World War II is over, and Stalin is ready to pick up where Hitler left off. Driven by paranoia, no one is above suspicion, including the wife of his closest friend. Not even her loyalty to him could save her from Stalin’s wrath. And, as his own health deteriorated, Stalin turned on the very people trying to help him. What was behind his sinister plot to target doctors?

Credits:

Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks

Audio Producer: Craig Thompson

Writers/researchers: Mandy Reid, Amy Watkin, Kari Anton, Sharon McMahon, Melanie Buck Parks

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A deal with the devil. Hitler and Stalin join forces at the start of World War II. But the ultra paranoid Joseph Stalin strangely had a blind spot when it came to his dictator friend. How did Stalin, the man with the best spies in the world, end up getting double crossed?

Credits:

Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks

Audio Producer: Craig Thompson

Writers/researchers: Mandy Reid, Amy Watkin, Kari Anton, Sharon McMahon, Melanie Buck Parks

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You hear on the news about immigration chaos in the United States, but what can be done to address the systemic issues, and the very real concerns of Americans? What was the driving force of the exclusion of some immigrant groups? And how has immigration changed over the years? Sharon McMahon is joined by author and expert, Ana Raquel Minian, to discuss her new book, In the Shadow of Liberty. Together, they dive into the history of immigration so we can better understand how to move forward. 

Special thanks to our guest, Ana Raquel Minian, for joining us today.

Host: Sharon McMahon

Audio Producer: Mike Voulgaris

Production Assistant: Andrea Champoux

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode of Here’s Where It gets Interesting, Sharon welcomes guest Dr. Kerry Sautner, the chief learning officer at the National Constitution Center. Kerry and Sharon talk about civic education, and how it can be a building block for a great democracy–but just as important as learning from our past is learning how to communicate and collaborate in the present. Join us to learn more about the National Constitution Center, and the value of civic friendships and access to America’s full history.

Special thanks to our guest, Dr. Kerry Sautner, for joining us today.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Dr. Kerry Sautner

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon welcomes back David Rubenstein to talk about his new PBS series, Iconic America. The series takes a look at eight different American symbols, from Cowboys to the Hollywood sign. These recognizable pieces of America have surprising histories, and Sharon and David discuss how symbols evolve and take on new meaning over time.

Special thanks to our guest, David Rubenstein, for joining us today. Catch his new PBS series, Iconic America, streaming now. 

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Guest: David Rubenstein

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sharon’s guest on today’s episode on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting is author Alexandra Robbins, the author of several New York Times bestsellers. Her newest book, The Teachers, goes behind the scenes to show readers what life is like for teachers in America. She follows three teachers through their trials and triumphs over the course of one school year. Learn about their challenges with being under-resourced and over-scrutinized while they try to make connections and safe learning environments in their classrooms.

Special thanks to our guest, Alexandra Robbins, for joining us today. Order your copy of The Teachers here.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Alexandra Robbins

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joining Sharon today is Colin Woodard, the director of the Nationhood Lab. Colin is an expert on the regional cultures that make up the United States, and while we tend to think of regional differences as disagreements about our political views, the cultural history goes much deeper than that. Colin has studied how these geographical regional divides pertain to gun violence in America, and his conclusions may surprise you.

Special thanks to our guest, Colin Woodard, for joining us today. Learn more about the Nationhood Lab through the Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy at Salve Regina University.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Colin Woodard

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon talks with Jonathan Eig, the author of the new Martin Luther King Jr. biography, King: A Life. Eig spent six full years researching and writing about King’s life. He shares countless moments and pieces of King’s story that get left out of the general image we have of the I Have a Dream preacher. He also argues that, through honoring the Civil Rights activist with a holiday and through flashy quotes and merch like mugs and tees, we lose sight of the real King and his radicalism.

Special thanks to our guest, Jonathan Eig, for joining us today. Find King: A Life here.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Jonathan Eig

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode of Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon talks with Yale professors and two of the authors behind Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most. Initially a class in Yale’s humanities program, Life Worth Living sought to find answers to the age-old philosophical question: what’s the meaning of life? The book brings the classroom lessons to a new audience, and Sharon talks to Volf and McAnnally-Linz about how to go beyond TikTok and Cheetos and find true fulfillment.

Special thanks to our guests, Miroslav Volf and Ryan McAnnally-Linz, for joining us today. Find Life Worth Living here.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Guests: Miroslav Volf and Ryan McAnnally-Linz

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To kick off a new season of guest interviews, Sharon sits down with the amazing Nedra Tawwab: bestselling author, relationship therapist, and boundaries expert. Nedra and Sharon talk about some of the key ideas Nedra shares in her latest book, Drama Free, and about how to navigate unhealthy family dynamics and relationships and move them into a healthier space. The change starts with us.

