Dan Carlin's history musings

Earlier toady I wrote about Bingham and Souza's grand theory of history and how I liked their appearance at the podcast New Books In History. I guess I am average in this appreciation. Maybe I should have the reservations historians in particular and scientists in general have towards grand theories, but for people like me, who enjoy educational podcasts, the grand theories deliver a certain type of entertainment. Call it the satisfaction to get a grip on it all.

Another history podcast that approaches this quality is Dan Carlin's Hardcore History. I have frequently written on this podcast and emphasized its excellent narrative qualities, but together with Carlin's effective retelling of history, he also engages in exploring and analyzing generalities in history. You can call it grand theorizing, but surely it is more tentative than the thorough studies of Bingham and Souza, so it is maybe better to call it Dan Carlin's personal history musings. Dan Carlin loves to mull over history and try to discern general patterns and draw conclusions about humanity and its future. This we saw in the shows about Slavery, about Children, about Globalization and the most recent about Human Toughness.

Carlin plays with exactly the kind of thoughts I have and like to play with when having listened to one history podcast or another. One of the recurring themes in these explorations of his is how life in earlier times was so much harsher and then he assumes, if our ancestors were able to survive, what does that tell about them? Are they structurally haunted by PTSD? Should we assume they are much tougher and resilient than we are? If they were destructively traumatized, does that mean we can hope for a better future, since we are not? Or if they were stronger than we ever hope to be, does that mean we are on the way down?

What I would like to see Carlin add is the following thought: assuming that we and our ancestors are no fundamentally different, certainly biologically we aren't, could that mean we'd be able to cope with their fate just as they did? And if so, wouldn't that mean they are not more traumatized and more tough than we are? I am sure there would be things in our time that would seem traumatizing hardships in the perspective of people from other times and places- but that, Carlin never seems to consider. In spite of this reverse perspective that I find missing, Carlin dares to go where few history podcasts dare to go and he does it the best. It explains his popularity and deservedly so.

More Hardcore History:
The end of the war,
Stalingrad,
Ghosts of the Ostfront,
Dan Carlin about the East Front,
Slavery.

The best varied history podcast - NBIH

Anybody interested in history podcasts must keep a constant eye on the feed of New Books in History. Probably not all of the passing subjects are of your interest, but each week there is a new issue and there are over a hundred shows to look back at and there inevitably is a lot to find that is exactly to your liking.

Issues that I have browsed through over the past weeks are a couple of old ones, along with the new issues each week:
Tim Snyder, “The Red Prince: The Secret Lives of A Habsburg Archduke” An interview from 2008 about the eccentric Archduke Wilhelm of Austria.

John Lukacs, “Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat: The Dire Warning” Also an old interview from 2008, about Winston Churchill's inaugural speech in 1940.

Three new recent issues were:
Andrew Donson, “Youth in the Fatherless Land: War Pedagogy, Nationalism, and Authority in Germany, 1914-1918″
Amy Bass, “Those About Him Remained Silent: The Battle Over W. E. B. Du Bois”
Patrick Manning, “The African Diaspora: A History Through Culture”

I was especially inspired by the very last issue, P. Bingham and J. Souza, “Death From a Distance and the Birth of a Humane Universe”, which contains an interview with both these authors, none of whom are historians. They combine their knowledge in biology and social science and have come up with a theory of history. They point out how human society lives by the measure to which it can police its members and they explain the developments from the development of weapons. The weapons allow for a certain scale of policing and therefore command the size and complexity of society and hence the course of history. As the host Marshall Poe already points out, historians generally do not engage in such grand theories and it really begs the question how Bingham and Souza's work is received. For the podcast listener it is by all means interesting and thought provoking.

More NBIH:
The Caucasus,
The genocide and the trial,
Nation and Culture,
Three New Books In History,
The fourth part of the world.

Oudenaarde and how the Dutch went bankrupt

The order in which the podcast Historyzine offers its sections is thus that the narrative of the next part in the War of Spanish Succession always comes last. A new and very good feature within the show - the interview with a historian -therefore comes previously. This makes generally good sense, as the War of the Spanish Succession is the main subject of the show, yet in the latest issue, the order might better have been reversed.

