In Episode 3 of Jekyll Island and the Secret Origin of the Fed, hack historians James Ottley and Thornton Kennedy recount the 1910 journey right out of a movie of America’s financial power players to a secluded Georgia island under the guise of a duck hunting trip. Using only first names and traveling in stealth, the group—including a man who had never hunted duck in his life—crafted the blueprint for what would become the Federal Reserve. It’s a tale of hidden agendas, private railcars, and one of the most consequential meetings in U.S. history.

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In the second leg of the journey to Jekyll Island and the secret 1910 meeting that laid the groundwork for the Federal Reserve System, History for Cocktail Parties hosts James Ottley and Thornton Kennedy dive into the economic chaos triggered by the 1890 Silver Purchase Act and the devastating Panic of 1893. This episode uncovers how debates over gold and silver shaped America’s monetary system, fueled the rise of the Populist Party, and inspired one of the most enduring allegories in American culture: The Wizard of Oz. With political unrest, economic collapse, and symbolism hiding in plain sight, the road to Jekyll gets even more colorful.

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History for Cocktail Parties hosts James Ottley and Thornton Kennedy take listeners on a journey that ultimately leads to Jekyll Island, Georgia — the secluded site of a secret 1910 meeting that laid the groundwork for the Federal Reserve System. This episode explores the dramatic history of American money, revealing how financial panics, backroom deals and banking reforms shaped everything from the formation of political parties to the location of the nation’s capital.

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In the final installment of our three-part series on The Masters Tournament, hosts James Ottley and Thornton Kennedy take listeners back to the very first tee-off in Augusta. This episode explores the inaugural 1934 tournament and how Bobby Jones—after serving with distinction during World War II—returned home to find his dream had taken root. Ottley and Kennedy trace how Jones' postwar legacy and vision helped elevate The Masters into one of the most prestigious events in all of sports.

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In this episode of History for Cocktail Parties, hosts James Ottley and Thornton Kennedy explore the origins of Augusta National Golf Club, delving into why Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts selected Augusta, Georgia, as the site for their course. They discuss the club's early financial challenges and how these struggles led to the creation of the inaugural Augusta National Invitation Tournament in 1934, which would become the prestigious Masters Tournament. The episode offers a compelling look at the vision and determination that transformed the former Fruitlands Plant Nursery into one of golf's most iconic venues.

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In the debut episode of History for Cocktail Parties on The Masters — a tradition unlike any other — hack historians James Ottley and Thornton Kennedy dive into the story behind the creation of Augusta National Golf Club. They explore the unlikely partnership of golf legend Bobby Jones, Wall Street financier Cliff Roberts and renowned golf course architect Alister MacKenzie. Despite coming from vastly different backgrounds, together they crafted one of the most iconic golf courses in the world.

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In this final episode of our four-part series on R.E.M., we’re diving into the band’s evolution during the early-80s. Join James Ottley and Thornton Kennedy as we explore the pivotal moments that helped shape R.E.M. into one of the most influential bands of the era.

In this episode of History for Cocktail Parties, hosts Thornton Kennedy and James Ottley take listeners back to the early days of R.E.M., one of the most influential alternative rock bands of all time. They explore the fortuitous meeting of drummer Bill Berry and bassist/backing vocalist Mike Mills at a high school in Macon, Georgia — a chance encounter that would change the course of rock history.

In Episode 3 of our series on legendary Athens alternative rock band R.E.M., James Ottley and Thornton Kennedy talk about how Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Bill Berry, and Mike Mills came together for their legendary first show in a historic church.

In the first episode of History for Cocktail Parties, James Ottley and Thornton Kennedy take you back to the early days of R.E.M., the legendary alternative rock band that rocketed out of Athens, Georgia in the 1980s. We’ll explore the story of a young Mike Stipe, how a simple magazine subscription changed the course of his life and the serendipitous meeting with guitarist Peter Buck that set the stage for alternative rock's greatest band.