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Episode summary:
This is a personal, behind-the-scenes episode on why Tudor England became the setting for The Bedlam Series: the whiplash of religious change, the evolving Tudor monarchs, and how “madness” was understood, feared, and controlled—especially around Bethlehem Hospital (“Bedlam”). Along the way, Anne Marie threads careful parallels to current U.S. events and the emotional toll of living through political instability.

Content note: This episode references political violence, immigration enforcement, protest, and a personal medical experience.

In this episode

• Why Tudor England feels like a pressure cooker (faith, law, identity, survival)
• Religion as “weather”: shifting doctrine, shifting danger
• Tudor power and insecurity: Henry VIII → Edward VI → Mary I → Elizabeth I
• Bedlam as symbol and setting: who gets labeled, who gets confined, who gets believed
• Modern parallels: competing “official narratives,” public meaning, labels that flatten human lives
• “We must cultivate our garden” (Voltaire) as a grounding practice in hard times

Rough timecode outline (edit once you have final audio)

• 00:00 Show open + what the podcast is
• 00:35 Personal note: this week, mental health, “cultivating our garden”
• 03:10 Bedlam Series orientation + how to get the prequel
• 04:30 Tudor religion as a changing tide
• 08:00 Tudor royals + insecurity-driven power
• 11:30 “Madness” as label + Bedlam’s role
• 15:20 Borders, sovereignty, Greenland parallels
• 18:00 Closing reflection + how to get the prequel + May release reminder

Get the prequel (free) + follow the series

• Get The Sum of Broken Rooms free when you join the email list (official download page): link at top of page https://www.amcannon.com/
• Explore The Bedlam Series hub. 
• Armchair Historians on A.M. Cannon’s site. 
• Main site / signup landing page. 

Mentioned in the episode (current-events context)

• Reporting and video updates around Renée Good’s fatal shooting by an ICE officer in Minneapolis, protests, and disputes over official framing vs. public footage. 
• Greenland rejecting U.S. takeover talk; NATO / sovereignty concerns. 
• Reuters coverage on Nicolás Maduro saying he was “kidnapped” amid U.S. charges (referenced as a “foreign president kidnapped”). 

Tudor + Bedlam background (learn-more links)

• English Reformation (1527–1590) overview (The National Archives). 
• Reformation Parliament overview (UK Parliament). 
• From Bethlehem to Bedlam (Historic England). 
• Bethlem Royal Hospital background (Museum of the Mind). 
• Bedlam and “theatre of madness” (Folger). 

Support the show (quick ways)

• Share this episode with a friend who loves Tudor history
• Leave a rating/review wherever you listen
• Visit the show page for episode links and updates. 

A.M. Cannon (main site): https://www.amcannon.com/
Free prequel, email sign up at top of page: https://www.amcannon.com/
Bedlam Series hub: https://www.amcannon.com/items
Bedlam Series: Sum of Broken Rooms page: https://www.amcannon.com/items/this-is-a-title-01
Armchair Historians (site page): https://www.amcannon.com/general-9
Armchair Historians (official site): https://www.armchairhistorians.c<

Support the show

Follow us on Social Media:
Instagram: @armchairhistorians
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians

Support Armchair Historians:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/armchairhistorians
Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/belgiumrabbitproductions

Check out Anne Marie's historical fiction and download free short story: A.M. Cannon website: www.amcannon.com 

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ARMCHAIR HISTORIANS — Season 5, Episode 1
“Under One Roof: A New Season, A New Chapter”

Hello, fellow Armchair Historians. Welcome back.

In this Season 5 premiere, I’m officially bringing everything I create—podcasting, historical fiction, research rabbit holes, vintage fashion history, and documentary work—under one roof. You can now find the whole universe (and all the links) at my home base:
https://www.amcannon.com/

We’re also living through a moment that can feel disorienting and heavy—when truth feels slippery, the rules feel optional, and basic decency can seem in short supply. That’s exactly why history matters. Not as escapism, but as a compass: a way to remember what happened, how people resisted, how communities survived, and what it costs when power goes unchecked.

This season, I’m leaning into the kinds of history I’m always drawn to:
• stories that amplify diverse voices
• lives lived at the edges of power
• the overlooked, the underestimated, the nearly-forgotten
• and the tangible traces of the past you can hold in your hand

NEW THIS SEASON: FIRST GUESTS
Our first two guests of Season 5:
• Janis Robinson Daly (historical fiction + women’s stories)
  https://janisrdaly.com/
• Barbara Stark-Nemon (award-winning author of women’s & Jewish historical fiction)
  https://www.barbarastarknemon.com/

A.M. CANNON + THE BEDLAM SERIES
My debut novel (Book 1 of The Bedlam Series), The Case of Lord Simon, arrives in May 2026.
Moving forward, I’ll be sharing updates, behind-the-scenes research, and historical context connected to the world of Bedlam—because the history behind the fiction is half the obsession.

