Histories Of The Unexpected

This is second episode in our new micro history series - where we take an historic subject and try to demonstrate how it has a history in just 15-20 minutes!! And without just talking at supersonic speed. Think of it as the historicaI equivalent of speed chess or speed dating. In this second foray into historical brevity the histories of the unexpected duo of James Daybell and Sam Willis tackle the artistic subject of TATTOOS, which is inspired by their book on the Romans. Taking that as their starting place, the boys tackle topics of slavery, imperial power, civilisation and barbarians, before tackling the subjects of John Dee, dreams, alchemy and empire, as well as exploration, Christian missionaries in the nineteenth century, the legal history of skin, cultural sovereignty, imperialism and secret cultural survival. Who knew?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this BONUS episode, the Histories of the Unexpected buddies, James and Sam, renew their explorations in the archives to investigate further the wonderfully pleasant expected history of FRIENDSHIP! Which is all about childhood memories, oral history and essays, pals battalions and WWI, Francis Bacon and Cicero, friendship albums at the British Library, as well as relations between nations and the Yalta Conference of 1945! Who knew!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, make their way through the archives to investigate the wonderfully pleasant expected history of FRIENDSHIP! Which is all about Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie and friendship at first sight; it's about diary-writing, letter-writing and the history of emotions, as well as bereavement, falling in love; it's about Francis Bacon, Cicero and political; as well as Penal Laws and the Catholics in eighteenth-century Ireland, and of course it's also all about the history of cycling clubs! Of course it is!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is the launch of a new challenge! We’ve enjoyed so much our recent lengthier explorations of unexpected subjects in which one topic runs over two podcasts, such is the depth of our research! Nonetheless it raises the important question of whether or not we could do a micro history - take an historic subject and try to demonstrate how it has a history in just 15-20 minutes!! And without just talking at supersonic speed. In this first foray into historical brevity the histories of the unexpected duo of James Daybell and Sam Willis tackle the spine-tingling subject of CANNIBALISM, which is inspired by their book on the Tudors. Taking that as their starting place, the boys tackle topics including Shakespearean Theatre (with images cannibalism in Much Ado About Nothing, Coriolanus, The Tempest, and the Merchant of Venice), Michel de Montaigne's essay 'Of the Caniballes', travel to the New World, as well as Tudor medicine and eating 'mummy flesh'. We then look at a voyage made in 1884 by four men, who set

In this BONUS episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, continue their rampage through the past on their question to uncover the unexpected history of LOSERS!  Which is all about The Wall Street Crash and the Great Depression, the American Dream, rugged individualism, and the concept of being unsuccessful (bankrupts, defeats, third-raters, good-for-nothings, flunkies, wastes-of-space, old bogies, loafers, has-been, failures and no-hopers), credit ratings, statues, commemoration, Black Lives Matter, Confederates and White Supremacy, and Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman; it’s also all about WW2, oral history and radical history, hidden voices, and history from below.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, scour the archives to uncover the unexpected history of LOSERS!  Which is all about Donald Trump and the 2020 US Presidential Election, it’s about democracy, Jim Carey and Ace Ventura Pet Detective, Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, George H. W. Bush, John McCain, Etiquette in Defeat, Homer’s Iliad, Charles Dickens, workhouses and Oliver Twist, Presidential Concession Speeches (including Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Al Gore, Hillary Clinton, honour in defeat, prisoners of war, the surrender at Yorktown, US War of Independence and General Cornwallis  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this BONUS episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, re-hatch the unexpected history of MAGGOTS!  Which is all about the American Civil War, Ancient and modern medicine, dangerous Sardinian delicacies, the circle of life, forgetful mothers-in-law and Amazonian plane crashes!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, hatch the unexpected history of MAGGOTS!  Which is all about the American Civil War, Ancient and modern medicine, dangerous Sardinian delicacies, the circle of life, forgetful mothers-in-law and Amazonian plane crashes!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this BONUS episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, return to get their hands dirty once more by exploring the unexpected history of INK! Which is all about elections and fraud, Ancient China, the personality of US Presidents, spies and the Cold War and who could forget Renaissance letter-writing!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, get their hands dirty exploring the unexpected history of INK! Which is all about elections and fraud, Ancient China, the personality of US Presidents, spies and the Cold War and who could forget Renaissance letter-writing!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this BONUS episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, reopen the medical textbooks of the past and diagnose the unexpected history of PATIENTS!  Which is all about history from below, smells and noises, introspection, Samuel Pepys, Charles Darwin, architecture and Dr Chapman's spinal ice-bags.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, open up the medical textbooks of the past and diagnose the unexpected history of PATIENTS!  Which is all about history from below, smells and noises, introspection, Samuel Pepys, Charles Darwin, architecture and Dr Chapman's spinal ice-bags.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this bonus episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, once again clear their throats and continue to spitball about the unexpected history of SALIVA! Which is all about all about civilisation, politeness and Norbert Elias, chewing tobacco, tuberculosis, truth-telling, protecting from evil, women’s political movements, Charles Dickens and childhood beliefs and superstitions.!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, clear their throats and spitball on the unexpected history of SALIVA! Which is all about all about civilisation, politeness and Norbert Elias, chewing tobacco, tuberculosis, truth-telling, protecting from evil, women’s political movements, Charles Dickens and childhood beliefs and superstitions.!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this bonus episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, continue to get inside the unexpected history of HEADS! Which is all about politics, regicide, technology, ghost stories, wooden naval vessels, Anne Boleyn and Washington Irving!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, get inside the unexpected history of HEADS! Which is all about politics, regicide, technology, ghost stories, wooden naval vessels, Anne Boleyn and Washington Irving!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this BONUS episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, re-climb the majestic heights of the unexpected history of MOUNTAINS! Which is all about freedom, prejudice, vendetta, elephants, the New Deal, female travel writers and the absence of history!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, climb the majestic heights of the unexpected history of MOUNTAINS! Which is all about freedom, prejudice, vendetta, elephants, the New Deal, female travel writers and the absence of history!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode BONUS EPISODE, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, tackle the rib-ticklingly fascinating subject of the history of LAUGHTER! Which is all about the Reformation, class differences, foreigners, poverty, politeness, awkwardness, the Tudor court, madness and breaking wind in front of Queen Elizabeth I!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, the Histories of the Unexpected duo, James and Sam, tackle the rib-ticklingly fascinating subject of the history of LAUGHTER! Which is all about the Reformation, class differences, foreigners, poverty, politeness, awkwardness, the Tudor court, madness and breaking wind in front of Queen Elizabeth I!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.