AGE OF VICTORIA PODCAST

8TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL – A FLASHY CELEBRATION


Listen Later

Episode Summary

It’s the 8th anniversary of The Age of Victoria Podcast! Join your host Chris Fernandez-Packham as he celebrates this milestone with a very special episode dedicated to one of the most unforgettable rogues of Victorian historical fiction—Sir Harry Flashman.

In this reflective and richly detailed episode, I explore the character of Flashman, the brilliant mind of his creator George MacDonald Fraser, and how the Flashman Papers have become an unconventional yet insightful lens into the Victorian world.

Expect deep dives into:

  • The real history behind the Flashman novels
  • Fraser’s impeccable historical research and cheeky literary hoaxes
  • The balance between historical truth and fiction
  • Flashman’s infamous “heroism” in key Victorian conflicts like the First Anglo-Afghan War, the Charge of the Light Brigade, and the US Civil War
  • A who’s-who of real Victorian figures Flashman bedded, betrayed, or bewildered
  • Whether you’re already a fan of Flashy or new to this bawdy, cowardly antihero, you’ll leave with a richer understanding of Victorian hypocrisy, heroism, and how luck and PR shaped the Empire’s image.

    Key Topics Covered
    • The Flashman Papers and their place in historical fiction
    • George MacDonald Fraser’s approach to mixing fact and satire
    • Flashman’s accidental heroism in major Victorian conflicts
    • Victorian attitudes toward Empire, honour, and race
    • Antiheroes in literature and why they matter
    • Fraser’s links to his own military past and colonial nostalgia
    • Victorian culture, music, and the role of press in myth-making
    • Quotable Moments

      “If I had been the hero everyone thought I was, or even a half-decent soldier, Lee would have won the battle of Gettysburg…”

      “Like them or not, the Victorians strode the stage of history in glorious technicolour.”

      “Some of the most interesting people in history—and in fiction—are really awful in some ways.”

      Further Reading & Mentions
      • The Flashman Papers series by George MacDonald Fraser
      • Fraser’s interview with historian Saul David
      • Historical figures discussed: Lord Cardigan, Rani of Jhansi, Abraham Lincoln, Lola Montez, and more
      • British colonial history and the forgotten 14th Army of Burma
      • Music: “Garryowen” and its curious journey from Ireland to the US Cavalry
      • Join the Celebration!

        Thanks to all the listeners who’ve joined the journey over the last 8 years. If you’ve found the show informative, entertaining, or just a good companion on long walks, please consider sharing it or leaving a review.

        The post 8TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL – A FLASHY CELEBRATION appeared first on AGE OF VICTORIA PODCAST.

        ...more
        View all episodesView all episodes
        Download on the App Store

        AGE OF VICTORIA PODCASTBy Chris Fernandez-Packham (Victorian History Lover/Queen Victoria Fan)

        • 4.8
        • 4.8
        • 4.8
        • 4.8
        • 4.8

        4.8

        265 ratings


        More shows like AGE OF VICTORIA PODCAST

        View all
        History Extra podcast by Immediate Media

        History Extra podcast

        3,239 Listeners

        The History of Byzantium by thehistoryofbyzantium@gmail.com

        The History of Byzantium

        4,303 Listeners

        Dan Snow's History Hit by History Hit

        Dan Snow's History Hit

        4,776 Listeners

        The History of Literature by Jacke Wilson / The Podglomerate

        The History of Literature

        1,120 Listeners

        Tudors Dynasty & Beyond by RedTop Media / Rebecca Larson

        Tudors Dynasty & Beyond

        740 Listeners

        Pax Britannica: A History of the British Empire by Samuel Hume

        Pax Britannica: A History of the British Empire

        369 Listeners

        The Ancients by History Hit

        The Ancients

        3,305 Listeners

        The Rest Is History by Goalhanger

        The Rest Is History

        15,629 Listeners

        Gone Medieval by History Hit

        Gone Medieval

        1,884 Listeners

        Not Just the Tudors by History Hit

        Not Just the Tudors

        2,063 Listeners

        Short History Of... by NOISER

        Short History Of...

        2,863 Listeners

        Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society by History Hit

        Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society

        1,385 Listeners

        Empire: World History by Goalhanger

        Empire: World History

        2,474 Listeners

        This is History: A Dynasty to Die For by Sony Music Entertainment

        This is History: A Dynasty to Die For

        1,735 Listeners

        After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal by History Hit

        After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal

        1,115 Listeners