The Preamble

Latest Episodes:

Everything You Want to Know About the Federal Reserve with Jeanna Smialek Mar 01, 2023

Show notes

Today on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon welcomes New York Times Federal Reserve reporter Jeanna Smialek. Let’s face it, the Federal Reserve (not a prison), is a public-private partnership that’s a little hard to understand. What’s its history? Why do they make the decisions they make–like to raise interest rates–and how do those decisions impact our economy? How much power do they have over financial policy? Jeanna answers these questions with easy-to-understand explanations.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Edith Wilson: the Seat of Untold Power with Rebecca Boggs Roberts Feb 27, 2023

Show notes

Historian Rebecca Boggs Roberts joins Sharon on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting to talk about her upcoming book, Untold Power. Long time listeners are no strangers to the lives of First Ladies, and today we talk about Edith Wilson, who was so much more than just her husband’s wife. When she met Woodrow Wilson, she was an independent, fashionable small business owner, and she had no plans to stand in the shadows.

Thank you to our guest, Rebecca Boggs Roberts.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Rebecca Boggs Roberts

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Researcher: Valerie Hoback

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An Assassin in Utopia with Susan Wels Feb 24, 2023

Show notes

Joining Sharon on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting is Susan Wels, whose new true crime book, An Assassin in Utopia, proves that real life really is stranger than fiction. Stay tuned as we dive into the intimacies of the utopian Oneida cult community–its famous members, its principles, and the unthinkable murder that tarnished its reputation… but not its silverware.

Please note that this episode contains mature content and may not be suitable for young children.

Thank you to our guest, Susan Wels.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Susan Wels

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Researcher: Valerie Hoback

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I Saw Death Coming by Kidada Williams Feb 22, 2023

Show notes

On today’s episode of Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon welcomes guest Dr. Kidada Williams, author of the book, I Saw Death Coming. Dr. Williams shares her expertise on a complex period of U.S. history that's regularly distilled down to its simplest policy highlights: Reconstruction. She digs further, and speaks to the daily challenges and realities of the Reconstruction Era for Black Americans.

Thank you to our guest, Kidada Williams.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Kidada Williams

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Researcher: Valerie Hoback

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Building the Support Network for Sex Trafficking Survivors with Kat Wehunt Feb 20, 2023

Show notes

Today on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon talks with fellow Jefferson Award Recipient, Kat Wehunt. Kat is a leading voice in bringing awareness to the human trafficking movement. A survivor, Kat shares facts about human trafficking that may surprise you. Her non-profit, The Formation Project, serves as a community-centered organization for survivors of trafficking, providing them with support, understanding, and empowerment.

Please note that this episode contains mature content and is not suitable for young children.

Thank you to our guest, Kat Wehunt, Founder of The Formation Project

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Kat Wehunt

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Researcher: Valerie Hoback

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Women Won WWII: A New Era Unfolds Feb 17, 2023

Show notes

Before we wrap up our series on how Women Won World War II, we need to talk about what happened next. It was the question on everyone’s mind in the summer of 1945. The Axis Powers had been defeated, soldiers were on their way home, and the destruction from the war had devastated countless cities across Europe. In America, citizens wondered, “What happens now?”

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Sharon McMahon, Valerie Hoback, and Amy Watkin

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Women Won WWII: With a Flash and a Rumble Feb 15, 2023

Show notes

For 3 years, scientists in secret cities around the U.S. had been in a race against time to complete the world’s first atomic weapon. And in July of 1945, the very first plutonium bomb was ready. Constructing “The Gadget” as it was called, had taken 2 billion dollars and the collective work of 400,000 people. It was ready to be tested. And it needed to work. Join us to hear more about the infamous Trinity test, and what followed for our women scientists who finally had a clearer picture about the work they had been doing.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Sharon McMahon, Valerie Hoback, and Amy Watkin

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Women Won WWII: Caught by the Enemy Feb 13, 2023

Show notes

Today, in our documentary series, How Women Won WWII, we learn about WWII's most decorated spy: a woman whose spirit and determination in the face of danger is unparalleled. Born in France, Odette Sansom joined Britain's SOE and used her unassuming, motherly demeanor to successfully grow the resistance network throughout the French countryside. But the work was perilous, and the Nazis closed in on Odette and her team. Tune in to learn her survival story.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Sharon McMahon, Valerie Hoback, and Amy Watkin

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Women Won WWII: The Confidante, Anna Rosenberg Feb 10, 2023

Show notes

On today's episode, we hear from author Christopher Gorham, whose new book, The Confidante, is the first-ever biography written about one of the United State's most powerful women: Anna Rosenberg. Join us as Christopher and Sharon share about Anna's life and contributions to the modern shaping of our American Government.

Thank you to our guest, Christopher C. Gorham. Preorder The Confidante: The Untold Story of the Woman Who Helped Win WWII and Shape Modern America, out Feb 21st.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Christopher C. Gorham

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Sharon McMahon, Valerie Hoback, and Amy Watkin

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Women Won WWII: AABBA and the Art of Codebreaking Feb 08, 2023

Show notes

Today on Here's Where It Gets Interesting, let's break some secret wartime codes. Shakespeare and Al Capone. What could possibly be a link between these two men who were born centuries apart? A master codebreaker named Elizebeth Smith Friedman. If her name doesn’t sound familiar, there’s a reason for that. Even though she is one of the pioneers of cryptanalysis, very few people knew about her war-changing contributions until after her files were declassified in 2008.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Sharon McMahon, Valerie Hoback, and Amy Watkin

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.