We Defy Augury

Thoughts (loosely) based on Danny Danziger and John Gillingham's history book 1215: The Year of Magna Carta.

Special Guests: King Arthur, Denis, The Almighty Lord, Matthew Broderick as David, Al Pacino as Tony Montana, The Choir of Gonville, and Clark Griswold.

Thoughts (loosely) inspired by Stuart Neville's thriller The Ghosts of Belfast.

Special Guests: The Hasbro Pop-O-Matic, Detective Sean Duffy, Adrian McKinty, Sinead O'Connor, Indiana Jones, Erin Quinn, Grandpa Joe, The People's Front of Judea, and U2.

Thoughts (loosely) based on Donna Tartt's novel The Little Friend.

Special Guests: Drive-by Truckers, George Wallace, and Samuel L. Jackson.

Thoughts (loosely) based on Carmageddon: How Cars Make Life Worse and What to Do About It by Daniel Knowles.

Special Guests: Laura Ingraham, 100 gecs, and The Boss himself.

Thoughts (loosely) based on Eleanor Catton's eco-thriller Birnam Wood.

Special Guests: The Big Lebowski, The Dude, Hasan Minaj, and Anand Giridharadas.

Thoughts (loosely) based on Stuart Turton's mind-bending mystery novel The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle.

Special Guests: Albert Camus, Phil Connors, and Grant Goodeve.

Thoughts (loosely) based on Kerry Howley's book Bottoms Up and the Devil Laughs: A Journey Through the Deep State and Jeff Sharlet's book  The Undertow: Scenes From a Slow Civil War.

Special Guests: The "In Search of Theme Song," The Monster Energy Drink Lady (Christine Weick) and Adam Hamdy's very silly mystery novel The Other Side of Night.

Thoughts (loosely) based on This is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You by Susan Rogers and Ogi Ogas and Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction by Derek Thompson.

This is part two of a two part series.

Special Guests:  Jethro Tull, A-Ha, Van Halen, Talking Heads, The Cure, Kenny G, Jimmy McGriff, David Bowie, Tim McGraw, The Rolling Stones, Wilco, Beastie Boys, Weezer, Matt Damon, 100 gecs, Ween, The Cult, John Mulaney, Raymond Loewy, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, and Sheryl Crow,

Thoughts (loosely) based on This is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You by Susan Rogers and Ogi Ogas and Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction by Derek Thompson.

This is the first part of a two part episode.

Special guests: Glenn Gould, Little Richard, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Billy Joel, Vulfpeck, Rage Against the Machine, The Shaggs, Steely Dan, Lightnin' Hopkins, Ornette Coleman, Herbie Hancock, The Crystal Method, The Flaming Lips, Pavement, Johnny Cash, Sonic Youth, Adele, Tom Petty, Jason Aldean, Bob Dylan, The Chemical Brothers, The Wu Tang Clan, Hamilton, and N.W.A.

Thoughts (loosely) based on two historical books: Stacy Schiff's The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams and Imani Perry's South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation.

Special Guests: Matt Damon and Robin Williams.