For the Ages: A History Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Exercise of Power: American Failures, Successes, and a New Path Forward in the Post-Cold War World Sep 26, 2022

Show notes

How has global perception of the United States shifted since the end of the Cold War? Once seen as a dominant international leader, the country’s reputation has evolved into that of a disorganized entity, seemingly unwilling to accept the mantle of leadership. In an insightful discussion with David M. Rubenstein, bestselling author and former secretary of defense Robert M. Gates uses his firsthand knowledge to uncover how this transformation unfolded, how political leaders have wielded American power, and how future leaders can rise to the challenges to come.
Recorded on September 18, 2020

Robert E. Lee: A Life Sep 19, 2022

Show notes

In a tale ranging from Lee’s wealthy but scandal-ridden upbringing in Virginia to his long career in the U.S. Army, award-winning historian Allen C. Guelzo takes a hard look at Lee’s character, including his deceptively genteel demeanor and corrosive insecurities. Discover what led Lee to the treasonous fight for slavery that continues to sow division in American society today.
Recorded on March 30, 2022

A Conversation with Eric Foner Sep 12, 2022

Show notes

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Eric Foner discusses his illustrious career, including his work on American icons such as Thomas Paine and Abraham Lincoln. In a wide-ranging conversation moderated by David M. Rubenstein, Eric Foner covers his substantial scholarship on the Civil War, slavery, and 19th-century America.
Recorded April 13, 2017

A Conversation with Louise Mirrer Jun 27, 2022

Show notes

The New-York Historical Society, New York’s first museum, has been a great destination for history since 1804. David M. Rubenstein speaks with New-York Historical’s President and CEO Louise Mirrer about her life and career, as well as the past, present, and future of the institution.
Recorded on February 18, 2022

How to Lead: Wisdom from the World’s Greatest CEOs, Founders, and Game Changers Jun 20, 2022

Show notes

What are the qualities of a great leader? For the past five years, David Rubenstein has spoken with some of the world’s most distinguished visionaries in government, finance, technology, and beyond. In a discussion with historian Douglas Brinkley, Rubenstein reveals what he has learned in his conversations with influential history-makers such as Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Warren Buffett, and others.
Recorded on September 22, 2020

Never Caught: The Washingtons’ Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge Jun 13, 2022

Show notes

In May of 1796, 22-year-old Ona Judge escaped enslavement from the household of the most powerful man in the United States: George Washington. Soon thereafter she became the subject of an intense manhunt led by Washington himself. In a discussion that spans her scholarship on slavery, racial injustice, and gender inequality, Erica Armstrong Dunbar explores the incredible story of this courageous young woman who defied the man who had brought freedom to some, but not all, who lived in the United States.
Recorded January 7, 2021.

Three Days at the Brink: FDR’s Daring Gamble to Win World War II Jun 06, 2022

Show notes

Bestselling author and Fox News Channel anchor Bret Baier, in conversation with David M. Rubenstein, illuminates the complex character of Franklin D. Roosevelt through three essential days in Tehran, Iran during November of 1943. Roosevelt, alongside Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin, met in secret for the first time to chart a strategy for defeating Hitler, and made essential decisions that would direct the final years of the war and its aftermath.
Recorded June 4, 2021

His Very Best: Jimmy Carter, a Life May 23, 2022

Show notes

Jimmy Carter’s term as America’s 39th president has drawn both censure and celebration, resulting in a complex presidential legacy. Drawing on new archival material and five years of extensive access to Carter and his entire family, author Jonathan Alter traces Carter’s journey growing up during the Depression in the Jim Crow South to the governorship of Georgia, the Oval Office, and finally to his receiving the Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work and outspokenness on international conflicts.
Recorded November 20, 2020

The Cause: The American Revolution and Its Discontents, 1773–1783 May 16, 2022

Show notes

Award-winning author and historian Joseph J. Ellis, in conversation with David M. Rubenstein, sheds new light on the War for American Independence. Focusing on 1773 to 1783, Ellis illuminates how the nation’s founders—including George Washington and John Adams, among others—prudently but imperfectly established a new republic.
Recorded June 11, 2021

Abraham Lincoln in His Times May 09, 2022

Show notes

Few historical figures are as revered as Abraham Lincoln. From humble beginnings, Lincoln’s enduring desire for self-improvement and extraordinary ability to strike a balance between opposing forces led him to become one of the most consequential figures of the 19th century. Prize-winning author and historian David S. Reynolds illuminates the forces that shaped Lincoln and how our nation’s 16th president rose to the unprecedented challenges of the time.
Recorded April 30, 2021