History Book Club

This week three writers join me to talk summer reading recommendations from the world of history and historical fiction.

Books

Serhii Plokhy - The Russo Ukrainian War

Owen Matthews - Overreach

Nigel Biggar - Colonialism

Victoria Mackenzie - For Thy Great Pain

Roger Moorhouse – The Forgers

Tom Holland - Pax

Saul David - Devil Dogs

John Sayles – Jamie MacGillivray

David Carpenter - Henry III pt 2

Martyn Rady – The Middle Kingdoms

Wilbur Smith – Nemesis

Katie Daysh – Leeward

Katja Hoyer – Beyond the Wall

Anthony Seldon – The Path of Peace

Peter Stothard – Palatine

Guests

Antonia Senior - Historical Fiction Reviewer The Times

Roger Moorhouse - Historian

Richard Foreman - Author and Publisher

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This week's guest is the veteran BBC journalist Peter Taylor and he talks about the intelligence world during the conflict in Northern Ireland. Officers from MI5 and MI6 worked with a local businessman to persuade the IRA and the British government to talk peace.

Peter's new book is Operation Chiffon: The Secret Story of MI5 and MI6 and the Road to Peace in Ireland which completes his series of books, Brits, Provos and Loyalists.

Peter Taylor Links

Operation Chiffon

Ollie Links

Ollie on Twitter

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This month's film club is Paul Greengrass' 2002 film, Bloody Sunday, starring James Nesbitt, Tim Pigott-Smith, Nicholas Farrell, Kathy Kiera Clarke, Gerard McSorley, Mary Moulds and Simon Mann.

The film is realistic depiction of one of the worst atrocities of The Troubles, when 14 unarmed civilians were shot and killed by members of the Parachute Regiment.

My next episode is a discussion with legendary BBC journalist Peter Taylor, out this Saturday so subscribe to add to your feed.Email me if you have any questions or comments: [email protected]

Bloody Sunday Links

Remember Bloody Sunday - Peter Taylor Documentary

Excellent YouTube Channel on The Troubles

Operation Chiffon by Peter Taylor

Equatorial Guinea Coup

Douglas Murray - Bloody Sunday:: Truths Lies and the Saville Inquiry

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Iain MacGregor returns to talk about the fighting on the Eastern Front after Stalingrad. We talk about the Battle of the Kursk, tanks of WW2, the atrocities committed by the Germans and Hitler and Stalin.

Iain is the author of the fantastic The Lighthouse of Stalingrad and there is a special Easter Egg in the podcast, so if you listen, you are in the running for a very pleasant surprise.

Iain MacGregor Links

The Lighthouse of Stalingrad: The Hidden Truth at the Centre of WWII's Greatest Battle

Ollie Links

Ollie on Twitter

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The Major returns to talk the epic battle of Waterloo on the anniversary. It took place 18th June 1815, when Napoleon was beaten once and for all by the allied armies under the command of the Duke of Wellington.We talk the run-up, why the allied armies won, why Napoleon underestimated Wellington and Gordon explodes myths.

Gordon Corrigan Links

Waterloo: A New History of the Battle and its Armies

Gordon on SubstackScotland Forever!

Ollie Links

Ollie on the Twitter

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Aspects of History goes out into the field, and we are recording from Vimy Ridge, the site of the Canadian memorial to those killed many of whom no known grave was found.This is a quick bonus - the sound on this recording is not perfect, - we were recording from out in the open.

Vimy Links

Canadian National Vimy Memorial

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

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Today's episode is a three-way interview as Alexander Larman joins to talk about the Duke & Duchess of Windsor and their treasonous activities both leading up to, and during the war. Tessa Dunlop joins me to chat with Alex about their Nazi connections, the rise of George VI from diffident spare to widely admired monarch, as well as plenty more.

Alexander Larman Links

The Windsors at War: The Nazi Threat to the Crown

Tessa Dunlop Links

Elizabeth & Philip: A Story of Young Love, Marriage and Monarchy

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John Viscardo joins this week - he's the host of the Generals and Napoleon Podcast, which is the place to go to if you want to follow up on your Napoleonic fix.We chat Napoleon, Wellington, Ney, Marmont, Berthier, Davout, Jourdan, Massena and favourite battles including Waterloo, Salamanca, Next week I have a threeway chat with royal historians on the Nazi past of the Royal Family.

Generals and Napoleon Podcast

John's Article on our website: Napoleon & His Marshals - Aspects of History

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John on Twitter

Ollie Links

Twitter

Instagram

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This month's film club is Dunkirk, the Christopher Nolan epic starring Kenneth Branagh, Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance, Jack Lowden, Ffion Whitehead, Barry Keoghan and Harry Styles. I discuss the film with acclaimed director Tim Hewitt, including our categories of Best Scene, Best Performance, Most Unlikely Scene and Legacy.

Dunkirk Links

IMDB

Dunkirk, by Hugh Sebag Montefiore

Aspects of History Links

Instagram

Twitter

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This week's guest is James Holland, who bows to no man when it comes to World War Two, the subject of today's chat. Since it's May we focus on the build-up to Dunkirk, the consequences of the evacuation for Germany, and we indulge in a 'What if?' We also look at the moral question of the allied bombing campaign which killed so many civilians - but was there an alternative?James' new book features wonderful illustrations and is a great addition to the many thousands of books out there.

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More to be found here:

Aspects of History Patreon

James Holland Links

The Second World War: An Illustrated History

James on Twitter

Ollie Links

Aspects of History Patreon

Ollie on Twitter

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