Not Strictly History

Happy Halloween, Friends!! Welcome to our Spooky Holiday edition of Not Strictly History! And an extra special welcome to our second guest on the podcast - one of my dearest friends in the world: Quinn! We met 7 years ago on a study-abroad tour of England, Ireland, and Wales and have been fast friends ever since. She is hysterical, creative, and my very own resident Spooky Girl. Today we are sitting down to discuss Charlotte Bronte...

Welcome to the longest-ever episode of Not Strictly History and a story from history that absolutely deserves to be told again and again. This is the episode that I have been hinting at for several weeks now: I started researching this and things got heavy very quickly. Not only that, there are so MANY layers here. I wanted to do the story justice. So, after a lot of extra research and weeks of writing, here is the episode for you....

We've done it! We are here for Part 2 of the story of Joan of Arc. Last week we discussed Joan's incredible journey from her small village to eventually being instrumental in the coronation of her king. This week we talk about her trial, execution, eventual retrial and declaration of innocence, and what Joan's legacy means today. We'll dive into court proceedings and even read some of the transcripts from Joan's...

It would truly surprise me if you had gotten this far in your life without at least hearing the name Joan of Arc. But what do you know about the woman herself? Perhaps more than most, or maybe just her name, but this week, we're hopping in the Wayback to go to medieval France. In the first of a two-part story, we're going to learn about Joan of Arc the girl - her childhood, her family, her home village, the world she was bo...

It is officially Fall, everyone! And as such, Spooky Season is upon us! For the first time on Not Strictly History, we mix history with the paranormal. Travel with me to Eureka Springs, Arkansas - a beautiful area in the Ozark Mountains that has been known in traditional Native American legends as the location of a natural spring containing healing powers.

This town has seen many things, but one of them is the magnificent Crescent...

I am so excited to share today's episode with you that you can probably hear me screaming from where you are! Today, we are diving into the early history of the English language and the literary work that defines it - the Old English poem Beowulf.

Join me today as I explain the origins of English, dispel some of the myths associated with it, and share some of the deepest passions that stirred my history degrees. I cannot wait ...

If you have heard about the ancient Library of Alexandria, you probably think that we lost it in the blaze of a horrible fire. But what if that wasn't the whole story? What if the loss of this ancient and wonderful Library was actually much more complicated? Come with me this week as we explore the history of this incredible institution, the kings and scholars who created it, the academics who made it thrive, and the centuries ...

You've seen the movie. You know it. You love it. You've quoted it. "Nobody puts Baby in a corner." But have you overanalyzed "Dirty Dancing"? Have you thought about the little moments that add up to the many layers this love story contains?

Released in 1987, the film "Dirty Dancing" has been many things to many people over the years. Today we present our very first GUEST ON THE SHOW in a discu...

It is highly likely that you know something about the Boston Tea Party - whether you know quite a bit or whether you've only heard the event referred to. But whatever you do or do not know, this week we are deep diving into the Tea Party by exploring the people, the organizations, and the events that led up to it. Join me as we take a romp through Colonial America and discuss everything from taxes to paper to taverns to 92,000 ...

It is highly possible that many of you haven't heard of Billie Holiday. Known as "Lady Day" to close friends and family alike, Billie Holiday's intensely impactful career as a jazz musician spanned several decades and absolutely changed the face of music. Her name graces the walls of the Grammy Hall of Fame as well as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Her incredible voice and style continue to impact fans through th...

Have you ever read a book that you hated? Have you ever read a book you hated so much that it just stayed inside your brain and continued to ruin your life? Well, welcome to Season 2's first episode that is not strictly history! This week we are diving into a literary episode, talking about the book "The Buried Giant" - brought to you by Nobel Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro. Come with me as we discuss the ins and...

Here we are, friends! Back to finish Winnie the Pooh with more fun facts, more gushing about his friends, and even some dabbling in the Latin language! It is also the very last episode of Season 1. Which means we will be taking a break for a bit, but don’t worry! I’ll be back very soon with more history, more not strictly history, and more fun. In the meantime, keep listening to the episodes we have and DM me on Instagram at notstr...

Welcome to a brief history of The Pueblo Revolt! In 1680, Pueblo Native Americans in the Spanish province of New Mexico revolted against the Spanish settlers/officials in an effort to regain their freedoms and defend their way of life. This is the only successful Native American uprising against a colonizing power in North America! As such, it is something we should be talking about SO MUCH more. Thank you for being here, I can'...