Noteworthy News #2: My Favorite History Podcasts

 

This has been a very busy week and I haven't had a lot of time to read. I returned to school and teaching after two relaxing weeks off and it's been a whirlwind of activity. So needless to say my posts this week have been lacking. But that doesn't mean I'm not still going through searches for new books and new content. I'm currently reading about four different books and really need to narrow my focus for my next review. 

In thinking about adding to this idea of "noteworthy news" in the book/history world, I want to post about things I enjoy that might be of value to others who share my same interests. This week I kept coming back to podcasts. When I'm short on time and energy podcasts are my go to thing that keep me informed while not requiring too much of my time. I wrote a post on audiobooks and how they aren't my favorite way to read but sometimes I do cave and listen to them. But podcasts are short and very focused in content and if you listen to one episode it doesn't commit you to hours and hours of time like a book would. Also, I just love to read rather than listen to a book.

While I do listen to a lot of political podcasts, that isn't what my blog is ever going to be geared toward....but I wanted to list my favorite history podcasts and promote them because I would be lost without them and they are a huge guilty pleasure! I have so much admiration for the people who host them and all the work they put into informing me. 

So in no particular order here are my absolute favorite history podcasts and I hope you find something useful if you try one of them out. I have linked the host website with the pictures of the podcast. These are also ones that have lots of content and seem to be solid with factual information. 

1.THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND hosted by David Crowther

This was the first podcast I ever listened to and I learned so much in chronological order about England. Running from Ancient Roman times to present day, Crowther is still going strong and is currently in the 1600's time period. His website is fantastic with so many resources. Also, he is really funny, sometimes adding his adult children to the mix and having them act out certain moments in Shakespeare or reading historical documents. He can be sarcastic and keeps me laughing.

2.GONE MEDIEVAL hosted by Matt Lewis, Cat Jarman, and Eleanor Janega

This podcast is not chronological but rather topical. It is fun to scroll through the offerings and just pick a moment in history or a person I want to hear about. Each episode runs about 45 minutes on average and they pack a lot into that time. Each host has their own unique style and I have found some are more to my liking than others but all have spoken about some very interesting topics. For those of us that love history of the Medieval period, this show is amazing!

3.HISTORY OF THE CRUSADES  hosted by Sharyn Eastbaugh

I started listening to this podcast because I wanted to try a topic I knew absolutely nothing about. Eastbaugh does a fabulous job of starting with that idea in mind. She gives you a backstory and slowly fills in the relevant details so you understand how the Crusades began and why. I have listened to many episodes twice now and after finishing the whole show's content I have a wonderful grasp of the timeline of it all. It led me to so many great books and historical fiction about topics within the Crusader period. It is a fantastic show. 

4. REVOLUTIONS  hosted by Mike Duncan

This podcast is a little more serious and requires some concentration. Some background knowledge going in helps too. Duncan does assume you know nothing and fills in the gaps, but his style is more detailed and involves some deep thinking. So if you are looking to just zone out this isn't the one for you. However, if you really want to get to the root causes of how revolutions begin and develop you can't find a better place. Each episode is related to an overall country's revolution so it's like a mini-series on one particular area of the world before ending and moving on to another topic. I haven't listened to them all but picked the ones that I thought would be to my interest. They are arranged by seasons and topics too which helps to narrow things down and find what you want. Sadly, he posted his last episode on December 25, 2022. After nine years he is signing off to do new things. I'm glad we can still access them. He also hosted another podcast first, The History of Rome which I haven't tried yet. 

5. HISTORY HIT hosted by Dan Snow

Unfortunately, this podcast is not entirely free so I haven't been able to listen to everything I would like to. It is similar to Gone Medieval, which is connected with them.  But History Hit charges for some of their episodes. They have really great content though and I listen to the free stuff and the option is always there to pay for the things you'd really be interested in. It's a great show. There's also a free trial you can take advantage of and their website is chock full of great things to experience as well. 

