing the start of the Hundred Years War and the Black Death, this was a pivotal period in English history. For Edward, there are triumphs with the Battles of Crecy and Poitiers and the Order of the Garter, but also personal tragedies which beset his later years. When it's all put together, will he make for a great king?

http://rexfactor.podbean.com/2011/04/28/27-edward-iii/

Dominion of God - New Books in History Brett Whalen

2011-08-23T08:00:00.003+01:00

Brett Whalen has studied the millenarian atmosphere in the Middle Ages, in particular the crusades. Marshall seems particularly interested in relating this to the present day. This makes it quite an interesting chat - don't tune in if you want to learn about the book, interesting as it sounds, but do tune in for some historical perspective on modern American attitudes.

In particular, we get an interesting comparison between medieval anti-semitism and the modern variety. (Totally different). We also get to see how apocalyptic visions compare. (Pretty similar)

Basically, an entertaining and educational hour's worth of listening. I wouldn't mind if they got together again and actually talked about the book either.

http://newbooksinhistory.com/2009/09/18/brett-whalen-dominion-of-god-christendom-and-apocalypse-in-the-middle-ages/

The Fall of Paris - History of World War 2 Ray Harris Junior

2011-08-22T08:00:00.001+01:00

It sometimes seems looking back that France collapsed a bit too easily in 1940, and giving up Paris without a fight in particular doesn't suggest much in the way of heroism. But when you follow this podcast you realise that the fighting had already been done and that really the French would have achieved nothing apart from take casualties by fighting on at this stage.

It is still a gripping story though.

http://web.me.com/mtcove1/MountainCoveProductions/World_War_II_Podcast/Entries/2011/8/11_WWII_Podcast-Episode_31.html

This weeks most viewed podcast reviews

2011-08-21T22:25:00.000+01:00

Byron tops the charts this week.

In Our Time Childe Harold's Pilgrimage

14 Jan 2011

16 Pageviews

5 tips for studying the American Revolution - Yale...

5 Jun 2011

15 Pageviews

Domitian - Bread and Circuses Adrian Murdoch

8 May 2011, 1 comment

15 Pageviews

The Heian Era - The History of Japan Podacast Came...

14 Jun 2011

14 Pageviews

Oppressed Peasants and Capital Cities - History of...

30 May 2011

13 Pageviews

Marie Antoinette - The History Chicks

2011-08-21T08:00:00.000+01:00

I have just come across this female orientated history podcast. One of the things that makes history interesting is thinking about what the lives of people in the past were really like. How for example, would you cope with having to wait to be dressed by the highest ranking woman in the room?

This was one of the many weird things that Marie Antoinette had to cope with. The History Chicks are a couple of enthusiastic history fans who are interested in the experience that she went through in her life. They share their fascination with gusto in this podcast. Its quite a ride. Personally, I found I had to split listening into two sessions. It was a bit too high energy for me to take the full hour long show in one go. But a very interesting approach and I will certainly be back for more. If you like your history on a human scale you will probably enjoy them too.

http://thehistorychicks.com/?p=148

Rebels Rising - New Books in History Ben Carp

2011-08-20T08:00:00.000+01:00

Rebels Rising covers some of the intriguing minutiae of the outbreak of the American War of Independence. It doesn't ask the key question - if the colonists had lost would America have turned out as a normal country like, say, Canada. But it does look at the role played by bars and churches, asks why the rebels dressed up as Red Indians during the Boston Tea Party, why was Boston such a key place during the build up to the war but not very significant during the war itself, and most fascinatingly could New York have become a sort of American version of Hong Kong?

http://newbooksinhistory.com/2009/06/05/benjamin-carp-rebels-rising-cities-in-the-american-revolution/

Abraham Lincoln Museum Stories from the Vault Podcast

2011-08-19T08:00:00.001+01:00

Abraham Lincoln is one of those figures from history that most people seem to be interested in. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum have a podcast based on the premise of talking about objects from their vault of Lincolnalia. It sounds like it ought to be interesting. I listened to the first one which didn't really grab me. But podcasting seems to be a skill that improves with practice so I'll try a few more before I make a judgement. No link at the moment. I don't know why, but for some reason I can't get through to their website either on the link they sent me, nor on Google nor from the iTunes store.

If you want to give it a listen, the only way that worked for me was to search for 'stories from the vault' in the iTunes store and subscribe there. (I am not in the US so the problem may well be local to me).

Constantius - History Books Review Colin Sanders

2011-08-18T08:00:00.002+01:00

Colin's review of Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire has now reached the rise of Constantius, the only one of Constantine's successors to get a decent run at being in charge of the empire. It is a bit hard to keep up with the details, but we do get to hear about the bloodiest battle in the history of Rome.

http://historybooksreview.blogspot.com/2011/08/constantius-gibbons-decline-and-fall-of.html

Edward II - Rex factor

2011-08-17T08:00:00.001+01:00

The reign of Edward I was always going to be hard to follow, but even so Edward II makes rather a meal of it. His devotion to his favourites Piers Gaveston (a foppish arrogant knight) and Hugh Despenser (a brutal baron) cause resentment and rebellion among the rest of the nobility, particularly Thomas Lancaster and Roger Mortimer. Even Edward's wife, the beautiful Isabella of France, has her patience tried once too often. This dark period of English history stands in stark contrast to the legendary Scottish king Robert the Bruce, who inflicts one of the most infamous defeats on the English army in the Battle of Bannockburn. Is there anything good to say about Edward?

http://rexfactor.podbean.com/2011/04/20/26-edward-ii/

The Polish Question at the End of the First World War - LSE Anita Prazmowska

2011-08-16T08:00:00.001+01:00

Poland is such a well established country in Europe that it is sometimes hard to remember that as a state it is still less than a 100 years old. Since its formation two major wars have been fought where its borders were at issue.

