Explaining History

This episode draws from the excellent book Red Memory by Tania Brannigan, an oral history of the Cultural Revolution. Here we examine the role of thought, how Mao sought to stimulate public thought during the Hundred Flowers Campaign of the late 1950s to seek out enemies and how struggle sessions were a form of thought torture, making ones own self unbearable. *****STOP PRESS*****I only ever talk about history on this podcast but I also have another life, yes, that of aspirant fantasy author and if that's your thing you can get a copy of my debut novel The Blood of Tharta, right here:Help the podcast to continue bringing you history each weekIf you enjoy the Explaining History podcast and its many years of content and would like to help the show continue, please consider supporting it in the following ways:If you want to go ad-free, you can take out a membership hereOrYou can support the podcast via Patreon hereOr you can just say some nice things about it here

***PLEASE LISTEN TO THE END***In this special episode of the podcast we here a personal update from our guest today Ericka Verba on the ongoing establishment of Trumpist fascism in LA, his use of ICE and the climate of fear.Join us as we welcome Ericka Verba, Director and Professor of Latin American Studies at California State University, Los Angeles, to delve into her landmark biography Thanks to Life: A Biography of Violeta Parra. Drawing on decades of scholarship, personal encounters, and the cultural currents of the Cold War, Verba brings to light the life, art, and enduring legacy of Chile’s most revolutionary folk icon.In this episode, we explore:A Life in Song and Vision How Parra’s self-taught artistry—from her seminal “Gracias a la vida” to her pioneering visual exhibitions at the Louvre—reshaped Latin American culture and protest music.Roots of Radicalism Verba’s own political awakening through early friendships with Chilean musicians, and how her firsthand experience performing Parra’s repertoire informs her deep archival research.The Cultural Cold War The role of folk music in social movements on both sides of the Iron Curtain, and how Parra navigated—and challenged—the geopolitical battles of the 1950s and ’60s.Gender, Class, and Creativity An examination of the gendered and classed dynamics that shaped Parra’s career—and the broader struggles of women artists in twentieth-century Latin America.Unearthed Discoveries The grants, fieldwork, and archival excavations (from NEH to Fulbright to local cultural affairs) that helped Verba uncover new facets of Parra’s story—including never-before-published letters and performance documents.Legacy and Influence How Parra’s work inspired generations—from the Nueva Canción movement to contemporary artists like Mercedes Sosa and Joan Baez—and what her message of “life and gratitude” means today.Whether you’re passionate about musical history, Latin American studies, or the intersections of art and politics, this conversation with Ericka Verba illuminates the remarkable life of a woman whose songs became the soundtrack of resistance. Tune in for a richly textured journey through archives, concert halls, and the heart of cultural revolution.*****STOP PRESS*****I only ever talk about history on this podcast but I also have another life, yes, that of aspirant fantasy author and if that's your thing you can get a copy of my debut novel The Blood of Tharta, right here:Help the podcast to continue bringing you history each weekIf you enjoy the Explaining History podcast and its many years of content and would like to help the show continue, please consider supporting it in the following ways:If you want to go ad-free, you can take out a membership hereOrYou can support the podcast via Patreon hereOr you can just say some nice things about it here

