History Book Club

Michael Ridpath is a bestselling novelist, and we continue our discussion on spies of the 1930s, and the moral dilemmas of the time.

We go on to discuss Iceland and financial crime, both areas that Michael has written about.

This podcast episode is great for anyone interested in history and fiction.

Aspects of History links:

The Trial of Charles I

The AoH Unpublished Novel Competition 2022

Michael Ridpath links:

Traitor's Gate - 1938 Munich, Chamberlain and the plot against Hitler

Michael's website with the history behind his novels

The Diplomat's Wife

Writing in Ice - Non fiction on Iceland

Free to Trade - Michael's first financial thriller

On the Edge - Thriller involving sexual harassment

66* North - Financial Crash and Iceland

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Michael Ridpath is a bestselling novelist, and author of Traitor's Gate, a novel based around the plot against Hitler in 1938, and Neville Chamberlain's visit to Munich. Traitor's Gate is our February fiction book of the month.

There is a new Netflix film out so we sat down to discuss the history behind it, and his writing. This is the first part; next week we discuss spying in the 1930s, Icelandic murder mysteries and financial crime.

This podcast episode is great for anyone interested in history and fiction.

Michael Ridpath links:

Traitor's Gate

Michael's website with the history behind his novel.

Aspects of History links:

British Heroes of the Holocaust

The Trial of Charles I

The AoH Unpublished Novel Competition 2022

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Saul David has written a new book on the SBS, and in our chat we go on to discuss his future projects, Time Commanders (highly recommended!), his new venture the Military History Club and other events in history he's written about, including the Charge of the Light Brigade, the Zulu War and World War One.

Saul David links:

SBS: Silent Warriors: https://amzn.to/3GwXnib

The Military History Club: https://militaryhistoryclub.org/

Time Commanders: https://youtu.be/jkGVh102Tlw

The Pacific MiniSeries

Aspects of History Links:

Homepage: https://aspectsofhistory.com/

The History Teacher YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheHistoryTeacherUK

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Saul David has written a new book on the SBS. It's an authorised history, and he was granted unique access to the secretive unit. We discuss their inception, rivalry with the SAS, operations in Europe and the Far East, and other units inspired by them.

Next week Saul discusses his new venture the Military History Club and other events in history he's written about, including the Charge of the Light Brigade, the Zulu War and World War One.

Saul David links:

SBS: Silent Warriors: https://amzn.to/3GwXnib

https://militaryhistoryclub.org/

Aspects of History Links:

Homepage: https://aspectsofhistory.com/

Medal of Honor Winner: Edward A Carter: Medal of Honor Winner - Aspects of History

All Things Tudor Podcast

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"Scargill was right!"

The legendary presenter of Newsnight and University Challenge talks with me about how the Coal Mining Industry built Britain, the 1984/85 Miners Strike and Arthur Scargill, as well as discussing Napoleon and the two Central American countries of Belize and El Salvador.

Jeremy Paxman links (discussed in the chat)

Black Gold: The History of How Coal Made Britain: https://amzn.to/3qXy6qX

Being Napoleon, the Netflix Documentary featuring the 'New Napoleon': https://www.netflix.com/title/80993489

Paxman's Interview with 'Napoleon': https://www.ft.com/content/e82dd1c2-1a22-11e5-a130-2e7db721f996

The debate between two biographers of Napoleon, Adam Zamoyski and Andrew Roberts, chaired by Paxman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxQ4TcTcPbI

Aspects of History links:

https://twitter.com/olliewcq

https://aspectsofhistory.com

https://youtube.com/aspectsofhistory

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In Part Two, Andrew Lownie chats with me about being warned off the story, unsolved murder, conspiracy and Guy Burgess.

You can get hold of me on Twitter @olliewcq

Andrew is @andrewlownie

Andrew has written a new book, Traitor King: The Scandalous Exile of the Duke & Duchess of Windsor

You can donate to his Crowd Justice case here.

In our discussion we talked about a few things you can find out more about:

Len Deighton's SS-GB (also a good TV Series on Netflix)

Any Human Heart, by William Boyd.

John Banville: The Untouchable based on the Cambridge Spies.

The movie with (young) Rupert Everett and Colin Firth: Another Country based on Guy Burgess

The Alan Bennett play, An Englishman Abroad, based on Burgess' chance encounter in Moscow.

Andrew's book is Stalin's Englishman

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

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Joining me on today's podcast is Andrew Lownie, the author of Traitor King: The Scandalous Exile of the Duke & Duchess of Windsor. We talk Nazis, treachery and Andrew's campaign against the government for access to archives.

You can get hold of Andrew's book here: https://amzn.to/3oITHTZ

Andrew's crowdfunder can be found here: https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/andrew-lownies-case/

The Aspects of History Short Story Collection:

Imperium - https://amzn.to/3oK63vd

Iron & Gold - https://amzn.to/3IBPQAl

The Aspects of History YouTube Channel.

You can find Andrew on Twitter: @andrewlownie

Me: @olliewcq

Aspects of History: @aspectshistory

https://aspectsofhistory.com

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We all remember the summer of 2020 when, in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, statues were brought down in the UK and the US. But is this the right way to ensure we continue to live in a liberal democracy? Should we think about what unites us, rather than divides us? I am joined by Peter Hughes, author of A History of Love & Hate in 21 Statues.

You can get in touch on the Twitter @olliewcq @aspectshistory Email [email protected] or head to our website.

You can buy his book here: https://amzn.to/3ry5tlX

In the show we talked about:

David Olusoga's Black & British

The documentary made by Olusoga's production company, and presented by Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, Statue Wars

Thornton Wilder's novel, The Bridge of San Luis Rey

Andrew Gold's Podcast, which certainly has influenced me, is: On the Edge

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On this week's podcast, I'm talking to Anne O'Brien about the Wars of the Roses, and the family at the heart of her new book, The Royal Game. We also discuss Historical Fiction, as we both disagree strongly with some historians such as Niall Ferguson who dismiss the genre.

Head over to our website to find more articles, short stories, book reviews and interviews, and all absolutely free.

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In the 2nd part, we continue the discussion on the Indian Army, but we also talk about the Japanese forces and their disastrous leadership and finally conclude with Bill Slim. Was he the greatest British general ever?

You can buy Robert's book here.

Visit Aspects of History for articles, short stories, book reviews and interviews, and all absolutely free.

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