It is interesting to hear a bit about the formation of Poland, and how the Poland that emerged was shaped by a handful of individuals. It has rather an academic style of presentation but the story is not at all what you would expect if, like me, you knew nothing about it. You won't be able to hear a pianist playing Chopin the same way again.

http://www2.lse.ac.uk/newsAndMedia/videoAndAudio/channels/publicLecturesAndEvents/player.aspx?id=776

England in the Reign of Henry I - History of England Dave Crowther

2011-08-15T08:00:00.001+01:00

Did the effective establishment of a feudal system under the Normans in England create the stable conditions that allowed the country to develop out of feudalism? It is an interesting question that Dave raises early on in this episode of the History of England. He doesn't answer it, he gets on with describing the politics, infighting and fighting methods in use at the time instead. If you don't know your Plantagenets from your Normans, this is a great podcast series. If you know very little about the subject it is a good starting point as it assumes very little knowledge of history.

If you want a bit more depth and already have a good idea of what went on, try http://historicalpodcasts.blogspot.com/2011/01/europe-from-its-origins-episode-19-1347.html - bearing in mind you'll have to invest a lot more time into it.

But you if like this period, you may well enjoy both. I do.

http://historyofengland.typepad.com/blog/2011/07/29-england-in-the-reign-of-henry-i.html

This weeks most viewed podcast reviews

2011-08-14T15:47:00.000+01:00

We haven't posted many reviews this week, but normal service will be resumed as soon as possible. One of the reasons was the sudden appearance of an old review of the Darkness Falls episode from Ancient Warfare. We had to go back and give it another listen. Highly recommended.

History Network Ancient Warfare Magazine - Darknes...

9 Jan 2011

34 Pageviews

William Rufus and the First Crusade - History of E...

16 Jul 2011

24 Pageviews

Aethelred, Svein Forkbeard and years of misery - H...

29 Apr 2011

21 Pageviews

Dead Aid by Dambisa Moyo - History Books Review Co...

9 May 2011

21 Pageviews

Tiber and the Potomac - History Books Review

3 Feb 2011

18 Pageviews

Natural Experiments of History - New Books in History Jared Diamond

2011-08-08T08:00:00.002+01:00

What does Jared Diamond think of historians? They are unloved and don't get paid much for good reason, because they produce work of little value. They are too specialised and not good enough at sums.

This emerges in this podcast where he talks about it. To an historian.

Incidentally they also talk about a history book that Diamond has just edited. That sounds quite interesting too.

http://newbooksinhistory.com/2010/01/20/jared-diamond-and-james-a-robinson-natural-experiments-of-history/

This weeks most viewed podcast reviews

2011-08-07T11:42:00.000+01:00

Cock of the heap this week? Epicurus. Sadly, he is not around to enjoy his success, but he would be philosophical about that.

Epicurus - ABC Philosophy Podcast

7 Jan 2011

32 Pageviews

Tiber and the Potomac - History Books Review

3 Feb 2011

26 Pageviews

Anglo Saxon England - History of England Dave Crow...

17 Jun 2011

23 Pageviews

Introduction to World War II - History of World Wa...

31 May 2011

23 Pageviews

Julian the Pre Apostate - History of Rome Mike Dun...

24 Jul 2011

21 Pageviews

Waterloo Pts 1 and 2 - Napoleon Podcast

2011-08-05T08:00:00.000+01:00

The Napoleon podcast was really the one that got the historical podcasts website, and now blog and forum as well going. But unfortunately they have not been particularly productive lately - I guess the fact that they have done the man himself from beginning to end means that they don't have a huge amount of material to hand. But it is always good to hear from them when they come up with something.

In the meantime here is one of the classics from the series. The battle of Waterloo episodes were among the best shows of the series and stand up pretty well if you just want to get a flavour of the podcast without committing to working through the full 50 odd hours.

http://napoleon.thepodcastnetwork.com/2007/12/06/the-napoleon-bonaparte-podcast-33-the-battle-of-waterloo-part-1/

http://napoleon.thepodcastnetwork.com/2007/12/13/the-napoleon-bonaparte-podcast-34-the-battle-of-waterloo-part-2/

Enduring the Great War - New Books in History Alexander Watson

2011-08-04T08:00:00.001+01:00

How did the troops who fought in the First World War cope with it? It is a good question and one that Alexander Watson has set out to answer in this book. He looks specifically at the British and German armies. The two organisations seem to have faced largely the same challenges and solved much the same problem. But there were some differences, and this may explain why the German army seemed to give in first. It turns out that the end of German resistance didn't happen in quite the way I imagined it. In particular it wasn't on the point of mutiny as I imagined. Have a listen if you want to find out what really happened.

http://newbooksinhistory.com/2009/08/06/alexander-watson-enduring-the-great-war/

Voices of the Past Podcasts

2011-08-03T13:08:00.000+01:00

I haven't had a chance to listen to any of these yet, but I thought I'd draw attention to the website as it is likely to be of interest to readers. The focus is on ways of using different media to explore aspects of history and other culture. If you have something to say and are looking for a way to say it this might well be worth a look.

http://www.voicesofthepast.org/category/podcast/

The End of Dunkirk - History of World War 2 Podcast Ray Harris Junior

2011-08-02T21:15:00.000+01:00

We finally get to the end of the evacuation from Dunkirk. We get the whole of that speech by Winston Churchill, the one everyone in Britain has heard. I never thought Ray would manage to keep the podcast going on this subject for 4 whole episodes. By the end he must have been exhausted, but he managed to carry on. It seems quite likely that even if this podcast series lasts a thousand episodes, when people look back they will say 'that was his finest hour'.

