American Esoterica

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These are the stories that may have slipped through the cracks - the odd detours that have shaped our history and culture in small, but sometimes significant, ways.

Brian Powers


    • May 22, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 7m AVG DURATION
    • 82 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from American Esoterica

    Episode 75 - Counter Proposal

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2025 6:45


    Meet Herman Hollerith - the founder of your digital world and archnemesis to The Count on Sesame Street. 

    HOT NUGGET OF HISTORY - Sorry, Mom

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2025 2:59


    We all know that THE story about George Washington isn't true, but what if what we've been wrong about all this time is that the story is KINDA true-ish? 

    Episode 74 - Book Nook

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2025 5:46


    Sometimes American cultural greatness runs in very concentrated pockets. 

    Episode 73 - Foolin', Too

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2025 13:57


    "Fool me once, shame on...shame on you. Fool me—you can't get fooled again..." - George W. Bush.

    Episode 72 - General Orders No. 11

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2025 10:21


    There's one order that holds the record for maybe the most antisemitic government act in American history, and it both complicates and haunts the legacy of someone otherwise perceived as a hero.

    Episode 71 - The Northern Southern Invasion

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2025 10:17


    Attacking the Union from the south just wasn't cutting it. So why not attack from the north instead? GENIUS.

    Episode 70 - At the Theater

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2025 5:13


    Lincoln loved the theater, although he might have a different opinion in retrospect. Yes, we're doing another Lincoln one. Yes, it includes some startling coincidences.

    Episode 69 - The Family Gordy

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2025 7:46


    This one is about Beyoncé's stepfather's ex-wife's uncle. (It's also the incredible story of a family that lifted each other to unheard-of heights.)

    HOT NUGGET OF HISTORY - ILYTG

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2025 2:23


    A love story for the ages.

    Episode 68 - Daredevil Queen

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2025 8:08


    She broke the invisible barriers in early American aviation with little more than a wing and a prayer. 

    Episode 67 - Notorious Napkin

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2025 5:49


    The Napkin of Consequence emerges to define 50 years of American policy. 

    Episode 66 - Assassination Cancelation

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2025 7:39


    These are the losers of the losers - the ones who tried to do something stupid and failed in the attempt. Look at them - look at them and laugh. Also, it's a very serious subject, and your laughter is highly inappropriate. Grow up.

    Episode 65 - Mighty

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2025 7:41


    If you set out to make your mark on the world, don't half-ass it. 

    Episode 64 - The Duel

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2024 10:40


    You thought the duel was over. You were wrong.

    Episode 63 - The Election

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2024 11:46


    It was a dramatic and chaotic campaign for the presidency, dominated by fake news, procedural problems, and a particularly problematic pundit. That doesn't narrow it down at all, either, does it? Ahh, America...

    HOT NUGGET OF HISTORY - Lincoln Log

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2024 2:00


    Juvenility ensues over the 16th #1's #2. ¯_(ツ)_/¯ 

    Episode 62 - An American Haunting

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2024 8:18


    There are famous ghosts and ghosts of famous people, but rarely do you find a ghost famous for being non-famous, as our subject today is. Be ready for the tragic theories behind the ghost known only as "The Thing."

    Episode 61 - Rubber Meets Road

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2024 7:05


    It was a quick sales call that would go on to change everything and shape the world to come, until it all came to a fiery halt.

    Episode 60 - By Any Measure

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2024 8:12


    Is something setting off my Geiger counter, or are you just happy to see me? Sometimes, our usual methods of measurement just won't do.

    Episode 59 - The Beach and the Black Belt

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 29, 2024 6:40


    You got your prehistoric beach in my voting patterns! No, you got your voting patterns in my prehistoric beach! Hmm...maybe these are two great tastes that taste great together!

    Episode 58 - Same Old Song

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2024 8:41


    It's not just A national anthem. It's THE national anthem of all national anthems. But it isn't ours. At least, not anymore. But it kind of was. Twice. In different ways.

    Episode 57 - Low Crimes and Misdemeanors

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2024 5:44


    No person is above the law. Not even the president. Especially when street racing.

    Episode 56 - Did I Get It Wrong?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 4, 2024 17:43


    Look, getting it right is hard. Sometimes we have to settle for "close to right" or "sort of right" or even "not remotely right, but a good story nonetheless." This one features an interview with a special guest, Stuart Fisk Johnson, Esq., of the Aaron Burr Association, who has some things to say about we've treated Mr. Burr.

    Episode 55 - The Smiths Rock Glastonbury

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2024 11:43


    In which men once again learn which is the superior sex. You may have never heard of the Smith sisters, but after this, you won't forget them. Or their cows.

    Episode 54 - Fabulously Unintended

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2024 10:16


    An inquisition that everybody expects uses its greatest weapon - surprise - against its worst enemy - itself. It begins with a reign of terror but ends in a very different place. 

    HOT NUGGET OF HISTORY - Railroaded

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2024 2:06


    The intersection of the National Mall's biggest eyesore and its ultimate revenge on its most consequential critic.