Join us on The Explaining History Podcast as we welcome Dame Vikki Heywood, former Executive Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal Court Theatre, to discuss her dazzling debut novel Miss Veal and Miss Ham. Set against the sleepy veneer of a 1951 Buckinghamshire village post office, this intimate tale reveals the hidden passions and unspoken resilience of two women whose lives span from the suffragette movement to the aftermath of World War II.In this episode, we explore:A Day of Reckoning: How one pivotal day in 1951 cracks open Miss Dora Ham and Miss Beatrix Veal’s carefully maintained spinster façade—and what it tells us about post-war Britain.Through Beatrix’s Eyes: The wry, poignant narrative voice that illuminates the challenges of love that “cannot be spoken,” and the heart-breaking decisions forced by changing times.Echoes of Literary Greats: Why fans of Barbara Pym and Sarah Waters will be drawn to Heywood’s rich tapestry of gay underground clubs, wartime Blitz life, and the shifting landscape of women’s work after the war.Hidden Lives, Lasting Love: What inspired Heywood to tell a four-decade story of clandestine romance, and how her own career in the arts informed this deeply human portrait.Whether you’re intrigued by post-war social history, the evolution of LGBTQ+ narratives, or the behind-the-scenes world of theatre leadership, this conversation shines a light on love, loss, and the unbreakable dignity of lives lived in the shadows. Tune in for an episode that bridges art, history, and the enduring power of storytelling.*****STOP PRESS*****I only ever talk about history on this podcast but I also have another life, yes, that of aspirant fantasy author and if that's your thing you can get a copy of my debut novel The Blood of Tharta, right here:Help the podcast to continue bringing you history each weekIf you enjoy the Explaining History podcast and its many years of content and would like to help the show continue, please consider supporting it in the following ways:If you want to go ad-free, you can take out a membership hereOrYou can support the podcast via Patreon hereOr you can just say some nice things about it here

Join us on The Explaining History Podcast as we sit down with historian and author Mark Bridgeman to unravel the extraordinary life—and daring deceptions—of Violet Charlesworth, Britain’s first notorious female fraudster. In his landmark new book, Nothing for Something, Bridgeman spent three years mining court records, witness statements, private archives, and first-hand site visits to reconstruct a scandal that captivated Edwardian Britain.Violet Charlesworth, before her 25th birthday, bilked acquaintances out of the equivalent of £4 million by masquerading as an heiress destined for a vast inheritance. She indulged in lavish gowns, glittering jewels, country estates, and motor cars—all funded by well-meaning lenders who believed they’d soon be repaid with interest. When news broke of her “tragic” death in a car accident, the front-page frenzy eclipsed coverage of the King and Prime Minister. But as Bridgeman reveals, the accident was a cunning ruse to throw off her creditors.We discuss:Unearthed Evidence: How Bridgeman uncovered dozens of items—lost for over a century—that rewrite what we thought we knew about Violet.Comparisons to The Five: Why his detailed portrait of a little-known woman echoes Hallie Rubenhold’s groundbreaking approach.The Aftermath of Infamy: Violet’s time behind bars alongside suffragettes, her post-prison stage performances, paid interviews, and mysterious vanishing act.The Final Mystery: Bridgeman’s most compelling theories about what ultimately became of Violet Charlesworth.Whether you’re a true-crime aficionado, a fan of social history, or simply love a great story of audacity and reinvention, this episode pulls you deep into a world of high-society intrigue and one woman’s relentless appetite for more—at any cost. Tune in and prepare to have your notions of Edwardian Britain—and the place of women within it—forever changed.*****STOP PRESS*****I only ever talk about history on this podcast but I also have another life, yes, that of aspirant fantasy author and if that's your thing you can get a copy of my debut novel The Blood of Tharta, right here:Help the podcast to continue bringing you history each weekIf you enjoy the Explaining History podcast and its many years of content and would like to help the show continue, please consider supporting it in the following ways:If you want to go ad-free, you can take out a membership hereOrYou can support the podcast via Patreon hereOr you can just say some nice things about it here

At the end of the 20th Century, the Cold War which had defined the struggle between various different iterations of capitalism in the western world and the USSR in the east was replaced by a slow oligarchic coup. An equivalent class has come to power in both countries and has similar imperatives, to occupy the state and cannibalise society. This podcast explores the material and ideological conditions that led to this takeover. *****STOP PRESS*****I only ever talk about history on this podcast but I also have another life, yes, that of aspirant fantasy author and if that's your thing you can get a copy of my debut novel The Blood of Tharta, right here:Help the podcast to continue bringing you history each weekIf you enjoy the Explaining History podcast and its many years of content and would like to help the show continue, please consider supporting it in the following ways:If you want to go ad-free, you can take out a membership hereOrYou can support the podcast via Patreon hereOr you can just say some nice things about it here