Seriously though, this series is becoming a real treat and well worth giving a try if you haven't sampled it yet.

http://web.me.com/mtcove1/MountainCoveProductions/World_War_II_Podcast/Entries/2011/7/31_WWII_Podcast-Episode_30.html

This weeks most viewed podcast reviews

2011-07-31T14:06:00.000+01:00

And this week Rex Factor have won out with their coverage of Richard the Lionheart.

Richard the Lionheart

24 May 2011

30 Pageviews

The Rise of Christianity - History Books Review Co...

17 May 2011

25 Pageviews

Julian the Pre Apostate - History of Rome Mike Dun...

24 Jul 2011

23 Pageviews

Foundation of the Chinese Communist Party - Histor...

23 Jul 2011

21 Pageviews

William Rufus and the First Crusade - History of E...

16 Jul 2011

19 Pageviews

The Human Footprint - New Books in History Anthony Penna

2011-07-31T08:00:00.001+01:00

Environmental history is a bit of a mix of disciplines, but with the great interest in the environment it does offer a new way of looking at a familiar problem. It is also quite an eye opening way. For example, this podcast points out a very surprising fact. Cultivation of crops seems to have been invented independently about 14 times within the space of about a thousand years. That doesn't sound like a coincidence. You don't usually have to worry about spoilers when reviewing history podcast, but I'll let you find out the explanation Prof Penna comes up with when you listen yourself.

This is an intriguing podcast that made me think differently about some things I thought I knew all about already. I am mightily tempted to seek the book out as well.

http://newbooksinhistory.com/2011/07/18/anthony-penna-the-human-footprint-a-global-environmental-history-wiley-blackwell-2010/

The Lion of Justice - History of England Podcast Dave Crowther

2011-07-30T08:00:00.001+01:00

Another week, another brutal Norman tyrant comes to the throne. This week its Henry I. I don't know much about this period of English history and I must say that these early monarchs, and I'll take Dave's word for it that Henry was famous for his justice. In this episode he comes across as another brutal Norman thug, but it is an interesting listen nonetheless. The bit about surnames at the end was interesting - if I were Dave I would have put it at the beginning rather than the end. I find that if I am hearing a story I sort of turn off when it reaches the conclusion and reach for the fast forward button. If I hear some background before the story it gives me something to look at for while I am listening. But maybe that is just me.

http://historyofengland.typepad.com/blog/2011/07/28-the-lion-of-justice.html

European Podcast Awards

2011-07-28T08:00:00.000+01:00

There is a new award being talked about online. It is called the European Podcast award and as the name suggests it is a set of awards for European podcasts. It is a bit hard to get any idea of how important this is going to be but it looks like fun. Three podcasts regularly reviewed on here have been nominated: Historyzine, History Books Review and History of England.

You seem to be able to vote for as many as you like, so why not vote for them all.

http://www.european-podcast-award.eu/uk/start/vote-and-win/vote-and-win.html

Xenophon - In Our Time Melvyn Bragg

2011-07-27T08:00:00.000+01:00

Xenophon's account of the failed attempt by a group of Greek mercenaries to topple a king of Persia and their difficulties getting back again afterwards (for fairly obvious reasons) has been a popular classic for centuries. But one thing it doesn't do is tell you a huge amount about the guy behind it. This is where this podcast comes in.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b011cffd

Hateful to his people and odious to God - History of England Dave Crowther

2011-07-26T08:00:00.002+01:00

"Hateful to his people and odious to God" was how a church historian described William Rufus. I was hoping he was going to go an add that he farted in his general direction. William Rufus was the first English king to run into relationship issues with the Catholic Church. A handy completion of the account of this not very well known monarch.

http://historyofengland.typepad.com/blog/2011/07/27-hateful-to-his-people-and-odious-to-god.html

Wycliffe and the Lollards - In Our Time Melvyn Bragg

2011-07-25T08:00:00.000+01:00

Not a classic, but worth half an hour of your time. It is mainly about Wycliffe rather than the Lollards to be honest. How often do you have this experience. There is an historical figure about which you know one solitary fact. You find out more, and it turns out the one thing you thought you knew is wrong.

So in my case, the only thing I knew about this guy was that he translated the Bible into English. Except he didn't. If you want to know more you'll have to tune in to Melvyn and a couple of not all that animated experts on the subject.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b011vh4k

Last Week's Most Viewed Podcast Reviews

2011-07-24T10:20:00.000+01:00

A bit more of an even show this week, with Dan Carlin just ahead.

Death Throes of the Republic IV - Hardcore History...

5 Feb 2011

22 Pageviews

Why did Rome fall? - New Books in History Adrian G...

4 Jun 2011

19 Pageviews

William Rufus and the First Crusade - History of E...

16 Jul 2011

17 Pageviews

Introduction to World War II - History of World Wa...

31 May 2011

16 Pageviews

Dead Aid by Dambisa Moyo - History Books Review Co...

9 May 2011

15 Pageviews

Julian the Pre Apostate - History of Rome Mike Duncan

2011-07-24T08:00:00.000+01:00

This podcast is always good, but the highlight is always the portrayals of strong characters like Julius Caesar and Constantine. It looks like we have another in the form of Julian the Apostate. He was to be the last pagan emperor and we don't have that many emperors left now so lets hope we get the full treatment on this one. This episode covers his early life while he was still a Christian, he only became the Apostate when he abandoned his Christianity. (Just in case you don't get the title.)

http://thehistoryofrome.typepad.com/the_history_of_rome/2011/07/143-julian-the-pre-apostate.html

Foundation of the Chinese Communist Party - History of China Podcast Lazlo Montgomery

2011-07-23T08:00:00.001+01:00

One of the most significant events in the history of the twentieth century was the foundation of the Chinese Communist Party. This podcast gives you the background to why it happened and some of the characters involved. It works pretty well as a stand alone episode if you aren't that interested in the whole of Chinese history. But if you are, there are now 50 podcasts in this series to work through so you won't be short of listening.

http://www.chinahistorypodcast.com/ChinaHistoryPodcast/Podcasts/Entries/2011/7/1_CHP-048-The_Founding_of_the_CCP.html

Constantinople - History Books Review Colin Sanders

2011-07-22T08:00:00.004+01:00

I had begun to despair of Colin ever getting another podcast out, but at last one has reappeared. He seems to be on great form with an account of the building of Constantinople. Rome was to be eclipsed by this new city, but it is probable the Eastern Roman Empire would not have survived if Constantine hadn't done what he did. (There isn't as much humour as usual in this one but even so, it might be worth giving it a skip if you are a lawyer.)

http://historybooksreview.blogspot.com/2011/07/constantinople-gibbons-decline-and-fall.html

What are you protesting against? What have you got?

