The Reference Desk

Join us in the stacks for our final episode of SEASON 2! This week, and always, we are bewitched by libraries! Learn about how we got into the library profession, listen to some listener stories, and check out some of our recommended readings about these magical places we love so much. We have had the best time researching and telling each other (and you!) all about the strange things that keep us up at night and can't wait to see you again soon! Recommendations I Work at a Public Library: A Collection of Crazy Stories from the Stacks by Gina SheridanThe Story Collector: A New York Public Library Book by Kristin O'Donnell TubbPlanting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré by Anika Aldamuy DeniseThe Library Book by Susan OrleanThe Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher MurphyWhat You Wish For by Katherine CenterThe Midnight Library by Matt HaigIf you are interested in any of the books we talk about in this episode, please consider purchasing them through our affiliate link with Bookshop.org!Support the show

In this episode, Katie is bewitched by the tragic story of the Radium Girls. Hundreds of young women were thrilled at the chance to paint clock faces and dials with a new kind of glow-in-the-dark paint in the 1920s. Factories that produced these new products paid three times as much as similar employers, with the added bonus of free access to the highly valuable radium that gave its paint its signature glow. At the time, radium was being added to everything from water to makeup and was touted as a miracle cure.  But within a few short years, the dial painters were suffering from everything from tumors to teeth loss. Dubbed the "radium girls" these brave women spent their final years locked in battle with the corporations that poisoned them. What we are reading: The Paris Library  by Janet Skeslien Charles Mad About You by Mhairi McFarlaneRecommended:The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate MooreRadium Girls: Women and Industrial Health Reform, 1910-1935 by Claudia ClarkThe Woman They Could Not Silence: One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear by Kate MooreGlow by Megan E. BryantRadio Girls by Sarah-Jane StratfordThe Last Ballad by Wiley CashLinks: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/10/we-used-to-put-radium-in-coffee/263408/ https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/14/nyregion/mae-keane-who-painted-watch-dials-with-a-radium-mixture-dies-at-107.html https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2016-09/documents/radionuclides.pdfhttps://nypost.com/2017/03/22/skin-glowing-from-radium-ghost-girls-died-for-a-greater-cause/https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/curies-isolate-radiumhttps://www.cnn.com/style/article/radium-girls-radioactive-paint/index.htmlSupport the show

This week, Hailee is bewitched by the tragic life of Marilyn Monroe. Born Norma Jean in 1926, she was moved from foster home to foster home, living for a time in an orphanage and never having a stable home base. She was married off when she was only 16 years old and was discovered by an Army Airforce photographer sent to take morale-boosting photographs of female workers during WWII.  Marilyn worked tirelessly on her craft, reading books and taking classes but she struggled with her past and with her mental health. Marilyn is much more than the blonde bombshell she has been pegged to be. Recommendations Fragments: Poems, Intimate Notes, Letters by Marilyn Monroe, edited by Bernard Comment The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe by J. Randy TaraborrelliMarilyn: Norma Jeane by Gloria SteniemGoddess: The Secret Lives of Marilyn Monroe by Anthony SummersBeauty Mark by Carole Boston WeatherfordThe Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins ReidIf you are interested in any of the books we talk about in this episode, please consider purchasing them through our affiliate link with Bookshop.org! Linkshttps://www.biography.com/actor/marilyn-monroehttps://www.sutori.com/en/story/the-life-of-marilyn--EqqS7PM6B13chDP6QRYNgtnkhttps://www.biography.com/news/marilyn-monroe-joe-dimaggio-relationshiphttps://www.cnn.com/2022/01/15/opinions/marilyn-monroe-film-critic-origseriesfilms-opinion/index.htmlhttps://www.biography.com/news/marilyn-monroe-arthur-miller-relationshiphttps://www.grunge.com/417140/marilyn-monroes-eerie-letter-from-inside-a-psychiatric-hospital/https://www.womansday.com/relationships/a60346/true-story-marilyn-monroe-john-f-kennedy-affair/https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/10/entertainment/gallery/marilyn-monroe/index.htmlSupport the show

Hello friends! We have a special episode planned and we need your help! If you have a great library story, we would love to hear it. Your story might end up on our season 2 finale episode! You can send your story by sending us an email, a DM on Instagram, or by leaving us a voicemail. We will be back next week with a new episode! Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

This week, we continue telling the story of Julia Child. After returning to America, Julia Child became a star within the culinary world, thanks to her best-selling cookbook. But it was a local television studio that made her a household name. After a successful guest appearance, Julia was given her own series on PBS. For nearly four decades, Julia remained a constant presence in American homes, thanks to her down-to-Earth, fun-loving approach to home cooking. This week's recommendations:Currently Reading: A Lullaby for Witches by Hester FoxBathe the Cat by Alice B. McGinty and David RobertsNon-fiction suggestions: My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud'hommeIn Julia's Kitchen: Practical and Convivial Kitchen Design Inspired by Julia Child by Pamela Heyne and Jim SchererKitchen Confidential by Anthony BourdainFiction suggestions: With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo The Abundance by Amit MajmudarThe Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenryChildren's suggestions: Minette's Feast by Susan Reich and Amy June BatesJulia, Child by Kyo Maclear and Julia MorstadBorn Hungry by Alex Prud'homme and Sarah GreenSupport the show

This week, Katie is bewitched by the one and only Julia Child. Beloved for her warm and inviting presence on screen that made her a star, Julia Child's life before she became America's favorite French cook is less well known.  Abandoning her career as a copywriter to serve her country during World War II, Julia traveled to Asia, working for the OSS, where she met her husband, Paul Cushing Child. Together, the pair moved to Paris and Julia fell in love with French cuisine. In this first of two episodes spanning the incredible life of Julia Child, we explore her childhood, government service, education, and married life before she published her first cookbook. This week's recommendations:Currently reading: The Bookshop on the Shore by Jenny ColganThe Inheritance of Orquidea Divina by Zoraida CórdovaOne Last Stop by Casey McQuinstonA League of Extraordinary Women series by Evie DunmoreSupport the show

This time last year, we released what remains my absolute favorite episode I've researched to date. I got SO into this topic, and since we seem to have quite a few new listeners, I wanted to re-release this episode. So please enjoy as I continue to be completely bewitched by Rock and Roll Myths, Legends, and Curses. ______________________________________________________________________________________________In this episode, Hailee is bewitched by rock and roll myths, legends, and curses.  Who created Rock and Roll? It's a question that has been heavily debated and there are many possible answers. Rock has certainly had a very turbulent history. Close calls, plane crashes, heavy use of drugs and alcohol, mysterious deaths, just to name a few. Join us this week as Hailee tells the tale of Robert Johnson who may have sold his soul at the crossroads to become an amazing musician, the 27 club, which claims the lives of numerous rock and roll legends at the age of 27, and the Buddy Holly Curse. For more information and a full list of our sources, visit our website.  Recommended titles: One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London Take a Walk on the Dark Side: Rock and Roll Myths, Legends, and Curses by R. Gary Patterson What We Don't Talk about When We Talk about Fat by Aubrey Gordon The Day you Begin by Jacqueline Woodson Jookin': The Rise of Social Dance Formations in African-American Culture by Katrina Hazzard-Gordon The Walrus Was Paul: The Great Beatle Death Clues by R. Gary Patterson Escaping the Delta: Robert Johnson and the Invention of the Blues by Elijah Wald Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll by the editors of Rolling Stone The Devil and the Bluebird by Jennifer Mason-Black  If you're interested in purchasing the books mentioned in this episode, visit our bookshop.org affiliate shop.  Support the show