Explore The Bedlam Series (and related goodies):
https://www.amcannon.com/items

Want a doorway into the series first? (The Sum of Broken Rooms):
https://www.amcannon.com/items/this-is-a-title-01

LAST TRAIN LEAVING BELGIUM (DOCUMENTARY)
I’ll also share occasional updates on my documentary project, Last Train Leaving Belgium. It’s currently on the back burner while The Bedlam Series gains momentum—but the story is still close to my heart.

Listen here:
Part 1: https://armchairhistorians.buzzsprout.com/1020073/episodes/16070462-last-train-leaving-belgium-part-1
Part 2: https://armchairhistorians.buzzsprout.com/1020073/episodes/16105753-last-train-leaving-belgium-part-2-jeff-lipkes

HISTORY I KEEP COMING BACK TO (DIVERSE VOICES + “WHY HISTORY”)
Victoria Woodhull — the first woman to run for U.S. President (1872):
https://music.amazon.de/podcasts/513d5cce-9b92-4a3c-97df-616373905240/episodes/64626776-4f67-451e-b6fe-7a16a92e6335/armchair-historians-episode-37-dr-teri-finneman-1872-presidential-campaign-of-victoria-woodhull-2021-inauguration-special

Two-Spirit histories — gender, identity, community, and “walking between worlds”:
https://armchairhistorians.buzzsprout.com/1020073/episodes/12857505-gregory-smithers-two-spirit-series

MUDLARKS: THE PEOPLE SIFTING FOR LONDON’S MEMORY
If you’re new here: yes, I am obsessed with mudlarking—the act of searching the Thames foreshore for artifacts that tell everyday stories across centuries.

Featured mudlark episodes:
• Jason Sandy:
 

Support the show

Follow us on Social Media:
Instagram: @armchairhistorians
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians

Support Armchair Historians:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/armchairhistorians
Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/belgiumrabbitproductions

Check out Anne Marie's historical fiction and download free short story: A.M. Cannon website: www.amcannon.com 

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This week’s Rewind episode brings back one of our most memorable conversations—perfect for anyone who’s ever felt that jolt of wonder holding a fragment of the past. Anne Marie sits down with noted mudlark Jason Sandy—member of the Society of Thames Mudlarks, trustee of the Thames Museum Trust, and co-author of Thames Mudlarking: Searching for London’s Lost Treasures—to explore the River Thames as the longest open-air archaeological site in London.

Jason shares how a National Geographic segment sent him down to the foreshore, the thrill of finding a Roman bone hairpin now on display at the Museum of London, the camaraderie (and ethics) of the mudlarking community, and what it was like to metal-detect in the Tower of London’s moat. We also talk permits, recording finds, Totally Thames exhibitions, and why ordinary objects—buttons, pipe stems, combs—tell extraordinary stories.

Highlights

• What makes London’s tidal Thames uniquely rich for finds
• From Native American arrowheads to Roman London: Jason’s path to mudlarking
• The Roman hairpin “holy grail” and donating to the Museum of London
• How the Society of Thames Mudlarks works (and why there’s a waitlist)
• Recording artifacts with the Portable Antiquities Scheme
• Community spotlights: fellow mudlarks, favorite finds, and a life-changing Victoria Cross discovery
• Behind the scenes: searching the Tower of London moat and what those regimental buttons revealed
• The vision for a hands-on Thames Museum where visitors can learn on the foreshore

About Our Guest

Jason Sandy is an American-born architect/developer who moved to London in 2007 and discovered mudlarking in 2012. He’s a Society of Thames Mudlarks member, a Thames Museum Trust trustee, and co-author of Thames Mudlarking: Searching for London’s Lost Treasures. He lectures widely, appears on television, and shares finds on Instagram @jasonmudlark.

Links & Resources

• Jason on Instagram: https://instagram.com/jasonmudlark
  
  
• Thames Mudlarking: Searching for London’s Lost Treasures (book)
• Thames Museum Trust: https://thamesmuseum.org
  
  
• Portable Antiquities Scheme (UK): https://finds.org.uk
  
  
• Museum of London: https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk
  
  

If you enjoyed this Rewind, please follow, leave a 5-star review, and share the episode with a fellow history-lover. Want to support the show? Join us on Patreon/Ko-fi and keep the stories flowing.