2011-07-21T08:00:00.001+01:00

Here is a great idea. The proceedings of an historical conference posted online. They are videos rather than podcasts and they look at various aspects of protesting over the years. Its an interesting angle and it covers a lot of ground. I always like to hear about Captain Swing for instance. It is good to remember that the countryside wasn't the idyllic place it is often portrayed as.

The drawback is that the audio quality isn't good on any of them, and is terrible on a couple. Also we could do with a bit of context about who the speakers are.

But it is a good initiative and I'd love to see more of this kind of thing.

http://protesthistory2011.org.uk/broadcast.html

The Tsar Liberates Europe - LSE Dominic Lieven

2011-07-20T08:00:00.002+01:00

Was Russia a marginal power that simply reacted to the threat from Napoleon and simply ended up with an army in Paris as a result of a series of unwise actions on the part of the French tyrant? That may not be what historians say explicitly, but it is how the story often gets told.

But what if the Russians were well informed, pro-active and sophisticated players who worked out the character of the French Empire and used their intelligence to thwart it with well developed plans, strategies and tactics? In particular, did their spies know in advance that Napoleon had been long planning to attack them?

Dominic Lieven makes a terrific case that the Russians led by Tsar Alexander knew exactly what they were doing all along.

http://www2.lse.ac.uk/newsAndMedia/videoAndAudio/channels/publicLecturesAndEvents/player.aspx?id=433

Sir Orfeo - Corey Olsen

2011-07-19T09:29:00.000+01:00

Here is an unusual one. A professor of English with a particular interest in Medieval Literature and J.R.R.Tolkien has recorded verbatim one of the Middle English poems that inspired Tolkien's work. It sounds like gobbledygook at first but I found that if I persisted I began to pick it up.

Its not exactly top notch blockbuster mass entertainment, but it is fascinating listening. It is basically a retelling of the Orpheus myth but with fairyland taking the place of Hell. It isn't bad, though the ending is a bit sudden.

An interesting read that repays the effort of getting into it in the first place.

http://www.tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses_seminars/wc_faerie.html#orfeo_title

The Gold Pavilion - History of Japan Cameron Foster

2011-07-18T10:38:00.000+01:00

It has been a while since we last heard from Cameron, but he is back with an episode that whets your appetite for more podcasts and to visit Japan.

Not much interesting actually happens in this podcast but we do get some interesting descriptions of places in Japan.

http://frug.podbean.com/2011/07/14/episode-13-the-gold-pavilion/

This Week's Most Viewed Podcast Reviews

2011-07-17T09:50:00.002+01:00

A bit more of an even field this week. Ray Harris Junior is still the top of the table, but only just ahead of History Books Review, and History Books Review has two entries in the top five.

World War II series - History of World War 2 Podca...

13 Jun 2011

19 Pageviews

The Rise of Christianity - History Books Review Co...

17 May 2011

17 Pageviews

How the Church Won - History Books Review Colin Sa...

26 May 2011

17 Pageviews

5 tips for studying the American Revolution - Yale...

5 Jun 2011

15 Pageviews

Power, Violence, Sex and Nara - History of Japan C...

28 Apr 2011

15 Pageviews

The Minoans - In Our Time Melvyn Bragg

2011-07-17T08:00:00.000+01:00

You'll learn a bit about the Minoans from this podcast. You'll hear more about the skulduggery surrounding Victorian archeology. It seems the first excavation was done in such haste that different teams competed with each other to get through the upper Roman layers and into the real Minoan deal as quickly as possible.

Fascinating stuff, if a little hard to believe.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01292ts

William Rufus and the First Crusade - History of England Dave Crowther

2011-07-16T08:00:00.001+01:00

William Rufus is introduced very quickly, and we then get a whistle stop account of the Crusades. I must say I could easily have got by quite nicely without the Crusades bit. Dave did anticipate this by saying that it was his podcast and he can do what he likes. And of course it is and he can.

William Rufus is more interesting and I could have quite happily listened to more about him, though given that we are still way back in the 11th Century maybe there aren't enough sources for there to be much more to tell. (And if you are reading this Dave, you might want to have another go at editing it. There are a couple of short snaps that get repeated.)

http://historyofengland.typepad.com/blog/2011/07/26-william-rufus-normandy-and-the-first-crusade.html

The Significance of Reconstruction - LSE Eric Foner

2011-07-15T08:00:00.002+01:00

We often think of progress as a one way process. But as this talk about the reconstruction of the South after the American Civil War shows, sometimes things go backwards even when the constitution of the country has been changed. A fascinating account of a period of history that doesn't often get much attention.

http://www2.lse.ac.uk/publicEvents/events/2008/20071128t1622z001.aspx

Dunkirk Continued - World War 2 Podcast Ray Harris Junior

2011-07-14T11:01:00.000+01:00

The French and British are still on the beaches. The Germans are closing in. The government in Paris is wavering. Get caught up in the minute with this podcast which is developing into compulsive listening.

http://web.me.com/mtcove1/MountainCoveProductions/World_War_II_Podcast/Entries/2011/7/10_WWII_Podcast-Episode_28.html

Adam Smith - Cato Institute

2011-07-13T06:47:00.000+01:00

The Cato Institute seems to be some kind of right wing think tank. As such, they might be expected to have a particular angle on the work of Adam Smith, and on the whole highly partisan stuff is too predictable to be interesting.