Dearest reader,As the social season draws near and the second season of Bridgerton is ready to premier this week, we are rereleasing Katie's episode on Debutants and the London Season! Consider this your exclusive invitation to learn all about this bizarre ritual dating back hundreds of years and shockingly still happening in some capacity today, along with all of its problematic history of sexism, classism and racism. Please enjoy Katie's deep dive into the realm of the ultra-exlusive debutante social scene. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________In this episode, Katie is bewitched with the debutantes of the London social season. Since the late 1700s, Britain's most eligible young ladies have been presented to society during London's social season. Providing the framework for our favorite novels like Pride and Prejudice, debutante society hides a deeply problematic world of sexism, racism, classism, and more. In this deep-dive into the beginnings and evolution of this bizarre ritual, we explore the realm of the ultra-exclusive debutante social scene. For more information, and a list of all our sources, visit our website. Titles recommended in this episode: The Season: A Social History of the Debutante by Kristen RichardsonThe Husband Hunters: Social Climbing in London and New York by Anne de Courcy and Clare CorbettWomen of Means: The Fascinating Biographies of Royals, Heiresses, Eccentrics, and Other Poor Little Rich Girls by Margaret Wagman-GellarThe Bridgertons Series by Julia QuinnBelgravia by Julian FellowesThe American Heiress by Daisy GoodwinThe Debutantes series by Jennifer Lynn BarnesIf you're interested in purchasing the books mentioned in this episode, visit our bookshop.org affiliate shopLinks:The 10 Dos and Don'ts of Etiquette to Become a Lady in Regency EnglandDebutante balls and the persistent obsession with the purity of young womenQueer in the Regency: a Slice of Once-Hidden LGBT HistoryGender roles in the 19th centuryLove and Courtship in Regency EnglandThe London SeasonThe Racist History of PromThe Curious Plight of the Modern DebutanteThe History of British Slave Ownership Has Been Buried'Princess Seraphina' Steps Out at Vauxhill GardensA Survivor's Guide to Georgian MarriageSupport the show

Join us as we finish the story of Christa McAuliffe and the Challenger Disaster. In part 2, Hailee tells us how Christa won the Teacher in Space position out of thousands of applicants, how she trained for weeks and gives brief bios for the rest of the Challenger crew. We will also learn how this disaster very well could have been avoided. What We're ReadingVerity by Colleen HooverThe Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny ColganThe Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny ColganThe Love Hypothesis by Ali HazelwoodWatercress by Andrea Wang and Jason ChinA Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C & Erin E. SteadIf you are interested in any of the books we talk about on this episode, please consider using our affiliate link through Bookshop.org!Recommended ReadingNon-FictionThe burning blue: the untold story of Christa McAuliffe and NASA's Challenger disaster by Kevin CookTruth, Lies, and O-Rings: Inside the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster by Allan McDonald and James HansenBringing Columbia Home: The Untold Story of a Lost Space Shuttle and Her Crew by Michael D. Leinbach and Jonathan H. Ward.Hidden Figures by Margot Lee SheterlyHow We Got to the Moon: the people, technology, and daring feats of science behind humanity's greatest adventureby John RoccoFictionWe Dream of Space by Erin Entrada KellyPlanet Earth is Blue by Nicole PanteleakosLinksHistory of SpaceflightThe Space RaceNASA Group 8Teacher in Space Program Christa McAuliffe 1970s: Kennedy Dispatches Probes to Far Reaches as Apollo Ends1980s: All Eyes Focus on Space Shuttle35 Years Ago: Remembering Challenger and Her CrewUtah engineers' warning was ignored before Challenger explosion 30 years agoChrista's Lost LessonsRogers Commission ReportChallenger Engineer Who Warned Of Shuttle Disaster Dieshttps://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2012/02/06/146490064/remembering-roger-boisjoly-he-tried-to-stop-shuttle-challenger-launchSupport the show

This week, Hailee tells us about Christa McAuliffe and the Challenger disaster in this two-part episode! In part 1, Hailee gives us a (brief, layman's version) history of the beginnings of the space age and the space race between the Soviet Union and the United States. You will also learn about Astronaut Group 8, the most diverse group of astronauts NASA ever employed up to that point and we will learn about the decision to begin the Teach in Space program that will introduce us to the amazing Christa McAuliffe, a New Hampshire teacher chosen to be the first citizen in space. We also learn that if you break the moon, you have to pay for the moon. Stay tuned next week for part 2, along with all of our recommended reading! LinksHistory of SpaceflightThe Space RaceNASA Group 8Teacher in Space Program Christa McAuliffe 1970s: Kennedy Dispatches Probes to Far Reaches as Apollo Ends1980s: All Eyes Focus on Space Shuttle35 Years Ago: Remembering Challenger and Her CrewUtah engineers' warning was ignored before Challenger explosion 30 years agoChrista's Lost LessonsRogers Commission ReportChallenger Engineer Who Warned Of Shuttle Disaster Dieshttps://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2012/02/06/146490064/remembering-roger-boisjoly-he-tried-to-stop-shuttle-challenger-launchSupport the show

In this FIRST-EVER in-person episode of The Reference Desk, Katie and Hailee talk about banned books. In recent months, the number of challenged books has skyrocketed. Politicians and parents across the country have called for the removal of books that feature LGBTQIA+ references and material that may make white students feel uncomfy. Katie and Hailee tell you the history of book bans, talk you through how challenges are handled, explore current challenged material, and share their thoughts on actions to stop censorship. Highlights: What the ALA has to say about the recent uptick in book challenges.How material challenges are handled in public and school libraries. How libraries in Texas and Virginia are handling an onslaught in challenged material. Guess that banned book!Currently challenged books. How you can help support your local schools, libraries, and marginalized communities in the face of book bans. Currently reading: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor NoahRecommendations: Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia KobabeNew Kid by Jerry KraftStamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. KendiMelissa's Story (Formerly titled "George") by Alex GinoSomething Happened in Our Town  by Ann Hazzard, Marianne Celano, and Marietta CollinsAll American Boys by Brendan Kiely and Jason ReynoldsThe Hate U Give by Angie ThomasLinks: ALA Office for Intellectual FreedomRed Wine and Blue's Book Ban BustersThe Unicorn ExpressFree Little LibraryDolly Parton's Imagination LibraryFor all our sources, resources about banned books , and links to all our recommended reading, visit https://thereferencedeskpod.comSupport the show on Patreon! Support the show

