Episodes
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English poetry has a rich and glorious history, and who better than to write about it than Mark Forsyth who writes with great verve and humour. He joined me to discuss it from the early medieval period all the way to the First World War and beyond
Mark Forsythe Links
Rhyme & Reason
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Paean to Patrick Leigh Fermor
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At 2.52am on 12 October 1984 Margaret Thatcher returned to her desk from visiting the lavatory of her suite at the Grand Hotel in Brighton. Two minutes later a bomb exploded on the upper floor bringing down the large chimney, which collapsed through the hotel and destroying Mrs. Thatcher’s bathroom. She had a lucky escape, but as the IRA stated publicly later, they only had to be lucky once. She had to be lucky every time.
Joining the pod today is the Guardian’s Ireland correspondent Rory Carroll and author of Killing Thatcher, the thrilling account of the plot to kill the Iron Lady.
Rory Carroll Links
Killing Thatcher
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Paean to Patrick Leigh Fermor
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The Battle of Thermopylae left one Spartan survivor, Aristodemus, and so he fought suicidally at Plataea a year later in 479BC, giving his life, but as you heard failing to impress his fellow Spartans. The commander of the Greek troops against the Persians that day was Pausanias, Spartan Regent and a quite fascinating figure who, according to Daniel Ogden his biographer, was responsible more than any other Greek for the preservation of Western Civilisation as we know it. He joins me to discuss Ancient Sparta, the influential king Cleomenes and Pausanias himself.
Daniel Ogden Links
Pausanias of Sparta
Regulus
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The beautiful Kristin Scott Thomas, and the brooding Ralph Fiennes across the deserts of North Africa. Yep the English Patient is this month’s film club as Roger, Tim and myself discuss the 1996 movie directed by Anthony Minghella based on the Michael Ondaatje book of the same name.
Our Awards
Best Performance
Most Egregious Overracting
Biggest Plot Flaw
Historical Inaccuracy
What if Tarantino Made It?
Who won the film?
History Book Club Shop
Oliver Webb-Carter Links
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Who Cares Who Wins?
Paean to Patrick Leigh Fermor
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Harry Bucknall is a travel writer who loves Britain and Northern Ireland, and during a difficult period of both his and the country’s recent past, he decided to embark on his own particular Odyssey, walking from Scotland to England, to Northern Ireland to Wales and then to England again. He encountered a rich and distinct group of inhabitants to write a hugely entertaining book and he joined me recently to discuss A Road for All Seasons.
Harry Bucknall Links
A Road for All Seasons
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On the morning of 30 January 1933 Adolf Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany. There are many dates that can be used to identify the end of the Weimar Republic, but this is probably the most appropriate. The constitution that had held since 1919 was in mortal danger.
Weimar, the town which gave the Republic its name, by Hitler incidentally, is the title of a new book by Katja Hoyer, bestselling author of Blood & Iron and Beyond the Wall. We discuss the atmosphere best exemplified by the people of the pretty little town, but one that had a dark secret nearby.
Katja Hoyer Links
Weimar
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Today the bestselling author Damien Lewis joins to discuss Special Forces ops in the Second World War, including the SAS, the SBS and the little known Greek version, the Sacred Squadron.
Added to that we chat the latest news on Paddy Mayne, one of the originators of the SAS and then, as you heard at the top, we discuss the ongoing lawfare, as the British government seeks to pursue army veterans in the courts, for ops carried out during the Troubles. Damien gives his view.
Damien Lewis Links
SAS Great Escapes 5
Sacred Squadron on YT
Write to your MP
Damien Lewis Events
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Paean to Patrick Leigh Fermor
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On 22 November 1963 at 1230 in the afternoon, shots fired out a President Kennedy’s motorcade in downtown Dallas, Texas. Now, we all know it was definitely Lee Harvey Oswald from the Book Depository with a rifle and a magic bullet but, what about the witnesses? There were a collection of intriguing and disparate characters in Dealey Plaza that day, and I’m speaking with the man who has written about them.
Martin Fitzgerald is a long time expert on the assassination, and he’s written a book about the interesting stories related to but not all about grassy knolls and second shooters. He joins me for a chat about one of the most talked about events of the 20th century.
Martin Fitzgerald Links
The Umbrella Man & Other Stories
The Men Who Killed Kennedy (YT)
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Paean to Patrick Leigh Fermor
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Have you been hearing about the shortcomings of the British military? Were you following the painful and depressing journey of seemingly the only warship in the Royal Navy, HMS Dragon? Well today I have a conversation with a naval historian and military strategist, Andrew Lambert, who has written No More Napoleons, a book on the 19th century when Britain neutralised European threats.
We discuss the figures such as Wellington and Palmerston who executed a well thought out and realistic national strategy, and we contrast that with recent failures of politicians and military leaders and the state of strategic thought today.
Andrew Lambert Links
No More Napoleons
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The Cambridge Spy Ring has cast a shadow over the British establishment since the exposure of Donald Maclean and Guy Burgess in 1951. Along with Kim Philby, Anthony Blunt and John Cairncross, they gave a vast amount of secrets to the Soviets, particularly during the Second World War when Stalin had allied with Hitler until 1941.
Antonia Senior, author of a new book on the Cambridge 5, Stalin’s Apostles, joins to discuss their treachery, who they really harmed, and whether there is any romantic notion to their espionage driven by ideology.
