logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2023
54m 6s

360. Fear City: New York in the 1970s

Goalhanger
About this episode
“A cloud of black, acrid smoke hung over the area. It was a scene from a warzone, a battlefield - it was a scene from the end of the world…” New York in the 1970s was a city decimated by economic stagnation, unemployment and ever-rising crime rates, haemorrhaging its population to the suburbs and to the more business-friendly South. Join Tom and Dominic as t ... Show More
Up next
Yesterday
710. The Terror: Death at the Guillotine (Part 4)
How did two of the French Revolution's leading figures, Georges Danton and Maximilien Robespierre, differ in their views on how to further the cause? Which scandalous conspiracy was Danton accused of being involved in that would lead him to the guillotine? And, was it true? Or th ... Show More
1h 31m
Sep 27
709. The Terror: The Execution of Marie Antoinette (Part 3)
In what conditions was Marie Antoinette - once the most glamorous woman in Europe - imprisoned for over a year, before and after the execution of King Louis XVI? Why were the French Revolutionaries divided on her own fate? And, how did she finally face the guillotine on October 1 ... Show More
1h 11m
Sep 23
708. The Terror: The Reign of Robespierre (Part 2)
Where did Maximilien Robespierre come from and what led him to rise from provincial obscurity to play a major role in the French Revolution? Why is he considered the central figure in the Reign of Terror? And how did a fastidious man opposed to violence become the chief proponent ... Show More
1h 30m
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2020
434. Is New York City Over?
<p>The pandemic has hit America's biggest city particularly hard. Amidst a deep fiscal hole, rising homicides, and a flight to the suburbs, some people think the city is heading back to the bad old 1970s. We look at the history — and the data — to see why that’s probably not the ... Show More
49m 4s
Sep 2025
The Power Broker #13: Drop Dead City
tail spinning
54m 58s
Jul 2024
THE NEW YORK CITY BLACKOUT OF 1977
Who’s to blame for the NYC Blackout of 1977?This week, The Alarmist (Rebecca Delgado Smith) welcomes comedian Janet Varney, host of The JV Club podcast, to discuss the epic NYC Blackout of 1977. If you’re in the dark about this one, allow us to shine a much needed light on all th ... Show More
1h 2m
Dec 2023
1970s Britain: everything you wanted to know
1970s Britain has gained a reputation for being fairly bleak, filled with strikes and economic turbulence. But was it really so terrible? From the uniting power of television to his grandfather's safari suit, Alwyn Turner takes Lauren Good on a journey through this decade of chan ... Show More
30m 43s
Aug 2022
The Bowery Boys and the Black Tom Explosion
Cautionary Tales returns next week, but in the meantime enjoy a story of disaster from The Bowery Boys Podcast. It's July 30th 1916, just after 2am, and a massive explosion rips apart the munitions depot on Black Tom, an island off Jersey City. Tons of debris and jagged shrapnel ... Show More
45m 29s
Jul 2023
The Son of Sam: The Boogeyman of 1970’s New York
Unravel the chilling tale of the Son of Sam, David Berkowitz, who terrorized 1970s NYC with his murderous spree. Explore the dark side of the city's history in this gripping true crime story. Sponsor: Quince.com/CASUAL to get free shipping and 365-day returns Learn more about yo ... Show More
1h 14m
Jul 2023
When Parakeets Plundered New York
Cautionary Conversation: An invasive parakeet species began spreading in New York City - and the government decided to kill every last bird. Tim Harford is joined by Ben Naddaff-Hafrey, host of The Last Archive, to talk about the great parakeet panic of the 1970s and a history of ... Show More
36m 12s