Unhinged History

Latest Episodes:

Episode 67 | Blood Soaked Battle Angel May 02, 2024

Show notes

Grab a juice box and settle in. Theresa is telling the story of Nakano Takeko, her joshigun (women's army), and the battle at Aizu-Wakamatsu. Takeko leads this group of 20-30 trained female warriors, think samurai, into battle and shows everyone just what an alpha female looks like.
This episode pairs well with:
Yasuke, the Black Samurai
The saber saint Miyamoto Musashi

Episode 66 | Algorithms Favor Syphilis Apr 25, 2024

Show notes

Okay, some sets of stories are so delightfully unhinged they will be shared in public, without warning. These are two of those tales. Angie sets things off with the retelling of the Ghost Army, the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops from WWII. These men used inflatable tanks, set design, and everything theater instructors had ever taught to fool the Axis Powers.

Then Theresa tells the bizarre tale of Pope Pius II. She shares his spy mission, the dirty book he wrote (The Tale of Two Lovers), and how he funded Vlad the Impaler's campaign against Mehmed II.
This episode pairs well with:
Nancy Wake
Natalie Clifford Barney - American writer

Episode 65 | Wing-to-Wing Combat Apr 18, 2024

Show notes

This episode has it all. The plague. Trebuchets. WWII. Ducks. Theresa starts us off with a rollicking tale of how the Golden Horde allegedly flung their plague-ridden corpses into the city of Caffa around 1345–1347 because Khan Jani Beg had some big feelings about losing. Thank goodness Angie takes it upon herself to lighten the load, so to speak. She shares the story of Marine Sergeant Jack “Siwash” Cornelius, the duck that fought in several amphibious assaults in the Pacific Theater during WWII.
This episode pairs well with:
The Children Crusade of 1212
Sargent Stubby, the stray dog who served in WWI

Episode 64 | M’am This is a Library Apr 11, 2024

Show notes

Journey through the pages of medieval writing with Angie and Theresa as we learn about the Voynich Manuscript. Angie unpacks what we know about this unreadable text. She shares theories and touches on aliens. Yup. Aliens.
This episode pairs well with:
Battle of Hastings and Bayeux Tapestry

Episode 63 | Spicy Catholicism Apr 04, 2024

Show notes

Come for the myth of Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau. Stay for Theresa sharing the facts around what we really know about the Voudou Queen of New Orleans. If you're like us, the truth is far more compelling.
This episode pairs well with:
Julia Brown – the Voodoo Queen
The Tignon Law of 1876

Episode 62 | On the Old Google Mar 28, 2024

Show notes

This last week of Women's History Month hits hard. Theresa shares the story of Grunya Efimovna Sukhareva, the Russian researcher who discovered Autism decades before Hans Asperger. Angie makes Theresa cry when she shares the story of Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian-born woman to make it to space.
This episode pairs well with:
NASA Astronaut – Sally Ride
The Immortal Henrietta Lacks

Episode 61 | Putting Two and Ten Together Mar 21, 2024

Show notes

You know these two love a good WWII spy story. Theresa serves up the tale of Aline Griffith, the Princess Spy. She served the Allies during the war while based in Spain before marrying into a noble family.
Angie brings us all the way back to the California Gold Rush with the story of Eleanor Dumont, the French card player who earned the nickname "Madame Mustache" later in life.
This episode pairs well:
WWII Spy Nancy Wake
WWII Creator of the SOE Collin Gubbins
Stagecoach Mary

Episode 60 | Hypocryphal Mar 14, 2024

Show notes

Angie starts off strong telling the story of Margaret Skinnider. This strong woman had zero chill. She starts out as a school teacher and turns into a revolutionary in Ireland. She participates in the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin as a sniper.

Before we introduce Theresa's story, let's point out that she misspeaks and says, "Mexican-owned Canada" multiple times. She meant California. She's as sorry as she should be. Despite this glaring error, Theresa tells the story of Esther Short, the woman who found Vancouver, Washington.
This episode pairs well with:
"Mrs. Sherlock Holmes" Grace Quackenbos
Portland's Shanghai Tunnels
The Pig War

Episode 59 | Stage a Coup Like We Do Mar 07, 2024

Show notes

Get a fresh cup of coffee, drink it black, and strap in. Theresa starts us off by sharing the tale of Queen Lili'uokalani, the first and last queen of Hawaii.
Angie comes in hot with the tale of a lesser-known aviatrix, Beryl Markham. This woman does it all, including two princes.
This episode pairs well with:
Abigail Kawānanakoa – the last Hawaiian princess
Aviatrix – Bessie Coleman
Aviatrix – Kathrine Sui Fun Cheung

Episode 58 | If Muumuus Could Monarch Feb 29, 2024

Show notes

Join us as Angie kicks off Women's History Month with an absolute doozy. Kick your feet up and listen to the story of Georgia's Queen Tamar. This absolute badass lived from c. 1160 – 18 January 1213 and was their first queen to rule in her own right.
This episode pairs well with:
That pope who wrote a dirty book and funded Vlad the Impaler

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected