Reckoning with Jason Herbert

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Episode 205: Freedom's Ghosts: Ben Vereen & Amethyst Davis on The Grey House and the Meaning of Juneteenth Jun 19, 2026

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Episode Description

As America prepares to commemorate Juneteenth, Jason Herbert sits down with legendary actor Ben Vereen and breakout star Amethyst Davis for a powerful conversation about The Grey House—the Civil War-era drama that explores freedom, resistance, and the unfinished legacy of slavery. Drawing on their experiences bringing the series to life, Vereen and Davis reflect on portraying Black Americans during Reconstruction, the importance of telling stories that many would rather forget, and why history remains a battleground today.

The conversation moves beyond filmmaking to explore Black liberation, historical memory, women's leadership during the Underground Railroad, and the resilience that carried generations through slavery and beyond. Vereen shares why America still needs "another slave story," while Davis discusses portraying an educated, formerly enslaved Black heroine whose intelligence and courage challenge long-held stereotypes. Together, they reflect on filming in Romania, working with director Roland Joffé, the emotional weight of key scenes, and why Juneteenth should become a day for families to gather and honor their ancestors.

This is more than a conversation about television—it's a discussion about why history matters, why these stories must continue to be told, and how remembering the past offers hope for the future.

Episode 204: Water, Power, and the Future of the American West: Deep Time on Mono Lake with Robert Marks Jun 09, 2026

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What can a salty desert lake in Eastern California teach us about climate change, Indigenous history, migration, and the future of the American West? On this episode of Reckoning with Jason Herbert, historian Bob Marks joins Jason to discuss his new book, Deep Time in the Mono Lake Basin, and the remarkable 10,000-year environmental history of Mono Lake Basin.

From the ancient world of the Northern Paiute and migrating Wilson’s phalaropes to the rise of Los Angeles water politics and the ecological battles that inspired comparisons to Chinatown, this conversation explores how humans transformed one of North America’s most unique ecosystems. Along the way, Jason and Bob discuss deep time, environmental history, Western water wars, Indigenous knowledge, climate resilience, the Great Basin, Mono Lake’s famous alkali flies, and why saline lakes may hold clues to our environmental future.

If you enjoy environmental history, the American West, climate history, Indigenous history, or conversations in the spirit of Dan Flores and Donald Worster, this episode is for you.

Episode 203: Pressure with Colin Colbourn and Todd Arrington Jun 04, 2026

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D-Day is one of the most studied military operations in history. But what if the fate of the Allied invasion hinged not on generals, tanks, or landing craft—but on a weather forecast?

In this episode of Reckoning with Jason Herbert, Jason is joined by historians Todd Arrington and Dr. Colin Colbourn to discuss the new film Pressure, starring Brendan Fraser as General Dwight D. Eisenhower and Andrew Scott as meteorologist James Stagg. Together they explore the extraordinary decisions made in the days before June 6, 1944, when uncertain forecasts, competing personalities, and the weight of history converged on a single choice: whether to launch Operation Overlord.

The conversation examines Eisenhower's leadership under immense strain, the often-overlooked role of meteorology in World War II, the disastrous rehearsal known as Exercise Tiger, and the complex relationships among Allied commanders such as Bernard Montgomery. Along the way, the panel weighs in on the film's historical accuracy, its performances, and why Pressure succeeds by telling a familiar story from an entirely unexpected angle.

If you've ever wondered how close D-Day came to being postponed—or how something as unpredictable as the weather helped shape the course of the twentieth century—this is an episode you won't want to miss.

Topics discussed:

The true story behind the film Pressure
Dwight Eisenhower and the burden of command
James Stagg and the weather forecast that changed history
Exercise Tiger and the hidden costs of preparing for D-Day
Bernard Montgomery, Allied politics, and coalition warfare
The role of weather in World War II operations
Historical accuracy versus cinematic storytelling
Brendan Fraser, Andrew Scott, and Damian Lewis on screen

Episode 202: World War II in Alaska: Alaska Native Resilience, Relocation, and Resistance with Holly Guise Jun 01, 2026

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World War II reached far beyond the beaches of Normandy and the islands of the Pacific. It also came to Alaska, where Indigenous communities found themselves on the front lines of invasion, military occupation, and forced relocation.

In this episode of Reckoning with Jason Herbert, historian Holly Miowak Guise discusses her groundbreaking book Alaska Native Resilience: Voices from World War II. Drawing on more than 90 oral history interviews with Alaska Native elders, Guise reveals how Alaska Native communities experienced the Aleutian Campaign, wartime relocation camps, segregation, military service, and the ongoing realities of colonialism in America's far north.

Together, we explore the Japanese invasion of the Aleutian Islands, the forced evacuation of Indigenous communities, Alaska Native military service, the power of oral history, and the ways Native peoples resisted, adapted, and rebuilt their communities in the aftermath of war.

This conversation challenges familiar narratives of the "Good War" and offers a powerful reminder that some of the most important stories of World War II remain largely unknown.

Episode 201: The Theater of War: James Verini on Mariupol, Putin, and Ukraine’s Fight for Survival May 27, 2026

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What happened at the Mariupol Drama Theater — and what does it reveal about the larger war between Russia and Ukraine?

In this episode of Reckoning with Jason Herbert, historian Jason Herbert sits down with acclaimed journalist and author James Verini to discuss his powerful new book, The Theater, an intimate account of the bombing of the Mariupol Drama Theater during Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Together, they explore the siege of Mariupol, the human cost of modern warfare, and the terrifying role propaganda plays in shaping reality during conflict. The conversation moves beyond headlines into the deeper history of Russian imperialism, the contested identity of the Donbas, the rise of Ukrainian nationalism, and why Vladimir Putin’s war may ultimately have forged a stronger Ukrainian nation than ever before.

Jason and James also discuss:

Why the bombing of the theater became a defining atrocity of the war
Russian propaganda and the global information war
The historical roots of the conflict going back to the Crimean War
Volodymyr Zelensky’s transformation during the invasion
NATO, the United States, and the future of global democracy
Whether Putin can survive politically if Russia loses the war
Why Ukraine’s fight resonates far beyond Eastern Europe

Part war reporting, part historical reckoning, and part meditation on democracy itself, this episode examines one of the most consequential conflicts of the twenty-first century — and the people trapped inside it.

Episode 200: How Beer Changed the World | Jeffrey Pilcher on History, Capitalism, and Craft Brewing May 21, 2026

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Historian and food studies scholar Jeffrey Pilcher joins Reckoning with Jason Herbert to explore the surprising global history of beer and how one of humanity’s oldest drinks became a worldwide commodity. Drawing from his new book Hopped Up: How Travel, Trade, and Taste Made Beer a Global Commodity, Pilcher traces beer’s journey from ancient brewing traditions to modern craft breweries, revealing how beer shaped—and was shaped by—capitalism, industrialization, migration, empire, advertising, and working-class culture.

In this episode, we discuss the origins of brewing in the ancient world, the rise of lager and Pilsner in Central Europe, German immigration and American beer culture, the globalization of brands like Heineken and Corona, and the explosion of craft brewing in the United States. Along the way, we dive into Czech beer halls, IPAs, bourbon barrel stouts, the politics of drinking, and why beer has always been about more than what’s in the glass.

If you love history, food culture, globalization, craft beer, or simply a great conversation about the human need for community and connection, this episode is for you.

Episode 199: First in War, Last of His Kind: H.W. Brands on George Washington May 14, 2026

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What made George Washington more than a Founding Father? In this episode of Reckoning with Jason Herbert, historian H. W. Brands joins Jason to explore the man behind the marble statue—soldier, strategist, slaveholder, revolutionary, and reluctant president.

Drawing from Brands’ new biography of Washington, the conversation dives deep into the personality and contradictions of America’s first president. Together, they examine Washington’s rise during the French and Indian War, his leadership during the American Revolution, the brutal realities of Valley Forge, and the immense pressure of holding the Continental Army together when independence seemed impossible.