6. THE CIVIL WAR  hosted by Rich and Tracy Youngdahl

This podcast is run by husband and wife team Rich and Tracy who live in Colorado. They are adorable and you can tell they love sharing their knowledge with the world together. I haven't listened in a long time but when I did I learned so much and really need to check back in and see if they've added anything recently. Tracy is from Arkansas and Rich is from Pennsylvania so they each bring their unique perspectives about the North and the South into the show. They also try to give the facts fairly and neutrally. Of course the topic of slavery is not glossed over, but they do a good job of trying to explain the thinking of the time and the causes of the war in detail so you come away with a solid understanding of the era. Highly recommended if you need to start from scratch learning about the Civil War. It covers the many years leading up to the war and each battle and all the political and social ramifications through Reconstruction. 

Secret of the Scarab by Isabella Bassett (Lady Caroline Murder Mysteries Book 5)

Publication Date: 

July 12, 2023

Length:

292 pages

Summary:

In this latest installment, Lady Caroline goes to Egypt with her Uncle Albert. Her role is more than niece, she is his companion and assistant as well. Along with members of the Royal Society for Natural Appreciation, they are planning a luxurious boat trip down the Nile to the city of Luxor where they will join in an exciting archaeological dig. Albert is a good natured, quirky sort who is obsessed with carved, stone beetles, as are all the members of the Royal Society, due to their revered status in Ancient Egyptian culture. Scarabs, or stone beetles, are plentiful and exciting finds to the men who are engaged in a contest of sorts to see who can obtain the most. 

As they ready for their adventure, Uncle Albert, who loves to wear fez hats, is anxious to meet the Egyptian maker of said hats in the marketplace of Cairo. When he and Caroline set out to find the hat maker, they are met with a bizarre encounter that holds danger and a mysterious note. All is tucked away in their minds as they embark on their journey and soon they forget about it as they make their way down the Nile.

On the boat ride they are joined by not only the Royal Society members but their assistants, other archaeologists, and an eccentric woman who dabbles in the supernatural realm. When one of the guests is attacked and killed by a crocodile on the banks of the river, everyone wants to believe it isn't a bad omen, but rather an unfortunate run of bad luck. As they move on to the site, strange events continue to confuse and plague the travelers and they begin to feel there is something more sinister going on. Exciting finds await them as they work to unveil the treasures of the dig area but it soon becomes clear that what has been uncovered is more than what anyone expected. When another "accidental death" occurs, Lady Caroline, Albert, and her love interest, James, try to find out what they are witnessing and put the puzzle together before anyone else is harmed. 

My Thoughts:

This was one of the better cozy mysteries. I find that the ones I stick with tend to feel more authentic, with plenty of details of the period. This book was wonderfully researched and I truly felt as though I'd been dropped in Luxor, Egypt in the 1920's. The author consistently stayed true to form throughout the book and didn't just give a little color in the first chapter and leave it at that. So many "historical" mysteries tend to do that. I learned a lot about scarabs, Egyptian culture, and the history of the story behind the treasure they uncover at the dig site. With some cozies I find myself wanting to skip through pages to get to the end because the period details, history, and mystery are wearing off and I can feel that there isn't much else to know. I read every page of this book and enjoyed it, not wanting to skip to the end. 

Lady Caroline occasionally spends a chapter musing through questions about the case and this was a good way to recap things because there really is a lot going on. I thought the author did a good job of keeping me guessing and even after one thing was resolved, the true ending hadn't been revealed yet. It had two endings to work through and the murderer was well hidden. I will be reading another by this author and am sorry I missed that her latest was a Christmas mystery that came out in November. I'm hoping she writes another one soon in another exotic location. 

Her website is very interesting with explanations of her research. I had a fun time reading her notes about how she studies for her books. If you are interested it is isabellabassett.com

Can't Wait Wednesday: Wolves of Winter by Dan Jones (Book Two Essex Dogs Trilogy)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring Wolves of Winter by Dan Jones. This is book two in his Essex Dogs Trilogy. I am looking for good historical fiction about the Hundred Years War between England and France and finding it difficult to come across. I am not a huge fan of books that are based solely on the battles of a certain time period but with this subject that is to be expected. Dan Jones is the author of many great books and his research is always solid and reliable. This might be one to try. I hope you have found a book you can't wait to read this week!