Antonia Senior Links
Stalin's Apostles
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Titanic Links
Five Titanic myths spread by films
Our Awards
Best Performance
Most Egregious Overracting
Biggest Plot Flaw
Historical Inaccuracy
What if Tarantino Made It?
Who won the film?
History Book Club Shop
Oliver Webb-Carter Links
Substack
Who Cares Who Wins?
Paean to Patrick Leigh Fermor
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We are now in an age of nuclear uncertainty, as wars have broken out around the globe and great powers realign. Britain is apparently a nuclear power but relies on the United States for its deterrant, and should the worst happened, would the Prime Minister really authorise a launch of the trident missiles?
And what about the number of nukes? There are over 10,000 in the world today, but should there be?
Joining today is David Holloway, author of Nuclear Weapons: An International History, as we discuss bombs in the 20th century, and more recently, and I ask the questions that perhaps you always wanted to, such as why are there so many of the damn things?
David Holloway Links
Nuclear Weapons: An International History
Link to the Wargame discussed
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Themistocles was a leading Athenian politician and general in the early 5th Century. He fought at Marathon in 490BC, and played a leading role during the Greco-Persian Wars and was the lead admiral at the Battle of Salamis in 480BC when the Persians were defeated, thus ending their chance of conquering Greece.
But it was his decision in the intervening years between Marathon and Salamis to direct the revenue gained from silver mines at Laurium that would set Athens on a course that would lead to its Empire, war with Sparta, and the Classical Age which saw Pericles’ building programme including the Parthenon.
Michael Scott joins, Professor of Ancient history at my old university Warwick, author of a new book, Themistocles: The Rise and Fall of Athens’ Naval Mastermind.
Michael Scott Links
Themistocles: The Rise and Fall of Athens’ Naval Mastermind
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The great historian Antony Beevor joins today to discuss his new book, Rasputin, so we talk the mad monk, Russia then and now and Putin’s grip on history.
Antony Beevor Links
Rasputin And the Downfall of the Romanovs
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This is the first movie to appear on the History Book Club pod. It's the greatest naval film of all time, the Russell Crowe flick, Master & Commander.
In this episode we discuss the lesser of two weevils, cowardly French, the better of two Maxes and much much more.
Master & Commander Links
Bixby LetterJames Holland on Saving Private Ryan
Our Awards
Best Performance
Most Egregious Overracting
Biggest Plot Flaw
Historical Inaccuracy
What if Tarantino Made It?
Who won the film?
History Book Club Shop
Oliver Webb-Carter Links
Substack
Who Cares Who Wins?
Paean to Patrick Leigh Fermor
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A quick bonus for my club members. There has been talk among certain literati that podcasts are replacing books. This is a chat with Roger and Antonia where we address the question head on. Do get in touch I’d love to hear from you.
Ukraine Links
Convoy for Ukraine, run by my friend Ian Wilson-Young
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Oliver Webb-Carter Links
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The Troubles may be over, but the legacy lives on, as ongoing legal cases revive past incidents, but one area that has continued to capture the imagination of those interested in this period of British and Irish history is Bandit Country. That is South Armagh and the IRA’s relatively successful campaign against the British Army.
Toby Harnden joins today as we talk about his book, published in 1999 but republished recently and the seminal account of the South Armagh Brigade of the IRA throughout the Troubles. We kick off the chat over whether podcasts are replacing books.
Toby Harnden Links
Bandit Country: The IRA & South Armagh
Ukraine Links
Convoy for Ukraine, run by my friend Ian Wilson-Young
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Europe is in a bit of a fix, with a belligerent Russia to its East, and the traditional ally and protector disinterested to the West, governments are only starting to think about maybe increasing defence spending. In Britain, we are behind our continental allies and still trying to find excuses not to improve defence capability.
So who better to get on than a former General, Barney White-Spunner, who has written a book about five armies that saved Europe (spoiler alert, one of them is American), and so we chat about what that means for the present.
BWS Links
Nations in Arms: Five Armies That Made Europe
Ukraine Links
Convoy for Ukraine, run by my friend Ian Wilson-Young
History Book Club Shop
Oliver Webb-Carter Links
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Herodotus is known as the father of history, and the next historian out the blocks, Thucydides, took the idea, and it was very much an idea in infancy, and produced a work that is still discussed by politicians and generals 2,500 years later.
There is a new translation of the History of the Peloponnesian War by the great translator Robin Waterfield, and he enters the club with historian Polly Low to discuss Thucydides, his style as a historian, the Peloponnesian War and plenty more.
Thucydides Links
The History of the Peloponnesian War, Translated by Robin Waterfield
Ukraine Links
Convoy for Ukraine, run by my friend Ian Wilson-Young
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Today’s episode is a subject that has been prominent in the last few years, the Atlantic slave trade, and today’s book, Survivors is a quite brilliant one that focusses on one voyage in particular, the Clotilda.
Joining is Hannah Durkin who tells the harrowing tail of one boat’s enslaved people, from when they are capture in West Africa, through to their journey across the Atlantic, to Mobile Alabama, and then the story of the descendants.
Hannah Durkin Links
Survivors: A History of the Last Captives of the Atlantic Slave Trade
Ukraine Links
Convoy for Ukraine, run by my friend Ian Wilson-Young
History Book Club Shop
Oliver Webb-Carter Links
Substack
Who Cares Who Wins?
Paean to Patrick Leigh Fermor
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