Half-Arsed History
Riley Knight
Half-Arsed History's first book, History's Strangest Deaths, is now available: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.htmlWelcome along to Half-Arsed History! It's a weekly podcast highlighting absurd and entertaining stories from history. Three times a week, it helps host Riley Knight feel as though his useless history degree has some kind of real-world relevance.Get in touch: halfarsedhistory@gmail.comSupport the show on Patreon: https://patreon.com/halfarsedhistorySubscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/halfarsedhistoryBuy Half-Arsed History merch: https://halfarsedhistory.theprintbar.comIf you've just discovered the show and aren't sure which of the 350+ episodes to start with, here are some suggestions:Episode 139: The History of the Toilet - https://sptfy.com/PK3J • https://apple.co/3Giftt3Episode 75: The Great Emu War - https://sptfy.com/PK3K • https://apple.co/4jKCvr7Episode 197: The History of Nuclear Weapons - https://sptfy.com/PK3L • https://apple.co/4jygYlcEpisode 233: The 1930 FIFA World Cup - https://sptfy.com/PK3M • https://apple.co/4iltL9PEpisode 106: The First Circumnavigation - https://sptfy.com/PK3N • https://apple.co/4jewsLjHalf-Arsed History acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the unceded Gubbi Gubbi (Kabi Kabi) Land on which the podcast is written and recorded, and pays respect to First Nations Elders past, present, and emerging. Indigenous sovereignty was never ceded. This continent always was, and always will be, Aboriginal Land. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jul 2, 2025 • 29min
QAH Episode 117: The Canadian Caper
Quarter-Arsed History presents: the Canadian Caper, when the Canadian government smuggled six US diplomats out of Tehran during the Iran Hostage Crisis using a CIA-backed fake film.History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 5th of August across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or A&U:AU/NZ: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.htmlInternational: https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Riley-Knight-History's-Strangest-Deaths-9781761472589 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 29, 2025 • 1h 4min
Episode 366: How Iran and the West Became Enemies
In this week's episode, unravel the long and complicated geopolitical history that turned Iran from one of the West's staunchest regional allies in the Middle East into one of its bitterest foes.History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 5th of August across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or A&U: AU/NZ: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.htmlInternational: https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Riley-Knight-History's-Strangest-Deaths-9781761472589 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 27, 2025 • 24min
Inventions Episode 26: Canned Food
Canned food has revolutionised the way we eat - by making food last for longer than ever before, it has helped to increase food safety and security for billions of people across hundreds of years.History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 5th of August across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy at Booktopia: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 25, 2025 • 27min
QAH Episode 116: Chevaliere d’Eon, the Spy Who Defied Gender
Quarter-Arsed History presents: Chevaliere d’Eon, a spy, soldier, and swashbuckler who blackmailed King Louis XV and lived life as both as man and a woman across the years.History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 5th of August across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy at Booktopia: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 22, 2025 • 56min
Episode 365: Sir Francis Drake, the Dragon of the Seas - Part 2
In this week's episode, finish off the story of the famed Sir Francis Drake, and hear about his later campaigns agains the Spanish - both successful and unsuccessful. History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 5th of August across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy at Booktopia: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 20, 2025 • 22min
Inventions Episode 25: Railways
Railways revolutionised the world of transport, enabling people and goods to be transported great distances at great speed, more cheaply and efficiently than ever before. History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 5th of August across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy at Booktopia: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 18, 2025 • 19min
QAH Episode 115: The St Scholastica Day Riot
Quarter-Arsed History presents: the St Scholastica Day Riot, when the English university town of Oxford was thrown into the midst of a three-day riot over a disagreement about the quality of some wine. History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 5th of August across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy at Booktopia: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 15, 2025 • 1h 6min
Episode 364: Sir Francis Drake, the Dragon of the Seas - Part 1
In this week's episode, meet Sir Francis Drake, whose lifelong vendetta against the Spanish led to a life of high adventure - including the circumnavigation of the globe.Pre-order History's Strangest Deaths and get 17% off: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 13, 2025 • 31min
Inventions Episode 24: The Steam Engine
The steam engine is a foundational modern technology that underpins today's industrialised world; it also tended to explode and helped to precipitate a climate crisis. So there's that.Pre-order History's Strangest Deaths and get 17% off: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 11, 2025 • 21min
QAH Episode 114: The Legend of Lasseter’s Reef
Quarter-Arsed History presents: the legend of Lasseter's Reef, a supposed immense fortune in gold that is lost somewhere out in the Australian desert. Pre-order History's Strangest Deaths and get 17% off: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