January 30, 2024

Medieval Historical Fiction/War Fiction

Description courtesy of Amazon books

The epic sequel to Essex Dogs, continuing the New York Times bestselling historian's trilogy of novels following the fortunes of ten ordinary soldiers during the Hundred Years' War.

1347. Bruised and bloodied by an epic battle at Crécy, six soldiers known as the Essex Dogs pick through the wreckage of the fighting—and their own lives.
 
Now a new siege is beginning, and the Dogs are sent to attack the soaring walls of Calais. King Edward has vowed no Englishman will leave France ‘til this city falls. To get home, they must survive a merciless winter in a lawless camp deadlier than any battlefield.
 
Obsessed with tracking down the vanished Captain, Loveday struggles to control his own men. Romford is haunted by the reappearance of a horrific figure from his past. And Scotsman is spiraling into a pit of drink, violence, and self-pity.
 
The Dogs are being torn apart—but this war is far from over. It won't be long before they lose more of their own.
 
From a vast siege camp built outside Calais' walls, to the pirate ships patrolling the harbor, and into the dark corners of oligarchs' houses, where the deals that shape—and end—lives are made, this captivating and darkly comic story brings the fourteenth century vividly to life.

Happy New Year 2024!

 

My blog is two years old today. I am excited that it is still going and that I still am excited enough to want to post each week. The book blog community has been so warm and supportive and I feel like I have gained wonderful, new online friends. My love of books has only grown even more and I have discovered amazing new authors and blogs to explore. 

I have a habit of wanting to change up my looks and colors and style on my blog every six months or so, but no time or desire to redo every previous post to match. So if things look a bit different starting today, well, it's just me trying something new and fun. 

I hope everyone has success in this new year and finds lots of great books to read. I plan on detailing my goals for my blog in the Top Ten Tuesday post for January 16 "Bookish Goals for 2024." For now, I will just say Happy New Year.....may all your dreams come true and may you be as blessed as I feel today :) 

Death On a Winter's Day by Verity Bright (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery Book 8)

 

Happy New Year's Eve 2023!

Publication Date: 

November 19, 2021

Length: 286 pages

Summary:

Lady Eleanor and the gang go to Scotland! I have enjoyed this series so much and love that I'm ending the year with this review. 

I had intended to do so much more on my blog in December but man it has been a heck of a month! Between teaching at an elementary school (where Christmas is intense!), to being sick twice with colds and sinus infections, to all the family obligations and celebrations I just haven't had much time to blog or read. But that's okay. I read when I could and read what I loved. And that's the point, right? So I'm happy to share my thoughts on this delightful cozy mystery. 

Lady Eleanor and her butler Clifford travel to Castle Ranburgh in the Scottish highlands to celebrate Christmas with friends, Baron and Baroness Ashley. And when extra staff is needed, the whole group gets to tag along: Mrs. Trotman, the cook, Mrs. Butters, the housekeeper, and Polly, the kitchen maid. Even Gladstone the bulldog gets to go as another guest of honor. Though the castle is a bit primitive and the festivities a bit hampered by infighting among the guests, Eleanor is determined to enjoy herself. When an obnoxious American, Eugene Randall ends up murdered during a party game, she realizes she is smack in the middle of another crime to solve. Everyone has motive, including the footman and the hosts.

When Baron Ashley is arrested for the murder, Eleanor knows she must try to help clear his name. But is she absolutely sure he's innocent? His wife seems to be adamant that he is and just for good measure she enlists her love interest, Inspector Hugh Seldon to help her with some of the evidence. She will have to work fast to find the real killer and all while trying not to be too distracted by her feelings for Seldon and her desire to honor his request that she stay safe and quit putting herself in harm's way.

My Thoughts:

Being partial to all things Scottish this was one of my favorites of the series so far. I loved everything about it. From the location, to the colorful characters, to the incorporation of Christmas traditions, and the new hints into Eleanor's background and her mysterious absent parents. 

The murder mystery was well done too and I only figured out half of the answer. The last couple of chapters with an intense chase scene were fun and exciting and I learned some things about sailing and the topography of the area they are in. 

The next in the series looks fun as it centers around the murder of a visiting member of the royal family. Looking forward to more adventures in 2024 with Eleanor, Clifford, and Gladstone.