Notorious Narratives

By Notorious Narratives

Society & Culture History Social Sciences

What's Notorious Narratives about?

With an enduring fascination with all things weird, long time friends Jen and Robin delve into history's most peculiar people and extraordinary events.

5.0

220220 ratings

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Notorious Narratives episodes:

11.17.2020
The Bones in Ben's Basement
We know a lot of stories about Ben Franklin and his role in many of America's most historic founding moments. But in the earth below his London home there are secrets that may change the way we view one of...
11.10.2020
The Mystery of Olive
In this episode Robin will tell you the tale of Olive Ann Oatman. If you haven't heard of her don't feel bad, but hers is a story dripping with Wild West intrigue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
11.03.2020
The Price of Rubber: Mass Murder in the Congo
Countless atrocities took place during Imperialist endeavors but some of the most horrible were committed in the Belgian Congo. In this episode, Jen will tell you the true story of Heart of Darkness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...
10.27.2020
The Trail of Tears
The Trail of Tears is a term used to describe the route that was traveled during the forced removal of over 100,000 Native Americans in the Southeast to what would be called "Indian Territory" in what is today, Oklahoma. The...
10.20.2020
Warrior Queen
After the death of her husband and the rape of her daughters, Queen Boudica would not lie down and allow the Romans to take her land, her people. In this story, Robin introduces us to the warrior queen who rallied...
10.13.2020
Racism on Display: The History of Human Zoos
Curiosity is natural, and humans are just as curious as any other animal. In the late 19th century as travel and exploration boomed the curiosity about how other cultures lived turned quickly to spectacle. What began as curiosity quickly turned...
10.06.2020
Shark Repellent and Souffle: Julia Child
While most of us know Julia Child as the great television cooking personality she had quite an interesting start to her career. In this episode, Robin introduces us to the Julia that most do not know, one who's road to...
09.29.2020
Humanity Lost Part Two: Andersonville
This week in Part Two of our look into Civil War POW camps we will learn about the most notorious of the camps: Andersonville. In this savage and lawless place almost a third of prisoners lost their lives to starvation,...
09.22.2020
Humanity Lost Part One: Camp Douglas
For the next two episode we are going to take a deep dive into two of the worst Civil War prisoner camps, one Union and one Confederate. The starvation, disease and violence that took place in these camps are horrifying....
09.15.2020
Atlantropa: Genius or Madness
In the 1920s a German architect named Herman Sorgel had a plan change the landscape of Europe, Asia and Africa. On the heels of such massive undertakings as the Hoover Dam and the TVA, Sorgel envisioned a land where a...
09.08.2020
Noor Khan: The Princess Spy
Noor Inayat Khan was raised in a unique household. Her father, who was Indian royalty was also a musician, writer and yoga instructor. She spent her childhood traveling Europe and spent much of her youth in Paris, finally settling in...
09.01.2020
Fordlandia
At this point in history it should come as no surprise that rich white men like to push their beliefs on to everyone and anyone that they can. In this episode, Robin tells one such tale. This is the story...
08.25.2020
The Curious Case of Mary Toft
In the early 18th century medical care left something to be desired, that is without question. So it is not surprising that female reproductive health was something of a mystery, a science shrouded in legend and superstition. In this episode,...
08.18.2020
The Crucifixion of Margaretta Peter
They say that absolute power corrupts absolutely, but what if the power you possess is imbibed with piety and sacrifice? In this episode, Jennifer will introduce you to a young woman named Margaretta Peter. She was religious and captivating and...
08.11.2020
For The Love Of Art - The Story of The Monument's Men
As WWII came to a close the world slowly became aware of the true cost of the war. There was the immense loss of life, shelter and sense of safety. But there was also the massive loss of culture in...
08.04.2020
Elena & Carl: Even The Grave Wouldn't Stop Him
This is a story of obsession and infatuation, of a man who would not be told no. Carl Tanzler or Carl von Cosel (depends on who you ask) was promised in a childhood vision that he would find a soul...
07.28.2020
In Only 18 Minutes - The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
In March of 1911 New York City saw it's deadliest industrial disaster to date. This story is heartbreaking; a tale of immigration, strife, and greed. In this episode Robin tells us the story of The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire and...
07.21.2020
The Mad Gasser
He came in the night, to strike fear in the heart's of all of the citizens of the small Illinois town of Mattoon. The year was 1944, WWII was raging, but the headlines told a very different story. A dark...
07.14.2020
Peter Niers: Black Magic and Murder
Black magic, cannibalism, serial killers: this episode has it all. In this episode Robin introduces us to Peter Niers: The Medieval Boogie Man. For ad free and exclusive content become a member of The Society of The Torch and Glass. Learn more...
07.07.2020
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Innocence Project
In this episode, Jen tells us a story of a robbery, a writer and a scoundrel. This is the story of Arthur Conan Doyle's search for justice for the wrongfully accused. For ad free and exclusive content become a member of...
06.30.2020
Have You Ever Heard of Sin-Eaters?
No one is perfect, but many religions believe that through confession, one's sins can be absolved. That absolution will allow you to spend their afterlife in glory and to move on to "the good place" (just depends on who you...
06.23.2020
The Tulsa Massacre: The Burning of Black Wall Street
At the end of WWI tensions were high as returning veterans competed for jobs raged throughout the United States. In 1921, racial tensions, the reintroduction of the Ku Klux Klan and Jim Crow segregation laws led to massive racial divide...
06.16.2020
The Little River That Could - The River Fire that Spawned the Creation of the EPA
In late June 1969, the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio caught fire — a river so polluted with oily wastes, chemicals, and debris that the spark from a passing train caused it to ignite. But this was not the first time...
06.09.2020
Little White Lies: The "Kidnapping" of Bobby Dunbar
Southern summer heat is truly unbearable and it was the heat that started all the trouble for the Dunbar family. In this episode Jen will tell you the story of how one mother's white lie changed the future for an...
06.02.2020
Vestal Virgins: One of History's Worst Jobs
WANTED: Child to remain a virgin for the next 30 years, to be taken from family and devote all of daily life to the job, failure to succeed will lead to death by being buried alive. If this was a...
