Dr. Kate Brown is a professor of environmental and nuclear history at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her research covers a number of countries and brings personal accounts into conversation with quantitative studies. She has traveled extensively through areas impacted by the fallout of Chernobyl, interviewed a number of survivors, and researched in only recently opened archives in the former Soviet Union. Her most recent book is Manual for Survival: A Chernobyl Guide to the Future, (W.W. Norton, 2019) which complements her earlier, award-winning, work Plutopia: Nuclear Families, Atomic Cities, and the Great Soviet and American Plutonium Disasters (Oxford, 2013).

 

Kate Brown's Award Winning Books: 

Some Highlights:

Studying and working in the Soviet Union

Making connections in Eastern Europe

Chernobyl Nuclear Catastrophe

Archives in the former Soviet Union

Radioactive produce and clothes

Reading between the lines in Medical Archives

Reception of Kate Brown's work

Future technologies and potential issues

The Global environmental system

Suggestions:

Steven: Use tools such as Google Earth to walk around Chernobyl and start engaging with the environment and world around you, like this Canadian Teen (Discovery or Not?).

Kate: Help the sciences and humanities to work together. Just because you are not in a science department doesn't mean you can't do history of science. Rather, precisely because you are in the humanities you need to engage in environmental history. (For examples of this check out books written by Kate Brown and my podcast with Rebecca Bond).

https://youtu.be/X_U-UQL8e_g

 

 

Cover image credit: Jorge Franganillo

Translation: Passage is forbidden! Danger zone.

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Travis Roy is a PhD Candidate at Temple University and an expert on American History. In addition to his knowledge of the natural world and westward expansion, he is known for his thoughtful work on popular culture. In the wake of the passing of the legendary comic book writer, Travis and I sat down to discuss how culture is significantly shaped  by comics and movies and how economic powerhouses such as Disney continue to colonize successful brands. You can follow Travis on twitter @travisbroy.

Some Highlights: 

Reflections on the passing of legendary comic creator Stan Lee

Comic books and their role in American Culture

Superheroes

Mickey Mouse at age 90

Why Bill Maher is wrong about comics (among other things)

How popular culture, especially cinema and comics, bring people together

Calvin and Hobbes and co-opting of popular culture

NYT Stan Lee Obituary

A whole lot more!

Weekly Suggestions: 

Steven - The Rebus Novels by Ian Rankin

Travis- S.A. Bradley and the Hellbent for Horror Podcast

Stan Lee

Your host and Travis Roy

https://youtu.be/_AhgzjAz4xI

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Mary Elizabeth Walters is a PhD candidate at the University of North Carolina whose work focuses on the 1999 conflict in Kosovo. An expert in military history, Walters is currently at the Clements Center for National Security at the University of Texas at Austin. Her dissertation,  “Unexpected Humanitarians: Albania, the U.S. Military, and Aid Organizations during the 1999 Kosovo Refugee Crisis” will be an important contribution to the way historians understand humanitarian aid from the military, NGOs, and citizens of a neighboring nation. You can follow Mary on twitter HERE and learn more at Women Also Know History.

Some Highlights: 

The importance of learning languages

Serbo-Croat and Albanian

Living Abroad with a host family

Conducting oral histories

Research and life abroad as a female scholar

The end of Yugoslavia and subsequent war

Ethnic cleansing in the Balkans

Kosovo War, Kosovo Liberation Army, Refugee Crisis

NATO and the United Nations response to crisis

Mikpritja - Albanian hospitality to strangers

Map of where Kosovar refugees stayed in Albania (Map by Mary Elizabeth Walters)

Map of former Yugoslavia

Kosovar refugees in Kukës, Albania, having just crossed the Kosovo-Albania border during the crisis. (Photo by Albanian photographer Jonuz Kola)

 

Suggestions:

Mary: Travel somewhere you never thought of as a place to travel! It can be as near or far, but what is important is that you try to learn the history and the stories when you go.

Steven: The Bridge on the Drina - Ivo Andric

https://youtu.be/Y7M_EcQ55RM

(Banner image is Marine Captain Robert A. Riggle playing tic-tac-toe with Kosovar refugees at Camp Hope on May 4, 1999 taken by U.S. Department of Defense).

