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"Axelbank Reports History and Today: Conversations with America’s top non-fiction authors and why their books matter right now" approaches our past and present in a way that makes anyone want to listen. National-award winning TV news reporter Evan Axelbank interviews writers of history and current events to explore how America works and how it has been shaped by both the powerful and the powerless. In conversational and engaging fashion, listeners learn about the most important events, theme ...
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#137: Scott Shane - "Flee North: A Forgotten Hero and the Fight for Freedom in Slavery's Borderland"
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An early architect of what became the Underground Railroad was a former slave named Thomas Smallwood. Never heard of him? You're not alone. Former New York Times and Baltimore Sun correspondent and author Scott Shane wants to change that. His book, "Flee North: A Forgotten Hero and the Fight for Freedom in Slavery's Borderland," describes how Small…
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#136: J. Randy Taraborrelli - "Jackie: Public, Private, Secret"
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Jackie Kennedy's life has almost always been told through the lens of her husband and in-laws. But in, "Jackie: Public, Private, Secret," J. Randy Taraborrelli explains for the first time how her own family paved the way for her to break new ground as First Lady, craft her husband's legacy, enter publishing, and lead a life shrouded in as much noto…
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#135: Adam Lazarus - "The Wingmen: The Unlikely, Unusual, Unbreakable Friendship Between John Glenn and Ted Williams"
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As another baseball season winds down, check out this episode with historian Adam Lazarus, who shows us how Ted Williams was drafted into the military during the Korean War. The unexpected drafting of the baseball mega-star led to his friendship with John Glenn, who was looking for a partner with whom to take flight. Their friendship spanned many d…
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#134: Colin Dickey - "Under the Eye of Power: How Fear of Secret Societies Shapes American Democracy"
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From the illuminati to the freemasons to the Kennedy assassination, Dr. Colin Dickey shows how conspiracy theories and American government aren't running on parallel tracks. Rather, he argues in his new book, "Under the Eye of Power: How Fear of Secret Societies Shapes American Democracy," our system of government has always worked hand-in-hand wit…
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Professor Paul Moses takes us on a tour of progressive-era New York City as he explores the life - and death - of famed detective Giuseppe Petrosino. He shows how a hit carried out in Italy in 1909 reverberated through the New York Police Department and led other Italian-American detectives to form the "Italian Squad," in an effort to not only snuf…
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#132: Laurence Jurdem - "The Rough Rider and the Professor"
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Their friendship is considered one of the most important in American history. Professor Laurence Jurdem argues in "The Rough Rider and the Professor" that if Henry Cabot Lodge had not taken political upstart Teddy Roosevelt under his wing, it's unlikely he ever would have become president. Jurdem pored over thousands of letters between the two men,…
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#131: Richard Norton Smith - "An Ordinary Man: The Surprising Life and Historic Presidency of Gerald R. Ford"
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Far from being a historical asterisk, an accidental president, or a mere bridge between Nixon's failed presidency and the coming Reagan Revolution, Richard Norton Smith argues that Gerald Ford's life and administration must be understood in order to weigh the last decades of the 20th Century. From a broken home in Michigan to the world's most famou…
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#130: John Wood Sweet - "The Sewing Girl's Tale"
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At one point in American history, no woman had charged a "gentleman" with rape. That all changed when Lanah Sawyer, a seventeen-year-old seamstress was attacked by a member of New York City's high society. Against all odds - and expectations - Sawyer went to court against the rapist, twice, and forever changed the way the legal system would conside…
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#129: Matthew Clavin - "Symbols of Freedom"
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In Dr. Matthew Clavin's new book, "Symbols of Freedom: Slavery and Resistance Before the Civil War," he shows how slaves adopted America's signature documents, songs and rallying cries as their own. From the National Anthem, to July 4th, to the phrase, "Give me liberty or give me death," enslaved Americans seized on symbols some cited as evidence t…
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#128: Jean Pfaelzer - "California: A Slave State"
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In 1850, in exchange for allowing the potential of slavery in New Mexico and Utah, California was admitted to the Union as its 31st state. A free state. The land of beaches, beautiful scenery, bridges and Hollywood. But even to today, Dr. Pfaelzer argues California has not been fully free. While we may not imagine plantation slavery there the way w…
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In contemporary political discourse, the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. have often been reduced to a snappy soundbite articulating his "Dream" of seeing his children judged, "not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." In his new biography of King, Jonathan Eig uses tons of new sources, including memoirs and recordi…