    Episode 53 - By Design, Part 4: The New Old Plan

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2024 9:38


    In the fourth of four episodes on our nation's capital, new heroes emerge to drag Washington, D.C., kicking and screaming into the 20th century via a plan from the 18th century. In other words, the D.C. you know is a lot younger than you think.

    Episode 52 - By Design, Part 3: A Century of Congress, Not Progress

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2024 9:14


    In the third of four episodes on our nation's capital, it takes a century for the nation's capital to become...the national toilet. Follow the federal city as it grows and decays simultaneously.

    HOT NUGGET OF HISTORY - Pope of the Potomac

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2024 2:06


    If you think Washington, D.C., is a joke, well...it came by it honestly.

    Episode 51 - By Design: L'Enfant Terrible

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2024 11:27


    In the second of four episodes on our nation's capital, one man's ego gave us a grand plan for our capital city, but it also led to his downfall. Come for the French fuss, stay for George Washington micromanaging real estate negotiations instead of presidenting. 

    Episode 50 - By Design: The Dinner Party

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2024 9:16


    In the first of four episodes on our nation's capital, a struggling new nation pulls itself together over dinner. Literally. Three men enter, two plans leave. Witness the most consequential dinner party in history. 

    Episode 49 - April Foolin'

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2024 11:06


    Hey, just because something isn't true doesn't mean we should just ignore its historical importance, right? Also, contains vague discussions of prior episodes and one use of the world's mildest profanity. Your great-grandma has been warned. 

    Episode 48 - Tragedy on Tenth Times Two

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2024 6:59


    What could possibly overshadow a tragic and eerie event that would cost the lives of 22 people in a government office building? 

    HOT NUGGET OF HISTORY - Deep Dish Dye Job

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2024 2:00


    In this mini-sode of what were already short episodes, learn the origins of how Chicago learned how to turn brown into green. 

    Episode 47 - Hamilton 2: Burr Boogaloo

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2024 9:43


    The duel may have been the end of Alexander Hamilton's story, but it was only the beginning of Aaron Burr's descent into treasonous lunacy and at least a little karma.

    Episode 46 - Self, Made

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 29, 2024 7:21


    Get ready to build your multimillion-dollar international business empire - here's a dollar and fifteen years. Can't do it? Sarah Breedlove did - this is her story.

    Episode 45 - No Small Feat

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2024 14:18


    A fierce love, a bold plan, and a desperate need - but will it be enough for Robert Smalls to rescue his family and escape the Confederacy?

    Episode 44 - Amplified

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2024 9:16


    They tried to keep her silent, but instead gave her something to sing about, along with the most incredible stage in the world from which to sing it.

    Episode 43 - The Swim

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2024 8:15


    If it were a work of fiction, you wouldn't believe it. This is the story of an epic feat of strength, bravery, and compassion.

    Episode 42 - As Amended

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2024 6:41


    Our First was their third - the Bill of Rights that Congress sent to the states for ratification had twelve amendments, not ten, so what happened to those extra two? 

    Episode 41 - Better Watch Out

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2023 5:01


    The story of how one man during the Cold War accidentally wound up tracking the wrong kind of red airspace invader. And if you've heard the story before, you probably heard it wrong.

    Episode 40 - It's a Wonderful Filler

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2023 4:52


    A beloved Christmas classic may not have always been so beloved, which is what directly led to it becoming beloved. Beloved.

    Episode 39 - Mac & Cheese

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2023 6:38


    Our national obsession with a cheezy pasta dish began in the kitchens of Monticello, but it isn't Jefferson to whom we owe the credit. 

    Episode 38 - In Extravagantly Plain Sight

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2023 10:54


    This is the story of the world's greatest heist - the time the CIA stole a Soviet submarine in full view of the entire world with the help of an eccentric billionaire.

    Episode 37 - Lincoln's Last Ride

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2023 9:36


    Look, we don't know why we keep coming back to Lincoln, either. But this one has a ghost train, so there's that. 

    Episode 36 - Hatefulness

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2023 5:58


    On a Saturday morning in 1971, it took one word to bring many across the nation to the brink of utter panic. Blame Wayland Eberhardt. 

    Episode 35 - Rogue Island

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2023 8:39


    Thirteen original colonies smiling and holding hands? Nope. Twelve colonies and one knock-down, drag-out fight with one stubborn holdout. 

    Episode 34 - Atomic Dogs

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2023 4:42


    All it takes is one idiot to make your local street corner a radioactive hot zone. Note: this one is both gross and cruel towards dogs; we're less concerned with the people.

    Episode 33 - In Spite Of

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2023 6:12


    This is the story of a nation scorned taking delicious - and extraordinarily petty - revenge.

    Episode 32 - Crumb of Equality

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2023 8:24


    This is a story about the worst of intentions, and it is 100% about sex. Just not THAT kind.

    Episode 31 - A Balance

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2023 5:24


    Two names, two families, forever entwined. And it began even earlier than you know. 

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