In this episode of The Reference Desk, Katie is bewitched by unexplained disappearances. Each year, nearly 90,000 people are listed as missing in America. People of color and Indigenous women make up a large percentage of missing people, despite accounting for smaller percentages of the population. No one group is immune from disappearances, but statistically, BIPOC people are more likely to remain missing. In this week's show, Katie tells us about some of the unexplained disappearances that have been on her mind. · The mysterious disappearance of Amy Lynn Bradley, who vanished from a  Royal Caribbean ship in 1998.· The search for Daniel Robinson, a hydrogeologist who vanished in the desert of Arizona in June 2021. ·  A look at how the reaction and media coverage of Daniel Robinson's case varied so greatly from that of Gabby Petito.· The strange disappearance of world-famous mystery writer Agatha Christie in 1926, which sparked the largest search operation in British history up until that point.· Where Agatha turned up eleven days after abandoning her car near a chalk pit. · The disappearance and believed murder of Faith Lindsey, a Chickasaw woman from Oklahoma·  The difficulties in charging Lindsey's alleged killer and how it is indicative of a larger problem in prosecuting crimes on indigenous land. ·   An overview of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women crisis in the U.S. and Canada.·   The strange disappearance of Owen Parfitt, a paralyzed man who vanished from his sister's porch in 1763. · The tale of the ghost ship Mary Celeste found sailing erratically with no people aboard days after departing New York harbor with Captain Briggs, his family, and a crew of men. ·  The seemingly-supernatural disappearance of British diplomat Benjamin Bathurst in 1809. This week's recommendationsCurrently reading: Sunrise by the Sea by Jenny Colgan Dear Librarian by Lydia M. Sigwarth and Romina GalottaLove in the Time of Serial Killers by Alicia Thompson (advanced copy) Non-fiction:Missing 411 series by David PaulidesTrue Crime Addict by James RennerSay Her Name film produced by The Coushatta Tribe of LouisianaSomebody's Daughter film directed by RainFiction:  From the Shadows by Juan Jose MililasThe Memory Police by Yoko OgawaWays to Disappear by Idra Novey Links: For all our sources, resources to on MMIW, and links to all our recommended reading, visit https://thereferencedeskpod.comSupport the show on Patreon! Help find Daniel Robinson https://pleasehelpfinddaniel.comHelp find Amy Lynn Bradley https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/amy-lynn-bradley If you have information about the murder of Faith Lindsey, email: tips@osbi.ok.gov Urban Indian Health Institute's Report on MMIW: https://www.uihi.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Missing-and-Murdered-Indigenous-Women-and-Girls-Report.pdfNational Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs): https://namus.nij.ojp.gov  Support the show

Many people know and recognize the name Florence Nightingale and recognize her as the founder of modern nursing. And, while she did some amazing things for the field of nursing there was another woman who many argue was actually the first nurse practitioner, largely forgotten by history. This week, Hailee is bewitched with Mary Seacole, a British-Jamaican nurse and businesswoman and one of the pioneers of modern nursing. Also mentioned in this episode: the extremely problematic "tip line" created by the Governor ofVirginia to have its citizens spy on school teachers and turn them into the government. If you would like to flood this tip line, the email is helpeducation@governor.virginia.govLinkshttps://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/medicine/cholera-victorian-londonhttps://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/mary-seacole-by-jane-robinson-748262.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_SeacoleRecommendationsIf you are interested in purchasing any of the titles we recommend in this episode, please use our affiliate link through Bookshop.org!Non FictionWonderful Adventures of Mrs Seacole in Many Lands by Mary SeacoleMary Seacole: Bound for the Battlefield by Susan Goldman RubinFictionThe rose of Sebastopol by Katherine McMahonThe wonder by Emma Donahugh Hailee's favorite children's and YA books by Black creators: The March series of graphic novels written by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin and illustrated by Nate PowellThe Hate u Give by Angie ThomasDread Nation by Justina IrelandPunching the Air by Ibi Zaboi and Yusef Salaam**Sulwe by Lupita NyongoThe Lola books by Anna McQuinnThe Undefeated by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Kadir Nelson which was the winner of the caldecott medalI Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C JamesUnspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Floyd Cooper** Hailee incorrectly stated the co-author of Punching the Air, Yosef Salaam, was part of the individuals called the Central Park Four by the media. It is, however, the Central Park Five now, thankfully, the Exonerated Five! I apologize!Support the show

In this episode of The Reference Desk, Katie is bewitched by the incredible story of Daisy Bates and the Little Rock Nine.Following the landmark Supreme Court decision of Brown v. Board of Education, all school districts were instructed to begin integrating public buildings. But in Little Rock, Arkansas, the resistance to integration became a national spectacle. As Governor Orval Faubus went to extreme lengths to keep Little Rock's Central High segregated, nine brave African American students stepped up to confront him. The teenagers were selected and aided by Civil Rights activist Daisy Bates, local NAACP president, newspaper owner, and all-around champion for change. Together, Bates, the Little Rock Nine, and their courageous families changed the American education system. But since the 1980s, American schools have started to become more segregated. We explore the factors surrounding the complicated issue and examine how the education of Black children in America has been shaped throughout our history. Links: Still Separate, Still Unequal: Teaching About School Segregation and Educational Inequality (NYT article Katie mentions)U.S. school segregation in the 21st centuryLittle Rock Nine: the day young students shattered racial segregationDaisy Bates and the Little Rock NineInside the Rosenwald SchoolsLittle Rock Nine FoundationNice White Parents podcastWhat we are reading: Katie: Apples Never Fall by Liane MoriartyHailee: Songteller by Dolly PartonRecommended this week: see our Bookshop affiliate page for all of our recommendation or to purchase a title!A Mighty Long Way: My Journey to Justice at Little Rock Central High School by Carlotta Walls LanierWarriors Don't Cry by Melba Pattillo BealsThe Worst First Day: Bullied While Desegregating Central High by Elizabeth EckfordThe Lost Education of Horace Tate by Vanessa Siddle WalkerChildren of the Dream: Why School Integration Works by Rucker C. Johnson and Alexander NazaryanThe Long Ride by Marina BudhosWhat's Mine and Yours by Naima CosterQueenie by Candice Carty-WilliamsBlack Leopard Red Wolf by Marlon JamesMy Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan BraithwaiteThe Vanishing Half by Brit BennettBlack Buck by Mateo AskaripourThe Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila HarrisSupport the show

This week on the Reference Desk, Hailee is bewitched by stories of children who remember having a past life. While reincarnation is a common belief and philosophy in Eastern religions and traditions, it is not as common in the West. Yet, two researchers have investigated over 2000 cases of children in the United States who have reported experiencing memories of a past life. What We Are ReadingGraveminder by Melissa MarrSongteller by Dolly PartonApples Never Fall by Liane MoriartyRecommendationsReturn to Life by Jim TuckerSurviving Death: A Journalist Investigates Evidence for an Afterlife Leslie KeanSoul Survivor: The Reincarnation of a World War II Fighter Pilot by Bruce and Andrea LeiningerMy Name Is Memory by Anne BrashersThe Ghost Inside My Child (A&E Show)If you are interested in purchasing any of the books we have recommended in this episode, please consider using our affiliate link at Bookshop.org! Support the show

In this week's episode of The Reference Desk, Katie is bewitched by the Arctic survival story of Ada Blackjack. Ada was a young, single mother living in Nome, Alaska when she was approached about joining an expedition to uninhabited Wrangel Island. The Inupiat woman was told she would live among other Inuit families as they assisted a crew of four explorers who were colonizing the remote island under the command of famous Arctic explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson. Instead, Blackjack found herself the only woman alongside a small crew of very inexperienced young men. What followed was two years of incredible survival in one of the most inhospitable landscapes on the globe. By the time the rescue ship reached Wrangel Island, Ada Blackjack was the lone survivor of the expedition. What we are reading: -The Good, the Bad, and the Dumped by Jenny Colgan-Book Lovers by Emily Henry -When You Get the Chance by Emma LordRecommendations:-Ada Blackjack: A True Story of Survival in the Arctic by Jennifer Nivens-Marooned in the Arctic: The True Story of Ada Blackjack, the 'Female Robinson Crusoe' by Peggy Caravantes-A Line of Driftwood: The Ada Blackjack Story by Diane Glancy-How to Survive in the North by Luke Healy-How the Penguins Saved Veronica by Hazel Prior-The Arctic Fury by Greer MacallisterSupport the show