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#126: Bob Kealing - "Good Day Sunshine State"
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The biggest-selling musical act of all time isn't necessarily well-known for the time they spent in Florida, but Bob Kealing says they should be. The Beatles stopped in Florida just after their world-changing appearance on the "Ed Sullivan Show," and were exposed to a magical side of America. The Beatles soaked up Miami's beaches, bikinis and sunsh…
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How did a suicide help lead to the downfall of one of the most corrupt government officials in American history? In his new book, "Crooked: The Roaring Twenties Tale of a Corrupt Attorney General, A Crusading Senator and the Birth of the American Political Scandal," Nathan Masters describes how Harry Daugherty went too far to protect his friends an…
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#124: Helene Stapinski & Bonnie Siegler - "The American Way"
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What do Marilyn Monroe, Superman and... Jules Schulback have him common? Helene Stapinski and Bonnie Siegler say Bonnie's grandfather and the two pop culture icons combine to tell an essential story of the 20th Century in the United States. Jules was walking in Manhattan when he happened upon Marilyn as she filmed the iconic scene for, "The Seven Y…
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#123: Alex Prud'homme - "Dinner with the President"
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Famed television host Anthony Bourdain said, "Nothing is more political than food." In Alex Prud'homme's book, "Dinner with the President: Food, Politics and a History of Breaking Bread at the White House," shows how presidents and First Ladies have used food to craft public policy, play politics and even alter the course of the presidency. Prud'ho…
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In, "Comet Madness: How the 1910 Return of Halley's Comet Almost Destroyed Civilization," Dr. Richard Goodrich shows how science and society collided in sometimes deadly fashion. He explores how the media and those eager to make a quick buck exacerbated fears over what would happen when the comet became visible from Earth's atmosphere. He explains …
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#121: Christopher Gorham - "The Confidante"
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Every president, every leader, needs someone who they can trust. Who will tell them what is really happening, as opposed to telling them what they want to hear? In short, they need a confidante. Anna Rosenberg was one of the assistants whom FDR kept closest, not only in terms of policy, but as a friend. However, most biographies on FDR have largely…
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Abraham Lincoln could never have become president if he didn't win over the stalwarts of his own party. But as the 1860 Republican convention neared, he was barely considered an also-ran. The conventional wisdom held that William H. Seward of Auburn, NY would become the nominee. But as big players in the new political party descended on Chicago, a …
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One of the hallmarks of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s is that its leaders preached non-violence. Dr. Martin Luther King said non-violence is the "absolute commitment to the way of love." But by 1966, after several legislative victories that established the right to vote and banned discrimination in places of public accommodation, young Bla…
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#118: Gautam Mukunda - "Picking Presidents: How to Make the Most Consequential Decision in the World"
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When you vote for president, Gautam Mukunda says you are making the most important decision in the world. With the power presidents wield over the US and the world, picking the wrong person can bring disaster - or wonderful things - to billions of people. On this episode, Gautam Mukunda explains how we can spot candidates that will do well in offic…
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#117: Kate Andersen Brower - "Elizabeth Taylor: The Grit and Glamour of an Icon"
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There are four women who shaped the 20th Century: Queen Elizabeth II, Jacqueline Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor. In the first biography of the hard-nosed, beautiful, iconic movie star that draws on Taylor's massive trove of personal correspondence and photographs, best-selling author Kate Andersen Brower explains how Taylor evolved fr…
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One of the biggest myths in the history of human discovery is that the idea of a spherical earth is new. In fact, it is the opposite. The incorrect idea that the world is flat is what's new. In this discussion with Daily Beast reporter Kelly Weill, we discuss her book, "Off the Edge: Flat Earthers, Conspiracy Culture, and Why People Will Believe An…
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#115: Lindsay Chervinsky - Mourning the Presidents
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When a president dies, it often feels as though a piece of the nation is gone with them. Americans are often witness to days of memorial services, eulogies, processions and burial ceremonies. But as Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky and Dr. Matthew Costello argue in their co-edited book, "Mourning the Presidents: Loss and Legacy in American Culture," the way …
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#114: David Marchick - "The Peaceful Transfer of Power"
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For decades, it was a given in American news media and political leadership that those who held power, upon the selection of new leaders, would give up their positions. Until 2020, the American presidency had an unbroken string of over 225 years of transferring power peacefully. Despite personality or political party, the outgoing president always …
