Christmas Trees: History and Myth

What could be more traditional than the Christmas tree? And wouldn’t it be great if the tradition went back to ancient times? Or at least wouldn’t it be great if the Christmas tree evolved from pre-Christian traditions, in some sort of spiritual communion with all peoples from all times?  Well, just from the way we…

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Christmas: Commercialism, FDR, the Nazis, and Beyond! Encore!

Professor Philip Nash explains the complexities of the celebration and commercialism of Christmas — from the Roman holiday of Saturnalia to the Victorian era to the Nazi period and beyond! Listen to the best explanation of the history of modern Christmas that you’re gonna find this side of Bethlehem! Episode #397 — Buzzkill Bookshelf Gerry…

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Fit Nation: The History of America’s Exercise Obsession

Dr. Natalia Mehlmen Petrzela explains why Americans are more obsessed with exercise than ever, and yet also unhealthier. Her great new book, Fit Nation, explains how we got here and imagines how we might create a more inclusive, stronger future. Listen to her explain the broad contexts of American fitness history and the implications for…

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Watergate and the History of Investigative Journalism

We use the Watergate crisis to examine some of the myths surrounding the history of investigative journalism. By looking both at the 1970s and at the 19th century, we learn that investigative journalism has a long history in the United States. We also learn the crucial role that an “ecosystem” of investigation plays in bringing…

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Understanding Warren G. Harding

Crikey. Most people don’t know much about President Warren G. Harding and his corrupt administration, but they should! A fascinating life and, um, a fascinating look at how corruption and graft can so easily slip into the corridors of power, especially the White House in the 1920s! Professor Philip Nash explains all! Episode 489. John…

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Thanksgiving: History and Myth

By 1849, Sarah Josepha Buell Hale was an enormously successful teacher, writer, and editor in Boston. She wrote dramatic novels and magazine articles, and edited various important journals, especially The Ladies Magazine for almost all of her adult life. A pioneer in education for women, she also firmly believed in an ordered version of 19th…

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Lydia Maria Child: Woman Crush Wednesday

Join us on this Woman Crush Wednesday discussion of Lydia Maria Child, one of nineteenth-century America’s most courageous abolitionists. She started her career as a beloved and self-sufficient female author of children’s literature. But in 1833, Child shocked her readers by publishing the first book-length argument against slavery in the United States. Dr. Lydia Moland…

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