History Loves Company

As a reader, even I'm willing to admit that some books are difficult to get through. 'Moby Dick', 'War and Peace', 'Ulysses'...these are works that are notoriously dense in regards to subject-matter and style, though they can nonetheless be fun to tackle for those seeking a challenge. But perhaps no book is as difficult to get through as the so-named Voynich Manuscript, largely because it's written in a language no one understands or has been able to decipher. Join me this week for a look at this curious text, right here on the first of a series of spooky and mysterious episodes for October!

For nearly seven centuries, serfdom was the lay of the land in Russia. Beginning in Medieval times, by the 19th Century, it was clear that changes needed to be made. Thus, several forward-thinking reformers and even the czar himself sought to end the practice. But how had it even started to begin with? How did they go about ending this ages-old practice? And what were the repercussions of its abolition? Find out in this week's episode.

"Of two things one could be absolutely certain: death and taxes." This quote, sometimes attributed to Benjamin Franklin, continues to ring true, but it most definitely applies to the poor farmers who faced unfair taxation in the early days of the United States. Find out all about it in this week's "intoxicating" episode!

The knight has become a stock figure in Medieval dramas, embodying the ideals of chivalry, courtly manners, and Christian values. But what if I told you that the last knight in Europe existed on the eve of World War Two? Find out all about it in this week's episode!

Throughout the golden age of Hellenistic culture and thought, the Library of Alexandria was a bastion of knowledge and intellectual pursuits. But the beginning of the end was sewn when a usurper assumed command of the Ptolemaic throne, expelling all scholars. Yet even this short-sighted act pailed in comparison to what happened next. Tune in for the exciting conclusion on the Library of Alexandria, this week on the 'History Loves Company' podcast!

The library as an institution is nothing new. The first libraries came about with the world's first cities. In the land of Sumer in present-day Iraq, Uruk boasted an impressive library, where people from throughout the region could read and study texts. Assyrian king Ashurbanipal had his own personal library with clay tablets on a wide variety of subjects. But the biggest and most impressive of Antiquity's libraries was that which was housed in Alexandria, Egypt. Join me this week for a tour of this incredible institution and how it gained a reputation throughout the known world.

A place as renowned as Hollywood in Los Angeles, California is bound to have some legends attached to it. The ghost of Charlie Chaplin, for example, is said to haunt a cinema-turned-live theatre venue while the ghost of Marilyn Monroe can be seen in the mirror on one of the upper floors of a landmark hotel. Yet even these sightings and occurrences pale in comparison to the story of a despondent actress who killed herself by leaping off the Hollywood Sign. Join me this week for a look at the life of Peg Entwistle on the 'History Loves Company' podcast!

Referred to by historians as "the Venice of the Americas", Tenochtitlán, the capital of the Aztec Empire, was truly a civic and engineering marvel that was wondrous to behold. Today, not much remains of the original city, but what does is impressive and offers a glimpse at the grandeur and magnificence of Aztec architects. Join me for a tour of this amazing city, this week on the History Loves Company podcast!

We seem to be jaded in our contemporary age. We've lost all sense of optimism. It's difficult to pinpoint any singular reason for this, but our current penchant for nostalgia is seemingly justified given the circumstances. But, believe it or not, there was a time when a new century meant promise and hope. Join me this week for a look at fin-de-siècle Vienna and how a unique (albeit extremely brief) literary movement helped shape Austrian literature all the way to the present!

Few cities in Europe, or the world, for that matter, can claim such a rich and lengthy history as picturesque Plovdiv in southern Bulgaria. Boasting a human presence dating back 8000 years, it's a remarkable place that has seen empires crumble and people from all walks of life making something extraordinary of themselves. Join me on a tour of Europe's oldest city!