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In "The Aftermath: The Last Days of the Baby Boom and the Future of Power in America," Washington Post correspondent Philip Bump explains how America's largest generation became America itself. Their considerable demands on schools, infrastructure, culture and communication defined the second half of the twentieth century, and set up a generational…
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#112: Stacy Schiff - "The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams"
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If you Google "Samuel Adams," the first result that pops up is about beer. Centuries after Thomas Jefferson called Adams, "the man" of the Revolution, Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Stacy Schiff reclaims the history of perhaps the key force behind American independence. In "The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams," she explains how Adams built a shadow …
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#111: Adam Mendelsohn - "Jewish Soldiers in the Civil War"
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Until now, the story of Jews who served in the Civil War has been incomplete. Dr. Adam Mendelsohn's book aims to showcase their contributions and sacrifices while explaining how their time in the Civil War differed from that of other soldiers. From rations that were not kosher, to lack of opportunity to fully celebrate holidays, to relatively few c…
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Why does exercise come with an outfit, a soundtrack, a gimmick and a social media post? In her book, "Fit Nation: The Gains and Pains of America's Exercise Obsession," scholar and fitness coach Dr. Natalia Petrzela explains the history behind exercise, the inequalities the fitness industry has created, and how America has been shaped by the social …
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#109: Neal Gabler - "Against The Wind: Ted Kennedy and the Rise of Conservatism"
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Biographer Neal Gabler argues Ted Kennedy's life can be divided into two sections. The first is when Kennedy catches the tide of liberalism and used that momentum to advance liberal policy goals. And the second is when he pushes against the prevailing feeling that the government should no longer protect the New Deal as stringently as before. Gabler…
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In this episode, historian Keri Leigh Merritt explores how a pandemic exacerbated simmering inequalities in American society to produce mass death at an unprecedented scale. The book she co-edited with Rhae Lynn Barnes and Yohuru Williams, "After Life: A Collective History of Loss and Redemption in Pandemic America," is a collection of essays where…
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#107: Andrew Rice - "The Year that Broke America"
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In his book, "The Year that Broke America," Andrew Rice doesn't just argue that the year 2000 changed things, he argued that it broke everything. From the presidential election, to the seeds of the 9/11 plot, to Elian Gonzalez to reality TV, he explains how a confluence of unfortunate incidents led America down a path from which it has never recove…
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#106: Jeremi Suri - "Civil War by Other Means"
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In this episode, Dr. Jeremi Suri explains how the Civil War was only the most violent part of the attempt to subvert American democracy by southern states. During the late 1860s until the 1890s, he explains how southern politicians, white supremacists and Confederate veterans stopped Black Americans from participating in public life. In his book, "…
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#105: Stephen Knott - "Coming to Terms with John F. Kennedy"
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There are few presidents as highly regarded and as misunderstood as John F. Kennedy. The horrific death of the 35th president froze him in time, allowing his legacy to be crafted by those who wished to see him lionized, while squeezing out the critique all presidents must face in order for the nation to learn from their successes and failures. In "…
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The car is the ultimate two-sided coin. It takes you where you want to go, but it pollutes. You're outside, but trapped inside. It's easier than walking or biking, but MUCH more expensive. And the history of it is loaded with incredible technological advancements, but it brought mass death to our society. In his book, "The Car: The Machine that Mad…
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#103: Carole Adrienne - "Healing a Divided Nation"
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The beginning of the movie "Lincoln" shows a horrific battle scene, where men in blue and gray are locked in hand to hand combat. There are fists, spears and guns. The division and the brutality are apparent, as soldiers discard the humanity of their opponents. Some of them died on the battlefield. We have certainly spent our fair share of time hon…
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#102: Paul Fischer - "The Man Who Invented Motion Pictures"
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The next time you watch a movie, give credit where credit is due. No, it wasn't Thomas Edison who invented movie cameras, it was a now-forgotten fellow named Louis Le Prince. Only two years after he designed his groundbreaking camera and filmed the "Roundhay Garden Scene" (which can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAiYFEHI9o8), he dis…
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Many attempts have been made to understand the insurrection at the Capitol Building. But to fully grasp what happened January 6th, 2021, to see how Donald Trump incited a mob that temporarily stopped the counting of electoral votes, chief New York Times White House correspondent Peter Baker argues we must grapple with all four years of the Trump ad…
