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PODCAST

Aspects of History

Oliver Webb-Carter

The editor of Aspects of History, Ollie Webb-Carter, interviews historians and authors on the past - from the ancient world right up to the modern day. In each episode, Ollie seeks to get to the bottom of a story or scrutinise a figure from history. There are bonus episodes too, from current events and anniversaries to the Aspects of History Film Club.

history books

All Episodes

52:43

The Parachute Regiment in WW2 with Mark Urban

Aspects of History ·

2022/11/05

This week I have Mark Urban onto the pod. Newsnight presenter, historian, journalist and broadcaster, his new book Red Devils is just out. We chat about the Paras in WW2, and deal with booze and fighting, Operation Market Garden, the creation of the regiment and how he juggles writing and the TV work. Mark Urban Links Red Devils: The Trailblazers of the Parachute Regiment in World War Two Mark on Twitter Aspects of History Links Ollie on Twitter Email me at history@aspectsofhistory.com to suggest

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47:56

A Family History of the World with Simon Sebag...

Aspects of History ·

2022/10/29

This week's guest is the worldwide bestselling historian Simon Sebag Montefiore, and he's joined me to discuss his new book, The World: A Family History. We look into the family and why that is a great lens to look at history, as well as focussing in on a few of the families featured, including Alexander the Great's, the Prophet Mohammed's family, the Romanov family and Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran. We also talk about recent developments in Iran and Ukraine and his musical playlist

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50:57

The Cuban Missile Crisis with Max Hastings

Aspects of History ·

2022/10/22

This week's pod has legendary historian Max Hastings who has written a new book, published its 60th anniversary, on the Cuban Missile Crisis. In October 1962, the world looked into the abyss of nuclear annihilation. We talk about those events, JFK and lunatic American generals, but also about its relevance today, and what lessons we can learn. Max Hastings Links Abyss: The Cuban Missile Crisis 1962 Aspects of History Links Subscribe annually to our magazine - 6 issues for under £10 Learn more about

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47:59

Bonus Episode, Black History Month: Tudors, POWs,...

Aspects of History ·

2022/10/18

In this bonus episode in honour of Black History Month, contributors from previous AoH podcasts chat about significant historians and events.: Steven Veerapen discusses John Blanke, one of the first black people living in England. Then we move on to the experience of African Americans in the War of 1812 as sailors and POWs with Nicholas Guyatt. Saul David explains why the British were destroyed at Isandlwana in 1879 during the Zulu War. Damien Lewis talks about Josephine Baker and her rise from

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49:35

Crassus - The First Tycoon with Peter Stothard

Aspects of History ·

2022/10/15

This week's pod is with the acclaimed classicist and historian, Peter Stothard. In his return to the show after our chat on The Ides of March, Peter discusses Marcus Licinius Crassus - the fabulously wealthy politician and commander who came a cropper at Carrhae up against the Persian Empire, after having defeated Spartacus. Crass was a rival to Caesar and Pompey, and was of course played by Laurence Olivier in the Kubrick film. Peter's new book is out, it's super short, and I raced through it -

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41:54

Colditz, Gordievsky and Philby with Ben Macintyre

Aspects of History ·

2022/10/08

This week's podcast is with Ben Macintyre, the historian whose books read like thrillers. His latest is Colditz : Prisoners of the Castle , an account of the POW prison for those allied servicemen most troublesome for the Nazis. If you think you know the story, though, there is more to it than meets the eye. We also go on to talk about his other books, which deal with the KGB agent Oleg Gordievsky, the spy who changed history and Kim Philby, the Cambridge spy and traitor. Ben Macintyre Links Colditz

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63:54

Tudor Greatest Hits with Steven Veerapen

Aspects of History ·

2022/10/01

This week I'm joined by Tudor historian and novelist Steven Veerapen. We talk about his novels, and the Greatest Hits of the Tudors. Well known names such as Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Lady Jane Grey, Elizabeth I & Mary Queen of Scots, but also lesser known names such as Anthony Blanke and Kit Marlowe. Steven Veerapen Links Of Blood Descended The Queen's Jewel Black Tudors Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall Trilogy The Execution of Lady Jane Grey, by Paul Delaroche Aspects of History Links The Courtly Code of

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45:27

Act of Oblivion with Robert Harris

Aspects of History ·

2022/09/24

Robert Harris, the bestselling novelist and author of novels such as The Ghost, Munich and V2, joins me to chat about his latest, Act of Oblivion. We're in 1660, and Charles II has ascended to the throne. Two of his father's killers, Puritans Whalley & Goffe, are pursued in an act of vengeance. The story goes from London, to mainland Europe to the as yet largely undiscovered America. It's the Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid of the 17th century. Robert Harris Links Act of Oblivion Thomas Carlyle on

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43:45

The Destruction of Smyrna, 1922 with Giles Milton

Aspects of History ·

2022/09/17

This week's pod discusses the horrific events in Smyrna, Asia Minor, in 1922 - modern day Izmir in Turkey. On the centenary, Giles Milton and I discuss the horrific events that killed tens of thousands of Levantines living peacefully in the city, and caused a humanitarian disaster. If you don't know about this, you should. Giles is a friend of the show, and author of Paradise Lost, all about the tragedy. After that, I chat briefly with Paul Lay, author of Providence Lost (you see what they're doing

