One of the fundamental functions of biography is the preservation of stories. But it also acts to resurrect the stories that may have fallen from view, reinvigorating the tales of people who, with the passage of time, have become merely names on plaques. In La Belle Creole:The Cuban Countess Who Captivated Havana, Madrid, and Paris (Chicago Review Press, 201 ... Show More
Jan 12
Julia H. Meszaros, "Economies of Gender: Masculinity, "Mail Order Brides," and Women’s Labor" (Rutgers UP, 2025)
Economies of Gender: Masculinity, "Mail Order Brides," and Women's Labor (Rutgers University Press, 2025) by Dr. Julia Meszaros offers a provocative exploration of the international dating industry, challenging simplistic narratives of human trafficking and scams while shedding l ... Show More
40m 9s
Jan 9
Danielle Alesi, "Eating Animals in the Early Modern Atlantic World: Consuming Empire, 1492-1700" (Taylor & Francis, 2025)
Eating Animals in the Early Modern Atlantic World: Consuming Empire, 1492-1700 (Amsterdam University Press, 2025) by Dr. Danielle Alesi examines how the perceived edibility of animals evolved during the colonization of the Americas. Early European colonizers ate a variety of anim ... Show More
45m 27s
Jul 2023
Vivian Nun Halloran, "Caribbean American Narratives of Belonging" (Ohio State UP, 2023)
In Caribbean American Narratives of Belonging (Ohio State University Press, 2023), Vivian Nun Halloran analyzes memoirs, picture books, comic books, young adult novels, musicals, and television shows through which Caribbean Americans recount and celebrate their contributions to c ... Show More
1h 20m
May 2023
Ragers: Henriette Caillaux
Henriette Caillaux (1874-1943) caused chaos on the French political scene when she shot and killed Gaston Calmette, editor of the newspaper Le Figaro.
This month, we’re highlighting Ragers: women who used their anger— often righteous, though not always— to accomplish extraordinar ... Show More
6m 7s
Jun 2024
Liz Oliva Fernández
<p><span style="color: #000000;">For the past six years on this show, we've talked to working people from across the United States, from virtually every walk of life, about their lives, jobs, dreams, and struggles. But today, we're going to talk about what it's like to live and w ... Show More
1h 23m
Aug 2023
Folk Heroes: Leonarda Emilia
Leonarda Emilia (c. 1860s) was one of Mexico’s most daring bandits. Riding bareback and cloaked in men’s clothes, she used a pistol and machete to steal from passing travelers, and then redistribute the wealth to the poor.
This month, we're talking about Folk Heroes. People whose ... Show More
5m 47s
Aug 2023
Folk Heroes: Maria Bonita
Maria Bonita (c. 1900 - 1938) was a legendary Brazilian outlaw.
This month, we're talking about Folk Heroes. People whose lives and stories took on mythic proportions.
History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wonder ... Show More
6m 12s
Aug 2023
Folk Heroes: Mother Shipton (Ursula Southeil)
Ursula Southeil (c. 1488-1561), better known as “Mother Shipton,” was an English prophetess and seeress known for her predictions about the future. In the decades following her death, Ursula’s own life became the source of speculation and rumor. She was called Devil’s spawn, a wi ... Show More
5m 38s