Did you know that women who held a pilot's licence in the United States could sign up to become a part of the Women's Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) program during World War II? And did you know that even though some paid the ultimate price during their service, they were not given proper recognition as veterans for over 30 years?

Julian Sher joined me to discuss his latest book, "The North Star: Canada and the Civil War Plots Against Lincoln." Julian is a highly acclaimed investigative journalist, author, producer, and more. His newest book provides a great vantage point for what was going on in Canada at the time of the American Civil War and how some Canadians decided to try to affect the outcome of the struggle.

You can see all of Julian's work on his website:

juliansher.com

This is a remarkable story about how Dr. Kate Strasdin came into possession of one of the most unique pieces of fashion documentation of Victorian England. What does it tell us about 19th-century clothing? Her book about this primary source, "The Dress Diary: Secrets From a Victorian Woman's Wardrobe," details the story of Anne Sykes and her efforts to remember the world around her through material cut from dresses, vests, and even slippers!

The Jaunty Crow returns to help me review our experience at Aquino Tank Weekend at the amazing Ontario Regiment Museum, located in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. This yearly event is really something to behold and we're definitely planning on coming back next year! If you're into tanks, history, and good friends, this is the place for you!

Have you ever contemplated the mindset of historical societies and cultures when it came to swimming? Were some of them avid swimmers? Did others abstain? Dr. Karen Carr, the esteemed author of "Shifting Currents: A World History of Swimming," joined me to explore this enthralling aspect. Let's dive in!

There was a real reason why public executions ended and the answer may surprise you! Michael Ayers Trotti weighs in on the subject. His latest book is published by UNC Press and is entitled, The End of Public Execution: Race, Religion & Punishment in the American South. His monograph contains some incredible findings on the use of capital punishment in America, particularly in the southern states. We discuss some of those here on this episode!

Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and tell your friends!

Megan L. Bever, author of At War With King Alcohol: Debating Drinking and Masculinity in the Civil War, joined me to discuss her book. Megan has helped us look back at Temperance movements and how they affected soldiering in the 19th century. Soldiers thought that those who drank "too much" were unpatriotic and not worthy of being on the battlefield, or even in camp. Megan's book was released by UNC Press and is available wherever you get your favorite books!

Caroline Grego joins me to discuss her book, "Hurricane Jim Crow: How the Great Sea Island Storm of 1893 Shaped the Lowcountry South." Published by UNC Press, this book sheds light on the tensions within the region before, during, and after the storm. The book points out issues pertaining to race, disaster, recovery, and legacy. You don't want to miss this talk!

The full video of this discussion is on my YouTube channel (The Tattooed Historian) and you can get 40% off the book through a discount in the video's description!

Julia Boyd, co-author of, "A Village in the Third Reich: How Ordinary Lives Were Transformed by the Rise of Fascism," joins me to discuss her book. The town of Oberstdorf after the Great War is brought to life in Julia's book and she proceeds to tell us about the rise of fascism and its effects on the population. Her previous book, "Travelers in the Third Reich: The Rise of Fascism 1919-1945," is also a fantastic work that I highly recommend.

Julia previously served as a trustee of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust and currently lives in London, England.

Jen (The Jaunty Crow) and I sit down to discuss how different areas of study have impacted our view on military history. If you're not into military tactics, you still have a home in this field! We discuss art, medicine, gender, and more! You'll also hear our cat in the background as her feeding time is during our recording!