Hello, friends! This is Katie. Thank you so much for joining us here on The Reference Desk.Hailee and I started working on this podcast over a year ago as a way to connect during what we thought was going to be the end of a pandemic. It's seriously been so amazing having this time with my best friend, and all of you each week. For my special re-release, I selected an episode from the first half of our first season, and I cannot believe how far we have come since then. I REALLY can't believe that you all stuck with us despite the fact that it sounded like I was calling in on a Nokia from the middle of a cornfield. I mean….I kind of was.I chose this episode where Hailee covers Victorian customs and entertainment because it is just SO Hailee. She could have easily been a Victorian, eating her picnics in the cemetery by day and holding seances by night. It also taught me my favorite ever exercise, arm waving. So, without further ado, here is Hailee, telling us what it was like to spend a day in the life of a Victorian, and me, commenting from the bottom of a well.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

We are at just over 11K plays which is just astonishing, thank you all so much for your support! It seems like we also have some new listeners, so we thought it would be fun to go through our back catalog of episodes and each pick a favorite that the other host has done. Hailee chose an episode this week that she thinks is different than almost any of the other episodes. She found it fascinating and had so much fun listening to Katie talk about this topic. Plus, it has one of her all-time favorite moments in the history of the podcast, a discussion on the choice of colored bucket to expel your guts into. So, if this is your first time listening, or even if you are listening again, please enjoy Katie telling us all about Ayahuasca! Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

This week, Hailee is bewitched by the disappearance of Amelia Earhart. Amelia Earhart was more than just a pilot: she was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic (though she wasn't the pilot of that flight), pioneered woman's aviation, worked as a nurse's aid, writer, teacher, and social worker, was the first woman awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross by Congress among so much more. Her disappearance during her attempt to circumnavigate the globe has remained a mystery for almost a century.Media RecommendationsMovies Amelia (2009)  Expedition Amelia (2019)BooksNon FictionAdult East to the Dawn: The Life of Amelia Earhart by Susan Butler Fly Girls: How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History by Keith O'BrienKids Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart by Candace FlemingFictionAdult Great circle by Maggie Shipstead Her Last Flight by Beatriz WilliamsLinkshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amelia_Earharthttps://ameliaearhart.com/index.php/biography/https://www.history.com/topics/exploration/what-happened-to-amelia-earharthttps://yamanekobunko.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-338.htmlSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

In this episode of The Reference Desk, Katie gives up a Duggar family update in the form of an in-depth journey through Josh Duggar's recent CSAM trial. Josh Duggar has a long history of horrific behavior, from admitting to sexual abuse as a teen, to cheating on his wife, Anna, to admitting to a pornography addiction. But through it all, he has remained Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar's golden child, the chosen son. In November of 2019, Homeland Security discovered Duggar had been accessing child sexual abuse materials on his work computer, and he has since been charged and convicted on two counts of receiving and possessing CSAM. It appears that the clouds of delusion, may finally be lifting within the Duggar family regarding Josh's crimes, as evidenced by the stark statements issued by his siblings and parents in the wake of his conviction. We'll talk about what's next for Josh Duggar, and give some recommendations for our favorite female-centered, cult-related literature. Books recommended on this episode (available in our bookshop): Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana GabaldonQuiverfull: Inside the Christian Patriarchy Movement by Kathryn JoyceThe Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism by Katherine StewartThe Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University by Kevin RooseShiner by Amy Jo BurnsWe Can Only Save Ourselves by Alison WisdomGather the Daughters by Jennie MelamedLinks: Trial timelineJim Bob's bizarre testimonyArkansas-based coverage of the trial Dillard family's statementJim Bob and Michelle's statementSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

In this episode of The Reference Desk, Katie is bewitched by the strange medical inventions and treatments of John Harvey Kellogg at his Battle Creek Sanitarium. John Harvey Kellogg was a Seventh Day Adventist darling who gained directorship over their medical facility in mid-Michigan just a year after becoming a doctor. What followed was Kellogg becoming the face of modern medicine, beloved by America for bringing a renaissance of health. But behind the famous celebrities and politicians that flocked to his facility is a darker story. Kellogg fought with his brother until his death, completed horrific surgeries on children in the effort to stop the "evil vice," and was a staunch eugenicist who fought to create a national race register. Books mentioned in this episode (available at our bookshop):Dr. John Harvey Kellogg and the Region of Biologic Living by Brian C. WilsonThe Kelloggs: The Battling Brothers of Battle Creek by Howard MarkelThe Sawbones Book: The Hilarious, Horrifying Road to Modern Medicine by Dr. Sydnee McElroy, Justin McElroyThe Road to Wellville by T.C. BoyleThe Second Life of Mirielle West by Amanda SkenadoreThe Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue The House of God by Samuel ShemLinks: The Secret Ingredient in Kellogg's Corn Flakes is Seventh-Day AdventismDr. John Kellogg Invented Cereal. Some of His Other Wellness Ideas Were Much WeirderJohn Harvey Kellogg's Legacy of Cereal, Sociopathy, and Sexual Mutilation The Wild Story Of John Harvey Kellogg, The Eccentric Wellness Guru Who Invented Corn FlakesSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

This week, Hailee talks about the Hicks Clinic, a small, community clinic in McCaysville, GA where a doctor sold over 200 babies and performed illegal abortions, sometimes against the will of the mother, in the 50s and 60s. Links:A History Not Yet Laid to Rest - The AtlanticHow Many Babies Did Thomas Hicks Put Up for Adoption? - heavy.'Hicks Baby' Adoptee Sold by Georgia Doctor 50 Years Ago Reunites With Birth Mother, Brother - ABC News‘Black market baby' meets biological father in Gallatin - Gallatin NewsBlack Market Babies Reunited After More Than 50 Years - New York PostReproductiveRights.org - World Abortion LawsWhat If Roe Fell? Interactive US Map from Reproductive RightsAbortion Access - Planned ParenthoodRecommended MediaTelevision Taken at Birth - TLC docuseries, available on Discovery+BooksNon-Fiction Taken at Birth by Jane Blasio American baby: a mother, a child, and the shadow history of adoption by Gabrielle Glaser Booth Girls: pregnancy, adoption, and the secrets we kept by Kim Heikkila The girls who went away: the hidden history of women who surrendered children for adoption in the decades before Roe v. Wade by Ann Fessler Before and After: the Incredible Real-Life Stories of Orphans Who Survived the Tennessee Children's Home Society by Judy Christie and Lisa WingateFiction Before We Were Yours by Lisa WingateIf you are interested in purchasing any of the books mentioned in this episode, please check out our affiliate shop on Bookshop.org!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

