Welcome to the finale of Season 2! I know it is a little abrupt, but I am so grateful for this season we have had together. Join me today as I talk about some of the experiences I have had podcasting and some of the things I've learned about creativity. Then, we will round off Season 2 by discussing the holidays. I'm going to share what they mean to me and some of the most precious teachings that I have been given by my mother. Thank you for a wonderful season. We'll see you for Season 3! Merry Christmas!!!

Important Links:

The Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado

Happy Halloween, Friends!! Welcome to our Spooky Holiday edition of Not Strictly History! And an extra special welcome to our second guest on the podcast - one of my dearest friends in the world: Quinn! We met 7 years ago on a study-abroad tour of England, Ireland, and Wales and have been fast friends ever since. She is hysterical, creative, and my very own resident Spooky Girl. Today we are sitting down to discuss Charlotte Bronte's classic novel, "Jane Eyre." It may not be your first thought when it comes to topics for a Halloween episode, but don't let its status as a classic novel fool you - this novel is full of the dark, the gothic, the supernatural, and downright spooky! While you wend your way through the gray halls and haunting laughter, a gentle love story unfolds.

Join us for our very first Halloween episode as we dive into this classic gothic novel! Happy Halloween!

Welcome to the longest-ever episode of Not Strictly History and a story from history that absolutely deserves to be told again and again. This is the episode that I have been hinting at for several weeks now: I started researching this and things got heavy very quickly. Not only that, there are so MANY layers here. I wanted to do the story justice. So, after a lot of extra research and weeks of writing, here is the episode for you. It is a story of death, disease, and hardship, of millions of people that are now perhaps lost to history. But it is also a story of resilient people with a rich culture and vibrant hearts. I cannot wait for you to hear it!

Important Links:

The National Famine Museum - Strokestown Park

Ireland's Great Hunger Museum

The Jeanie Johnston - Visit a Coffin Ship

EPIC- Irish Emigration Museum located in the heart of Dublin

The National Famine Way - follow the path of the 1,490

More to look into:

- Studies show that modern-day Irish descended from those who suffered during the Famine are more susceptible to mental illness and alcoholism due to changes in their DNA that result from the Famine

- There was a very significant amount of charitable donations given to Ireland from countries all over the world

- One of the most potent charitable actions was from the Cherokee Native Americans of Oklahoma, USA. Only a few years previously, they had been driven from their ancestral lands in the southern United States and forced to walk what is now known as the Trail of Tears. Many of them died. Upon hearing about the suffering in Ireland, this tribe donated $170 for relief aid. This is the equivalent of $6,380.99 today - a massive amount for people still starving and struggling themselves. A beautiful statue exists in Ireland to commemorate this wonderful gesture, and to this day the Cherokee Nation has strong ties with the government of Ireland. Here are some links:

Choctaw - Irish Connection

"Kindred Spirits" Statue

We've done it! We are here for Part 2 of the story of Joan of Arc. Last week we discussed Joan's incredible journey from her small village to eventually being instrumental in the coronation of her king. This week we talk about her trial, execution, eventual retrial and declaration of innocence, and what Joan's legacy means today. We'll dive into court proceedings and even read some of the transcripts from Joan's interrogations - she never, ever gave up! I cannot wait to share this episode with you and guide you through the inspiring finality of Joan's story as well as the enduring beauty of her legacy.

It would truly surprise me if you had gotten this far in your life without at least hearing the name Joan of Arc. But what do you know about the woman herself? Perhaps more than most, or maybe just her name, but this week, we're hopping in the Wayback to go to medieval France. In the first of a two-part story, we're going to learn about Joan of Arc the girl - her childhood, her family, her home village, the world she was born into, and the visions that came to her inspiring her to save her country and crown her king.

This story has been a long time coming! It is truly inspiring and I cannot wait for you to hear it.

It is officially Fall, everyone! And as such, Spooky Season is upon us! For the first time on Not Strictly History, we mix history with the paranormal. Travel with me to Eureka Springs, Arkansas - a beautiful area in the Ozark Mountains that has been known in traditional Native American legends as the location of a natural spring containing healing powers.

This town has seen many things, but one of them is the magnificent Crescent Hotel. Originally built as a luxury resort in the 1880s, this hotel has been many things, including a women's college and the medical clinic of a corrupt con man. And, not surprisingly, it is also mega-haunted!

Join me as we dive into the history of this beautiful building as well as the spirits that are said to haunt it.

Important Links:

Crescent Hotel Website

I am so excited to share today's episode with you that you can probably hear me screaming from where you are! Today, we are diving into the early history of the English language and the literary work that defines it - the Old English poem Beowulf.

Join me today as I explain the origins of English, dispel some of the myths associated with it, and share some of the deepest passions that stirred my history degrees. I cannot wait for you to join me on this one!

Recommended Reading:

"Introduction to Old English" by Peter S. Baker

"A Guide to Old English" by Bruce Mitchell & Fred C. Robinson

"Old English Grammar" by Alistair Campbell

"An Old English Grammar" by Randolph Quirk and C.L. Wren

Websites:

Old English version of Wikipedia

Omniglot - an encyclopedia of writing systems and languages

If you have heard about the ancient Library of Alexandria, you probably think that we lost it in the blaze of a horrible fire. But what if that wasn't the whole story? What if the loss of this ancient and wonderful Library was actually much more complicated? Come with me this week as we explore the history of this incredible institution, the kings and scholars who created it, the academics who made it thrive, and the centuries that saw it decline. I can't wait to visit ancient Egypt with you once again!

Important Links:

Bibliotheca Alexandrina

Great website for the ancient Library of Alexandria

You've seen the movie. You know it. You love it. You've quoted it. "Nobody puts Baby in a corner." But have you overanalyzed "Dirty Dancing"? Have you thought about the little moments that add up to the many layers this love story contains?

Released in 1987, the film "Dirty Dancing" has been many things to many people over the years. Today we present our very first GUEST ON THE SHOW in a discussion about the ins and outs of this timeless classic.

I can't wait for you to hear it!

It is highly likely that you know something about the Boston Tea Party - whether you know quite a bit or whether you've only heard the event referred to. But whatever you do or do not know, this week we are deep diving into the Tea Party by exploring the people, the organizations, and the events that led up to it. Join me as we take a romp through Colonial America and discuss everything from taxes to paper to taverns to 92,000 pounds of tea.

Important Links:

Boston Tea Party & Ships Museum