The other thing that isn't very interesting is highly intellectual stuff using words and concepts that the academics all understand but which the general listener can't easily follow. We get a bit of that right at the start. The first ten minutes or so are highly turn off-able. But after that things settle in to an intriguing account of one of the key figures of the Enlightenment. Adam Smith has often been seen as an advocate for capitalism, but is actually much more important and significant than that. His legacy belongs to everyone not just one side of the political debate. If you don't know much about him this is a good place to start even if your politics don't match those of the Cato crowd.

http://www.cato.org/event.php?eventid=7592

How Terrorism Ends - New Books in History Audrey Kurth Cronin

2011-07-11T08:00:00.000+01:00

As podcasts go this one was a bit dull. I don't think the subject matter really lends itself to podcasting somehow. But I have posted it anyway because it does sound like an interesting book. Terrorist campaigns don't last forever and it is worth considering the ways the come to an end.

http://newbooksinhistory.com/2010/05/28/audrey-kurth-cronin-how-terrorism-ends-understanding-the-decline-and-demise-of-terrorist-campaigns/

Last week's most viewed history podcast reviews

2011-07-10T22:33:00.000+01:00

Ray Harris is way out in front this week, leaving History Books Review way behind.

World War II series - History of World War 2 Podca...

13 Jun 2011

40 Pageviews

Dead Aid by Dambisa Moyo - History Books Review Co...

9 May 2011

19 Pageviews

Domitian - Bread and Circuses Adrian Murdoch

8 May 2011, 1 comment

15 Pageviews

Death Throes of the Republic IV - Hardcore History...

5 Feb 2011

14 Pageviews

Custer's Last Stand - In Our Time

8 Jun 2011

12 Pageviews

Brotherhood of Kings, really ancient diplomacy - New Books in History Amanda Podany

2011-07-10T08:00:00.008+01:00

How long do the customs of diplomatic relationships that we read about on the Internet and in the newspapers every day go back? If this podcast is right, then as far back as written records.

One of the things about this podcast series that I don't always like myself is that Marshal Poe is often very interested in the methods of history. This is an interesting enough subject, but I am a bit impatient and I usually want to get straight onto the actual history. But in this case it is fascinating to think that a whole history laid buried for thousands of years on clay tablets that nobody alive knew how to read.

And that is what this podcast is about - the diplomacy of the ancient world as revealed by one of the most enduring forms of information technology humans have come up with yet.

http://newbooksinhistory.com/2010/08/19/amanda-podany-brotherhood-of-kings-how-international-relations-shaped-the-ancient-near-east/

Death of the Republic - Hard Core History Dan Carlin

2011-07-09T08:00:00.003+01:00

The notorious 5 and a half podcast has taken me so long to listen to it has actually a hiatus in this week's podcast reviews. Sorry for missing a couple of reviews this week.

So is it any good? Yes it is, if you have the time to listen to it. There are no natural breaks so if you can't block off half a day to listen in a single sitting you might just as well stop at any point.

Did it need to be that long- well maybe not. It could have been edited down a bit without too much loss.

But there is something quite relaxing about knowing whose company you are going to be in for the next few podcast listening sessions. I enjoyed it. It is a bit like having a child. You don't regret doing it, but you would think twice about doing it again.

Death of the Conqueror - History of England Dave Crowther

2011-07-08T15:29:00.000+01:00

This week's podcast is basically a thumbnail of the character of William, a few jokes about the Doomsday Book and an account of his death.

All good entertaining stuff and well worth a listen. He hasn't really done much to set up the next reign so he has some work to do next time. But if you haven't heard any of the previous issues, I'd say that this one is a good sampler for the series.

http://historyofengland.typepad.com/blog/2011/07/25-death-of-a-conqueror.html

Revolt of the Earls - History of England Dave Crowther

2011-07-05T08:00:00.000+01:00

One of the things that William did that was to have a big impact on English history was to replace all the Saxon nobles with Norman ones. In hindsight that all seems logical enough, it was a Norman invasion after all. What did they expect, a brainstorming session? But in fact it doesn't seem to have been part of the original plan at all. William only got rid of the big Saxon aristocrats when they rebelled against him. Even then he gave some of them a second chance. Hear all about it on this podcast. Personally I enjoy them more when they are dealing with the guys we don't know so much about, like this one.

http://historyofengland.typepad.com/blog/2011/06/24-revolt-of-the-earls.html

Bismarck by Jonathan Steinberg - New Books in History

2011-07-04T08:00:00.000+01:00

Nobody did more to shape the Twentieth Century in Europe than Bismarck. He united the disparate German states to create Germany, instigated regime change in France and basically redrew the map and rewrote the rulebook. But the man himself is an enigma. Was Bismarck a liberal or a conservative? What were his values? How did he see his role, and what was his motivation. This podcast doesn't really answer any of these questions but you do feel yourself getting to know the man a bit more.

http://newbooksinhistory.com/2011/05/24/jonathan-steinberg-bismarck-a-life-oxford-up-2011/

This Week's Most Viewed Podcast Reviews

2011-07-03T10:00:00.001+01:00

Ray Harris Junior's account of Mussolini tops the chart this week. It is also great to see Epicurus getting into the ratings too.

Mussolini - World War 2 History Ray Harris Junior

19 Jun 2011

24 Pageviews

Death Throes of the Republic IV - Hardcore History...

5 Feb 2011

24 Pageviews

Epicurus - ABC Philosophy Podcast

7 Jan 2011

22 Pageviews

History Books Review: The Germans - drunken, highl...