In this episode of The Reference Desk, Katie is bewitched with the story of Manhattan grifter-extraordinaire Anna Delvey (Anna Sorokin)For several years, the New York City upper crust embraced a charming young German heiress named Anna Delvey. Delvey was a chic, bold entrepreneur who was pursuing funding for her brainchild the Anna Delvey Foundation when Vanity Fair photo editor Rachel DeLoache Williams met her. The pair formed an unlikely friendship involving celebrity trainers, infrared sauna treatments, and expensive meals in SoHo's hottest restaurants. But the pair's friendship turned sour when a so-called "dream vacation" to Morocco left Rachel with more than $60,000 in credit card debt, which Delvey refused to reimburse as promised. Rachel would soon discover that she was only one in a long line of victims Delvey defrauded.Recommended titles (available in our bookshop) All These Bodies by Kendare BlakeMy Friend Anna by Rachel DeLoache WilliamsHow to Lead a Life of Crime by Kirsten MillerThe Curse Workers trilogy by Holly BlackThe Widow of Wall Street by Randy Susan MeyersTo Rise Again at a Decent Hour by Joshua FerrisConman: A Master Swindler's Own Story by J.R. 'Yellow Kid' Weil and W.T. BransonCan You Ever Forgive Me? by Lee IsraelEmpire of Deception by Dean JobbLinks: New York Magazine piece by Jessica PresslerVanity Fair piece by Rachel DeLoache WilliamsTrailer for Netflix's "Inventing Anna" Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

This week, Hailee is bewitched by the New England Vampire Panic. During the later part of the 18th and 19th centuries, large amounts of people were dying from what they called consumption, what we know of today as Tuberculosis. In New England, they had a different idea about what was causing their friends and loved ones to waste away in front of their eyes: vampires. Though they never used the exact term, they thought that the undead were preying upon the living and they had some very interesting methods to stop the attacks.Links:The Great New England Vampire Panic - Smithsonian MagazineBelief in Connecticut VampiresThe New England Vampire PanicThe Strange History of the New England Vampire PanicRecommendations:MediaLore - Season 1 Episode 1: They Made a TonicAsk A Mortician - America's Forgotten Vampire PanicNon-FictionMichael E. Bell's Food for the Dead: On the Trail of New England's VampireVampires, Burial, and Death: Folklore and Reality by Paul BarberA History of Vampires in New England by Thomas D'AgostinoFictionMercy: The Last New England Vampire by Sarah L. ThomsonThe Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady HendrixIf you are interested in purchasing any of the books we talked about in this episode, please check out our affiliate link to bookshop.org!Support the show

In this episode of The Reference Desk, Katie is bewitched with the true story of the "first Thanksgiving."American schools have long taught about the history of Thanksgiving with cringe-worthy pageants and re-enactments of happy pilgrims and Indians gathered around a table. In reality, the shared meal we've dubbed the "first Thanksgiving" was a pure coincidence of Wampanoag warriors joining in a meal they happened upon while expecting to find a full-scale battle. (why else would the woods be full of gunshots?!) The tenuous relationship between the colonizers and Indigenous people of New England quickly deteriorated after the feast, and what ensued was near total decimation of Indigenous life, land, and culture. After an accurate retelling of the accidental party, we share some suggestions on how to de-colonize your Thanksgiving celebration, as well as recommended books by Indigenous authors. Recommended titles (available in our bookshop):All These Bodies by Kendare BlakeThis Land is Their Land: The Wampanoag Indians, Plymouth Colony, and the Troubled History of Thanksgiving by David J. SilvermanDreaming in Indian: Contemporary Native American Voices by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth LeatherdaleEyes Bottle Drunk with a Mouthful of Flowers by Jake SheetsThere There by Tommy OrangeThe Round House by Louise Edrich1612: A New Look at Thanksgiving by Catherine O'Neill GraceGiving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message by Jake SwampWe Are Grateful: Otashlihelgia by Traci SorellMy Heart Fills With Happiness by Monique Gray SmithLinks: Indigenous Digital Archive Treaties Explorer6 Native Leaders on What it Would Look Like if the U.S. Kept its PromisesNative Land DigitalSupport the show

This week, Hailee is bewitched with something she stumbled upon during a recent trip to Florida: Houses of Refuge and the United States Life Saving Services. According to Martin County Historical Society, the Houses of Refuge were designated as havens for shipwrecked sailors and travelers along the sparsely populated Atlantic coastline of Florida. Run by the United States Lifesaving Service, the Houses played a critical role in a time when sailing ships dominated world commerce. Over their years of operation, the Lifesaving Service saved over 100,000 people and was the start of the Coast Guard.Links:House of Refuge MuseumUS Life-Saving Service Heritage AssociationBooks Mentioned: A History of the World in Sixteen Shipwrecks by Stewart Gordon Sinking the Sultana: A Civil War Story of Imprisonment, Greed, and a Doomed Journey Home by Sally M. Walker The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea by Sebastian Junger Ghosts of the Treasure Coast by Patrick and Patricia Mesmer In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon  Small Town Monsters by Diana Rodriguez Wallach If you are interested in purchasing any of these titles, please use our affiliate link through bookshop.org!  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

In this episode of The Reference Desk, Katie is bewitched by the saloon-smashing, hatchet-wielding, temperance leader Carry A. Nation. In the fight for prohibition, no one waged war like Carry Nation. After a hard childhood that ended in a brief marriage to an alcoholic, Carry became involved in the Women's Christian Temperance Union. Finding no success in the usual campaigns of letter-writing and prayer circles, Carry took it upon herself to deliver the message in a more direct way. She became famous for smashing saloons with her trademark hatchet while preaching about the sins of alcohol to anyone unfortunate enough to be within earshot. Carry Nation was largely written off by historians as a religious hysteric, but by examining her actions in the context of the woman's suffrage movement, we can see Carry played an integral role in our nation's progress. Recommended titles (available in our bookshop): The Haunting of Leigh Harker by Darcy CoatesUntamed by Glennon DoyleCarry A. Nation: Retelling the Life by Fran GraceSmashing the Liquor Machine: A Global History of Prohibition by Mark Lawrence SchradThe Gilded Years by Karin TanabeThe Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona DavisThe Downstairs Girl by Stacey LeeLinks: Roots of ProhibitionCarry Nation biographyHistoric Missourians: Carry A. NationCarry Nation on History.comAnother Carry bioSmithsonian mag on Carry nationHatchet Nation-SlateSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

In our last mini spookysode, Hailee tells us about the origins and celebrations of Halloween! How we celebrate Halloween is pretty different than how it was originally celebrated over 2000 years ago, but there are still some traces of the ancient festivals that inspired the holiday.Soul Cake RecipeCreepy vintage Halloween costumesSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

In this week's mini spookysode, Katie is bewitched by the soap-maker of Correggio. When fortune-teller Leonarda Cianciulli set up shop in the tiny Italian town of Correggio, luck for the local women seemed to change. Leonarda helped them find new jobs, new loves, and new adventures. But their families never heard from then again, save a couple of letters telling them they'd left town for good. When one missing woman's sister-in-law began poking around, she discovered a vat of secrets in Leonarda's bubbling cauldron. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

This week, Hailee is bewitched with the legend of the Bell Witch.The Bell Witch is a menacing spirit that haunted the Bell family in Addams, Tennessee for years. Beginning with unexplained noises and sightings of strange creatures, the haunting soon escalated to physical torments and is said to be one of the only cases in which a spirit has caused the death of a person.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