Special thanks to our guest, Nedra Tawwab for joining us today. Find Drama Free here.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Nedra Tawwab

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you celebrate National Beer Day on April 7th every year? Did you even know that the U.S. has a National Beer Day? We do! And it’s all thanks to our 32nd president, Franklin D. Roosevelt and his signing of the Cullen-Harrison Act. Celebrated across the country in 1933, the act was just one small step on the path to the ratification of the 21st Amendment and the final nail in the coffin for Prohibition.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Valerie Hoback, Amy Watkin, and Mandy Reid

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At its beginning, prohibition was spearheaded by outspoken women. Women who saw a need for social change and then set up the scaffolding to build, what they thought, would be a better America. So maybe it won’t be a surprise to hear that the repeal of Prohibition began in pretty much the same way. By the late 1920s, it was clear to many that Prohibition was a big flop. It was especially clear to one of its initial supporters who realized it was time to change her mind.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Valerie Hoback, Amy Watkin, and Mandy Reid

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the middle of the 1920s, when Prohibition was at its peak, leaders and law enforcement could go one of two ways: they could crack down on Volstead Act violators… or they could look the other way. Today, we’ll meet the first two women governors in the nation’s history–and a couple of lawmen–and learn how they handled their duties during Prohibition. 

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Valerie Hoback, Amy Watkin, and Mandy Reid

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you are interested in the 1930s and 1940s, or have wondered how the rapid growth of authoritarianism in today’s political climate mirrors that of WWII, this is an episode for you. Sharon McMahon is joined by author Paul Sparrow to discuss his new book, Awakening the Spirit of America. It’s a story of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, his surprising opponent, Charles Lindbergh, and their war of words. Learn how far back the “America First” slogan goes, and how persuasive language changed the course of history. 

Special thanks to our guest, Paul Sparrow, for joining us today.

Host: Sharon McMahon

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Production Assistant: Andrea Champoux

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In its fight for a dry, anti-alcohol nation, the Anti-Saloon League recruited the Ku Klux Klan to join its mission to make Prohibition the law of the land. Klan members themselves weren’t specifically pro-Temperance, but they were happy to use dry laws as a way to target and perpetrate violence against Black Americans, immigrants, Jews, and Catholics. But the power of the Klan was beginning to fade…

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Valerie Hoback, Amy Watkin, and Mandy Reid

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How did one of the most popular movies in the country–a blockbuster of epic proportions–fuel the rebirth of the Ku Klux Klan? And how, in just a few short years, did the Klan grow from small pockets of state chapters into a national social organization with a membership in the millions? The KKK and the prohibitionists of the 1920s worked hand-in-hand to turn America into a dry, white, Protestant-ruled nation. As booze dried up in towns across the nation, white supremacy began to rise.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Valerie Hoback, Amy Watkin, and Mandy Reid

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode of our series on Prohibition, we talk about two things that go hand in hand with the enforcement of dry laws: crime and cocktails. The spread of both was a direct consequence of the 18th amendment as mobsters ruled the violent industry of bootlegging and the rough liquor they sold was made more palatable with mixers. 

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Valerie Hoback, Amy Watkin, and Mandy Reid

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, it’s a battle between the lawman and the barkeep; we’re going to explore the New York jazz and speakeasy scene. Along the way, we’ll meet a few people who embodied that old adage: sometimes appearances can be deceiving. And, of course, if there’s anywhere in time and place to reinvent yourself, it’s New York City in the 1920s.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Valerie Hoback, Amy Watkin, and Mandy Reid

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

By 1920, America was officially a dry country. In theory. In practice, the law came with enough loopholes that opportunists found plenty of ways to make, trade, sell, and guzzle vast quantities of alcohol. Some turned to religion and some walked into a pharmacy with a doctor’s note. Still others knew how to rig the system so well that they made their fortunes and even got away with murder.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Valerie Hoback, Amy Watkin, and Mandy Reid

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the country went dry at the start of 1920, Americans were ready for a new leader. A stand-up guy, they thought, someone who reflects our morals–a man of the people. The elected Warren Harding, a handsome Ohioan who prided himself on his all-American principles. But behind closed doors, Warren Harding, 29th President of the United States, hid a plethora of dark secrets.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Valerie Hoback, Amy Watkin, and Mandy Reid

