EP33 Sledgehammer and Big Shot

Dan has an extended and completely unplanned conversation with TV and podcast host Mike Rowe about jobs, history, media, politics and the current zeitgeist. 

Dan talks with writer, broadcaster and journalist Zeinab Badawi about the ancient African kingdom of Kush and her book on African history. 

This show could also have been called “Violent Reflections” as Dan repurposes old work he did on the revolutionary era of the late 1960s. This is NOT a deep HH-style look at the period, but is instead a brief gaze at a potential “Past is Prologue” moment. 

Nelson is one of the most well-known historical figures from British history. His leadership of the British fleet to victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, and his death in the same battle, rendered him a national hero for generations. However, Nelson was also embroiled in a ... Show More

Simon de Montfort's body was horribly mutilated and dismembered after his defeat at 1265's fateful Battle of Evesham, during the Second Barons' War. The medieval rebel leader's head and testicles were sent to the wife of one of his killers, while his butchered hands and feet were ... Show More

Sophie asks for a story about a child. So, on the 100th anniversary of the ending of the First World War, we learn about brave Boy Cornwell, who fought in that war and was the youngest winner of the Victoria Cross.  

Today, I'm proud to be joined by Sir Nicholas Young. Nick is the son of British Major, Leslie Young and the former executive of the British Red Cross. In this episode, we discuss the remarkable war story of his father.Support the show and visit our sponsor www.legacy-collectibles ... Show More

In today’s long read, we’re bringing you a story of extravagant lies, homemade bombs and adrenaline-pumped commandos, as historian Joshua Levine charts the formative years of the SAS through the exploits of four extraordinary servicemen – Mick Gurmin, Jock Lewes, Mike Sadler and ... Show More

Jesse Owens spent the rest of his life retelling the story of the 1936 games and his encounter with Luz Long. We trace the evolution of a tall tale, discovering the hidden life of one of America’s iconic sports heroes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

In the western nave of Westminster Abbey, nestled between illustrious tombs and beneath a slab of black Belgian marble, lies the body of an unidentified soldier of the First World War. He is remembered as the Unknown Warrior, a symbol of the half a million Commonwealth servicemen ... Show More

For nearly half a century, the United States and Russia stood as adversaries, entrenched in a tense geopolitical rivalry known as the Cold War. Yet this period represents only a brief chapter in the broader, more complex history of their relationship...In this episode, Professor ... Show More

Nazi Germany had finally been defeated. And, for 24 hours, Britons could let their hair down and celebrate. But not everyone was in the mood to party. As 2025 marks the 80th anniversary, John Willis tells the story of VE Day via the experiences of ordinary Britons who lived throu ... Show More

Argentina. The story of a gaunt, hawkish man who earned the nickname “the Hitler of the Pampa”. A man whose awkward bearing belied his capacity for cruelty. A dictator who literally stole the children of his prisoners. In 1925, Jorge Rafael Videla is born into a country at a cros ... Show More