This week, Katie is bewitched with what happens to your body after you die. From the time you take your last breath to the time your placed in the ground or an urn, the process and care your human form receives is something of a mystery. Mortuary science is a secretive field, and few people know what goes on behind the scenes in a funeral home. The air of mystery surrounding the very natural end of life only adds to the general fear of death. In this episode, we take you through the process your earthly remains will go through from their transport to the morgue to their final resting place, be that a cemetery or deepest space. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

We are back! Join us as we chat about what we have been doing, what we have been reading and what we have been watching during our short break. Plus, find out what we will be up to next and when to look forward to new episodes of The Reference Desk! Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

This week Katie and Hailee continue to be bewitched by the Titanic. In the second half of this two-part series, we go minute-by-minute through the timeline of the sinking and bemoan all the mistakes that led to the massive loss of life. We also discuss the aftermath of the tragedy, including its influence on pop culture and the completely bizarre salvage plans that were cooked up through the decades to drag the wreck out of the depths of the ocean...before it was even discovered in 1985! We also talk about some myths associated with Titanic, and explore some shipwreck-related ghost stories. This will be the concluding episode for our first season. We cannot thank you enough for your support and listenership. We're already hard to work researching for season 2! Books mentioned in this episode (all can be purchased in our bookshop):Fear Street Series by R.L. StineThe Loss of the SS Titanic by Lawrence BeesleyThe Truth About the Titanic by Archibald GracieTitanic and Other Ships by Charles LightollerA Night to Remember by Walter LordThe Discovery of the Titanic by Robert BallardThe Wreck of the Titan: Futility by Morgan RobertsonThe Midnight Watch by David DyerWomen and Children First by Gill PaulThe Watch That Ends the Night by Allan WolfThe Deep by Alma Katsu882 1/2 Amazing Answers to Your Questions About the Titanic by Hugh Brewster and Laurie CoulterHistory Smashers: The Titanic by Kate MessnerTitanic: A Journey Through Time by John P. Eaton and Charles A. HaasLinks: British Wreck Commissioner's InquiryUS Senate Titanic Disaster HearingsTitanic Conspiracy TheoriesSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

This week Hailee and Katie are bewitched by the Titanic.Is it just us, or does EVERY kid go through a Titanic phase? An adolescent infatuation spurred on by Kate Winslet and Leonardo Dicaprio leaving handprints on a steamy car window has morphed into an adult obsession with the story and impact of the Titanic. In our first ever collaborative episode (and part one of our season 1 finale), we explore the history of transatlantic travel, the construction of the “ship of dreams,” life onboard the ship, and the crew and passengers who made the doomed vessel an integral part of Western history and culture.Before this ill-fated beauty slips below the freezing waters of the Atlantic, let's revel in her grandeur and innovation.Books mentioned on this episode (all linked in our bookshop):The Comfort Book by Matt HaigThe Unhoneymooners by Christina LaurenBeach Read by Emily HenryLinks: History of shipbuildingOverview of Transatlantic travelThe Monster Ships that Changed the Way We TravelFirst Class FacilitiesSecond and Third Class FacilitiesHere's What the Most Expensive Ticket on the Titanic Would Have Bought YouTitanic-Food For All ClassesMolly BrownRMS Titanic and Passenger ListsCaptain Edward J. Smith BiographyUK National Archives for the TitanicSupport the show

In this two-part episode, Hailee is bewitched with the Amityville Horror.Since the 1970s, the beautiful dutch colonial house on 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville, NY has been full of tragedy and speculation. Starting with the brutal slaying of the DeFeo family in 1974 to the shocking tales of demonic activity in the home afterward to the numerous books, movies, and TV shows made in the aftermath, this house has become one of, if not the most infamous house in America. In part two, Hailee breaks down the paranormal investigations that took place in the home, gives a brief career overview of investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, and talks about some of the coincidences and legends associated with the home. Recommended titles (all available in our bookshop): Home Before Dark by Riley Sager Amity by Micol Ostow The Haunted House Diaries: The True Story of a Quiet Connecticut Town in the Center of a Paranormal Mystery by William Hall Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places by Colin Dickey The Night the Defeo's Died by Ric OsunaLinksAmityville Fileshttps://filmdaily.co/news/ed-and-lorraine-warren/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ulg65p84JwU&ab_channel=WarnerBros.EntertainmentSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

In this two part episode, Hailee is bewitched with the Amityville Horror. Since the 1970s, the beautiful dutch colonial house on 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville, NY has been full of tragedy and speculation. Starting with the brutal slaying of the DeFeo family in 1974 to the shocking tales of demonic activity in the home afterwards to the numerous books, movies and TV shows made in the aftermath, this house has become one of, if not the most infamous house in America. In part one, Hailee will talk about the history of the home, the murder of the DeFeo family and the haunting experiences of the Lutz family who moved in just a year after the murders.Recommended titles (all available in our bookshop): A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow Laura Taylor Namey Untamed by Glennon Doyle The Night the DeFeo's Died by Ric Osuna The Amityville Horror by Jay AnsonLinksAmityville FilesAmityville MurdersButch DeFeo's Written StatementSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

In this week's episode, Katie continues to be bewitched by the Duggar family.Part two of our expose on one of the world's most famous mega-families will reveal the Duggars' long list of scandals. From transphobic tweets that result in members being removed from filming, to infidelity, corporal punishment, and misuse of charity funds, we look at the moments that shook the foundation of the Duggar fanbase.We also devote some time to the most disappointing Duggar of all, Joshua. Josh's long history of alarming and destructive behaviors have finally caught up to him in a way that can't be quietly solved with a trip to a prayer-based “recovery center.” We'll pinpoint all the red flags and utter failures along the way.Recommended titles (all available in our bookshop):Love Makes a Family by Sophie BeerFelix Ever After by Kacen CallenderThe Queen's English: The LGBTQIA+ Dictionary of Lingo and Colloquial Phrases by Chloe O. DavisReal Queer America: LGBT Stories from Red States by Samantha AllenDrama by Raina TelgemeierLumberjane series by Noelle Stevenson, Shannon Watters, and Brooke AllenJulian is a Mermaid by Jessica LoveEducated by Tara WestoverStolen Innocence: My Story of Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect, Becoming a Teenage Bride, and Breaking Free of Warren Jeffs by Elissa Wall and Lisa PulitzerUnder the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon KrakauerCrazy for God: How I Grew Up as one of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lives to Take it All (Or Almost All) of it Back by Frank SchaefferThe Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecilia GalanteThe Incendiaries by R.O. KwonThe Leftovers by Tom PerrottaSurvivor by Chuck PalahniukLinks:Counting On: The 10 Biggest Scandals that Have Rocked the Duggar FamilyTLC Severs Ties with Derick Dillard Following More Tweets about Jazz JenningsTimeline: Duggar Sex-Abuse ScandalFamily Values Activist Josh Duggar Had a Paid Ashely Madison AccountSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

