Pablo Picasso was one of the most celebrated and radical artists of the 20th century. His styles shocked and outraged contemporaries, and are still instantly recognisable today. But while the artist was publicly fêted, behind closed doors there was a darker side, and many of his female companions protested at his behaviour.

So what drove Picasso to master the rules of art, and then break them? How did a man who claimed he didn’t ‘do politics’ become a poster boy for revolution? And what makes him one of the most valuable artists of all time? 

This is a short history of Pablo Picasso.

A Noiser Production. Written by Jo Furniss. With thanks to Suzanne Preston Blier, a professor of Fine Art and African Studies at Harvard University, and the author of Picasso’s Demoiselles, The True Origins of a Modern Masterpiece. 

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Leader of the Wild Bunch gang, Butch Cassidy was a legendary American criminal who engineered infamous bank and train robberies across the West in the late 19th century. His charisma and careful planning ensured he eluded capture for years. And when, in 1901, he fled the law to South America with his partner, the Sundance Kid, reports differ as to what exactly became of him….

Could Cassidy have survived, quietly living out the rest of his days back in the United States? What is the real truth about his life? And was Butch Cassidy the kindly gentleman rogue some would have us believe?

This is a Short History Of Butch Cassidy.

A Noiser Production. Written by Nicola Rayner. With thanks to Amy Harmon, author of The Outlaw Noble Salt. 

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Nelson Mandela came to be considered one of the great global figures of his age, but for decades he was a prisoner in his own country. Branded a terrorist by South Africa’s white authorities, as well as many foreign governments, he survived years in the wilderness, only to return in one of the most dramatic character rehabilitations in history.

So what drove this son of a high-ranking family to become an activist against South Africa’s apartheid regime? What strategies did he adopt, and at what personal cost? And what were the circumstances that brought about his release?

This is a Short History of Nelson Mandela.

A Noiser Production. Written by Dan Smith. With thanks to Jonny Steinberg, award-winning author of numerous books on South African history and politics, including Winnie & Nelson: Portrait of a Marriage. 

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When a man called Edward Hargraves first discovered gold in Australia, in 1851, the impact on the country was immeasurable. Word of Hargraves’ good fortune caused thousands of individuals to flood New South Wales and join the rush. Men left their families, professionals quit their jobs, ships were abandoned in the ports, as gold-fever spread through the country. Within two decades, Australia’s population had quadrupled.

But what fortunes awaited those hopeful individuals who chased the allure of gold? What were conditions like on the gold-farms and fields? How did the rush impact Australia’s First Nations People? And in what ways did it shape the country?

This is a Short History Of The Australian Gold Rush. Written by Nicole Edmunds. With thanks to Mikhala Harkins-Foster, a curator for the National Museum of Australia.

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From impoverished roots on an island struggling to leave behind its colonial past, Bob Marley emerged; creating music that spoke with a universality, and which was beloved by people all over the world. His love of music was the backbone of his life, and his commitment to the Rastafari faith shone a spotlight on its ideals.

But how did Bob Marley go from Kingston’s most impoverished area, to becoming a global star? Why was his life so tragically cut short? And why does his music still inspire young musicians and activists today?

This is a short history of Bob Marley. Written by Kate Harrison. With thanks to Richie Unterberger, a music journalist and author of Bob Marley and the Wailers, the Ultimate Illustrated History. 

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Emperor Nero was one of the most reviled and controversial leaders of Ancient Rome. To some, his reign was a breath of fresh air after his unpopular predecessor, and his failings had no more to do with him, than with the unstable infrastructure of Roman government. And yet to others, Nero is inseparable from rumours about his sexual predilections, debauched behaviours, and apparent appetite for murder. 

But how did Nero seize the imperial crown while still in his teens? What really happened to ensure his downfall and the ruin of his reputation? And was Nero really as bad as history has painted him?

This is a Short History Of Emperor Nero. 

A Noiser Production. Written by Dan Smith. With thanks to Greg Woolf, Ronald J. Law Professor of Ancient History at the University of California, Los Angeles. 

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The second of nine children from a well-to-do family in New England, John F Kennedy fought his way up to become the most powerful man on the planet. After claiming a narrow victory in the 1960 election, Kennedy and his glamorous wife, Jacqueline, led the country on a wave of optimism and energy. For many, he represented a vision of America at its brightest.

But what challenges did he have to overcome to reach office? What were the personal qualities that powered his rise? And just how golden was his presidency for America and the rest of the world? 

This is a Short History Of John F Kennedy.

A Noiser Production, written by Dan Smith. With thanks to Fredrik Logevall, Professor of History at Harvard University, and author of a multi volume biography of John F Kennedy.

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In 480BC, the Spartans secured their place in history when 300 of their soldiers fought to the death against the mighty Persian army at Thermopylae. Their reputation for brutal decisiveness and simple living have been admired for thousands of years. But what about the darker side of Spartan ideology, a society that culled weak babies, forced children to fight, and enslaved its neighbours? Was Sparta really a utopia? Or was Aristotle right when he said that Spartans simply made men into machines?

This is a Short History of the Spartans.

Written by Jo Furniss. With thanks to Dr Andrew Bayliss, Associate Professor of Greek History at the University of Birmingham, UK, and author of The Spartans: A Very Short Introduction.

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Older than the pyramids and just as cryptic, the prehistoric British site of Stonehenge has dominated its landscape for thousands of years. But what is Stonehenge? A celestial clock? An ancient computer to predict eclipses? Was it a temple, a cemetery, or a site of execution? And who were the people who lived and died to create this Stone Age masterpiece?

This is a Short History of Stonehenge.

Written by Jo Furniss. With thanks to Julian Richards, archaeologist, broadcaster and author of the official Stonehenge guidebook.

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Beatrix Potter’s tales and illustrations of Peter Rabbit, Tom Kitten and friends, set in quintessential English villages and on Edwardian farms, have charmed children for decades. But alongside being an artist and author, Beatrix Potter was a natural scientist, a conservationist, a farmer, sheep-breeder, and shrewd businesswoman.

So how did this shy, sheltered Victorian girl become a literary phenomenon? What did it take to succeed in the male dominated world of publishing? Why did she focus so much of her attention on the conservation of the Lake District? And what was the tragedy that might have stopped her career in its tracks? 

This is a Short History Of Beatrix Potter.

A Noiser Production. Written by Fiona Veitch-Smith. With thanks to Libby Joy, from the Beatrix Potter Society.

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