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27:38

The Death of the Queen with Dr Tessa Dunlop

Aspects of History ·

2022/09/13

On this bonus episode of the podcast, I chat with Dr Tessa Dunlop - royal historian and commentator, all about the Queen, her husband, and her son. We also chat about the media coverage, and what newspaper does King Charles read? Tessa has been very kind in giving me her time, in between appearing on TV and Radio. If you want to explore more with Tessa, you'll find her links below: Dr Tessa Dunlop Links Latest book, Army Girls Signed copies of Army Girls Previous titles: The Century Girls, The

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5:12

The Queen

Aspects of History ·

2022/09/10

The Queen is dead. I pay a personal tribute to her, involving a few Webb-Carter family faux-pas. In a soon to be released podcast, Royal Historian Tessa Dunlop will be joining me, but until then you can enjoy two articles on the Queen from our website below: Aspects of History Links God Save the King - Aspects of History by Robert Lyman The Queen & the Crown - Aspects of History by Matthew Dennison Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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58:35

Oliver Cromwell with Miranda Malins

Aspects of History ·

2022/09/03

If there is one man who can unite British monarchists and Irish nationalists, it is Oliver Cromwell, and so today I’m talking about this huge figure with the historian and novelist Miranda Malins, author of The Rebel Daughter, and The Puritan Princess, which involve Oliver’s daughters Bridget and Frances. We talk about how important women were in Cromwell’s life, and then we go on to talk about the man himself. His rise during the Civil War, His involvement in the trial and execution of Charles I,

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52:06

Thomas Kendrick, the Spymaster who saved MI6 with...

Aspects of History ·

2022/08/27

This week's episode is a chat with espionage author Helen Fry, about her new paperback Spymaster, the story of Thomas Kendrick. It's an extraordinary story of one man’s efforts against the Gestapo, and his incredible achievement in saving thousands from the holocaust. He was also station chief of MI6 in Austria, and as we’ll hear, came across two of the great British double agents of the last century, Kim Philby and George Blake. Not only that, but he was also involved in the rather murky episode

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19:14

Andrew Roberts on the Cliveden Literary Festival

Aspects of History ·

2022/08/20

Holiday Episode Andrew Roberts joins me to chat about his creation, the Cliveden Literary Festival. This is the foremost literary event of the year, and is on over the weekend of the 15th & 16th October. The festival involves three wonderful attractions for AoH listeners, history, writers and books. We chat about authors that will appear, talks at prior festivals, and Andrew's favourite discussion so far. This chat took place before the horrific attack in upstate New York, and my thoughts are with

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62:09

The Partition of India with Barney White Spunner

Aspects of History ·

2022/08/13

15th August 1947 saw Partition, independence of India and the creation of Pakistan. The author of Partition, Barney White-Spunner, joined me to chat about the terrible events that led to approx. 1 million deaths and 15 million refugees. We talk about the key players: Nehru, Jinnah, Gandhi, Patel, Mountbatten and Auchinleck, key moments and the horrific religiously motivated attacks that took place in August and September of that year. Barney White Spunner Links Partition: The story of Indian

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45:17

Mark Ellis on Crime in WW2 London, & My Top 10...

Aspects of History ·

2022/08/06

This week's pod features Mark Ellis, bestselling crime novelist and creator of DCI Merlin. We chat about the reality of London life, when not all its population joined together against the common foe. His latest novel, Dead in the Water, features American criminals, Nazis and stolen art. In the second part of the pod, I give my top 10 historical films. This list is mine, and so a little bit different to the usual lists you'll see. You'll find links to both sections below. Mark Ellis Links The latest

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54:21

Elizabethan Secret Agents, Fédon's Rebellion and...

Aspects of History ·

2022/07/30

My chat this week is with Timothy Ashby, historian, novelist and author of Elizabethan Secret Agent: The Untold Story of William Ashby. Ashby was a spy working for Sir Francis Walsingham, spymaster for Queen Elizabeth I. Stationed in Edinburgh, he ran a number of operations to further the Queen's cause against the Spanish. We also chat about the subject of his novel, Ranger, Fédon's Rebellion in 1795, a slave rebellion on the island of Grenada against the British. Finally we talk about Operation

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55:20

Operation Pedestal, the mission to relieve Malta...

Aspects of History ·

2022/07/23

Max Hastings chats to friend of the show Saul David about the operation to relieve Malta in August 1942. The Axis powers had the island at their isolated and it was close to starvation. Churchill saw this as an opportunity for a heroic victory, in the mould of Dunkirk, and so ordered the Royal Navy to set sail from Gibraltar to relieve the island. Max discusses the heroism, and actions that were less heroic, in this fascinating discussion with veteran historian Saul David. Max Hastings

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55:03

Free Speech in Comedy, the Soviet Union, and the West...

Aspects of History ·

2022/07/16

Konstantin Kisin, comedian, podcaster, writer and author of An Immigrant's Love Letter to the West, joins me to discuss his debut book. Konstantin was born in the Soviet Union, and both he and his family are well aware of what life was like outside the West. We discuss comedy today, how it's under threat, even from the police. We also go on to talk about his family's suffering at the hands of the Soviet system. Where are we now as a society? We may think we're free, but are we really when we see

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60:32

Espionage during the Second World War with Alex Gerlis

Aspects of History ·

2022/07/09

Alex Gerlis joins me to discuss spying during the war, and, more importantly (!) football of the period. Alex supports Grimsby Town, and I support Southampton, but which team would the Nazis have taken an interest in? We also discuss Frank Foley, the man who saved thousands of Jews, and Klaus Barbie, the Nazi murderer based in France. Finally, Alex chats about his influences, and the man he has been compared to, John Le Carré Alex Gerlis Links Agent in Berlin Agent in Peril Alex Gerlis Alan Furst

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221 results

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