11 Jan 2011, 1 comment

20 Pageviews

Tiber and the Potomac - History Books Review

3 Feb 2011

18 Pageviews

The Spanish Armada - In Our Time

2011-07-03T08:00:00.002+01:00

When I was at school the Spanish Armada was described as being a huge threat to English independence that was heroically fought off against the odds by plucky seamen who used their skill to defeat a much stronger foe.

Since then it has been steadily downplayed, including this broadcast which suggests that there really wasn't that much danger of it unless it linked up with the troops. And the wind played the biggest role in its defeat.

This is an interesting show, but at this rate before long we'll be saying the biggest risk the Armada posed was that England might have run out of sticking plasters for a few extra blisters caused by doing a bit more sailing about than usual.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00v1qyb

Edward I - Rex Factor Podcast

2011-07-02T08:00:00.001+01:00

England enters its medieval Edwardian period in 1272 with the accession of Edward I and after two difficult reigns there is another powerful king. Edward was every bit the medieval warrior king, going on Crusade, conquering Wales and building some of the most magnificent castles in Britain. Learning the lessons of his father's troubled reign, he also strives to make his kingdom more just and well ordered. Every bit the great king, but he bites off more than he can chew when he takes on Scotland and has some rather unpleasant personality traits which make him somewhat less sympathetic to modern sensibilities. One half of the team has been waiting the whole series to bask in Edward's triumphs, but will he do enough to please them both and win the coveted Rex Factor?

http://rexfactor.podbean.com/2011/04/13/25-edward-i/

Dan Carlin releases 5 and a half hour history podcast!

2011-07-01T09:18:00.001+01:00

The last of Dan Carlin's Death of the Republic series has just appeared in my download queue. And it is just short of five and a half hours long.

I don't know how long it will take to download. This must be some kind of historic event in its own right! I can't think of any other history podcast anywhere near this in length.

William the Conqueror subjugates England - History of England Dave Crowther

2011-07-01T08:00:00.000+01:00

It was by no means a foregone conclusion that even after the battle of Hastings William would be able to hold on to the throne of England. In this episode we learn just how precarious his hold on the place actually was.

http://historyofengland.typepad.com/blog/2011/06/23-william-the-conqueror-and-the-subjugation-of-england.html

Fixing the Sky: The Checkered History of Weather and Climate Control James Fleming - New Books in History

2011-06-30T13:21:00.000+01:00

One of the big problems facing mankind is that we are unwittingly changing the weather by burning fossil fuels. The extent to which this is happening, and whether there is anything we either can or should do about it is debatable. But what may come as a surprise is that humans have been trying to control the weather for longer than you might think. In fact, just about every bit of new technology that has come along has been used to attempt precisely that. The results? Total failure every time. Fascinating stuff, and with the climate debate ranging topical stuff as well.

http://newbooksinhistory.com/2010/10/20/james-fleming-fixing-the-sky-the-checkered-history-of-weather-and-climate-control/

Stamford Bridge - In Our Time

2011-06-29T08:00:00.000+01:00

Melvyn tackles the other big battle of 1066 joined by a group of rather indecisive historians. It turns out that not much is actually known about this particular battle, and the experts were keen to talk about how poor the sources available are. This got in the way of a good telling of the story and frankly, was getting on Melvyn's nerves. Not a bad programme, though given that there was a much bigger and more important battle only a few weeks later it is a bit hard to get excited by this one.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b011jvlt

1066 and Goodbye to all that - History of England Dave Crowther

2011-06-28T08:00:00.000+01:00

This podcast so far has been about stuff that not many people know much about. In this episode for the first time we hear stuff that everyone in England knows all about. 1066 is notoriously the only date that most English people ever remember from their school history.

Dave acknowledges that he isn't coming up with much new and graciously invites people who know the story already to give this week's episode a miss. To be honest, if you do know the story you might as well. But if you don't, this is pretty much the standard version you can find anywhere and is as good a place to learn it as anywhere else. If you want a really good account of the battle, sadly not yet podcasted anywhere, by anyone Edward Creasey's chapter from 15 Decisive Battles of World History is superb. (Thanks to Colin of History Books Review for pointing that one out to me.)

http://historyofengland.typepad.com/blog/2011/06/22-1066-and-goodbye-to-all-that.html

Cry Havoc: How the Arms Race Drove the World to War, 1931–1941 Joe Maiolo - New Books in History

2011-06-27T08:00:00.002+01:00

Which country in Europe was producing the most planes in 1939 and 1940? It has to be Germany doesn't it? No, it was Britain. Which year did it become inevitable that Germany would lost the Second World War. 1942? Not according to this book, try 1933.

A fascinating look at the great conflict of the twentieth century from an angle it is rarely viewed from, that of resources and how they affected the arms race that built up to the outbreak of war. I won't say any more, it is more fun to listen and have your eyes (ears?) opened.

http://ir.uiowa.edu/history_nbih/132/

This Week's Most Viewed Podcast Reviews

2011-06-26T09:07:00.000+01:00

A second week at the top for the History of England's Edward the Confessor episode, despite a strong challenge from Rex Factor's John.

Edward the Confessor - History of England Dave Cro...

1 Jun 2011

27 Pageviews

John - Rex Factor Podcast

16 Jun 2011

26 Pageviews

Mussolini - World War 2 History Ray Harris Junior

19 Jun 2011

19 Pageviews

In Our Time Childe Harold's Pilgrimage

14 Jan 2011

18 Pageviews

History Books Review: The Germans - drunken, highl...