Support the show

Follow us on Social Media:
Instagram: @armchairhistorians
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians

Support Armchair Historians:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/armchairhistorians
Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/belgiumrabbitproductions

Check out Anne Marie's historical fiction and download free short story: A.M. Cannon website: www.amcannon.com 

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In this special Halloween edition minisode, host Anne Marie Cannon continues her conversation with documentary filmmaker Eric Walter, diving into the making of his award-winning film My Amityville Horror.

In the documentary, Daniel Lutz recounts his own chilling version of the infamous Amityville haunting that terrified his family in 1975—an experience that would inspire a best-selling novel and a long-running series of films. Together, Anne Marie and Eric discuss the blurred lines between truth, trauma, and the paranormal, and what it means to live inside a story that the world refuses to let die.

My Amityville Horror combines years of Walter’s independent research with eyewitness accounts and investigative reporting, revealing the most intimate and psychological portrait of the case to date.

This episode follows Part 1, Episode 23, Dark Side of the Mountain, in our Halloween series—two eerie tales that remind us history can be every bit as haunting as fiction.

Eric Walter Website

My Amityville Horror Website


To Support Armchair Historians:

Patreon

Ko-fi

Support the show

Follow us on Social Media:
Instagram: @armchairhistorians
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians

Support Armchair Historians:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/armchairhistorians
Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/belgiumrabbitproductions

Check out Anne Marie's historical fiction and download free short story: A.M. Cannon website: www.amcannon.com 

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Every town has its ghosts. For the quiet Colorado mining town of Silver Plume, those ghosts are real people who vanished without a trace.

In this two-part Halloween special of Armchair Historians, host Anne Marie Cannon talks with award-winning filmmaker Eric Walter, whose documentaries explore the unsettling corners of human experience. Walter’s film Dark Side of the Mountain investigates the mysterious disappearance of journalist Keith Reinhard, whose story eerily mirrors that of another missing man, Tom Young—both from the same street, a year apart.

Together, Anne Marie and Eric delve into obsession, synchronicity, and the strange overlap between fact and folklore.

Eric Walter’s previous work includes My Amityville Horror (IFC Films), one of the top festival genre films of 2012. His editing and producing credits span Netflix, Amazon Prime, FX, AMC, and Disney+.

This episode remains one of Armchair Historians’ most-listened stories—perfect for those who like their history with a chill down the spine. 🎧

Today we talk to Eric Walter about the mysterious disappearance of Keith Reinhard in Silver Plume, Colorado.

Eric Walter is an award-winning director, editor, and documentary filmmaker in Los Angeles, known for producing investigative nonfiction films that explore bizarre cold cases, unexplained phenomena, and the dark side of human psychology.

His directorial debut, My Amityville Horror, was named one of the top 10 festival genre films of 2012. The film was distributed theatrically by IFC Films and is currently available on streaming services. 

As a lead editor for feature films, docuseries, and commercial advertising campaigns, Eric’s work has spanned across a variety of platforms including Netflix, Amazon Prime, FX, AMC, Disney+ and many others.

He also frequently serves as an expert on the Amityville Horror case, having recently been profiled by networks such as ABC, A&E, and Travel Channel.

Eric’s second documentary feature, Dark Side of the Mountain, is slated for release in 2021.

Support the show

Follow us on Social Media:
Instagram: @armchairhistorians
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians

Support Armchair Historians:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/armchairhistorians
Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/belgiumrabbitproductions

Check out Anne Marie's historical fiction and download free short story: A.M. Cannon website: www.amcannon.com 

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This is part one of an interview Anne Marie did in 2020. Sadly, shortly after the interview, Jeff Lipkes passed away. This episode is dedicated to him.

Jeff Lipkes was born and raised in Los Angeles and educated at U.C. Berkeley and Princeton, completing his Ph.D. in History in 1995. His dissertation was awarded the Joseph Dorfman Prize by the History of Economics Society.

Rehearsals: The German Army in Belgium, August 1914 was published by University of Leuven Press in October, 2007, and is being distributed in North America by Cornell University Press. Lipkes is also the author of Politics, Religion and Classical Political Economy in Britain: John Stuart Mill and his Followers(Macmillan/​St. Martins, 1999), and half a dozen articles on the history of economic thought and British intellectual history. 

Support the show

Follow us on Social Media:
Instagram: @armchairhistorians
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians

Support Armchair Historians:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/armchairhistorians
Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/belgiumrabbitproductions

Check out Anne Marie's historical fiction and download free short story: A.M. Cannon website: www.amcannon.com 

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It's been a while, fellow Armchair Historians! Welcome back to the show!! This episode is the first in a series. This supplementary podcast to the in-production documentary Last Train Leaving Belgium is the first episode, which introduces the story of Therese, an eight-year-old Belgian child facing the soon-to-be occupation of her country by foreign invaders.

Over the next few weeks, we will rebroadcast all the previous episodes of Last Train Leaving Belgium. We welcome you to join us on this poignant journey about a time that shares parallels to the world we are currently living in.

Be sure to check out the links below for more resources.

Website: Last Train Leaving Belgium

Instagram: Last Train Leaving Belgium

Facebook:  Last Train Leaving Belgium

Follow us on Social Media:
Instagram: @armchairhistorians
Twitter: @ArmchairHistor1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians

Support Armchair Historians:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/armchairhistorians
Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/belgiumrabbitproductions

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Follow us on Social Media:
Instagram: @armchairhistorians
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians

Support Armchair Historians:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/armchairhistorians
Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/belgiumrabbitproductions

Check out Anne Marie's historical fiction and download free short story: A.M. Cannon website: www.amcannon.com 

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Hello, fellow Armchair Historians. We're back and ready to bring more amazing histories. In this episode, Anne Marie talks to bestselling author Scott Eyman. Scot is a prolific writer whose muse is the enduring careers of iconic film industry legends. Scott talks about his latest book, Charlie Chaplin Vs. America: When Art, Sex, And Politics Collide.

Scott Eyman website: https://scotteyman.com

Scott Eyman: https://www.facebook.com/ScottEyman1

Scott Eyman Twitter: https://twitter.com/scotteyman1?lang=en

Charlie Chaplin, twelve-minute standing ovation at Oscars, 1972: https://bit.ly/3MLlmPU

Joolz Guides: Charlie Chaplin London Walking Tour with his Grandchildren, Kiera and Spencer Chaplin: https://bit.ly/3ubYGlm

Support the show

Follow us on Social Media:
Instagram: @armchairhistorians
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians

Support Armchair Historians:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/armchairhistorians
Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/belgiumrabbitproductions

Check out Anne Marie's historical fiction and download free short story: A.M. Cannon website: www.amcannon.com 

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PART 2

listen to PART1 here:

Ahoy, mateys! Anne Marie here! In this episode, we share part 2 of Anne Marie's interview with Marcus Rediker and David Lester about their graphic novel, Under the Banner of King Death. Yup, that’s right, we’re going to talk about Pirates. If you listened to our most recent mini episode, you met David and Marcus in our Let’s get Quizzical segment.

Not only do we talk about egalitarian style government on the pirate ship, we also talk about the evolution of David and Marcus’s collaboration and how Marcus’s scholarly work is transformed into a graphic novel under the skillful hands of David.


Under the Banner of King Death: http://www.beacon.org/Under-the-Banner-of-King-Death-P1928.aspx
David Lester, wesite: https://davidlesterartmusicdesign.wordpress.com
Daavid Lester, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Lester_(musician)
Marcus Rediker: https://www.marcusrediker.com
Mecca Normal: https://meccanormal.wordpress.com
Riot grrl: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riot_grrrl
Christopher Hill: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Hill_(historian)
The World Turned Upside Down: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/321708/the-world-turned-upside-down-by-christopher-hill/

Follow us on Social Media:
Instagram: @armchairhistorians
Twitter: @ArmchairHistor1
Facebook:

Support the show

Follow us on Social Media:
Instagram: @armchairhistorians
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians

Support Armchair Historians:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/armchairhistorians
Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/belgiumrabbitproductions

Check out Anne Marie's historical fiction and download free short story: A.M. Cannon website: www.amcannon.com 

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In this mini episode, Anne Marie revisits Black Tudors, by Miranda Kaufmann. Anne Marie purchased the book whilst visiting Mary Rose Museum back in 2017 to research the African presence in Tudor England. One of the central figures, perhaps the most well known black Tudor, John Blanke appears in the historical record as well as Tudor art.

Miranda Kaufmann, website: http://www.mirandakaufmann.com

Black Tudors by Miranda Kaufmann: https://amzn.to/3IIBpMJ

Michael Ohajuru, website: https://about.me/michaelohajuru

John Blanke Project, website: http://johnblanke.com

Support the show

Follow us on Social Media:
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armchairhistorians

Support Armchair Historians:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/armchairhistorians
Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/belgiumrabbitproductions

Check out Anne Marie's historical fiction and download free short story: A.M. Cannon website: www.amcannon.com 

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