HistoryExtra podcast

Dr Lara Feigel talks to us about her new book, The Bitter Taste of Victory: In the Ruins of the Reich, which shows how the Allies used culture to try to rebuild Germany after 1945. Meanwhile, we are joined by historian Elizabeth New to discuss a project that uses modern forensic techniques to analyse medieval seals Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a lecture from our 2015 History Weekend event, Professor Joann Fletcher, presenter of the BBC series Immortal Egypt, explores the story of this remarkable civilisation, from the pyramids to Cleopatra Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Historian and TV presenter Alex Langlands explains how bread making in the 19th century differed from today. Meanwhile, music expert Tom Service tells the remarkable story of Dimitri Shostakovich’s 7th symphony, which was composed and performed during the World War Two siege of Leningrad Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Test your trivia knowledge with our podcast pub quiz. The questions have been devised by QI’s Justin Pollard Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Bradley, author of The Railways: Nation, Network and People talks to us about a British transport revolution. Meanwhile, we pay a visit to Titanic Belfast in the company of Aidan McMichael, an expert on the world’s most famous ocean liner Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jacky Colliss Harvey charts the fascinating history of red-headedness from ancient times until the present day. Meanwhile, Stephen Moss talks about his new book Natural Histories, which accompanies a recent BBC Radio 4 series, describing extraordinary species that have changed our world Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jonathan Dimbleby describes the pivotal World War Two naval clash, while Marion Milne talks about a new BBC Four series on Spain through the ages Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Professor James Shapiro talks to us about his new book 1606: William Shakespeare and the Year of Lear, a follow-up to his acclaimed 1599. Meanwhile the author Julie Checkoway tells the story of a remarkable group of Japanese-American swimmers who sought unlikely Olympic glory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Author and broadcaster Melvyn Bragg introduces his latest historical novel, Now is the Time, which centres on the 14th-cenury uprising. Meanwhile, we talk to Andrew Lownie about his new biography of a key member of the Cambridge Spy Ring, Guy Burgess. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Classical historian and broadcaster Mary Beard talks to us about her new one-volume history of Rome entitled SPQR. Meanwhile, we speak to the bestselling historical novelist Robert Harris about his latest fictional portrait of the Roman statesman Cicero Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Professor Robert Service describes how the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union – Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev – brought about a dramatic change in east-west relations. Meanwhile, historian Dominic Sandbrook talks to us about his new BBC TV series Let Us Entertain You, which highlights Britain’s postwar cultural successes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bestselling military historian Sir Max Hastings joins us to discuss his new book The Secret War. Meanwhile, we speak to historian and author Andrea Wulf about Alexander von Humboldt who made great strides in natural sciences in the 18th and 19th centuries Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bernard Cornwell talks about his books that inspired the new TV drama The Last Kingdom, while Anne Curry discusses Agincourt ahead of the 600th anniversary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cambridge historian and BBC Making History presenter Helen Castor interviews medieval historian Dan Jones about his new book, Realm Divided, which explores what it was like to live during the tumultuous year of 1215 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Charlotte Brontë’s latest biographer, Claire Harman, visits the home of three remarkable literary sisters. Meanwhile, broadcaster and historian Loyd Grossman introduces the Georgian painter Benjamin West who shook the art world with his depiction of General Wolfe’s death Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yale historian Timothy Snyder discusses Black Earth, his bold new study of the Nazi genocide of the Jews. Meanwhile, we speak to Andy Beckett whose latest book charts the early years of the Thatcher revolution in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the British Museum's major new exhibition, Celts: Art and Identity, opens, curator Julia Farley guides us around some of the most important and intriguing objects on show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Historian Andrew Roberts talks to us about his new book on the opening day of one of World War One's bloodiest battles. Meanwhile, Professor Christopher Whatley discusses the events of the Jacobite revolt, 300 years after the 1715 uprising Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tom Holland speaks to us about his new book on the first five Roman emperors: Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero. Meanwhile, we're joined by historical author Amanda Foreman to discuss her new BBC TV series The Ascent of Woman. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