11 Jan 2011, 1 comment

18 Pageviews

History of History - In Our Time

2011-06-26T08:00:00.001+01:00

Worth listening to just for the very funny quote that is used as the introduction (I won't spoil it by revealing it here). A review of the history of the telling of history, we hear how history developed out of gossip and story telling into an academic discipline. Well worth dipping into the archives for.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00gryrx

The Build Up to War - World War II Ray Harris Jnr

2011-06-25T08:00:00.002+01:00

The steady escalation of the situation in Europe by Hitler is outlined in episodes 11 to 14 of this account of World War 2. The people living through it can't have realised it, but every step that people take to try and ensure peace in fact adds to the build up to the war. The war that was to be so devastating for the entire continent of Europe. This is developing into a remarkably impressive podcast that tells a familiar story very well. The main thing that appeals to me about it is the way Ray takes the time to tackle every aspect fully.

http://web.me.com/mtcove1/MountainCoveProductions/World_War_II_Podcast/Entries/2010/12/5_WWII_Podcast-Episode_13.html

Henry III - Rex Factor Podcast

2011-06-24T08:00:00.003+01:00

John dies in 1216 with the country in civil war and in danger of being conquered by France. Worse still, the new king, Henry III, is only 9 years old and in his minority. Thankfully, he has a medieval hero in William Marshal to fight his battles, but when he comes to rule by himself he finds ruling the country a tricky business, not least because his nobles are still insisting on having more of a say in the sharing of power. The conflict with Simon de Montfort sees the birth of Parliament and threatens to make England a republic. Can Henry hold on to power and will this be enough for him to win the Rex Factor?

http://rexfactor.podbean.com/2011/04/04/24-henry-iii/

Dunkirk - A History of World War 2 Ray Harris Junior

2011-06-23T08:00:00.001+01:00

I am rapidly getting hooked on this podcast. As a Briton the story of Dunkirk is so familiar I did consider skipping this episode and the next one. I am glad I didn't. One misgiving I had was justified. I am not just British, I am from the south east corner of England and I know the area of north east France and Belgium quite well too. As I expected, a lot of place names came out in weird ways. But to be fair, that was only a minor gripe and I doubt it will bother many people. In fact it showed up something that Ray Harris does exceptionally well. Most of us listen to podcasts when we are driving or doing something else that leaves our minds free but our hands busy. So conveying geography is a bit of a problem. The usual solution is 'I've put a map on my website' - but of course you aren't on the website when you want to know where things are!

Although I have a bit of an advantage in knowing the terrain being discussed pretty well, I think Ray does a great job of describing where all the armies are and the significance of the movements. He couples that with integrating the political goings on and the individual roles of particular key players. It never becomes pure military history.

This all goes to capture the full drama of what was going on and to keep you on the edge of your seat even if like me you have heard the story quite often before. Highly recommended.

http://web.me.com/mtcove1/MountainCoveProductions/World_War_II_Podcast/Entries/2011/6/2_WWII_Podcast-Episode_25.html

The Normans - History of England Dave Crowther

2011-06-22T07:48:00.001+01:00

The Normans are to have a huge impact on the history of England so Dave devotes a whole episode to them. This was brought home to me personally as by sheer fluke this particular podcast happened to come up on my car stereo as I was out on business that took me through the town of Battle in East Sussex, and past the Norman Abbey built there to commemorate the battle of Hastings. The Normans are a bit like the Inland Revenue (the UK tax office). You probably don't like them but you can't ignore them.

http://historyofengland.typepad.com/blog/2011/05/21-the-normans-a-race-unbridled.html

Rise of a King - Norman Centuries Lars Bronsworth

2011-06-21T08:00:00.000+01:00

Lars Bronworth is the Godfather of history podcasting, so it is fun to find him based mainly in Sicily for this latest in his tale of the Normans. Sicily was to be the centre of power for Roger II, who created a new kingdom in the face of opposition from, well from everybody. A masterful performance from Lars as always.

http://normancenturies.com/

Japan prepares for war - World War 2 Podcast Ray Harris Junior

2011-06-20T08:00:00.001+01:00

World War 2 was a long time in the making and in episodes 6 to 8 we hear a lot about how Japan, and as a result China, got involved in the global conflict. One thing that this makes very clear is that it wasn't simply a European war that spread around the world. There were deep roots to it in Asia as well.

This Week's Most Viewed Podcast Reviews

2011-06-19T20:30:00.000+01:00

A clear winner this week. The History of England's Edward the Confessor post is way ahead of everyone else this week. History Books Review leads the closely bunched group of followers a long way behind the leader. Good to see the Napoleon podcast, that inspired this blog so many years ago now making an appearance.

Edward the Confessor - History of England Dave Cro...

1 Jun 2011

43 Pageviews

Tiber and the Potomac - History Books Review

3 Feb 2011

20 Pageviews

Napoleon and Haiti - Napoleon Podcast Nicholas Sta...

13 May 2011

19 Pageviews

Introduction to World War II - History of World Wa...

31 May 2011

19 Pageviews

Shot Heard Around the World Episode 4 Part 2 - 2 ...

19 May 2011

17 Pageviews

Mussolini - World War 2 History Ray Harris Junior

2011-06-19T08:00:00.002+01:00

Scoundrels are much more interesting than saints. In episodes 3 to 5 of this podcast we are introduced to one of the all time scoundrels of history, one time fascist dictator of Italy, Mussolini.

Compared to the steely evil genius of Hitler, Mussolini comes across as a buffoon. He plays the clown to Hitler's straight man. As his life is revealed we see him as an egotist, a crook, a womaniser, a bully and above all as a coward. Few men who have reached the very top rank in their countries have so few redeeming features as this wretched playboy. He is a small time crook operating on the big time. We all know it is going to end out badly, but if you didn't you would have guessed anyway.

