We go on a bimetal-curious adventure over the rainbow to dig into the history of L. Frank Baum's American fairy tale The Wizard of Oz and its alleged connections to William Jennings Bryan and the Populist movement of the 1890s. Then, Howard talks with author Peter Shea about Bryan and other presidential candidates who never made it to the presidency—including Aaron Burr and John C. Calhoun—all featured in Shea's book "In The Arena: A History of American Presidential Hopefuls."

Special thanks to finance professional and friend of the pod Martin Smith for his insights on the appeal of the bimetallic standard.

Find show notes, sources, and more at plodpod.com

Consider joining our Patreon family at https://www.patreon.com/ploddingthroughthepresidents

Check out our merch store at https://www.teepublic.com/stores/plodding-through-the-presidents?ref_id=24294
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Populism in The Wizard of Oz

Join history blogger Howard Dorre and his wife Jessica Dorre for a deep irreverent dive into lesser-known stories of the early American presidents. They dig into the myths, mysteries, scandals, and drama of the founders and their families, with a dash of marital banter.

Arts

Literature

Performing Arts

Design

Food

Fashion & Beauty

Visual Arts

Comedy

History

Society & Culture

Books

Improv

We dig into the story of Attorney General and one-time presidential candidate William Wirt's missing skull, followed by a conversation with historian and author Kurt Deion whose unique journey is chronicled in the book "Presidential Grave Hunter: One Kid's Quest to Visit the Tombs of Every President and Vice President."
Find out more at plodpod.com.
Learn more about Kurt Deion at presidentialgravehunter.com and kurtshistoricsites.com
Consider joining our Patreon family at https://www.patreon.com/ploddingthroughthepresidents
Check out our merch store! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/plodding-through-the-presidents?ref_id=24294
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Presidential Grave Hunter with Kurt Deion

We dig into the powerful, hypnotic charisma—the rizz—of Vice President Aaron Burr, specifically two events in March 1805 that showed his mesmerizing effect on those around him.
Find out more at plodpod.com.
Consider joining our Patreon family at https://www.patreon.com/ploddingthroughthepresidents
Check out our merch store! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/plodding-through-the-presidents?ref_id=24294
Special thanks to Gwen Fries, author of The Beehive blog post Sympathy for the Devil: John Quincy Adams's Brush with Aaron Burr
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Undeniable Rizz of Aaron Burr

We welcome Emmy and Peabody award winning screenwriter and producer Kirk Ellis to the show to talk about his work adapting Apple's new series Franklin as well as HBO's John Adams series. We dig into the rich characters and settings of Franklin, what Michael Douglas brings to the role of Benjamin Franklin, and what it was like adapting David McCullough’s book John Adams and Stacy Schiff’s book A Great Improvisation—including the scenes Ellis and the authors disagreed about.
Find out more at plodpod.com.
Consider joining our Patreon family at https://www.patreon.com/ploddingthroughthepresidents
Check out our merch store! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/plodding-through-the-presidents?ref_id=24294
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adapting Franklin & John Adams with Kirk Ellis

We dig into the centuries-old mystery of a cornerstone in Mount Vernon’s cellar that inspired a pivotal prop in the film National Treasure: Book of Secrets. Then we hunt for the truth behind that prop’s role in a battle between Hollywood and historical accuracy. Along the way we explore The War of Jenkins’ Ear, what the War of 1812 smelled like, and what happened when air conditioning came to Mount Vernon.
Find out more at plodpod.com.
Consider joining our Patreon family at https://www.patreon.com/ploddingthroughthepresidents
Check out our merch store! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/plodding-through-the-presidents?ref_id=24294
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mount Vernon's Stone of Secrets

This is the story of one man with big dreams who wanted to turn George Washington's Mount Vernon into a stop on his massive proposed theme park—a Disneyland on the Potomac named "The Spirit of America." In the 1960s and 70s, Joseph I. Goldstein was called the greatest threat to Mount Vernon since the British navy, and we dig into his wild plot and how the Mount Vernon Ladies Association, his neighbors, the government, and all the elements of nature joined forces to stop him.
Find out more at plodpod.com.
Consider joining our Patreon family at https://www.patreon.com/ploddingthroughthepresidents
Check out our merch store! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/plodding-through-the-presidents?ref_id=24294
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Populism in The Wizard of Oz

Download our free app to listen on your phone