We take a look back at a time when the ghosts of men were possessing spirit mediums all over the country to tell tales of life on the other side. From Mark Twain writing a new novel, to Thomas Paine endorsing spiritualism, to Jesus writing an autobiography, it was a time when it felt like everyone was coming back from the dead and getting a book deal. We talk about it, as well as how Spiritualism came to be, what it meant, and some encounters famous figures from the era had with Spiritualists.

Hosted by Liam, and Abram.

Our friend Kevin is back to discuss Palestine for our Interwar Series from the late Ottoman period, to the first World War, to the breakup of the Ottoman Empire.

Further Listening: E20 - Zionism, E34 - The Time That Remains

Hosted by Russian Sam, Halal Sam, and Kevin.

Our good friend Jern joins us from Ohio for a discussion about the interwar reanimation of America’s most notorious terrorist organization: the Ku Klux Klan. Jern tells the story of the working-class Ohio immigrants who formed their own secret society known as the Knights of the Flaming Circle to oppose white supremacy and kick the Klan out of the Buckeye state.

Hosted by Liam, Russian Sam, and Jern.

Fritz Lang’s first talking picture, M tells the story of a town shaken by a string of serial murders by a killer who targets young girls. This Weimar era film stood out as one of the most well crafted movies to date upon release. We talk about it, the director, and the German movie industry it was made in.

Hosted by Liam, and Abram.

In early 1919 Lenin said, “We have never been so near to global revolution as we are right now” and he was absolutely right. What he didn’t realize was that the world, or at least the West, would probably not come so close again.

We’re joined by our friend Brendan to discuss some of the various small-time revolutions and revolutionaries in Europe and the Americas, their impact on world socialism, and the response the elicited from the liberal world order.

Hosted by Liam, Halal Sam, and Brendan.

Grab your throwing-axe because we're going deep into barbarian territory for this episode on the birth of the medieval world. Continuing from last month's discussion on the Late Roman Empire, this week we've recruited archaeogenetic shield maiden Natasha to help us understand the origins and impact of a culture who conquered half of Europe and might just be the most successful barbarians of them all.

Hosted by Liam, Russian Sam, Halal Sam, and Natasha.

In this intro to a new series of episodes, Sam B, Liam, and Russian Sam give a brief overview of the turbulence that rocked the entire planet in the 20-year span between the first and second World Wars. Topics in this episode include the unsuccessful workers' revolutions in 1919 Central Europe and the ensuing rise of fascism, the American attempt to "return to normalcy" after war abroad and social unrest at home, and the birth of groundbreaking artistic movements like German Expressionism and New Objectivity that documented the chaotic unease of the interwar period.

As this series progresses, expect in-depth discussions of interwar politics and culture, with episodes on popular topics like the Spanish Civil War as well as more obscure areas like the rise of occultism, Japan's 1936 military coup, and the way modern opera and theater interacted with the legacy of one World War and the lead-up to another. 

This is a huge topic and we're planning on bringing a few friends to help us understand these issues. If you have any suggestions for episode topics or know somebody who might want to come on as a guest, be sure to drop us a line!

Hosted by Liam, Russian Sam, and Halal Sam.

Our friend Fathi joins us to discuss The Time That Remains, a 2009 film that examines the creation of the state of Israel in 1948 through to the present day. A semi-biographic film, in four chapters, about a family spanning from 1948 until recent times attempts to portray the daily life of those Palestinians who remained in their land and were labelled “Israeli-Arabs,” living as a minority in their own homeland.

Check out Fathi’s website, Decolonize Palestine.

Hosted by Russian Sam, Halal Sam, and Fathi.

Further listening: E20 - Zionism

Like all bad things, the Roman Empire came to an end. But why did it take hundreds of years for that to happen? This week, the gang guides us through an astonishingly chaotic period when Rome did NOT fall — the Crisis of the Third Century — and explores how late Roman figures like Constantine, Queen Zenobia, and Julian the Apostate created the medieval world.

Hosted by Liam, Russian Sam, and Halal Sam.

Further listening: E04 - Barbarians, E28 - Quo Vadis

Our friend James returns to give Russian Sam a crash course in Catholicism and how it differs from other Christian denominations.

Hosted by Russian Sam and James.