Here's Where It Gets Interesting

A new mission, a new identity. Joseph Stalin, using the name Koba, takes on his latest role in the name of the Revolution: bank robber. He still found time for romance, though, falling hard for the only woman he would truly ever love. Now he faced a choice: fatherhood… or the Revolution?

Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks

Audio Producer: Craig Thompson

Writers/researchers: Mandy Reid, Amy Watkin, Kari Anton, Sharon McMahon, Melanie Buck Parks

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joseph Stalin was born the third, but only surviving son, to his parents Keke and Beso. His mother begged God to let him live, and when he did, she told her son he would devote his life to God. His family and friends called him Soso, and while his mother doted on him, he was often the victim of his father’s alcohol-fueled rages. Soso learned early that violence got results, a lesson that would carry through to every facet of his life as an adult. This little boy, raised in poverty, growing angrier by the day, would one day rule all of Russia. 

Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks

Audio Producer: Craig Thompson

Writers/researchers: Mandy Reid, Amy Watkin, Kari Anton, Sharon McMahon, Melanie Buck Parks

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to our newest docuseries on Joseph Stalin. Over the course of this series you will learn how a little mama's boy called Soso became one of the most ruthless leaders in history. 

For decades a movement was growing. The Russian people were frustrated and angry with how the country was being run. Take a deadly war, a lack of jobs and food, combined with a leader who was totally oblivious to the problems his people were facing, and a revolution sounded like a pretty good idea.

There was only one thing in the way: Tsar Nicholas Romanov. But the revolutionaries, including Stalin, had a plan. 

Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks

Audio Producer: Craig Thompson

Writers/Researchers: Mandy Reid, Amy Watkin, Kari Anton, Sharon McMahon, Melanie Buck Parks

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wonder how you can get involved in your community but in a way that fits your interests and lifestyle? Authors Sami Sage and Emily Amick have the answer to that question. They see civic engagement as a form of self care, and say even the smallest action can have big results. The book provides a series of exercises to help readers understand their civic priorities and values, using special quizzes, to figure out exactly the best way to get involved.

Special thanks to our guests, Sami Sage and Emily Amick, for joining us today. 

Host: Sharon McMahon

Audio Producer: Mike Voulgaris

Production Assistant: Andrea Champoux

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sharon is joined today by author Stephanie Harrison to discuss her international best selling book, New Happy. In this book, Stephanie explores  why we often get happiness wrong and how we can get it right. She reminds us not to get trapped into what she calls the Old Happy, which is what society tells you you need in order to be happy. From the story of Scrooge and his lack of empathy to how Shaquille O’Neal lives his life, Stephanie compares what happiness means to different people. 

Special thanks to our guest, Stephanie Harrison, for joining us today. 

Host: Sharon McMahon

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Production Assistant: Andrea Champoux

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You hear on the news about immigration chaos in the United States, but what can be done to address the systemic issues, and the very real concerns of Americans? What was the driving force of the exclusion of some immigrant groups? And how has immigration changed over the years? Sharon McMahon is joined by author and expert, Ana Raquel Minian, to discuss her new book, In the Shadow of Liberty. Together, they dive into the history of immigration so we can better understand how to move forward. 

Special thanks to our guest, Ana Raquel Minian, for joining us today.

Host: Sharon McMahon

Audio Producer: Mike Voulgaris

Production Assistant: Andrea Champoux

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you are interested in the 1930s and 1940s, or have wondered how the rapid growth of authoritarianism in today’s political climate mirrors that of WWII, this is an episode for you. Sharon McMahon is joined by author Paul Sparrow to discuss his new book, Awakening the Spirit of America. It’s a story of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, his surprising opponent, Charles Lindbergh, and their war of words. Learn how far back the “America First” slogan goes, and how persuasive language changed the course of history. 

Special thanks to our guest, Paul Sparrow, for joining us today.

Host: Sharon McMahon

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Production Assistant: Andrea Champoux

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you think of prisoners on Death Row, what imagery comes to mind? Author of Too Close to the Flame, Joe Ingle, joins Sharon McMahon to talk about what it is like inside America's death penalty system. After spending 45 years working as a spiritual advisor to men and women on Death Row, Joe vulnerably shares his experiences of the final moments before they are executed, and sheds a light on how the legal system disenfranchises those who can not afford a lawyer. What is an alternative to the death penalty, and what might restorative justice look like?

Special thanks to our guest, Joe Ingle, for joining us today.

Host: Sharon McMahon

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Production Assistant: Andrea Champoux 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Imagine walking into your polling place on Election Day, and openly declaring who you were voting for. That is exactly what today’s guest did when researching and writing his book, The Year of Living Constitutionally. Author A.J. Jacobs joined Sharon McMahon to share what it was like to live a year, interpreting the U.S. Constitution literally. What is in the Constitution, and what is not? From implementing in-home cursing laws, to carrying an 18th Century musket around Manhattan, you will love this entertaining experiment of how the Constitution impacts modern American democracy.

Special thanks to our guest, A.J. Jacobs, for joining us today.

Host: Sharon McMahon

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Production Assistant: Andrea Champoux

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following January 6th and the current political climate, some Americans fear there will be a “new Civil War.”  But what does that truly mean? If you are a lover of history, this conversation is one you won’t want to miss. Author Erik Larson joins us to discuss his new book, The Demon of Unrest, which is set shortly before the outbreak of the Civil War. Dive into the mindsets and captivating portrayals of leaders on the brink of a war that eventually killed 750,000 Americans, and injured millions more.

Special thanks to our guest, Erik Larson, for joining us today.

Host: Sharon McMahon

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Production Assistant: Andrea Champoux 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.