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We made it to a hundred episodes! Our celebration features a discussion between four hobbyists who have taken their passion for history to a whole new level. Listen as host Evan Axelbank chats with Alicya Asai of the podcast "Civics and Coffee," Jeremy Anderberg of the newsletter "What to Read Next," and Steve Floyd of the website "Best Presidentia…
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#99: Cody Keenan: "Grace: President Obama and Ten Days in the Battle for America"
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The president of the United States stood at the podium, faced members of a Black church who had just lost nine parishioners in a racist attack, and offered comfort, not only with words, but with silence. After twelve seconds, Barack Obama sang the hymn that had been a comfort in moments of crisis for generations. Amazing Grace. In his new book, "Gr…
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#98: Kostya Kennedy - "True: The Four Seasons of Jackie Robinson"
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Jackie Robinson's #42 is the only number retired across Major League Baseball, as his contributions to baseball and to American society can hardly be calculated. As Kostya Kennedy describes in his book, "True: The Four Seasons of Jackie Robinson," he became a hero to generations of Americans thanks to his stoic, determined and thoughtful approach t…
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On this episode, we talk with veteran journalist James Kirchick about his new book, "Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washington." He explains how government officials who were gay became the focus of investigations, campaigns to out them, and even lost everything. He shows how Washington attracted gay men and women who hoped to serve their c…
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#96: Leah Sottile - "When the Moon Turns to Blood"
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In her new book, "When the Moon Turns to Blood: Lori Vallow, Chad Daybell and a Story of Murder, Wild Faith and End Times," Leah Sottile describes how a history of belief in the supernatural can be deadly. Although the story of how Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell allegedly killed their children is not too far into the past, the history of religion, mi…
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In his book, "Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution," Dr. Eric Jay Dolin explains how a previously unheralded force, independent boat captains, played a crucial role in helping the colonists win the Revolutionary War. He explains how they captured British ships, upset shipping routes, upset their financial system and contributed to…
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#94: Justin Tinsley - "It Was All a Dream"
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On all our gravestones, there will be a date of birth, a dash, and a date of death. The dash (-) will represent the entirety of our lives. In his new book, "It Was All a Dream: Biggie and the World that Made Him," Justin Tinsley argues that the life of Notorious BIG is important for every American to understand because "the world that made him" is …
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#93: Natalie Jacobson - "Natalie Jacobson Reporting"
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Who ARE the newsmakers who we see on TV or the web? What makes them tick? Who are they when they aren't running for office, starring in Hollywood or battling criminals in court? In this episode, we talk with legendary Boston anchor Natalie Jacobson about the technique she used to document Boston's newsmakers over her four-decade career as a journal…
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It has become cliche to say that the roots of modern New York City can be found in the 1970s. But in his book, "Manhattan Phoenix: The Great Fire of 1835 and the Emergence of Modern New York," Daniel Levy argues that the leveling of 700 buildings in lower Manhattan is truly the key moment. The fire devastated lower Manhattan, left thousands homeles…
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#91: Marc Lamont Hill and Todd Brewster - "Seen and Unseen"
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If George Floyd had been killed by police in almost any other era of American history, before we all carried high definition cameras in our pocket, there's a good chance the perpetrator would have escaped justice. In "Seen and Unseen: Technology, Social Media and the Fight for Racial Justice," BET news anchor Dr. Marc Lamont Hill and longtime repor…
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#90: Mark Arsenault - "The Imposter's War"
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During the 2016 presidential election, we got an up-close look at how a foreign nation can influence domestic politics. US intelligence has found that Russia worked to spread disinformation, poison social media and steal documents. But that was not the first time America has been manipulated by a foreign power. In the run up to World War I, Boston …
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#89: Philip Dray - "A Lynching at Port Jervis"
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Lynching is often and understandably thought of as a southern problem. But Philip Dray's new book, "A Lynching at Port Jervis: Race and Reckoning in the Gilded Age," explores the only lynching that occurred in New York State between 1882 and 1899. He explains why northerners must come to grips with not only the violent incident that happened in the…
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What does it mean to be white in America? What does it mean to be Black? Is it merely the color of our skin? How does the history of how different races have been treated by the law and by fellow Americans weigh on those labels? What would it be like to straddle both worlds? In "White Lies: The Double Life of Walter F. White and America's Darkest S…
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