Can't Make This Up - TopPodcast.com

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Chicago’s Great Fire with Carl Smith Feb 03, 2021

Show notes

You have likely heard the story before: "Mrs. O'Leary's cow knocked over a lantern and started the Great Chicago Fire." While the Great Fire was a real disaster that occurred in October, 1871, we remember it much like a quaint American folk tale. To add a little clarity to this famous event, I am joined by Carl Smith, Emeritus Professor of History, English, and American Studies at Northwestern University, to talk about his recent book, "Chicago's Great Fire: The Destruction and Resurrection of an Iconic American City." During our time together, Carl and I discuss what made Chicago one of America's largest cities in the 19th century, the status of fire safety in urban areas at the time, the tragic events that unfolded over a three day period in 1871, and how Chicago's resolve led to the city being resurrected.

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On Her Own Ground with A’Lelia Bundles Jan 12, 2021

Show notes

Today I speak with A'Lelia Bundles about her book On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam CJ Walker

In 1867, Sarah Breedlove was the first in her family to be born into freedom after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation had abolished slavery four years earlier. It is doubtful that any of her family could have guessed the remarkable course her life would take. Sarah came of age working as a domestic servant and a washerwoman. But she had far grander dreams and was determined her young daughter would receive a formal education. So she became an entrepreneur and developed her own haircare product. Ultimately, she became Madam C.J. Walker, owner of a successful company that employed thousands of women, a philanthropist, a social activist, and the first woman to become a millionaire.

Today, I am joined by Madam C.J. Walker's biographer and great-great-granddaughter, A'Lelia Bundles to discuss her book, "On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker." Before becoming a historian, A'Lelia had a 30-year career in journalism as an Emmy Award-winning producer for ABC News and NBC News. "On her Own Ground" has received numerous awards since its publication in 2001 and was adapted into the 4-part fictionalized miniseries by Netflix in 2020 titled "Self-Made" starring Octavia Spencer. Today, A'Lelia and I discuss what made her great-great-grandmother such a successful businesswoman, how she engaged with her contemporaries in the emerging civil rights movement like Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. DuBois, and Ida B. Wells, and how her legacy is remembered today.

For more information about A'Lelia Bundles' research visit: www.aleliabundles.com and www.madamcjwalker.com

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Tombstone with Tom Clavin Jan 05, 2021

Show notes

There is something about the Old West that calls to the American heart. There is something about life on the wild frontier that is still compelling a century and a half later. Maybe its all the Louis L'Amour novels and Clint Eastwood movies that romanticize the cowboy era in popular culture.

One legendary town that has become synonymous with the Old West is Tombstone. My guest today is bestselling author Tom Clavin who joins me talk about his book "Tombstone: The Earp Brothers, Doc Holliday, and the Vendetta Ride from Hell." Today Tom and I unpack the story of a frontier boomtown that is so much more than its famous shootout at the O.K. Corral. We discuss the first settlement of Arizona Territory, the lives of the Earp Brothers and Doc Holliday, what frontier law looked like, and how Tombstone was caught up in the transition from the chaotic Old West to the more orderly New West.

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First Principles with Thomas E. Ricks Dec 23, 2020

Show notes

After what has definitely become an election for the history books, ideas like the peaceful transfer of power, the Constitution, democracy, voting rights, representation, and the separation of powers are on everyone's minds. These are the fundamentals that form our government and they were placed there by our nation's Founders. Well, where did the Founders get these ideas? What books were they reading? What were they thinking about? What were they discussing amongst themselves as they decided to forge a new country?

My guest today has immersed himself in the intellectual world of the late 18th century in order to think long and hard about these questions. Thomas E. Ricks was a journalist for twenty years during which time his reporting won two Pulitzer Prizes. Tom joins me to discuss his new, timely book, "First Principles: What America's Founders Learned from the Greeks and Roman and How That Shaped Our Country." Tom and I discuss how George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison were well versed in the political and philosophical ideas of the Ancient Greece and Rome and built those concepts into the framework of the American government.

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High Tension with John A. Riggs Dec 17, 2020

Show notes

Take a look at the nearest lightbulb. Odds are that light will keep on shining until you flip the switch. Electricity is something we take totally for granted today, but as soon as that power goes out, everything about our modern society grinds to a screeching halt. Some listeners may even remember the infamous 2003 Blackout that left most of New England without electricity for six hours on a 90-degree day in August.

Have you ever thought about where your electricity came from? Sure, it comes from the "grid," but where did the grid come from? Today, my guest and I discuss how the nation became electrified. John Riggs studied history at Swarthmore College before beginning a 30 year career working on energy policy in Washington, D.C. His brand new book "High Tension: FDR's Battle to Power America" is an engrossing tale about how President Franklin D. Roosevelt made it his mission to reform an electrical system that benefited less than half the country and was dominated by a few incredibly powerful monopolies. John and I discuss the first wave of electrification in the late 19th century, FDR's efforts to pass legislation to regulate power holding companies, and the Roosevelt administration's New Deal electricity programs like the Tennessee Valley Authority and Rural Electrification Administration.

