Histories of the Unexpected

In this latest episode, the Unexpected duo, Professor James Daybell and Dr Sam Willis get all festive ONE MORE TIME and inspired by the Christmas Story offer another Christmas special on the unexpected history of GENEROSITY! Which is all about the history of gift-giving and the change from Christmas being an adult affair, to one being centred on children and the family from the Victorian period onwards; Sam's favourite psychological experiment, the Ultimatum Games, King Henry VI of England, and Roman charity. It's also all about the saving of the lost literary treasures contained in The Honresfield library (which contains precious manuscripts by the Brontës, Austen, Walter Scott and Robert Burns), the collecting of Shakespeare texts by Henry Clay Folger and the foundation of the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington D.C.! Who knew!