Revisionist History

Revisionist History

Revisionist History is Malcolm Gladwell's journey through the overlooked and the misunderstood. Every episode re-examines something from the past—an event, a person, an idea, even a song—and asks whether we got it right the first time. From Pushkin Industries. Because sometimes the past deserves a second chance. To get early access to ad-free episodes and extra content, subscribe to Pushkin+ in Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus. iHeartMedia is the exclusive podcast partner of Pushkin Industries.

Episodes

June 3, 2016 3 mins

Coming soon, a new podcast series from bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell.

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In the late 19th century, a painting titled The Roll Call, by a virtually unknown artist, took England by storm. But after that brilliant first effort, the artist all but disappeared. Why? And what does The Roll Call tell us about the fate of those first through the door?

To learn more about the topics covered in this episode, visit www.RevisionistHistory.com

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June 22, 2016 41 mins

In the early 1960s the Pentagon set up a top-secret research project in an old villa in downtown Saigon. The task? To interview captured North Vietnamese soldiers and guerrillas in order to measure the effect of relentless U.S. bombing on their morale. Yet despite a wealth of great data, even the leaders of the study couldn’t agree on what it meant.

To learn more about the topics covered in this episode, visit www.RevisionistHistor...

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June 29, 2016 35 mins

Wilt Chamberlain’s brilliant career was marred by one, deeply inexplicable decision: He chose a shooting technique that made him one of the worst foul shooters in basketball—even though he had tried a better alternative. Why do smart people do dumb things?

To learn more about the topics covered in this episode, visit www.RevisionistHistory.com

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July 6, 2016 33 mins

Of the tens of thousands of talented, low-income students who graduate from high school every year in the United States, most never make it to universities appropriate to their gifts. America leaves an enormous amount of talent on the table every year. “Carlos Doesn’t Remember” explains why.

To learn more about the topics covered in this episode, visit www.RevisionistHistory.com

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July 13, 2016 30 mins

Bowdoin College and Vassar College are two elite private schools that compete for the same students. But one of those schools is trying hard to address the problem of rich and poor in American society—and paying a high price. The other is making that problem worse—and reaping rewards as a result.

To learn more about the topics covered in this episode, visit www.RevisionistHistory.com

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July 20, 2016 39 mins

In the early ’90s, Hank Rowan gave $100 million to a tiny public university in Glassboro, New Jersey: not Harvard, not Yale, not even to his alma mater, MIT. What was Rowan thinking? And why has it proven so difficult for other philanthropists to follow his lead?

To learn more about the topics covered in this episode, visit www.RevisionistHistory.com

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July 27, 2016 36 mins

How does genius emerge? An exploration of different types of innovation—through the lens of Elvis Costello’s extraordinary song “Deportee,” once utterly forgettable and then, through time and iteration, a work of beauty and genius.

If you're looking to go deeper into the subjects on Revisionist History, visit Malcolm's collection on iBooks at http://www.apple.co/MalcolmGladwell -- iBooks will update the page every week with new rec...

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August 3, 2016 37 mins

In the summer and fall of 2009, hundreds of Toyota owners came forward with an alarming allegation: Their cars were suddenly and uncontrollably accelerating. Toyota was forced to recall 10 million vehicles, pay a fine of more than $1 billion, and settle countless lawsuits. The consensus was that there was something badly wrong with the world’s most popular cars. Except that there wasn’t. What happens when hysteria overtakes common ...

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August 10, 2016 32 mins

A 98-year-old minister takes on his church over the subject of gay marriage—and teaches the rest of us what it means to stand up in protest.

To learn more about the topics covered in this episode, visit www.RevisionistHistory.com

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August 17, 2016 36 mins

In the political turmoil of mid-1990s Britain, a brilliant young comic named Harry Enfield set out to satirize the ideology and politics of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. His parodies became famous. He wrote and performed a vicious sendup of the typical Thatcherite nouveau riche buffoon. People loved it. And what happened? Exactly the opposite of what Enfield hoped would happen. In an age dominated by political comedy, “The Sati...

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From bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell, season two of Revisionist History launches June 15th.

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June 15, 2017 34 mins

Rich people and their addiction to golf: a philosophical investigation.

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June 22, 2017 39 mins

What happens when a terrorist has a change of heart?

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A landmark Supreme Court case. A civil rights revolution. Why has everyone forgotten what happened next?

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July 6, 2017 34 mins

“Oh, Mac. What did you do?”

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July 13, 2017 34 mins

The friendship that changed the course of World War II.

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July 20, 2017 41 mins

Why country music makes you cry, and rock and roll doesn’t: A musical interpretation of divided America.

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July 27, 2017 31 mins

“Nobody was interested in justice.”

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August 3, 2017 35 mins

Arrested, arraigned, indicted, tried, convicted, and sentenced to die in the electric chair in 24 hours.

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