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Dr. Herb Childress is a writer and expert on higher education who has written three excellent books and a number of articles that cover a number of topics. His most recent work is about Higher Education and how to navigate what is a complex and often brutal system. His latest book is called  The Adjunct Underclass: How America's Colleges Betrayed their Faculty, their Students, and their Mission (University of Chicago Press, 2019) and focuses on contingent labor and the emotional journey that many make through American universities. The book is filled with important information, interesting stories, and statistics. You can read more about his fascinating life in both his books and on his website.

Support the Author:

Some Highlights:

What it means to be an adjunct

Contingent labor in Higher Education

The emotional journey through Higher Education

How you can do everything right and still fail

Wandering in Exile

An Army of Content Providers

Living next to the mansion you want to be in

Predictions on the future of Higher Education

Why people work as adjuncts

Post-docs, fellowships, and non-tenure track jobs

Further Reading:

The New Yorker on the Adjunct Underclass

The Death of an Adjunct

William Bowen's Prospect for Faculty in the Arts and Sciences

Earving Goffman's analysis of Con Men

Suggestions:

Herb: Figure out what you truly value in life and decide what the best way for you to reach those values actually is.

Steven: Create networks of support by talking to people in long conversations.

https://youtu.be/R-b__ORzAqw

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Andrew Hutchinson is a historian, educator, runner and author of an excellent book called The Complete History of Cross Country Running. He has experience in the classroom, the archives, and on the road covering some of the most prestigious events in the world of cross country racing. He produces excellent content over at The Real XC and has been featured in a number of publications, most recently at Tracksmith covering the 2019 IAAF World Cross-Country Championships. You can follow his work on twitter @Real_XC

 

 

 

Read His Book:

Some Highlights:

The origins of cross country racing

Emulating the hunt climbing over walls and keeping score

Andrew's path to writing a history of the sport

When cross country was an Olympic sport

Paavo Nurmi, Finland, France, and the United Kingdom

Pre and proof that cross country is for everyone

The global expansion of the sport

Kenya's half-century of domination

The future of the sport and its appeal to younger generations

Suggestions:

Steven: Interact with people you admire - for example, I follow Stephen Scullion  and listen to his podcast "Road to Tokyo 2020"

Andrew: Lace up a pair of shoes and run! Go out, find a field, the beach, or the woods and try cross country - a sport accessible to everyone.

https://youtu.be/ulUOdBMVDsE

Additional Content:

https://youtu.be/ylYPm7V2qCU

Dr. David Mislin is a professor at Temple University where he teaches in the Intellectual Heritage program. He is also the author of the book, Saving Faith. He researches 19th and 20th century American religious history with a focus on pluralism, secularism, religious liberalism, and evil. His first book, Saving Faith: Making Religious Pluralism an American Value at the Dawn of the Secular Age, was published by Cornell University Press in 2015. You can read more on his website and follow him on Twitter @DMislin

Read David's Book:

Saving Faith: Making Religious Pluralism an American Value at the Dawn of the Secular Age

Some Highlights:

David's background and interest in American religious history

Studying in Boston at Harvard Divinity School

Preachers in the Early 20th century

American Religious Liberalism

David's new work and religion in Small Town USA

The concept of evil

Teaching Intellectual Heritage at Temple University

Suggestions:

Steven: 

David: The Nero Wolfe Mystery Series

 

 

https://youtu.be/_LT9HtE663A

 

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Due Quach is a social entrepreneur who shares her global experiences through her organization Calm Clarity. She uses her experiences from growing up in inner city Philadelphia, graduating from Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business, and travel around the world to guide her research journey towards mastering her mind and becoming her best self. Her book, Calm Clarity: How to Use Science to Rewire Your Brain for Greater Wisdom, Fulfillment, and Joy, was released in 2018, and details Due's journey to becoming her best self as well as practical steps you can take as well. You can follow her on twitter @DueMQuach and @CalmClarityOrg.