For more information on John's research, visit his website - www.hightensionfdrbook.com

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Daring, Devious & Deadly with Dean Jobb Nov 19, 2020

Show notes

One of the easternmost provinces of Canada, Nova Scotia is a pleasant and scenic place to visit today. But it has a colorful and sometimes checkered history. From bank robbers who used P.T. Barnum's circus as a diversion to voters who went to the polls brandishing clubs and pistols to the world's largest manmade explosion until the testing of the atomic bomb, Nova Scotia's history is filled with unbelievable yet true tales.

In this episode, I am joined by a returning friend of the podcast, Dean Jobb. Dean is a professor of journalism and a member of the faculty of the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Nonfiction Program at the University of King's College in Halifax. He has an enduring interest in true crime and has written several books on the subject. Dean joins me again to discuss his latest book, "Daring, Devious & Deadly: True Tales of Crime and Justice from Nova Scotia's Past," which is a collection of 15 remarkable true crime stories.

Want to listen to Dean Jobb's first appearance on the podcast? Check out "Empire of Deception with Dean Jobb" from February 2019.

Want to listen to new episodes a week earlier and get exclusive bonus content? Consider becoming a supporter of the podcast on Patreon!

Like the podcast? Please subscribe and leave a review! Follow @CMTUHistory on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & TikTok

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The Greatest Beer Run Ever with Chick Donohue Nov 13, 2020

Show notes

At the height of the Vietnam War in 1967, former marine John "Chick" Donohue decided to take on the most extraordinary mission. Chick and other members of his New York neighborhood had watched months of antiwar protests sweep the country and decided to do something about it. Someone at the local bar said, "Our boys over there deserve a beer to let them know we care about them." Chick agreed and within a week he was on a ship bound for Vietnam.

Chick, now a 79 year-old veteran, joins me to discuss his new book "The Greatest Beer Run Ever: A Memoir of Friendship, Loyalty, and War" about his epic journey through war torn Vietnam to track down the guys from his neighborhood and hand them a beer. Not only was Chick's mission nearly an impossible one from the outset, getting out of the country as the Vietcong launched the infamous Tet Offense would prove to be even harder. This is history you really can't make up!

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Hidden Habits of Genius with Craig Wright, PhD Oct 07, 2020

Show notes

What makes a genius? Perhaps someone who can memorize endless facts or sees the world in an entirely original way. Who are some people you would consider to be a genius? Perhaps Leonardo DaVinci, Mary Shelley, or Albert Einstein. Are geniuses born or are they made?

These are all questions my guest today has given considerable thought to. Craig Wright is Professor Emeritus of Music at Yale University, and during his professorship he developed a course called Exploring the Nature of Genius that has become quite popular among Yale's undergraduates. He has distilled his research for that course into his new book, "The Hidden Habits of Genius: Beyond Talent, IQ, and Grit - Unlocking the Secrets of Greatness." In this episode, Craig and I discuss exactly what a genius even is, explore some common misconceptions of genius, and talk about some notable geniuses throughout history.

Want to listen to new episodes a week earlier and get exclusive bonus content? Consider becoming a supporter of the podcast on Patreon!

Like the podcast? Please subscribe and leave a review! Follow @CMTUHistory on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & TikTok

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A Furious Sky with Eric Jay Dolin Aug 13, 2020

Show notes

With the end of summer comes the arrival of hurricane season for the southern United States and East Coast. Today, we await their arrival through radar and satellite imagery, watch their ferocity on television, and expect the government to assist with their clean up. All of these things are relatively new in the long history of hurricanes.

Today, I am joined by historian Eric Jay Dolin to discuss the history behind hurricanes and our ever-changing efforts to understand them. Eric is the bestselling author of numerous books and a returning guest on the podcast, and in this episode he is going to talk to us about his newest book "A Furious Sky: The Five-Hundred Year History of America's Hurricanes." He and I will discuss some of the earliest encounters with hurricanes in the New World, the early scientists who studied them, and some of the most notable hurricanes to strike the United States.

Want to listen to new episodes a week earlier and get exclusive bonus content? Consider becoming a supporter of the podcast on Patreon!

Like the podcast? Please subscribe and leave a review! Follow @CMTUHistory on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & TikTok

--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cmtuhistory/support

Hunting Whitey with Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge Jul 21, 2020

Show notes

James Joseph "Whitey" Bulger Jr. is one of the most infamous organized crime leaders in modern American history. As leader of Boston's Winter Hill Gang, Bulger would eventually earn a place at #1 on the FBI's Most Wanted List. Bulger went on the run in 1994 and became a ghost for the law enforcement agencies tasked with finding him.

Today, I am joined by bestselling authors Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge to talk about their new book, Hunting Whitey: The Inside Story of the Capture and Killing of America's Most Wanted Crime Boss. Casey and Dave both have backgrounds in journalism and have developed a dynamic partnership writing about topics related to the Boston area. In today's true crime episode, the three of us discuss Whitey Bulger's criminal career, his 16 years spent as a fugitive, and the breaks in the case that ultimately led to Bulger's arrest in 2011.

Want to listen to new episodes a week earlier and get exclusive bonus content? Consider becoming a supporter of the podcast on Patreon!

Like the podcast? Please subscribe and leave a review! Follow @CMTUHistory on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & TikTok

--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cmtuhistory/support

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