History Book Club

By Oliver Webb-CarterNews Arts Books Politics History

History Book Club episodes

April 16, 2022 Tipping Points in History: The Peloponnesian War & the American Civil War with Gordon Corrigan
This week's chat is with Gordon Corrigan, acclaimed historian and author of Tipping Points of History: The Battle of Aegospotami. We discuss the clash between Athens and Sparta in the 5th century BC, and what the world would be like had the Athenians won. We then discuss the American Civil War and what would have happened if the Battle of Atlanta had gone the Confederacy's way. Would we have 2 United States of America?
Gordon Corrigan Links
Gordon's thoughts on Ukraine
Tipping Points of History: The Battle of Aegospotami
Tipping Points of History: The Battle of Atlanta
Ken Burns: The Civil War
David Stuttard: Nemesis: Alcibiades and the Fall of Athens
Aspects of History Links
Voucher Code for half price subscription: HISTORY50%
London: Origins of a Modern City - Aspects of History
Souvenirs from Kyiv - Aspects of History
Happy Easter

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52 min
April 09, 2022 Massacre at Dartmoor Prison with Nicholas Guyatt
Following on from last week, I chat with Nick about Dartmoor prison and the terrible massacre that no-one has heard of and which took place in 1815. All this is the subject of Nick's fantastic new book, The Hated Cage.
Nick Guyatt Links
The Hated Cage
Aspects of History Links
Book Club: Andrew Roberts on Masters & Commanders
Unpublished Novel Competition - £500 Prize!
The Falklands War: The Untold Story

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34 min
April 02, 2022 The War of 1812 with Nicholas Guyatt
The War of 1812: a memorable event in American history when the might of the British Empire was held at bay. But a fascinating part of the tale was the imprisonment of American POWs in Dartmoor Prison.
I chat with Nicholas Guyatt, author of The Hated Cage: An American Tragedy in Britain’s Most Terrifying Prison and in Part One, he sets the scene of the war, describe the life of Privateers, and the prisoners of Dartmoor.
And yes, The Count of Monte Cristo was not published until 1844! If you haven't read it, do!
Nicholas Guyatt Links
The Hated Cage
Aspects of History Links
Rewriting the Second World War, by Sean McMeekin
Interview with Thomas Levenson on the South Sea Bubble

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34 min
March 26, 2022 Occupied Norway in WW2, Lebensborn and the Shetland Bus with Mandy Robotham
This week's episode is a chat with bestselling historical fiction author Mandy Robothom, about her new novel The Resistance Girl, which is out 31st March. We discuss the themes of the story, including Nazis with unpleasant aromas, the reprisals against innocent civilians, and the heroism of the resistors to the Nazi jackboot.
Mandy Robotham Links
The Resistance Girl
Movie Recommendation: The King's Choice
Aspects of History
Voucher Code for listeners: HISTORY50%
Max Hastings interview on Operation Pedestal
Espionage in Berlin during the Cold War

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41 min
March 19, 2022 The Assassination of Julius Caesar with Peter Stothard. Part Two - Modern Day Assassinations
With the Ides of March having passed, we go on to talk about other political assassinations, including Abraham Lincoln, RFK, Jo Cox and Margaret Thatcher,
Should we simply dismiss these murders as the actions of madmen? And what about our language? Have a look at this video, a Drilling Music Video which makes you think.
Peter Stothard Links
The Last Assassin: The Hunt for the Killers of Julius Caesar
30 Days: A Month at the Heart of Blair's War
Aspects of History Links
Voucher Code: HISTORY50%
The Man Who Started the Second World War
Alice of Antioch: Rebel Princess

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28 min
March 12, 2022 The Assassination of Julius Caesar with Peter Stothard
The Ides of March is on the 15th March, the anniversary of Caesar's assassination. Peter Stothard is the author of The Last Assassin: The Hunt for the Killers of Julius Caesar. It's a brilliant account of the assassination, and the aftermath, featuring Mark Antony, Brutus, Cassius, Octavian and one Cassius Parmensis.
In addition to this, we chat about what it can teach us with Putin, and whether assassination is really what we want. Consequences...
Peter Stothard Links
The Last Assassin
Peter's Author Platform
Aspects of History Links
The White Ship article by Charles Spencer
Our Book Reviews

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42 min
March 05, 2022 George Washington with David O. Stewart. Part Two: The Politician
With the recent anniversary of Washington's birth, in the second part we go on to discuss Washington the politician. His early days in Virginia, his ascendancy to Commander in Chief, and his relationship with John Adams, and his administration with Hamilton and Jefferson.
David O. Stewart Links:
George Washington: The Political Rise of America's Founding Father
David on Twitter
Aspects of History Links:
Me on Twitter
Mary Frith: Roaring Girl - Aspects of History
The Aspects of History Unpublished Historical Novel Award - Aspects of History

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36 min
February 26, 2022 George Washington with David O. Stewart. Part One: His Early Career & Slavery
22nd February saw the anniversary of George Washington's birth, 290 years ago in 1732. I discuss with distinguished historian David O. Stewart his early career, familial relationships and the vexed issue of slavery. Washington owned slaves, and for the first part of his life was comfortable with it, but that view changed once he commanded African American troops during the War of Independence.
David O. Stewart Links:
George Washington: The Political Rise of America's Founding Father
David on Twitter
Aspects of History Links:
Heart of Darkness: The Slave Ship Zong - Aspects of History
Mason & Dixon, by Thomas Pynchon
Homage to Bernard Cornwell - Aspects of History
AoH Book Club: Leanda de Lisle on The White King

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43 min
February 19, 2022 Bombing of Hamburg in 1943 and the Impact of WW2 on Europe with Keith Lowe
Following on from Part 1, Keith Lowe, author of Inferno and Savage Continent, talks about the horrors of the allied bombing. We also talk about the impact of the war on the continent of Europe as civil war erupted across many countries.
Keith Lowe Links
Inferno: The Devastation of Hamburg, 1943
Savage Continent: Europe in the Aftermath of World War II
Aspects of History Links
Douglas Bader story
Himmler's Mistress
Unpublished Novel Competition

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40 min
February 12, 2022 Monuments to WW2, Soviet statues and Winston Churchill with Keith Lowe
Historian of the Second World War Keith Lowe joins me to chat about the monuments to the conflict such as Berlin's memorial to the Holocaust, Soviet statues and Winston Churchill. This is Part One - next week we talk about the bombing of Hamburg in 1943 which killed nearly 40,000 civilians.
Keith Lowe Links
His book: Prisoners of History
The Motherland Calls - enormous statue!
Aspects of History Links
Article on the Queen
Unpublished Historical Novel Competition - £500 prize!

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35 min

About History Book Club

From the publisher's feed

Welcome to the History Book Club - the club for all lovers of history, presented by writer and historian Oliver Webb-Carter. Oliver interviews authors of the best historical writing, to draw out the stories that you'll be interested in.