In this episode of The Reference Desk, Katie is bewitched by the Duggar Family. To their adoring fans, the Duggar family is a close-knit, super-sized Christian family intent on raising their brood under a stringent set of beliefs and rules. But when we dig below the surface, we find so much more. From their affiliation with Bill Gothard's predatory Institute of Basic Life Principles, to their deeply sexist rules for their daughters, to their bizarre and troubling homeschool curriculum, the Duggar family's problems run deeper than just floor-length denim skirts and parent-supervised dates.Join us in this first part of a two-episode look at everything you wish you didn't know about the Duggar family.Recommended titles (available at our bookshop):What Riley Wore by Elana K. Arnold and Linda DavickAll Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages by Saundra MitchellThis is How it Always Is by Laurie FrankelSimon Vs. The Homosapien's Agenda by Becky AlbertalliLeah on the Offbeat by Becky AlbertalliKate in Waiting by Becky AlbertalliYou Should See Me in a Crown by Leah JohnsonLinks: Can Taking the Pill Cause a Miscarriage?A Comprehensive Guide to the Duggar FamilyBill Gothard's Lawsuit'Counting On': How Did the Duggar Family Get on Television?What Church Do the Duggars Go To?Institute in Basic Life Principles (hot garbage dump)Here's How the Duggars Really Make Their MoneyThe Fundamentalist TrapDuggar Family RulesThe Fundamentally Toxic ChristianityThe Cult Next Door (all about IBLP and super creep Bill Gothard)ATI Homeschool Curriculum Preview Duggar Family Website/BlogSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

In this episode, Hailee is bewitched with the legends and lore behind cursed films.What is a curse? Some of the earliest curses are found in Egyptian Execration texts, which were tablets listing the enemies of the pharaoh. Essentially, a curse is any expressed wish that some form of adversity or misfortune will befall or attach to one or more persons, a place, or an object. Throughout history, people have promoted stories of curses for a variety of reasons. You can find curses just about anywhere, from religious superstitions to sports fans wearing a certain jersey because they think it will help their team win...to films and television! There are a number of films that hold the description of being cursed. Accidents and deaths on set, bad luck that seems to follow anyone associated with certain films, and so much more. In this episode, Hailee will discuss the real events, legends, and lore behind several cursed films and you can decide for yourself...are curses real? For more information and a full list of our sources, visit our website.Recommended Media Cursed Films series on Shudder Harrow Lake by Kat Ellis The Remaking by Clay Mcleod Chapman Plain Bad Heroines by Emily DanforthIf you're interested in purchasing the books mentioned in this episode, visit our bookshop.org affiliate shopLinksAntrum - Cursed Horror with Grim History12 Cursed MoviesI Watched A Cursed Film During Quarantine6 Famous Curses Through HistoryThe Lee Family CurseSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

In this episode of The Reference Desk, Katie is bewitched by the myths and legends of Walt Disney World.Known around the globe as “the happiest place on Earth,” Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida is a vacation destination like no other. This sprawling property is home to four unique theme parks, a host of themed accommodations, hundreds of restaurants, and a world of carefully-curated experiences. But are there secrets lurking beneath the surface?Was Walt Disney cryogenically frozen and kept in suspended animation beneath one of his most beloved attractions?Is an uncontainable flesh-eating bacteria the real reason for the sudden, quiet closure of a wildly popular water park? And is it true that no one dies on Disney property? We explore these myths and more in this magical episode.Recommended Titles available at our bookshopManacled by SenLinYuDisney War by James B. StewartIt's Kind of a Cute Story by Rolly Crump and Jeff HeimbuchThe Disney Story: Chronicling the Man, the Mouse, and the Parks  by Aaron H. GoldbergThe Art of Disney Costuming: Heroes, Villains, and Spaces Between by Jeff KurttiMaps of the Disney Parks: Charting 60 Years from California to Shanghaiby Kevin and Susan NearyCleaning the Kingdom: Insider Tales of Keeping Walt's Dream Spotless by Ken Pellman and Lynn BarronInk and Paint: The Women of Walt Disney's Animation by Mindy JohnsonSecret Stories of Walt Disney World series by Jim KorkisThe Kingdom Keeper series by Ridley Pearson.Dream Factory by Brad Barkley and Heather HeplerDown and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory DoctorowLinks: Abandoned: The Rise, Fall and Decay of Disney's River CountryIs Walt Disney's Body Frozen?List of Incidents at Walt Disney WorldThe Inside Story Of Walt Disney's Secret Tunnels Beneath The Magic KingdomPark Secrets Disney Doesn't Want You to KnowFact Check: Does No One Ever Die at Disney Parks?Fact Check: Was Walt Disney Frozen?25 Secrets About Disney World The Execs Would Never Tell UsSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

In this episode, Hailee is bewitched with the Culper Ring, George Washington's secret spy ring credited with turning the course of the war and enabling an American victory. The Culper Spy Ring operated successfully in and around New York City for five years and the informants were never discovered. Even George Washington himself was unaware of their identities. Along with spies like Hercules Mulligan and James Armistead, the Culper Ring was responsible for preventing the plan of one of history's most notorious traitors and saving George Washington's life more than once. And yes, there will be Hamilton quotes.For more information and a full list of our sources, visit our website.Recommended Media TURN, AMC Decoded - History Channel George Washington's Secret Six: The Spy Ring That Saved the American Revolution by Brian Kilmeade and David Yeager Washington's Spies: The Story of America's First Spy Ring by Alexander Rose Agent 355 by Marie Benedict (Audible original) George Washington, Spymaster by Thomas B. Allen Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales by Nathan Hale Rebel Spy by Veronica RossiIf you're interested in purchasing the books mentioned in this episode, visit our bookshop.org affiliate shopLinkshttps://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/culper-spy-ring/https://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/culper-spy-ringhttps://explorethearchive.com/the-culper-ringhttps://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/american-revolution-historyhttps://www.britannica.com/topic/Culper-Spy-RingSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

This week, Katie is bewitched with the polio epidemic and vaccines.As the U.S. takes its first tentative steps toward post-COVID life with the massive roll-out of vaccines, Katie takes time to reflect on another virus that changed our world: polio. For decades, parents lived in fear of summer- time polio outbreaks. Children went from happy and healthy to iron lungs in a matter of days. As a result, public pools closed. Adolescents were banned from movie theaters, and parents everywhere hoped and prayed for a vaccine that would keep their children safe. The Polio vaccines continue to provide relief from this debilitating virus all over the world. Will we allow the COVID vaccines to do their work, too?Recommended books (all can be found in our bookshop):A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul TremblayGrowing Things by Paul TremblayThe Royal We series by Heather Cocks and Jessica MorganPolio: An American Story by David M. OshinskyThe Cutter Incident: How America's First Polio Vaccine Led to the Growing Vaccine Crisis by Paul A. OffitThe Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca SklootThree Minutes for a Dog: My Life in an Iron Lung by Paul R. AlexanderNemesis by Philip RothThe Stolen Marriage by Diane ChamberlainSeverance by Ling MaLinks: History Does Repeat Itself: Lessons from the Polio VaccineParents PACK Personal Stories-PolioWhy 'New' COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effects Are Totally ExpectedThe Cutter Incident: How America's First Polio Vaccine Led to a Growing Vaccine CrisisHistory of PolioPolio TimelineHow We Know the COVID Vaccine Won't Have Long Term Side EffectsOur Progress Against PolioPolio Survivor StoriesPolio Survivor Stories IIPolio through HistoryThe Man in the Iron LungRace and the Politics of Polio: Warm Springs, Tuskegee, and the March of DimesVaccine TypesSupport the show

