A Dream & A Fear

In our last podcast of 2022, we chat to explorer/author Brandon Presser about his fantastic book on the mutineers on the Bounty.

With Brandon, we seek to clear up the mystery surrounding the fate of the mutineers as they hid from British authorities in the South Pacific. We also look at the confusing and complex history of the islands they inhabited and the legacy they left. 

Book - Brandon Presser, The Far Land: 200 Years of Murder, Mania, and Mutiny in the South Pacific

A man of extremes - starting his life as a slave trader John Newton, who is arguably best known for writing 'Amazing Grace', turned to a life devoted to God and bringing an end to slavery. We dive into this remarkable life with former MP Johnathan Aikten to discuss his book and the parallels between his life and Johns.

Of the 170,000 Jews brought to Sobibor only 57 survived. They survived because of one man - Alexander ‘Sasha’ Pechersky. We were joined by author David Bezmozgis to discuss his long read piece on Pechersky, the revolt and why his story is spoken about so little. 

Read more at - https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/arts-letters/articles/sasha-pechersky-sobibor-russian-jews-david-bezmozgis

As Afghanistan drifts into its second year under the Taliban, we dive into the life of Ahmad Shah Massoud. Known to many as the Lion of Panjshir, Massoud led the Afghan resistance against the Soviets and later the Taliban.

Just two days before 9/11 Massoud was assassinated by Al-Qaeda. We talk to Carlotta Gall about her and her fathers book ‘Afghan Napoleon’, focusing on his life, his legacy and Afghanistan's fate under the Taliban.

Book: Afghan Napoleon: The Life of Ahmad Shah Massoud by Sandy Gall

The famous tale of the fate of Franklin’s lost expedition is a household story. Lesser known is the struggle endured by the numerous search parties that risked their lives to find Franklin and his men. We hear from Glenn Stein, who's book maps out the story of an ambitious Commander Robert McClure and his harrowing adventure through the last uncharted section of the North-West Passage.

Book - Discovering the North-West Passage: The Four-Year Arctic Odyssey of H.M.S. Investigator and the McClure Expedition

A member of one of the most powerful families in America, Michael's disappearance in 1961 became a worldwide story.

Following the news of Chinese Gordon's death at Khartoum, the British press celebrated Gordon as a Christ-like man who sacrificed himself resisting the advance of Islam. Despite this, he remains little known today.

On the 110th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, we speak to historian Tim Maltin to discuss the infamous Captain Edward Smith.

Was he really the stoic British hero many remember him by?

This week we speak to Tim Jeal, biographer of Henry Morton Stanley, the infamous explorer of Africa.

Abraham Lincoln referenced Captain James Rileys memoirs as one of the three most influential works that shaped his political ideology, particularly his views on slavery. The others were the Bible and The Pilgrim's Progress.