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we’re going to meet the most powerful woman in America during the Prohibition era. Mabel Walker Willebrandt was the Assistant Attorney General and it was her job to enforce the 18th amendment and prosecute those who flouted the new laws of Prohibition. With a boss that didn’t think she’d succeed and a lazy department who didn’t want to work for a woman, Mabel went after some of the most notorious names in bootlegging… and won.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Valerie Hoback, Amy Watkin, and Mandy Reid

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today in our series about Prohibition, we learn more about the crusade to turn America into a dry nation. It may surprise you to learn that it wasn’t spearheaded by only white Christian women who disapproved of saloons and whiskey. Leaders in the growing civil rights movement also pushed for temperance, and one woman convinced the government that the path to prohibition was best paved through the public school system.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Valerie Hoback, Amy Watkin, and Mandy Reid

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the first episode in our new series, From Hatchets to Hoods: The Mayhem of a Dry America! We’re going to begin our series a number of years before the iconic 18th Amendment went into effect, with a growing movement born of domestic and religious fervor, and the women who were gutsy enough to face social problems head on… a hatchet in hand.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Give to the Winds Thy Fears sung by Brianne Flanagin

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Valerie Hoback, Amy Watkin, and Mandy Reid

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on the show, Shannon McKenna Schmidt joins Sharon to talk about the trifecta of listener-favorite subjects: an American First Lady, World War II, and a secret adventure. Shannon’s new book, The First Lady of World War II: Eleanor Roosevelt's Daring Journey to the Frontlines and Back, chronicles Eleanor Roosevelt’s journey to the Pacific theater during wartime. The five week trip took her through the South Pacific, and began as a secret when she hitched a ride on a transport airplane next to sacks of mail. Tune in to hear what happened when she touched down in Australia.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Shannon McKenna Schmidt

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Researcher: Valerie Hoback

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you think of prisoners on Death Row, what imagery comes to mind? Author of Too Close to the Flame, Joe Ingle, joins Sharon McMahon to talk about what it is like inside America's death penalty system. After spending 45 years working as a spiritual advisor to men and women on Death Row, Joe vulnerably shares his experiences of the final moments before they are executed, and sheds a light on how the legal system disenfranchises those who can not afford a lawyer. What is an alternative to the death penalty, and what might restorative justice look like?

Special thanks to our guest, Joe Ingle, for joining us today.

Host: Sharon McMahon

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Production Assistant: Andrea Champoux 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon talks with Ilyon Woo, author of the new book, Master Slave Husband Wife, a love story between William and Ellen Craft. You may not be familiar with their names, but the Crafts were a determined enslaved couple who made their escape through disguise and performance, and in their success, defied the limitations of gender and race.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Ilyon Woo

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Researcher: Valerie Hoback

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, co-founder of the website Wait But Why? joins Sharon to talk about a few big ideas, like censorship, the future of big tech, the role of government, and what we can do to combat corruption. They also talk about bad drawings of stick figures, and his new book, What’s Our Problem?: A Self-Help Book for Societies.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Tim Urban

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Researcher: Valerie Hoback

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode, authors Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch sit down with Sharon to discuss their New York Times bestselling book, The Nazi Conspiracy. The pair discusses their research and writing process, including what it's like to collaborate on a book together. The Nazi Conspiracy takes readers deep inside the events of the Second World War and the semi-secret, in-person meeting between FDR, Churchill, and Stalin in Tehran. The Nazis grew wise to the meeting and conspired to assassinate all three leaders. What followed was a calculated series of spy missions, intelligence gathering, and strategic moves between the Allies and the Nazi powers.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Researcher: Valerie Hoback

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon welcomes Marine Archeologist Dr. Sean Kinglsey. Learn about how marine archeology is carried out, what the divers look for when they dive and explore shipwrecks, and how the information is pieced together to fill in gaps of the history of human migration--specifically, the transatlantic slave trade, in which 12.5 million Africans were transported around the world against their will. Dr. Kingsley's latest book is Enslaved: The Sunken History of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Sean Kingsley

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Researcher: Valerie Hoback

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, bestselling author Gretchen Rubin joins Sharon to talk about her newest book, Life in Five Senses. Gretchen talks about how to use our sensory experiences to draw closer to other people and evoke our memories. She is a fan of practical application–trying small things throughout our day to enrich our senses and open us up to more beauty, happiness, and passion for the ways in which we decide to enrich our lives.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Gretchen Rubin