05.26.2020
An Impossible Choice - The Story of Demmin, Germany
There are few among us that are unaware of the atrocities that took place during World War II. But amongst the atomic bombs and death trains there lingers another story. This is the story of a small German town, not...
05.19.2020
Tall Tales and Tragedy - The Real Calamity Jane
In the raucous days of the America's Wild West tall tales were like booze and both flowed freely. These tall tales often mask the tragic and harsh realities of the American frontier. One woman made a legend of herself, she...
05.12.2020
Minotaurs & Atlantis - The Tale of the Mighty Minoans
Perhaps the inspiration for the mythical city of Atlantis, the ancient civilization that existed on Crete was far more advanced than their neighbors. In this episode Robin delves into the history, culture and myth surrounding the Minoan civilization. Warning, there...
05.05.2020
Lady Death - History's Deadliest Female Sniper
Lyudmila Pavlichenko was a intelligent and competitive young woman, a woman who would not take no for an answer. So when she showed up at the Russian military's recruitment offices demanding to be an infantry soldier she proved to be...
04.28.2020
The Casket Girls of NOLA
New Orleans is full of legends, dark and mysterious stories surrounding it's colorful history. The tale of the casket girls is no exception. New Orleans was founded by trappers, explorers and traders....in a word: men. In this episode Robin tells...
04.21.2020
Surviving the Ice- The Tale of The Endurance Expedition
In this episode, Jen will tell you the harrowing tale of The Endurance and its prolific captain, Sir Ernest Shackleton. This is a tale that seems to wild to believe. For ad free and exclusive content become a Patron at...
04.14.2020
Execution By Elephant
In this episode, Robin explains the not so distant history of using elephants as executioners. Totally cringeworthy. For exclusive and ad free content become a Patron at Patreon.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
04.07.2020
Agnes Underwood: Hollywood's Iconic Female Crime Reporter
In every old movie there is the brash, bold and ballsy female journalist, did you ever wonder why? Well, meet Agnes Underwood, the First Lady of Hollywood Crime Reporting! Want ad free and exclusive content? Become a Patron at Patreon.com. Learn more...
03.31.2020
Devil's Island
Surrounded by rocky coast and hungry sharks, accessible only by cable car we introduce you to the island prison colony known as Devil's Island. Open for nearly a century, closing in 1953, this island is known as one of the...
03.24.2020
The Crescent, A Con Man and a Cure
This is the story of a beautiful hotel that has see more than its fair share of change and tragedy. The Crescent Hotel and Spa was opened in the late 19th century, a health spa for the wealthy. But as...
03.17.2020
A Combustible Combination - The Texas City Disaster
On April 16, 1947, in the Port of Texas City, Texas, at Galveston Bay there was a series of massive explosions. This industrial accident is the deadliest industrial accident in U.S. history, and one of history's largest non-nuclear explosions. In...
03.10.2020
The Tennessee Baby Thief - Georgia Tann
In the early 20th century there were very few regulations on adoption and that left the door open for Georgia Tann to swoop in and exploit the system. Over the course of 20 years Georgia Tann used an extensive network...
03.03.2020
Terrare - An Insatiable Hunger
Imagine never feeling full, never, not after eating enough to feed fifteen men, that was the fate of the strange case of Terrare. Terrare was a was a French showman and soldier, noted for his unusual eating habits. His tastes ranged...
02.25.2020
Controversy for Breakfast - The Story of Victoria Woodhull
A fortune-teller, spiritualist, stockbroker, and presidential candidate, Victoria Woodhull was a woman ahead of her time. When you think of the first female presidential candidate you probably think of Hilary Clinton, and while she may have been the most successful...
02.18.2020
The Cemetery is Full - The London Burial Crisis (Early Release)
If you live in a heavily populated are you may have had this thought...what do we do when the graveyard is full? Well, it is happening in London and other cities whose history is vast, but whose land is not....
02.11.2020
Cruel Beauty - The Curse of The Hope Diamond
The Hope Diamond is a gem that has been shrouded in mystery since its discovery. Perhaps the origin of the curse lies in the gems provenance; as it is rumored to have been stolen from the head of an idol...
02.04.2020
Murder, Blackmail and Secret Societies - The Story of the Disappearance of William Morgan
Freemasonry is shrouded in mystery and has given rise to a multitude of conspiracy theories. But in the early 19th century one man set out to break down the wall of secrecy. This man was William Morgan. While you may...
01.28.2020
Old Bones and the End of a Civilization
In this week's Notorious Knowledge, Robin tells us some of the strange uses for our favorite prophylactic; the condom. And this week Jen tells us the story of an archeologic find that changes the way we view the pre-Columbian culture...
01.21.2020
Holodomor: The Ukrainian Famine
There are few things as nightmarish as working in a field of grain while starving, but that is the fate that befell the people of the Ukraine in the years of 1932-1933. The word Holodomor is derived from the Ukrainian...
01.14.2020
Centralia - The Story of a Modern Day Ghost Town
From Irish secret societies, labor uprisings to a major garbage crisis, Centralia, Pennsylvania is a town with a story to tell. Once a bustling hub of mining, now a town of only 9 citizens who brave the fire that burns...
01.07.2020
Immurement: History's Most Horrific Death Sentence
From Ancient Rome to Modern Mongolia, immurement has been used as a method of capital punishment, torture and sacrifice. Numerous cultures worldwide have used this practice for a myriad of reasons but regardless of the reason the horror remains. In...
12.31.2019
Jailed For Wearing Pants and Other Heroic Acts - The Story of Mary Edwards Walker
There is only one female winner of the Medal of Honor, that is Mary Edwards Walker. Mary was a singular woman in her day, a progressive dresser, physician, field surgeon and suffragette. In this episode, Jen introduces us to a...
12.24.2019
Child-eating Witches and Mischief Makers
Well it is that time of year again - Christmas. Whether you celebrate this holiday or not, one thing is certain, there are lot of weird traditions that surround the holiday. For this episode Jen has dug up a story...
12.17.2019
A Bizarre Mashup: An Irish Mystery and A Balloon Disaster
In this week's Notorious Knowledge, Jen will tell you the story of a publicity stunt turned deadly. Then we travel to Ireland where recent discoveries of neolithic structures are changing the way we understand the history of Ireland. In this...
12.10.2019
Casanova: Lover or Scumbag?
There are only a few words that evoke such a perfect description of an individual as the word Casanova. But what few know is that Casanova is not just an adjective, he was a real man whose exploits were so...

