We Are History
Angela Barnes and John O'Farrell
The less-than-serious history podcast with stand up comedian Angela Barnes (The News Quiz, Mock The Week and Live at The Apollo) and writer John O'Farrell (An Utterly Impartial History of Britain, Things Can Only Get Better, Spitting Image). In each podcast our two history nerds discuss, explain and laugh at interesting and quirky episodes from the olden days, such as East German Nudism, Spy Pigeons or Vlad the Impaler. Angela and John’s in-depth knowledge of world history has been described as ‘laughable’ - and now they read the history books so that you don't have to. The We Are History podcast - not as world-changing as the Black Death, but slightly funnier.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 12, 2020 • 51min
Ireland 1916 - the Easter Rising
How a suicidal plan to try and overthrow the British Empire in the middle of a world war was always doomed to failure, and yet somehow did the job. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Oct 5, 2020 • 58min
Watergate
How a 1970s burglary and the clumsy cover up brought the American Presidency to an all-time low. (Until now). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 28, 2020 • 41min
The Origins of Homo Sapiens
Explore the fascinating journey of Homo sapiens from their early ancestry to the emergence of bipedalism. Discover how tools and fire fueled brain expansion, and the intriguing relationship with Neanderthals, including interbreeding myths. Delve into the Cognitive Revolution, showcasing how shared myths enabled cooperation among large groups. Uncover our species' migrations, the impact on megafauna, and what it means to be Homo sapiens in the grand timeline of the universe.
Jul 20, 2020 • 54min
Eurovision
That's enough plague and war - for the last show of the series we talk about the really serious stuff - the history of the Eurovision Song Contest. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jul 13, 2020 • 54min
Kim Il Sung and the creation of North Korea
How the cult of the Kim family turned North Korea into a dynastic Communist dictatorship, where public displays of love for the leader are compulsory and laughing at his haircut is not recommended. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jul 6, 2020 • 46min
Harold Moody and the League of Coloured Peoples
How one Jamaican man living in Peckham in the 1930s set about fighting institutional racism, when only the entire British Empire depended on it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 28, 2020 • 47min
Stonehenge
Why was Stonehenge built? Who worshiped there and why did they stop? (Answer; No one knows, so this is a very short episode.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 22, 2020 • 58min
Tulip Fever - Amsterdam 1637; the first financial crash?
How tulips from Amsterdam became the first get-rich-quick scheme, until it turned out that the early Dutch capitalists had invented the financial crash. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 15, 2020 • 53min
Railway Mania
How the railways meant that after thousands of years being stuck in the same village, the British could suddenly go anywhere and everywhere - until one day tragedy struck; leaves on the line at Didcot Parkway. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 8, 2020 • 1h 1min
Able Archer '83 - the Almost Nuclear Apocalypse
How all out nuclear war was nearly launched in 1983 and Ronald Reagan said 'Oh well, it's not the end of the world.' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