Nazism sought to bypass legal norms where it couldn't just sweep them aside. The German Weimar constitution took time to dismantle and new institutions, practices and laws needed to be created in order to subvert it. A similar process is underway in America at the moment and Trump's recent allocation of over $200 billion to ICE is a huge step towards cementing a police state that is answerable directly to him. Today we explore the comparisons between Trumpism and Nazism where they are most evident, in the slow corruption of the legal system:*****STOP PRESS*****I only ever talk about history on this podcast but I also have another life, yes, that of aspirant fantasy author and if that's your thing you can get a copy of my debut novel The Blood of Tharta, right here:Help the podcast to continue bringing you history each weekIf you enjoy the Explaining History podcast and its many years of content and would like to help the show continue, please consider supporting it in the following ways:If you want to go ad-free, you can take out a membership hereOrYou can support the podcast via Patreon hereOr you can just say some nice things about it here

In this episode of Explaining History, we dive into the fascinating world of David Bowie’s 1960s—a decade of shifting cultural currents, personal reinvention, and the search for identity that would shape one of the most iconic artists of the 20th century.Drawing on Neil Stephenson’s insightful book David Bowie, we explore how the social upheavals of the 60s—from Swinging London and Mod culture to the countercultural movements and sexual liberation—created a crucible in which Bowie experimented with music, fashion, and persona.We’ll discuss:Bowie’s early forays into pop, soul, and psychedelia—and why they initially struggled to find commercial success.How the cultural chaos of the 60s fed his hunger for reinvention and laid the groundwork for Ziggy Stardust.The tensions between working-class roots and art-school aspirations that defined his early career.How Bowie’s fascination with identity, performance, and ambiguity reflected broader changes in British society during the era.*****STOP PRESS*****I only ever talk about history on this podcast but I also have another life, yes, that of aspirant fantasy author and if that's your thing you can get a copy of my debut novel The Blood of Tharta, right here:Help the podcast to continue bringing you history each weekIf you enjoy the Explaining History podcast and its many years of content and would like to help the show continue, please consider supporting it in the following ways:If you want to go ad-free, you can take out a membership hereOrYou can support the podcast via Patreon hereOr you can just say some nice things about it here

This episode explores part of the story of St John Philby, father to Kim and eventually advisor to King Ibn Saud. Philby was one of the few administrators that the British government and its colonial government in India could find who understood Arabia and Mesopotamia. In 1915 as British fortunes against the Ottoman Empire took a turn for the worst, Philby was sent to Basra to reorganise the city's finances after the retreat of the Turks. He would eventually help to organise the financial administration of the 1916 Arab Revolt.*****STOP PRESS*****I only ever talk about history on this podcast but I also have another life, yes, that of aspirant fantasy author and if that's your thing you can get a copy of my debut novel The Blood of Tharta, right here:Help the podcast to continue bringing you history each weekIf you enjoy the Explaining History podcast and its many years of content and would like to help the show continue, please consider supporting it in the following ways:If you want to go ad-free, you can take out a membership hereOrYou can support the podcast via Patreon hereOr you can just say some nice things about it here

In the first decades of the 20th Century, a growth in literacy and the availability of paperback and hardback books created a culture of mass participation on literary reading that was unprecedented. Nicola Wilson's new book Recommended, a history of the Book Society, tells the story of Hugh Walpole, JB Priestley and Cecil Day Lewis amongst others and how they created the first mass book club which sent monthly recommendations to lower middle class and working class readers. Here we hear from Nicola and explore the era of mass literary culture and also the pushback from more elitist cultural gatekeepers and literary critics. A must listen for anyone interested in Britain's social and cultural modern history. *****STOP PRESS*****I only ever talk about history on this podcast but I also have another life, yes, that of aspirant fantasy author and if that's your thing you can get a copy of my debut novel The Blood of Tharta, right here:Help the podcast to continue bringing you history each weekIf you enjoy the Explaining History podcast and its many years of content and would like to help the show continue, please consider supporting it in the following ways:If you want to go ad-free, you can take out a membership hereOrYou can support the podcast via Patreon hereOr you can just say some nice things about it here