The Biographers

As war rages on throughout the world, Ian Fleming finds himself entrenched ever-deeper into the world of international intelligence. What was Operation Golden Eye, and was it ever officially implemented? Did Operation Mincemeat have anything to do with pies, or was the whole thing just a hoax? Maybe most importantly: what's next for Mr. Fleming now that the Second World War is finally coming to an end? If it were me, I'd be desperate for a bit of rest and relaxation (and maybe a Vesper Martini), but which location is best suited to achieve maximum chill? Somewhere tropical, I should think. We'll answer all of these questions and more as we continue on with the exciting life of Ian Fleming! (Ep. 009)

As the world moves closer and closer to the outbreak of the Second World War, Ian Fleming finds himself moving from journalism, to merchant banking, to stock broking... And now international intelligence reporting for the Naval Intelligence Division under Rear Admiral John Godfrey? Seriously? What did he do next, evacuate the MI6 headquarters in Paris during the Nazi invasion? Yup, and that's only the half of it. We're finally getting into Ian's involvement with the international spy network during World War II, how his involvement with the Naval Intelligence Division proved invaluable to the Allied war effort, and how his experiences during the war would spark a fire of imagination that would soon create the ultimate secret agent: James Bond. (Ep. 008)

In part two of our series on James Bond creator, Ian Fleming, we watch the young Ian as he struggles to find his first job, but ultimately landing a position with one of the oldest news organizations in the world as a journalist. What famous racing legend does Ian work alongside while reporting on a treacherous alpine race? Why was he later dispatched to Moscow, and what the heck is the Metro-Vickers affair? Is it possible for Ian to truly find love, or is he just hanging out with you to not-so-secretly decipher German radio transmissions? Tune in to Ian Fleming Part 2 to find out! (Ep. 007)

In our third series, we're covering novelist (among many other titles), Ian Fleming, who is most famously known for his creation of the fictional character, James Bond. But did you also know that Ian's father fought in World War I alongside Winston Churchill's brother? Or that both of his great-grandfathers on his mother's side were knights? Or that Ian was forced to drop out of Military school as a result of some... delicate medical complications? Tune in for episode one in our Ian Fleming series as we uncover the earliest parts of his life, and how it ended up serving as the real-life foundation for the ultimate secret agent in what would later become the longest running film franchise in cinema history. (Ep. 006)

Queen Victoria's record-setting reign is finally coming to an end - at the time of her death, she was the longest-reigning monarch in England's history! Victoria's life was filled with times of joy and periods of great sadness. She continued to be a political dynamo in her later years... but should she have been? What are the actual rights of the monarch? At the end of her life, Victoria still had a few surprises up her sleeve. Learn about another controversial companion - the Munshi - who was one her closest friends and advisors during the last years of her life, much to the chagrin of her family. Join us as we wrap up the life of Queen Victoria!

Grief affects everyone, and Queen Victoria is no exception. We get to see a truly human side of the Queen as she is faced with the question: is it better to live long, and see those you love pass away around you, or would it have been better to live a shorter life, and spare yourself the pain? Despite the long stream of deaths that are coming her way, Victoria also finds that trying times can ultimately lead to self-discovery, new adventures, and genuine happiness, with new characters in her life like the hunky Scotsman, John Brown, as well as famed Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli. This is part 7 of 8 on Queen Victoria, so we're at the home-stretch! 

The reign of Queen Victoria continues on, and there's a war in Crimea! ....Wait, what year is this? 1853, of course, and it's through this war that Victoria first becomes aware of Florence Nightingale, along with just how stinky war can be. But can it be any more stinky than the Great Stink of 1858?  Oh, and did the Great Stink have anything to do with the Broad Street cholera outbreak of 1854? Tune in to find out! 

If you've ever wondered, "how many children can one queen have?" you're not only a very special breed of human, but you've come to the right place for an answer! Let's just say that ol' Queen Victoria and Prince Albert would have been "that" party when you worked at a restaurant — you know, the one where you always had to put a few tables together to accommodate them. It also seems that through the process of becoming a father, Albert finds his big-boy pants, and really starts to step up the standard for governmental oversight under his watch. What's next for the royal duo? Maybe some sort of… Fair for the whole… World to enjoy? Tune in for part 5 of Queen Victoria to find out!

Now that Queen Victoria has been sitting to the throne for a few years, it's officially time to start looking for a suitable husband - a King of a husband. Or is it King Regent? Or Prince Regent? Royal titles are complicated. Even more complicated are the Royal marriages and family lines, which tended to live by the old adage of "keep it in the family." Intrigued? Tune in for part 4 of our series on Queen Victoria to find out more!

The reign of Queen Victoria has officially begun, complete with a coronation missing its master of ceremonies, and a pseudo-mascot to boot! But with all monarchs, it seems, scandal is always looming just around the corner. Join us as we dig into the earliest days of Queen Victoria's rule over the British Empire.