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Researcher: Valerie Hoback

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sharon welcomes guest Ed Yong to Here’s Where It Gets Interesting. Ed’s newest book, An Immense World, How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us. It’s a fascinating look at the rich sensory world of animals, and Ed speaks to Sharon about how exploring this world opens up big, philosophical questions about life. Every creature, humans included, are only really perceiving a very thin sliver of the fullness of reality, and while our perceptions may be limited, we should continue to explore, and let our curiosity guide us into new experiences.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Ed Yong

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Researcher: Valerie Hoback

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon sits down with author Alex Prud'homme about his book, Dinner with the President, all about White House food. He is the coauthor of his aunt Julia Child's memoir, My Life in France, and merges Presidential history with dishes that were the height of sophistication at one point. An on ramp to this book and conversation can be summarized in this passage:

“Presidential meals often had personal meaning, and sometimes con­tained coded political messages. James Garfield and Dwight Eisenhower liked bowls of squirrel soup. William Howard Taft had a taste for possum. Zachary Taylor died after eating cherries and drinking cold milk. Wood­row Wilson had chronic indigestion and consumed dubious elixirs, yet he and Herbert Hoover saved millions of lives with innovative food poli­cies. The gourmand Theodore Roosevelt and his gourmet cousin Frank­lin D. Roosevelt led the nation over bison steaks and terrapin soups. (A gourmand is someone who eats and drinks to wretched excess. A gour­met is a connoisseur of fine dining.) JFK liked clam chowder, LBJ favored chili, Richard Nixon ate cottage cheese almost every day, and George W. Bush liked ballpark hot dogs. The presidents’ food choices reflected the state of the nation.”

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Alex Prud'homme

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Researcher: Valerie Hoback

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon talks with Timothy Egan, a Pulitzer Prize—winning reporter, lifelong journalist, and the author of ten books, most recently the highly acclaimed A Pilgrimage to Eternity and The Immortal Irishman, a New York Times bestseller. His book on the Dust Bowl, The Worst Hard Time, won a National Book Award for Excellence in Nonfiction. His account of photographer Edward Curtis, Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher, won the Carnegie Medal for nonfiction.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Timothy Egan

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Researcher: Valerie Hoback

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After four years of fighting, the Union had persevered in bringing the seceded states back into the fold. But the newly reunited country had a great deal of healing to do. Reconstruction took over a decade, and the passage of several constitutional amendments, to create new scaffolding. And even as a new century dawned, the United States was as segregated as ever.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Valerie Hoback, Amy Watkin, and Mandy Reid

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this series, we have covered all sorts of innovations that arose out of the conflict, from deviled ham spread and spy balloons to surgical advancements. Today we are going to continue that exploration with a wide range of new developments like photojournalism, a national currency, and the evolution of premade clothing. It’s a smorgasbord of inventions, y’all!

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Valerie Hoback, Amy Watkin, and Mandy Reid

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Imagine walking into your polling place on Election Day, and openly declaring who you were voting for. That is exactly what today’s guest did when researching and writing his book, The Year of Living Constitutionally. Author A.J. Jacobs joined Sharon McMahon to share what it was like to live a year, interpreting the U.S. Constitution literally. What is in the Constitution, and what is not? From implementing in-home cursing laws, to carrying an 18th Century musket around Manhattan, you will love this entertaining experiment of how the Constitution impacts modern American democracy.

Special thanks to our guest, A.J. Jacobs, for joining us today.

Host: Sharon McMahon

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Production Assistant: Andrea Champoux

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Approximately 620 thousand soldiers died in the Civil War, and some historians believe that number might be closer to 750 thousand. But believe it or not, it could have been worse. The Civil War hastened medical advancements out of necessity, and we’re still benefiting from many of these advancements today. 

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Valerie Hoback, Amy Watkin, and Mandy Reid

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today in our series, Secrets of the Civil War, we’ll meet some of the key players in the Abolition Movement–a persuader, an agitator, and a conductor. Their ideals and actions helped foster the success of the Underground Railroad and the path to emancipation. How did so many enslaved persons seeking freedom make it through the perilous journey North? Through a meticulously organized network of safe houses and stations run by agents and conductors.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Valerie Hoback, Amy Watkin, and Mandy Reid

Hush, Hush, Somebody is Calling My Name recording by Sweet Honey in the Rock

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, we’re going to touch on a war you probably didn’t know happened. During the seemingly all-consuming Civil War, there was another entirely different series of skirmishes and battles happening in America. It only lasted 6 weeks, but had devastating consequences.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Valerie Hoback, Amy Watkin, and Mandy Reid

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode in our series, Secrets of the Civil War, we’re going to hear about two men–both named Robert and hailed as heroes, who had completely different backgrounds – until the Civil War changed the directions of their lives forever. One was a boat thief and the other was a battalion leader.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Valerie Hoback, Amy Watkin, and Mandy Reid

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, let’s talk about what life was like during the Civil War for people who weren’t on the battlefield. What did they get up and do every day? What did they worry about? We’ll witness the war through the eyes of five women whose stories are symbolic of the real experiences–the hopes, the sorrows, the loneliness and the joy–that countless women endured during the Civil War.