Host Jim Mowatt spoke with James Falkner, before telling about the battle of Oudenarde in 1708. (I spell this town Oudenaarde, but that is the difference between Dutch and English) He asks Falkner about the show's continuing hero, the Duke of Marlbourough, and about the outcome of the war and that is why the talk would have probably suited better after the show. In the narrative a good portion of the tension is that you do not know in advance, how things are going to work out. However, the interview talked about the war in general and extensively discussed the outcome of the war, thus defusing part of the suspense.

Nevertheless, this is once again, a great show and I hope Mowatt will continue to have interviews with specialists. It was very enlightening to learn Falkner's analysis of the war. Even though the Allies (notably the English and Dutch) won and France lost, the result was more like a stand off. France was still powerful and especially the Dutch got bad terms in the peace treaty. The war had bankrupted them and as Falkner put it, made them draw the conclusion that playing the game of empire was not something they could or wanted to keep up with. Hence, the long-term outcome was Britain's hegemony on the seas. Very interesting, but much more effective to consider, after you have heard about troops moving around a town in Belgium.

More Historyzine:
Aftermath of victory,
The Battle of Ramillies,
Winter diplomacy,
The lines of Brabant,
Historyzine at its best.

Feico Houweling vertelt

Hoe zijn de grenzen in Europa ontstaan? Die vraag staat centraal bij zes gratis vertellingen over de Europese geschiedenis in de Centrale Bibliotheek aan de Rotterdamse Hoogstraat.

Wie houdt van de podcast Hoor! Geschiedenis, moet de kans grijpen om naar Rotterdam te komen. De Rotterdamse geschiedenisverteller en maker van Hoor! Geschiedenis, Feico Houweling, laat aan de hand van oude kaarten en ander beeldmateriaal zien hoe de grenzen tussen de Europese landen in de loop van de tijd vorm hebben gekregen. Elk land heeft zijn eigen geschiedenis en die ging maar al te vaak ten koste van
buurlanden. Opvallend is dat bijna elk land wel een 'gouden eeuw' heeft gekend, waarin het zijn omgeving overheerste.

Alle vertellingen worden gehouden op vrijdagmiddag:

7 mei: Frankrijk en Duitsland.
14 mei: Italië en het Iberisch schiereiland,
21 mei: Groot-Brittannië en Ierland,
28 mei: de Benelux,
4 juni: Scandinavië
11 juni: Balkan.

De vertellingen worden georganiseerd door Europe Direct en de Rotterdamse Bibliotheek. Ze vinden plaats in de Glazen Zaal op de eerste verdieping en de aanvang is steeds om 14.00 uur. Bezoekers wordt aangeraden op tijd te komen, want als de zaal vol is, sluiten de deuren.

Meer Hoor! Geschiedenis:
De Spaanse Successieoorlog,
Plakkaat van Verlating,
Willem van Oranje als Bijbelfiguur,
Dagelijks genoegen: hoor! geschiedenis,
Hoor! Geschiedenis - historische podcast recensie.

Readers' podcast reports

Podcasters and podcast listeners can report their podcasts to this blog. If I do not manage to review myself, your own words about the podcast will be published.

Here are a number of recent podcast reports I received:

Hey, Anne. Could l interest you in reviewing Chicken Fried Radio?
We’d be more than happy to return the favor by pimping your blog and podcast on the show.

It’s a topical comedy show based in Austin, TX, and we’ve been doing it for five years now. Here’s a recent review of Chicken Fried Radio from a local university
paper.

We will most definitely share your review, whether positive or negative, on the show.

Thanks,
Christian Huey
Chicken Fried Radio
jackasses@chickenfriedradio.com
Facebook: Chicken Fried Radio

And:

INTERNET RADIO SENSATION RETURNS WITH AN ALL NEW SHOW!

Perrynoid is Back!

Internet sensation, comedian, and musician Perrynoid is back with a brand new show called Perrynoid Uncensored. To call it a talk show would be calling Mt Everest a hill.

Perrynoid Uncensored is a comedy extravaganza that tackles every strange and fascinating news story of the day broken down and explained by the bizarre and always hilarious mind of Perrynoid. Every show features a wide variety of guests from Guinness World Record Holders to Competitive Eating Champions. Perrynoid Uncensored is a thrill-ride of the weird and keeps you laughing and hungry for more!

Perrynoid is the ringleader for this 60 minute, bi-weekly, “one of a kind” program that has developed a strong online presence throughout the US & Canada reaching nearly 10 thousand downloads per show. Perrynoid Uncensored is readily available in several formats for convenient listening - including “On-Demand” streaming.

New episodes are posted on Perrynoid.com every other Saturday at 9PM EST.
Podcast subscribers receive the show earlier in the day, PLUS additional content not found on the website. All available listening formats are 100% FREE.

Perrynoid is an internet radio pioneer. He created The Cosmic Circus, an online variety radio program, in 1998 and became known as an ‘internet phenom’ after reaching nearly 15 thousand daily listeners. Perrynoid has appeared on several major radio programs in the United States including The Ron and Fez Show, The Don and Mike Show, The John DeBella Show, and The Giant Show. Perrynoid is a comedian and a musician. His unique musical contributions to radio shows have made him an industry name. Perrynoid currently lives in Washington DC.

Jimmy Bruton

JimmyBruton@gmail.com

And:

Hi Anne,

This podcast, Curiosity Aroused seems right down your alley. Maybe not the most recent with the 30 myths about dogs, although you might have a dog and be interested ...

However, the other subjects seem like the sort of thing you'd like.

Cheers,
Julie

And:

Anne The Man,

Hello. My name is Robert Hamilton, the co-producer of a short comedy podcast called "THE ALLIGATOR - I Might Be A Croc, I Don't Know - SHOW".

We've just started our sixth week of podcasting, and have about a year's worth already recorded and in the queue. I'm sure you know how challenging building an audience can be, especially with any form of offbeat humor that is looking for its niche. We've been performing these sorts of skits for family and friends for years, and were urged by several people to go public with them. The premise takes a little getting used to, and is certainly not intended for a broad audience. Needless to say, it might not be your cup of brew. But then again, it might just bite your funny bone.

This podcast features our friend, Alligator, in skits from an imaginary swamp. Alligator spouts thought-provoking nonsense, and eats almost anything he can get his jaws around. He's no dummy, though: In the midst of his babble you'll likely hear references to science, math, technology, and arcane vocabulary, as well as thinly veiled commentary on contemporary topics. Alligator is always coming up with new theories and inventions, which may amuse and will definitely confound you. Sometimes surreal, often thoughtful, and full of improvisation.

On the off chance that you might actually listen to several of these shows, please be advised that listening to Alligator is like eating hot peppers: You don't want to consume too many at one time!
These podcasts are usually less than 10 minutes.

Our shows are also available on iTunes -- for free, of course.

Three of my own favorites:
1. Out of Swamp Experience:
It isn't just an "out-of-body-experience when Alligator has an out-of-swamp experience.
2. Book of Truth:
Have you ever wondered how ultimate truths are derived? Then just listen to this episode...
3. The Green Cheese Conspiracy:
Alligator reveals that the moon actually IS made of green cheese!

Thanks for listening. Be sure to drop by our swamp for dinner as soon as possible...

Bob Hamilton,
The Alligator Show
seedpress@gmail.com

And:

Marco Raaphorst has left a new comment on your post "Report a podcast (2)":

Mooie nieuwe ontdekkingen gedaan, waarvoor dank!
Ik maak zelf ook een podcast sinds 4 weken:
Melodiefabriek Uitgesproken

Ga zo door, beste overzicht podcasts dat ik ken!

Groeten uit Den Haag,
Marco Raaphorst

391 podcasts reviewed on Anne is a Man

While I am away from the blog for the weekend, take your time to look at the latest updated Podcast List, with 391 podcasts listed. Also, look at Anne is a Man's sample blog, to give you an idea what this blog will look like as of May 10th.

If I manage to listen to podcasts this weekend, you can be sure I will pick from these podcasts and lecture series I currently, closely follow:

BBC's In Our Time (feed)
New Books in History (feed)
Harvard's Justice with Michael Sandel (feed)
UCLA's A History of Jerusalem from Ancient Canaan to Modern Israel (feed)
UCLA's History 1c - Western Civilization 1715-present (feed)