It is well worth checking out this podcast to learn about the time when Italy was run by a man without even the morals of a brothel keeper and contemptuous disdain for democracy and legality. Thank God it couldn't happen today.

http://web.me.com/mtcove1/MountainCoveProductions/World_War_II_Podcast/World_War_II_Podcast.html

New Rome - History of Rome Mike Duncan

2011-06-18T08:00:00.001+01:00

This podcast is now so well known that I am going to do the same that I do with In Our Time and only post reviews of exceptional episodes. The one on Constantine's founding of Constantinople was one such. In this one Constantine founds a city, sets the currency on a firm footing, murders his son and taxes everyone into the middle of the next financial year. Oh and his mum discovers the true cross. All in all, quite a to do list to get through and well done to Constantine for achieving so much and to Mike for explaining it all so clearly.

http://thehistoryofrome.typepad.com/the_history_of_rome/2011/05/138-the-new-rome.html

Anglo Saxon England - History of England Dave Crowther

2011-06-17T08:00:00.001+01:00

In this episode Dave pauses his narrative to have a look at what Anglo Saxon England was like just before the Norman invasion. If you are listening to the whole series in one sitting this is probably a handy break to pace out the events. If you are following it weekly you may well have found it a bit annoying since it comes in the middle of the build up to the battle of Hastings which has been set up in the previous episode.

Having said that, it is interesting enough and the bit about place names is particularly fun.

http://historyofengland.typepad.com/blog/2011/05/20-bits-and-bobs-11th-century-england.html

John - Rex Factor Podcast

2011-06-16T08:00:00.003+01:00

After one of England's great heroes in the person of Richard the Lionheart, this time Rex Factor cover one of its most famous villains - Bad King John. He's often reputed to be England's worst king - cowardly, incompetent and evil! - but is this bad reputation deserved? He certainly loses lots of territory and is morally questionable on more than one occasion, but he came to the throne in difficult circumstances in 1199 and also had some successes. With his place in history assured by signing the Magna Carta (however reluctantly), could he produce a shock result or will he remain a failure in the eyes of history?

http://rexfactor.podbean.com/2011/03/18/23-john/

Let this be our final battle - History of Rome Mike Duncan

2011-06-15T21:45:00.001+01:00

A gripping account of the final triumph of Constantine of Licinius leaving him as the undisputed master of the whole Roman world. Fans of the UK series Blackadder will enjoy spotting a quote that Mike slips in. Another reliably good podcast.

http://thehistoryofrome.typepad.com/the_history_of_rome/2011/05/136-let-this-be-our-final-battle.html

The Heian Era - The History of Japan Podacast Cameron Foster

2011-06-14T08:00:00.001+01:00

The Heian Era was a period of great acheivement in the arts and progress in Japanese culture. But never mind all that. This is the History of Japan podcast so we get all the political shenanigans instead. Interestingly this period produced a couple of Japanese saints who despite having a totally different religion and outlook seem to have been treated in a way remarkably similar to their European counterparts.

The big difference between Japanese and European history is that the two rival religions, Shinto and Buddhism, managed to merge themselves enough for people to be comfortable being both. That is a cultural acheivement to be proud of.

http://frug.podbean.com/2010/10/06/the-heian-era/

World War II series - History of World War 2 Podcast Ray Harris Jnr

2011-06-13T08:00:00.003+01:00

I have changed my mind about this podcast. Initially I thought it was one that might take a while to get into its stride, but now I have spent some time with it I have begun to appreciate it a lot more. There are a couple of good points that you pick up quickly. Like most amateur historians he is good at picking out what is interesting to general listeners rather than other academics, and he doesn't assume a lot of knowledge on the part of the listener. He also has a very clear speaking voice and tells the story quite well.

But the thing that marks this podcast out as one that commands your attention is something that you don't get for a while. It is the pace of the story. He is in no hurry to get through the material and this means that you get a sense of the events unfolding steadily. World War 2 is a big subject and this generous approach to it does it justice.

I just hope he can keep it up. Doing the whole war at this level of detail is going to be a big big project. Good luck if you are reading this Ray.

http://web.me.com/mtcove1/MountainCoveProductions/World_War_II_Podcast/World_War_II_Podcast.html

Making Sense of the Vietnam Wars- New Books in History

2011-06-12T08:00:00.001+01:00

This is a scholarly book written by a scholar. The podcast starts off with 30 minutes of scholarly discussion about the business of researching and writing a book like this. If you like that sort of thing it is 30 minutes you will no doubt want to spend. If you are mainly interested in the contents of the book you might want to skip to the 29minute point.

The discussion remains a bit scholarly rather than journalistic when we get the actual history. There is a lot of journalism about the Vietnam Wars, indeed if you are as old as me you will remember actual news broadcasts about it. The perspective is from the point of view of the Vietnamese and Ho Chi Minh, the North Vietnamese leader in particular. Mark Bradley is interested in the facts not the drama, but even so there are still some dramatic moments. In particular the amazing declaration of independence made in Hanoi in September 1945 is one of the remarkable scenes of history.

Not really told in a way to make it a riveting story, but an interesting podcast nonetheless.

http://newbooksinhistory.com/2009/07/04/mark-bradley-vietnam-at-war/

Persecution - History Books Review Colin Sanders

2011-06-11T08:00:00.001+01:00

This episode of the podcast continues looking at the rise of the Church as portrayed by Gibbon in the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. The Church was well organised and became steadily more numerous, until it got to the stage of threatening the authority of the emperor himself. The persecutions started quite late and were not quite what most people think they were like. Worth a listen if only to hear the story of St Cyprian.

Brothers in Name Only - History of Rome Mike Duncan

2011-06-10T08:00:00.001+01:00

Constantine makes all the running yet again in this podcast from the History or Rome series. Constantine starts settling disputes in the Church - not for the faint hearted - and picks an argument with Licinius. Recommended - Mike is warming to the character of Constantine.

http://thehistoryofrome.typepad.com/the_history_of_rome/2011/04/135-brothers-in-name-only.html