Read Her Book:

Calm Clarity: How to Use Science to Rewire Your Brain for Greater Wisdom, Fulfillment, and Joy

Some Highlights:

Due's story from inner-city Philly to Harvard

Traveling the world to find your best self

Brain 1.0; Brain 2.0; Brain 3.0

The Dalai Lama and other people who spend a lot of time in "Brain 3.0"

Working with students and executives

Sharing lessons learned to help others

Calm Clarity new infographic

Guided Meditations from Calm Clarity

Suggestions:

Steven: The Long Road Turns to Joy: A Guide to Walking Meditation

Due: Chenrezig Tibetan Buddhist Center of Philadelphia

More information on Calm Clarity:

Guided Meditations from Calm Clarity

Calm Clarity Website

Philadelphia Inquirer on Calm Clarity

Poor and Traumatized at Harvard (Origins of Calm Clarity)

https://youtu.be/Wh4EHoqBW4U

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Cesar Brioso is a seasoned sports journalist and digital producer for USA Today Sports and a lifelong fan and historian of Cuban Baseball. His books, Havana Hardball (University of Florida Press, 2015) and Last Seasons in Havana (University of Nebraska Press, 2019) offer insight into the professional baseball scene in the Republic of Cuba before the Cuban Revolution. He also has some excellent writing available on a number of websites all over the internet, including his own Cuba Béisbol. You can follow Cesar on twitter @cbrioso and see upcoming events for the book at its facebook page.

Read Cesar's Work:

Last Seasons in Havana: The Castro Revolution and the End of Professional Baseball in Cuba

Havana Hardball: Spring Training, Jackie Robinson, and The Cuban League

Some Highlights:

How Cesar Brioso became a fan of Cuban Baseball

From fan to authority on the subject

Combing the archives and collecting interviews for information

The Cuban Game

The Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro and Baseball

Jackie Robinson in Havana

Big Leagers in Cuban winter ball

Havana Sugar Kings win the League

Family challenges in the Cuban Revolution

Suggestions:

Steven: University of Florida, Digital Library of the Caribbean

Cesar: Professor Richard Megraw's "The American Game" course at the University of Alabama, with special guest lecturer Cesar Brioso.

https://youtu.be/ah16OjqAaDM

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This week an HoH rewind brings you a great blast from the past. An interview from last year in which Keith Riley, a PhD Candidate at Temple University, explained some of the origins and misconceptions about the Sandinistas in Nicaragua. Keith, Who you can follow on Twitter here, is a historian at Temple University who studies Latin America and transnational leftist groups.

Some Highlights: 

The origins of the Sandinista movement

Nicaragua before and after revolution

Unrest in Nicaragua during 2018

FLSN and the politics of Revolution

How revolutionaries change over time

Transnational Support for the Sandinistas

Why Central America is an Amazing Place

https://youtu.be/iSg42Wm7mtE

More Info: 

Map of Nicaragua

 

"We are not going to accept any negotiations in which the red and black flag (FLSN flag) capitulates"

Flag of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional)

Flag of the Republic of Nicaragua

Phil West is an Austin based writer who covers soccer in the United States. His work appears on MLSsoccer.com, ProSoccerUSA, in print, and a number of other outlets. He recently wrote the history of Major League Soccer, the United States' top level professional soccer league, and a book about the success of the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team shortly before the 2018 disaster. He holds an optimistic outlook for the team's chances at World Cup 2026. You can follow him on twitter @PhilWest.

 

Read Phil's Work:

The United States of Soccer: MLS and the Rise of American Soccer Fandom

I Believe that We Will Win:The Path to a US Men's World Cup Victory

Some Highlights:

How one comes to write the history of a professional sports league

The origins of Major League Soccer

1994 World Cup

An Americanized game - Old School MLS Shootouts

The MLS downturn and reinvention

The successes and failures of the U.S. Men's National Team

MLS Academies and the U.S. Soccer Development Academy

2026 and the potential for MLS

Austin FC, MLS Fandom, and Supporters Groups

How LAFC Supporters' Groups Influence Stadium Design 

Check out the awesome writing and podcast at Unusual Efforts

Suggestions:

Steven: Go to Karaoke and sing!

Phil: Snapped Ankles - Stunning Luxuries

https://youtu.be/4FZxRESXnJs