Special thanks to the curators of the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Museum, including Sister Lavonia “Lee” Bailey, Reverend Edward Maurice Bailey, Nelson Polite, and Minnie P. Vinson.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Valerie Hoback, Amy Watkin, and Mandy Reid

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During the Civil War, the Union used a whole slew of propaganda to win over Northerners: pamphlets, posters, poetry, clothing, cartoons… and music. Performed at rallies where in front of huge crowds about the cause, Civil War songs were specifically written to stir up patriotism and pride. Lyrics praised the bravery of volunteers, and had the dual purpose of encouraging more young men to enlist while boosting the morale of existing troops. Listen in, there’s no doubt you’ll recognize the tunes.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Valerie Hoback, Amy Watkin, and Mandy Reid

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did you know that Hot Pockets, astronaut food, and maple bacon donuts all have their origins in the Battle Between the States? It’s true! During the Civil War, the most important thing for soldiers’ survival wasn’t ammunition or strategic plans. It was FOOD! So grab a snack and settle in.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Valerie Hoback, Amy Watkin, and Mandy Reid

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today in our new series, we are going to discuss the Union, and it might surprise you to learn that spies and spy balloons, classified documents, and racially-motivated riots aren’t just the headlines of today but were also hallmarks of the American Civil War. We often think of the North as the emancipators, the champions of freedom, but that’s not quite the whole story. 

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Valerie Hoback, Amy Watkin, and Mandy Reid

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode in our series, Secrets of the Civil War, we talk about Jefferson Davis, the man who became the president of the states that tried to secede. And it may come as a surprise to you that Jefferson Davis did have some successful ideas, particularly when it came to importing desert camels into the American West. His successes may have been more surprising to his second wife, the Northern-born Varina, than to anyone else.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Valerie Hoback, Amy Watkin, and Mandy Reid

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the first episode in our series, Secrets of the Civil War. This won’t be a history of the Civil War like you’re expecting. The Union and the Confederacy, divided though they were, experienced incredible changes in medicine, technology, food science, and transportation during four years of conflict. It may surprise you to learn that it wasn’t solely an era of suffering and hardship; it was also an era of innovation and advancement, spies and social evolution. We’re going to explore it all.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Written and researched by: Heather Jackson, Valerie Hoback, Amy Watkin, and Mandy Reid

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following January 6th and the current political climate, some Americans fear there will be a “new Civil War.”  But what does that truly mean? If you are a lover of history, this conversation is one you won’t want to miss. Author Erik Larson joins us to discuss his new book, The Demon of Unrest, which is set shortly before the outbreak of the Civil War. Dive into the mindsets and captivating portrayals of leaders on the brink of a war that eventually killed 750,000 Americans, and injured millions more.

Special thanks to our guest, Erik Larson, for joining us today.

Host: Sharon McMahon

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Production Assistant: Andrea Champoux 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To round out the week on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon talks with Dr. Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic woman who went to space. Ellen flew in space on four different occasions, and after her career as an active astronaut, she became the director of the Johnson Space Center. Listen in to Ellen’s story, and why, in her retirement from NASA, she continues to encourage women, Hispanics, and other underrepresented groups to pursue leadership and STEAM roles.Thank you to our guest, Dr. Ellen Ochoa.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Dr. Ellen Ochoa

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Researcher: Valerie Hoback

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode of Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, writer and historian Helen Rappaport joins Sharon to talk about a topic our listeners are fascinated by: the last royal family of Russia. The Romanov murder and legacy has long persisted in popular culture. Learn more about their lineage and the parts that often get overlooked. Often, the truth is more interesting than the myth. Special thanks to our guest, Helen Rappaport.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Helen Rappaport

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Researcher: Valerie Hoback

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon welcomes journalist and author Dean Calbreath, who has spent nearly twenty years researching the life of Nicholas Said, a Civil War Sergeant whose life has become a forgotten history. Siad’s adventures begin in a thousand year-old African kingdom. He was a master of language, a collector of knowledge, a friend to kings and tsars… and he arrived in America as the country warred over enslavement.

Thank you to our guest, Dean Calbreath.

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Dean Calbreath

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Researcher: Valerie Hoback

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.