This week's pod features Mark Ellis, bestselling crime novelist and creator of DCI Merlin. We chat about the reality of London life, when not all its population joined together against the common foe. His latest novel, Dead in the Water, features American criminals, Nazis and stolen art.

In the second part of the pod, I give my top 10 historical films. This list is mine, and so a little bit different to the usual lists you'll see. You'll find links to both sections below.

Mark Ellis Links

The latest DCI Frank Merlin: Dead in the Water

Revolt in Cornwall, by Kate Werran - Aspects of History

Mark on Twitter

John Christie, serial killer

Walter H. Thompson

Aspects of History Top 10 Historical Films (Spoilers!)

My top 10 Historical Movies:

10 - Alexander

9 - La Reine Margot

Reel History

8 - Breaker Morant

7 - Missing

6 - Katyń

5 - Culloden

4 - One Day in September

3 - The Civil War

2 - The Battle of Algiers

1 - Downfall

Reel History

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My chat this week is with Timothy Ashby, historian, novelist and author of Elizabethan Secret Agent: The Untold Story of William Ashby. Ashby was a spy working for Sir Francis Walsingham, spymaster for Queen Elizabeth I. Stationed in Edinburgh, he ran a number of operations to further the Queen's cause against the Spanish.

We also chat about the subject of his novel, Ranger, Fédon's Rebellion in 1795, a slave rebellion on the island of Grenada against the British.

Finally we talk about Operation Condor and the American efforts against regimes and democracies in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Timothy Ashby Links

Elizabethan Secret Agent

Ranger

Fédon's rebellion

Sir John Moore

Operation Condor

Salvador - Oliver Stone Movie

Missing - Jack Lemmon Movie set in Chile

The US invasion of Grenada

Heartbreak Ridge - Clint Eastwood Movie

Aspects of History Links

Summer Holiday Reading Recommendations

@olliewcq

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Max Hastings chats to friend of the show Saul David about the operation to relieve Malta in August 1942. The Axis powers had the island at their isolated and it was close to starvation. Churchill saw this as an opportunity for a heroic victory, in the mould of Dunkirk, and so ordered the Royal Navy to set sail from Gibraltar to relieve the island.

Max discusses the heroism, and actions that were less heroic, in this fascinating discussion with veteran historian Saul David.

Max Hastings Links

Operation Pedestal

In Which We Serve - David Lean Movie

Greyhound - Tom Hanks Movie

Saul David Links

SBS: Silent Warriors

Aspects of History Links

Homepage

Recommended Article: Hitler's Greatest Mistake - Aspects of History

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Konstantin Kisin, comedian, podcaster, writer and author of An Immigrant's Love Letter to the West, joins me to discuss his debut book. Konstantin was born in the Soviet Union, and both he and his family are well aware of what life was like outside the West. We discuss comedy today, how it's under threat, even from the police. We also go on to talk about his family's suffering at the hands of the Soviet system.

Where are we now as a society? We may think we're free, but are we really when we see countless examples of people who lose their jobs and reputations needlessly. Konstantin is one person who has seen life in East and West, and he knows which he prefers.

Konstantin Kisin Links

An Immigrant's Love Letter to the West

Triggernometry

Tom Holland on the Great Awokening

Roger Moorhouse on the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Alistair Williams Brexit joke

Aspects of History Links

Website

Me on the Twitter

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Alex Gerlis joins me to discuss spying during the war, and, more importantly (!) football of the period. Alex supports Grimsby Town, and I support Southampton, but which team would the Nazis have taken an interest in? We also discuss Frank Foley, the man who saved thousands of Jews, and Klaus Barbie, the Nazi murderer based in France. Finally, Alex chats about his influences, and the man he has been compared to, John Le Carré

Alex Gerlis Links

Agent in Berlin

Agent in Peril

Alex Gerlis

Alan Furst novels

Klaus Barbie

Alex on Twitter

Aspects of History Links

Our Website

Me on Twitter

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This week's pod is on the brutal English Civil War, or War of the Three Kingdoms. Historian and novelist Mark Turnbull joins me to discuss. Mark is the author of The Rebellion Series, a trilogy of novels set during the Civil War, We chat Charles I, Henrietta Maria, Prince Rupert, Cromwell and the Earl of Essex, as well as Edgehill and Naseby. Was Charles I really a tyrant? Were the Levellers the Corbynistas of their day? Am I a Roundhead or Cavalier?

Mark Turnbull Links

Mark's Trilogy of Novels: The Rebellion Series, the latest of which is The King's Cavalier.

Mark's podcast, CavalierCast, where you'll find more episodes with star guests discussing the Civil War.

Mark on Twitter

Cromwell, starring Alec Guiness and Richard Harris.

Aspects of History Links

Before the Civil War, by Leanda de Lisle - Aspects of History

Jonestown: Living through History - Aspects of History

Ollie on Twitter

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"The Freedom to Achieve Freedom". Michael Collins

This week's episode is with journalist and author Gretchen Friemann discussing the Irish Revloution. We discuss the whole shebang, from the Act of Union in 1801, through the Home Rule crisis, Curragh Mutiny, Easter Rising, War of Independence, the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the Irish Civil War. Gretchen is the author of The Treaty.

Gretchen Friemann Links

Gretchen's Book: The Treaty: The Gripping Story of the Negotiations that brought about Irish Independence and led to the Civil War

Podcast series: The Irish Revolution Podcast on History Hub.IE

Twitter: @G_Friemann

Aspects of History Links

The Assassination of Sir Henry Wilson

Ollie on Twitter: @olliewcq

Aspects of History Website

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In this week's episode, Antony Beevor discusses the subject of his latest book, Russia: Revolution & Civil War 1917-1921. Antony is interviewed by a hot new signing for Aspects of History, Robert Lyman, author of A War of Empires and my guest in earlier episodes.

The two historians discuss the brutality of the conflicts, and how Russia deposed the Tsar and transformed into the USSR under the leadership of a small number of ruthless leaders, Lenin among them.

Antony Beevor Links

Russia: Revolution & Civil War 1917-1921

Robert Lyman Links

A War of Empires

Aspects of History Links

Issue 10 of Aspects of History

Annual Subscription (only £9.99/$9.99)

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This week's chat is one of the most successful authors writing historical fiction, Conn Iggulden. He's written series on Julius Caesar and Genghis Khan, and more recently on Ancient Greece. Conn and I discuss his latest novel Lion, the Greeks and the Persians, Pericles and the beginnings of the Athenian Empire and Conn's approach to historical fiction.

Conn Iggulden Links

Lion following on from Protector

David Gemmell's Lion of Macedon

Plutarch's Nine Greek Lives

Thucydides The History of the Peloponnesian War

Aeschylus The Persians

Herodotus The Histories

Aspects of History Links

Jessie Childs on the English Civil War

Adam Zamoyski on Kissinger and Ukraine

Ronan McGreevy on the assassination that sparked the Irish Civil War

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