What's Notorious Narratives about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Notorious Narratives episodes:

The Bones in Ben's Basement

The Mystery of Olive

The Price of Rubber: Mass Murder in the Congo

The Trail of Tears

Warrior Queen

Racism on Display: The History of Human Zoos

Shark Repellent and Souffle: Julia Child

Humanity Lost Part Two: Andersonville

Humanity Lost Part One: Camp Douglas

Atlantropa: Genius or Madness

Noor Khan: The Princess Spy

Fordlandia

The Curious Case of Mary Toft

The Crucifixion of Margaretta Peter

For The Love Of Art - The Story of The Monument's Men

Elena & Carl: Even The Grave Wouldn't Stop Him

In Only 18 Minutes - The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

The Mad Gasser

Peter Niers: Black Magic and Murder

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Innocence Project

Have You Ever Heard of Sin-Eaters?

The Tulsa Massacre: The Burning of Black Wall Street

The Little River That Could - The River Fire that Spawned the Creation of the EPA

Little White Lies: The "Kidnapping" of Bobby Dunbar

Vestal Virgins: One of History's Worst Jobs

An Impossible Choice - The Story of Demmin, Germany

Tall Tales and Tragedy - The Real Calamity Jane

Minotaurs & Atlantis - The Tale of the Mighty Minoans

Lady Death - History's Deadliest Female Sniper

The Casket Girls of NOLA

Surviving the Ice- The Tale of The Endurance Expedition

Execution By Elephant

Agnes Underwood: Hollywood's Iconic Female Crime Reporter

Devil's Island

The Crescent, A Con Man and a Cure

A Combustible Combination - The Texas City Disaster

The Tennessee Baby Thief - Georgia Tann

Terrare - An Insatiable Hunger

Controversy for Breakfast - The Story of Victoria Woodhull

The Cemetery is Full - The London Burial Crisis (Early Release)

Cruel Beauty - The Curse of The Hope Diamond

Murder, Blackmail and Secret Societies - The Story of the Disappearance of William Morgan

Old Bones and the End of a Civilization

Holodomor: The Ukrainian Famine

Centralia - The Story of a Modern Day Ghost Town

Immurement: History's Most Horrific Death Sentence

Jailed For Wearing Pants and Other Heroic Acts - The Story of Mary Edwards Walker

Child-eating Witches and Mischief Makers

A Bizarre Mashup: An Irish Mystery and A Balloon Disaster

Casanova: Lover or Scumbag?