BBC Radio 4 presenter James Naughtie talks to us about his new series that charts the history of Britain's oil boom, which began 40 years ago. Meanwhile, historian and author Joshua Levine reveals how the Nazi bombing raids in World War Two impacted on many different aspects of British society. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a lecture from our 2014 History Weekend, historian Roderick Bailey describes the attempts of Britain's SOE to assassinate the Italian Fascist leader during World War Two. To find out more about our 2015 History Weekend events in York and Malmesbury, and to buy tickets, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Classical historian Andrew Wallace-Hadrill explains how the great cities of Athens and Rome functioned in the ancient world. Meanwhile, medieval expert David Bates pays a visit to Norwich Castle, a key site for understanding how the Normans consolidated their rule in England. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oxford historian Christopher Tyerman talks to us about his new book How to Plan a Crusade. Meanwhile, we pay a visit to the University of Cambridge where Ryan Cronin introduces some remarkable documents relating to British slave ownership. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Historian Francis Pike challenges some commonly-held assumptions about World War Two in Asia, as we reach the 70th anniversary of the attack on Hiroshima. Meanwhile, Stephen Bourne, author of Black Poppies, talks about the participation of black Britons in World War One. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Historian and broadcaster Bettany Hughes discusses three of history's greatest philosophers: Socrates, Confucius and the Buddha, who all feature in her new BBC Four TV series. Meanwhile, Professor Andrew Scull talks to us about his recent book: Madness in Civilization: A Cultural History of Insanity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Historian Robert Poole visits Lancaster Castle, scene of the dramatic 1612 trials of the Pendle witches. Meanwhile, we're joined by Nancy Goldstone whose latest book delves into the turbulent relationship of Catherine de Medici and Marguerite de Valois in the 16th century. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oxford historian Janina Ramirez picks out some of the most remarkable saints from the early medieval period. Meanwhile, historian and broadcaster David Olusoga talks to us about his new BBC Two series Britain's Forgotten Slave Owners. Plus, this episode includes an audio version of an article from our August 2015 magazine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Historical author Geraldine Roberts talks about a disastrous Georgian marriage that filled the newspapers of the day. Meanwhile, Professor Emma Griffin visits a historic canal to explain how these waterways helped to fuel the Industrial Revolution in Britain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Historian Yasmin Khan talks about her new book, The Raj at War, which explores the impact of World War Two on the people of India, many of whom fought in the conflict. Meanwhile, we speak to Daniel Blackie about a project that is examining the fate of miners with injuries and disabilities in the 19th century. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a lecture from our 2014 History Weekend in Malmesbury, Tudor historian Jessie Childs describes how Catholics were suppressed during the reign of the Virgin Queen. This week's episode also includes an audio version of July's anniversaries, written by Dominic Sandbrook. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As we reach the bicentenary of the battle of Waterloo, expert historians Julian Humphrys and Tim Blanning reveal how Napoleon was finally defeated, and offer their thoughts on the legacy of the events of 1815. Plus, we broadcast a bonus audio version of a recent article on the tragic ascent of the Matterhorn. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As we reach the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta, historians Stephen Church and Marc Morris offer their views on the controversial king who sealed the charter. Meanwhile, we are joined by the renowned broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby to talk about his upcoming TV series, BBC at War. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jane Ridley, biographer of Queen Victoria, guides us around Osborne on the Isle of Wight where the queen and Prince Albert used to reside. Meanwhile, Charlotte Hodgman gets an early preview of the new National Civil War Centre in Newark, where she discovers how the 17th-century conflict is being presented to visitors. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Military historian Antony Beevor offers a fresh interpretation of the 1944 Ardennes offensive that represented Hitler's final attempt to turn the tide of the war. Meanwhile, journalist Wendy Holden tells the remarkable tale of three young women who gave birth while in Nazi captivity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Professor Sunil Khilnani joins us to talk about his new BBC Radio 4 series Incarnations, which tells the story of India through the lives of its most remarkable figures. Meanwhile, we speak to Brian Dillon about an accident in a munitions factory that caused great loss of life just before the battle of the Somme. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The winners of this year's Wolfson History Prize, Richard Vinen and Alexander Watson, join Rob Attar for a discussion about their books on the First World War and national service. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Historian Richard Overy describes the situation in Britain and Europe as the Second World War came to an end. Meanwhile, we're joined by TV producer Steve Humphries to talk about his new series Britain's Greatest Generation, which contains interviews with surviving veterans of the conflict. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

David Starkey, one of Britain's best-known historians, joins us to offer his views on the Great Charter as it approaches its 800th anniversary. Meanwhile, we speak to Professor Dan Stone about the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps and about how these events impacted on all those involved. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Historian Hannah Skoda pays a visit to Merton College in Oxford to explore the origins of one of the world's most famous educational institutions. Meanwhile, Anna Thomasson talks to us about her new book on the relationship between the artist Rex Whistler and the author Edith Olivier. Plus, we continue our First World War oral history series. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the centenary of the Battle of Gallipoli, Australian writer Peter FitzSimons describes the disastrous Allied campaign of 1915. Meanwhile, historian Cormac Ó Gráda, author of Eating People Is Wrong, explains how famines occasionally resulted in cannibalism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

John Man – author of a new biography of Saladin – explains how the medieval Muslim leader was able to triumph over the crusaders. Meanwhile, we talk to historian June Purvis about why the votes for women campaign turned to violence. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nobel Prize-winning scientist Steven Weinberg discusses his new book that charts thousands of years of scientific discovery. Meanwhile, actor and TV presenter David Suchet speaks to us about his upcoming BBC documentary series on the first Bishop of Rome. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week's episode is an immigration history special. Historians Robin Fleming and Mark Ormrod draw on the latest research to examine the lives of migrants into England during the anglo-Saxon and medieval periods. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With just a few days to go until the reburial of the last Plantagenet king in Leicester Cathedral, we speak to two experts with close connections to the event. Phil Stone, chairman of the Richard III Society, considers the ways that the recent discoveries have changed our view of the king. Meanwhile, Alexandra Buckle of Oxford University, explains how her research will inform the reinterment ceremony. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the new BBC TV series Back in Time for Dinner is due to air, we talk to food writer Mary Gwynn about how our mealtime tastes have changed over the past 70 years. Meanwhile, historian Jane Robinson discusses her new book In the Family Way, which looks at the stigma that often used to be faced by unmarried mothers and their children. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Charlotte Hodgman visits Stratford-upon-Avon to explore the birthplace of William Shakespeare in the company of expert Paul Edmondson. Meanwhile, Oxford historian Eugene Rogan discusses the final years of the Ottoman empire and explains how the First World War led to its downfall. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Acclaimed biographer Richard Davenport-Hines talks to Matt Elton about his new book on the 20th-century economist John Maynard Keynes, which focuses on the man rather than his work. Meanwhile, classical historian Peter Jones tackles some important questions about the Greek world Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week we are broadcasting a lecture that was delivered at our History Weekend festival in Malmesbury in October 2014. Historian Juliet Barker speaks about the great uprising of 1381, and challenges a number of misconceptions about the revolt. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Science writer Steven Johnson discusses his new BBC TV series How We Got to Now, which explores some of the greatest innovations in history. Meanwhile, Dr Matthew Beaumont describes how famous Londoners have gained inspiration from walking the city's streets at night over the centuries. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Charlotte Hodgman visits a former Victorian workhouse in the company of historian Samantha Shave to see whether life inside really matched the Dickensian legend. Meanwhile, we speak to Sir David Cannadine on the challenges of editing the gigantic Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices