logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2024
40m 31s

Philippa Gregory and Tracy Chevalier on ...

Intelligence Squared
About this episode

This is the second instalment of a three-part discussion. Philippa Gregory and Tracy Chevalier have defined the genre of historical fiction for decades. Both renowned for bringing to life women’s stories from the past and making them relevant to today’s reader, between them they’ve produced a multitude of global bestsellers including The Other Boleyn Girl and Girl with a Pearl Earring. In September 2024 they joined Reeta Chakrabarti on the Intelligence Squared stage to transport us through time and place. They explored the art of weaving history into compelling narratives, delving into the research that underpins their work and the challenges of crafting authentic voices from the past for those who have had no voice. This was one of the first events at which Tracy discussed her spellbinding new novel The Glassmaker, a richly-drawn tale of artisan craftsmanship, female perseverance, and the beauty of Venice. Philippa talked about her ground-breaking study, Normal Women, which takes women out of the footnotes and reassembles the history of women in England showing how their lives have changed over 900 years from 1066 to the present.


This is the second instalment of a three-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.


For £4.99 per month you'll also receive:


- Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts


- Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series


- 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events


...


Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99:


- Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts


- Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series


...


Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access.


...


Let us know your thoughts! Take a moment to fill in our Intelligence Squared Audience Survey and be in with the chance of winning a £50 Amazon gift card.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Up next
Yesterday
Classic Debate: Neville Chamberlain Did The Right Thing
If ever a politician got a bum rap it’s Neville Chamberlain. He has gone down in history as the British prime minster whose policy of appeasement in the 1930s allowed the Nazis to flourish unopposed. He has never been forgiven for ceding part of Czechoslovakia to Hitler in the Mu ... Show More
1h 6m
Jul 7
Are bureaucrats a force for good? With Michael Lewis and Gillian Tett (Part Two)
The concept of government is under attack. In the United States, Donald Trump has fired tens of thousands of federal workers; ignored congressional statutes; insulted judges; and allowed Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, access to sensitive government information in a slash-and ... Show More
40m 33s
Jul 5
Are bureaucrats a force for good? With Michael Lewis and Gillian Tett (Part One)
The concept of government is under attack. In the United States, Donald Trump has fired tens of thousands of federal workers; ignored congressional statutes; insulted judges; and allowed Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, access to sensitive government information in a slash-and ... Show More
40m 50s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 23
Shakespeare's Family: New Discoveries
Did the women in Shakespeare’s life—his wife, sister, and daughters—shape his story more than we realise? Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Matthew Steggle to hear how new digital tools and rediscovered manuscripts uncover surprising evidence about Shakespeare’s family ... Show More
40m 48s
Jun 2024
The REAL Bridgerton: Historians React To Season 3
*SPOILER ALERT: THIS EPISODE CONTAINS DETAILS OF SEASON 3 OF BRIDGERTON* With the second part of season 3 of Bridgerton dropping on Netflix in the last few days, Kate is joined by Catherine Curzon, author of Inside the World of Bridgerton: True Stories of Regency High Society, to ... Show More
44m 5s
Mar 2025
The Myth of Aspasia, Woman, Politician, Philosopher, Wh*re
Aspasia was an intelligent, independent and influential woman at the heart of Classical Athenian politics. She was also a sex worker. This is the instagram reel this episode is 'responding' to. Submit your question for the next Q&A via email or a voice note. Get ad-free episodes ... Show More
39m 44s
Sep 2024
Best Of: Marguerite Duras
This back to school season, we're bringing back some of our favorite Womanica episodes you might have missed. Today's Womanican is Marguerite Duras (1914-1996). She was a pioneer of autofiction and one of the most widely-read French writers in the postwar era. She specialized in ... Show More
8m 3s
Jun 2024
Gaining Ground by Joan Barfoot
Author Rose Ruane (This Is Yesterday, Birding) picks Gaining Ground AKA Abra (1978) by Canadian feminist writer Joan Barfoot. One day, seemingly on a whim, a woman walks out of her home and her marriage, forsaking her family for a life of near-solitude and self-sufficiency. Many ... Show More
1h 5m
Aug 2024
Life Lessons From Historical Women
When women's stories aren't being flat-out ignored from the history books, they can often be sidelined. Well not here! Joining Kate today is the comedian and author of Life Lessons from Historical Women, Eleanor Morton, to share some of her favourite stories of inspirational wome ... Show More
35m 48s
Jan 2024
The Binti Trilogy - Binti, Binti: Home, & Binti: The Night Masquerade
Binti is the first of her people to leave her home and receive an education off-planet. In this trilogy of novellas (love that format) we follow Binti, a member of the mysterious Himba people who keep to themselves and preach a strict adherence to culture. This theme of culture c ... Show More
1h 6m
Mar 2025
Aphra Behn: Revolutionary, Author, Spy
Aphra Behn was a true original. Not only was she the first woman to earn a living by writing, she was also a spy, a political propagandist and a revolutionary. Publicly she was all brash sexuality and outspoken politics, but what is known about the woman beneath? Professor Suzann ... Show More
40m 26s
Dec 2024
Edinburgh
How was Edinburgh transformed from an ancient defensive site on top of a volcanic crag into a major centre of power, faith, commerce, and learning? In this second of our two festive bonus episodes, travel writer and history buff Paul Bloomfield is joined by historian Rosemary Gor ... Show More
41m 47s
Sep 2024
Best Of: Maria Agnesi
This back to school season, we're bringing back some of our favorite Womanica episodes you might have missed. Today's Womanican is Maria Agnesi (1718-1799). She did groundbreaking work in the field of mathematics, creating a two-volume textbook that helped to shape math education ... Show More
7 m