But this episode goes beyond battlefield mythology. Jason and Brands explore Washington’s carefully crafted public image, his obsession with reputation and character, his complicated relationship with slavery, and the enormous influence he had on later American leaders like Ulysses S. Grant and Dwight D. Eisenhower. They also tackle a larger question: why does Washington still loom so large in American memory 250 years later?

From the halls of the Constitutional Convention to the frozen encampment at Valley Forge, this is a conversation about leadership, war, power, masculinity, and the creation of the United States itself.

Perfect for fans of American history, the Revolutionary War, presidential biography, and the complicated legacy of the Founding Fathers.

Episode 198: Honor, Fear, and the Green Knight: Matt Gabriele on Arthurian Myth and Medieval Masculinity May 07, 2026

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What does The Green Knight reveal about masculinity, honor, fear, and the strange world of medieval storytelling?

In this episode of Reckoning with Jason Herbert, historian and medievalist Matt Gabriele joins Jason for a deep dive into David Lowery’s haunting adaptation of the Arthurian legend Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Together, they unpack the film’s rich symbolism, eerie atmosphere, and surprisingly human portrayal of knighthood in the Middle Ages.

From Dev Patel’s unforgettable performance as Gawain to the mythology surrounding King Arthur, the conversation explores how medieval people understood honor, courage, religion, violence, and destiny. Jason and Matt discuss the real history behind Arthurian legends, the meaning of chivalry, the role of Christianity and folklore in medieval Europe, and why The Green Knight may be one of the most honest medieval films ever made.

Along the way, they tackle medieval masculinity, race in the medieval world, storytelling traditions, and the enduring power of myth in modern culture. Plus: bourbon, bad decisions, Monty Python, and why every historian secretly wants to talk about talking foxes and giants.

If you love medieval history, Arthurian lore, fantasy films, mythology, or thoughtful movie analysis, this episode is for you.

Topics Include:

The Green Knight explained
King Arthur and the origins of Arthurian legend
Medieval masculinity and chivalry
Dev Patel as Gawain
Religion and magic in the Middle Ages
Medieval storytelling and folklore
Race and diversity in medieval Europe
Why The Green Knight feels so different from other medieval films
The real meaning of honor and oathkeeping

Episode 197: Soylent Green Explained: Eco-Dystopia, Climate Anxiety, and the 1970s That Still Haunt Us May 01, 2026

Show notes

What if our most famous environmental dystopias reveal as much about fear and ideology as they do about the future?

In this episode of Reckoning with Jason Herbert, I sit down with film scholar Matthew Thompson, author of On Life Support, to unpack the haunting world of Soylent Green—and the larger tradition of eco-dystopian cinema that emerged in the 1970s.

We explore how films like Soylent Green, Planet of the Apes, and Silent Running channeled the anxieties of the early environmental movement, from overpopulation and pollution to resource scarcity and class inequality. Drawing on the influence of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, we examine how these films translated real-world fears into unforgettable cinematic visions.

But this conversation goes deeper. Thompson argues that beneath their ecological warnings, these films often carry troubling assumptions—about population control, class, and who gets to survive. From the legacy of The Population Bomb to the shocking logic behind Soylent Green’s infamous twist, we ask: what do these stories really say about environmental politics—then and now?

We also connect the 1970s to today’s resurgence of eco-dystopian storytelling, from Snowpiercer to Don’t Look Up, and consider what modern climate anxiety reveals about our own moment.

This is a conversation about film, history, and the uneasy truths lurking beneath our visions of the future.

Episode 196: Linford Fisher on the Hidden History of Indigenous Slavery in America Apr 27, 2026

Show notes

What if American slavery didn’t begin in 1619?

In this episode, historian Linford Fisher joins me to discuss Stealing America: The Hidden Story of Indigenous Slavery in US History and the overlooked history of Indigenous enslavement.

We explore how Native slavery shaped early America—from the Pequot War and Yamasee War to land theft, westward expansion, and boarding schools—and why this history still matters today.

A powerful rethink of American origins—and the stories we’ve been missing.

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