Vulgar History: Revolution

Today we're talking about beloved American author Louisa May Alcott, best known as the author of Little Women. Joining me to discuss Alcott's life and career is Dr. Alice Rutkowski, Chair and Associate Professor of English at SUNY Geneseo.Our discussion today will look at Alcott's life through a queer, trans lens, which Alice has written about in academic articles.Learn more about Alice and her work at geneseo.edu/english/rutkowskiThis is Peyton Thomas’s NYT article on this topic, as mentioned by Alice in the podcast: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/24/opinion/did-the-mother-of-young-adult-literature-identify-as-a-man.htmlListen to the queer Little Women podcast Jo's Boys here: https://open.spotify.com/show/2uY5Gp38XQYColfh5VHrOwAnd buy a copy of my friend Amanda Sellet's retelling Belittled Women at this link: https://bookshop.org/a/1419/9780358567356--Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping)--Support Vulgar History on Patreon --Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we're talking about Sarah Forbes Bonetta, an African princess raised in Queen Victoria's court as the Queen's goddaughter. Author Denny S. Bryce's new book The Other Princess takes its inspiration from this recently rediscovered historical figure.Learn more about Denny and her work at dennysbryce.com--Buy The Other Princess from bookshop.org and support Vulgar History with this link: https://bookshop.org/a/1419/9780063144125--Get merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping)--Support Vulgar History on Patreon --Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we're talking about Mary Shelley, Claire Clairmont, Percy Shelley and (a fictional) MURDER with author Heather Redmond, author of Death and the Sisters.Learn more about Heather and her work at heatherredmond.com--Buy Death and the Sisters from bookshop.org and support Vulgar History with this link: https://bookshop.org/a/1419/9781496737991--Get merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping)--Support Vulgar History on Patreon --Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NOTE: This episode was updated in June 2024 to include Elagabalus's score on the Fredegund Memorial Scandiliciousness Scale.Thinking about the Roman Empire? If you weren't before, you are now! Friend of the podcast Dr. Kit Heyam is back to discuss the fascinating life of ancient Roman emperor Elagabalus (aka Heliogabalus). Elagabalus's reign was short, and odd, and the way it was written about (by haters) leaves many questions about their queer and trans identity. Kit is here to compassionately explore Elagabalus's life and story.Learn more about Kit and their work at kitheyam.com and follow them on Instagram @kitheyamwriterBuy Kit's book Before We Were Trans from bookshop.org and support Vulgar History with this link: https://bookshop.org/a/1419/9781541603080--Tune into Vulgar History Live!! On October 21st 2023 at 5:30 Central Time (or watch the livestream later on) at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_089jR4GZw8--Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping)--Support Vulgar History on Patreon --Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, author Rosie Harte joins us to talk about her new book The Royal Wardrobe: A Very Fashionable History of the Monarchy. In this book, she discusses iconic fashion moments of the British royals from the Tudor era to present day, answering questions like: how tits out was Anne of Denmark? Whither James VI/I's padded doublets? And, what's the deal with Charles II's pubic hair wig??? Plus: FRANCES HOWARD!! Learn more about Rosie and her work at rosieharte.com and follow her on TikTok @theroyalwardrobe and Instagram @rosiehharte--Buy The Royal Wardrobe from bookshop.org and support Vulgar History with this link: https://bookshop.org/a/1419/9781472297464--Get merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping)--Support Vulgar History on Patreon --Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a grand finale to the Mary, Queen of Scots series, we're taking a look at her girl squad: The Four Marys. Who were Mary Beaton, Seton, Fleming, and Livingston? If they were Golden Girls, who is the Dorothy? If they were in Blackpink, who is the main visual (and who is the lead dancer)? How do they match up with Reign's Aylee, Greer, Kenna, and Lola? Where did Mary Seton learn to do perms? Which of them has a sister who was legit a witch?References:Mary, Queen of Scots by Antonia FraserDaughters of the North: Jean Gordon and Mary, Queen of Scots by Jennifer Morag HendersonEmbroidering Her Truth: Mary, Queen of Scots and the Language of Power by Clare HunterMary Queen of Scots Secretary: William Maitland: Politician, Reformer, and Conspirator by Robert Stedell--Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping)--Support Vulgar History on Patreon --Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Continuing on in our academic/linguistics era, I'm joined today by Dr. Jenni Nuttall to talk about her new book Mother Tongue: The Surprising History of Women's Words. So many of the words that we use to chronicle women’s lives feel awkward or alien. Medical terms are scrupulously accurate but antiseptic. Slang and obscenities have shock value, yet they perpetuate taboos. Where are the plain, honest words for women’s daily lives? Jenni is here to explain all!Learn more about Jenni and her work at stylisticienne.com--Buy Mother Tongue from bookshop.org and support Vulgar History with this link: https://bookshop.org/a/1419/9780593299579--Get merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping)--Support Vulgar History on Patreon --Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bess of Hardwick (birth name: Elizabeth Cavendish) appeared a few times throughout the Mary, Queen of Scots series. And today, we're diving into just how this low(ish) born woman became the second-wealthiest woman in Tudor England (after Queen Liz I).We spill all the tea: the four husbands, the attempted poisonings, the embroideries, her dealings with the Grey family, the house building, the useless sons (and step-sons) and the LATE BREAKING NEWS.--References:Devices and Desires: Bess of Hardwick and the Building of Elizabethan England by Kate Hubbardhttps://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-derbyshire-66265517https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/peak-district-derbyshire/hardwickhttps://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/peak-district-derbyshire/hardwick/gideon-tapestry-project-at-hardwick-hall--Recommended podcast:Dwarfism History with Aubrey Smalls--Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping)--Support Vulgar History on Patreon --Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we're talking with Yunte Huang about his new biography of movie star Anna May Wong, Daughter of the Dragon.A trenchant reclamation of the Chinese American movie star, whose battles against cinematic exploitation and endemic racism are set against the currents of twentieth-century history.Learn more about Yunte Huang and his books at yuntehuang.com.--Buy Daughter of the Dragon from bookshop.org and support Vulgar History with this link: https://bookshop.org/a/1419/9781631495809--Get merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping)--Support Vulgar History on Patreon --Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As part of the Mary, Queen of Scots series today we're talking about Mary's sister-in-law, Elisabeth of Valois. Our guest is Leah Redmond Chang, whose biography of Elisabeth, Catherine de'Medici, and Mary, Queen of Scots has just been published.Young Queens: Three Renaissance Queens and the Price of Power follows the intertwined stories of the three women from girlhood through young adulthood, painting a picture of a world in which a woman could wield power at the highest level yet remain at the mercy of the state, her body serving as the currency of empire and dynasty, sacrificed to the will of husband, family, kingdom.Learn more about Leah and her book at leahredmondchang.com--Buy Young Queens from bookshop.org and support Vulgar History with this link: https://bookshop.org/a/1419/9780374294489--Get merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping)--Support Vulgar History on Patreon --Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices