In 1939, Dorothy Thompson was on the cover of Time, the ‘First Lady of American journalism’ and a major celebrity. By 1945, she’d been widely dismissed as a crank.
Deborah Friedell joins Tom to discuss Thompson’s enormous influence in interwar America, and her idiosyncratic mix of prescience and short-sightedness.
Find further reading on the podcast page: ht ... Show More
Sep 10
On Politics: Germany's Far-Right Future?
On Sunday, the far-right party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) won the state election in Saxony-Anhalt with 44 per cent of the vote, the highest share for any far-right party in post-1945 Germany. Among the many surprising aspects of the result was the broad, multigenerational ... Show More
1h 4m
Sep 6
The Romantic History of the Bayeux Tapestry
The story of why, and how, an arrow ended up in Harold's eye in the Bayeux Tapestry is tied to the politics of the early 19th century, to Napoleon's ambitions and Britain's national pride, and the work of two antiquaries, Anne and Charles Stothard, who travelled to northern Franc ... Show More
59m 54s
Jun 2024
Hitler’s Olympics, Part 1: The Blue-Eyed Tornado
In the early 1930s, Adolf Hitler granted a rare interview to the American journalist Dorothy Thompson. When Hitler later came to power, and prepared to stage the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Thompson’s warning about the man she’d met would frame the central debate over the games: Should ... Show More
35m 39s
Apr 2021
Secret affairs & famous lovers
In this episode of Thick & Thin, we take a look at the life of Hollywood’s once leading lady, Katharine Hepburn. Initially despised by many for her distinctive speech and quirky mannerisms, Katharine became known all over the world for her independence, sharp intelligence, and he ... Show More
49m 15s
Feb 2020
George Sand: Novelist, Muse and Gender Bender
She was an incredibly famous writer of incredible output. Her behavior and personal style were almost as talked about as her novels, and these factors combined made her into a figure that was admired by many, despised by some, and completely fascinating. Learn more about your ad- ... Show More
41m 15s