In this episode, Hailee is bewitched by the customs, entertainment, and daily lives of the Victorians.The victorian period is named after for reign of Queen Victoria encompassing the span of history between 1837-1901. During this time, Brittain and the United States were experiencing the first Industrial Revolution. Also during this time, Alexander Graham Bell invents the telephone, Florence Nightingale revolutionizes the nursing field with her sanitary practices, Charles Dickens is the shit - the most popular author of the time, Charles Darwin writes the Origin of the species, Jack the Ripper is stalking the streets of London.And there is an incredibly high mortality rate which is why much of what the Victorians did for entertainment focuses on death. From disgustingly elaborate breakfasts to seances and anthropomorphic taxidermy and hair jewelry, the Victorians were certainly a strange bunch. Recommended Media The Boy in the Red Dress by Kristin Lambert  The Alice Network by Kate Quinn Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon Victorian Farm - BBC show Floriography by Jessica Roux How to Be a Victorian: A Dawn-to-Dusk Guide to Victorian Life by Ruth Goodman Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry  The Silent Companions by Lucy ParcellIf you're interested in purchasing the books mentioned in this episode, visit our bookshop.org affiliate shopLinksBrief history of the Victorian EraHow People in the Victorian Era Spent Their Free Time - Weird History, YouTubeArchive of primary texts about all manner of Victorian topicsVictorian Farm - BBC showCallisthenics for LadiesDeath PhotographySupport the show

In this week's episode, Katie is bewitched by the incredible survival story of Jose Salvador Alvarenga. In November 2012, Alvarenga headed out on a fishing trip despite warnings of a storm brewing. The routine trip soon turned life-threatening when engine failure and rough seas dragged Alvarenga and his mate, 22-year-old Ezequiel Cordoba, deep into the Pacific Ocean. For 438 days, Alvarenga survived at sea before washing ashore on the Marshall Islands. Alvarenga's survival is a story of incredible skill, intelligence, and sheer luck. In this episode we examine the psychological and physical obstacles Alvarenga overcame to become the first man to survive for over a year alone in the Pacific Ocean. Recommended books (all can be found in our bookshop): We are Not Free by Traci Chee Healthier Together by Liz Moody At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson 438 Days: An Extraordinary True Story of Survival at Sea by Jonathan Franklin Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by John Krakauer Into the Wild by John Krakauer In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson SAS Survival Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Surviving Anywhere by John “Lofty” Williams The Martian by Andy Weir The Children's Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin Hatchet by Gary Paulsen My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

This week, Hailee is bewitched with the strange, funny, sometimes deadly behaviors of people who sleepwalk. Sleepwalking is a behavior disorder that originates during deep sleep and results in walking or performing other complex behaviors while still mostly asleep. Listen this week as Hailee discusses some funny sleepwalking stories, including some sleep talking stories from her husband, as well as the science behind what goes on in our brains during sleep. And of course, she discusses some sleepwalking murders, as well. Titles recommended in this episode: The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh by Candace Fleming Sloth Wasn't Sleepy by Kate Messner, illustrated by Valentina Toro Dreamland: adventures in the strange science of sleep by David Randall. I have struck Mrs. Cochran with a stake: sleepwalking, insanity, and the trial of Abraham Prescott by Leslie RoundsIf you're interested in purchasing the books mentioned in this episode, visit our bookshop.org affiliate shopLinksCelinaspookyboohttps://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-superhuman-mind/201212/sleep-driving-and-sleep-killinghttps://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/sleep/articles/2009/05/08/7-criminal-cases-that-invoked-the-sleepwalking-defensehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-case-of-the-sleepwalking-killer-77584095/https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sleepwalking/symptoms-causes/syc-20353506https://www.buzzfeed.com/alivelez/weird-sleepwalking-storieshttps://www.sleepcycle.com/how-sleep-cycle-works/CAWPILE Book Rating System with reading logBookriot Reading LogSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

In this episode of The Reference Desk, Katie is bewitched with Mackinac Island.Nestled in the cold, deep waters between the upper and lower pennisulas of Michigan lies the idyllic and picturesque Mackinac Island. What was once a beloved spot for indigenous people evolved into a fur trader's outpost, a military stronghold, and eventually the tourist destination we know today. From it's unique ban on automobiles to its Victorian-era flagship hotel, this gem of an island transports its visitor's back in time.Let's explore its unique history, fascinating year-round lifestyle, and it's darkest haunts.For more information and a full list of our sources, visit our website.Recommended titles: The Watch That Ends the Night by Allan WolfBeauty Mark by Carole Boston WeatherfordOutlander by Diana GabaldonWhat We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat by Aubrey GordonSecrets of Mackinac Island series by Katie WintersThe Pink Pony: Murder on Mackinac Island by Charles CutterSnowed In by Rachel HawthorneTimeless: Inside Mackinac Island's Historic Cottages by Moira Croghan, Mark BearssHaunts of Mackinac: Ghost Stories, Legends and Tragic Tales of Mackinac Island by Todd ClementsMackinac Island: It's History in Pictures by Eugene T. PetersonIf you're interested in purchasing the books mentioned in this episode, visit our bookshop.org affiliate shopLinks: @BaileyyJanette on TikTok@megsonmackinac on TikTokVoice of Mackinac IslandLore episode 91: Beneath the SurfaceYour Haunted Holiday episode 57: The Grand HotelHaunted Places: Mackinac IslandStraits PrideMackinac Artists MarketMackinac Bands of Chippewa and Ottawa IndiansThe Island BookstoreHarry Potter and the Sacred TextThe Real QuestionThe Grand Hotel10 Things You Might Not Know About Mackinac Island's Grand HotelRemembering Mackinac Island's Agatha BiddleWinter Life on Mackinac IslandIsland Living: For Mackinac Full-timers, a Different Way of LifeSpend the Night at Michigan's Most Haunted HotelSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

This week, Hailee is bewitched by the tragic fate of the Donner Party.  Literally every conceivable thing went wrong for this rag-tag group of travelers. Pioneers traveling the Oregon trail were inspired by the promise of free land in California and Oregon. Spurred on by what journalist John L. O'Sullivan coined Manifest Destiny, and encouraged by President Polk who was so singular in his focus of owning the western part of the United States he started the Mexican American war, these settlers thought it was their Divine right to journey west and claim the land for themselves. They were promised acres of good, farmable land by the Westward Expansion organizations, never minding that most of California was still owned by Mexico and, of course, hundreds, maybe thousands of indigenous people already called the land home. Hoping to take a newly "discovered" shortcut that would supposedly shave off 300 miles of their journey, the Donner party unfortunately ended up trapped in the Sierra Nevadas in feet of snow and very quickly began to starve.Titles recommended in this episode: The Snow Fell Three Graves Deep by Allen Roth The Hunger by Alma Katsu To Stay Alive: Mary Ann Graves and the Tragic Journey of the Donner Party by Skila Brown Daughters Unto Devils by Amy Lukavics The Best Land Under Heaven: The Donner Party in the Age of Manifest Destiny by Michael Wallis The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of a Donner Party Bride by Daniel James BrownIf you're interested in purchasing the books mentioned in this episode, visit our bookshop.org affiliate shopLinksFor a full list of the members of the Donner Party as well as their fate, click here.Pay the Oregon Trail game!This amazing website has complete biographies of most of the Donner Party, maps, family trees and so much more. Wonderful.In 2020, a group of snow hikers attempted to take the same path as the Forlorn Hope Expedition. Track their journey here.For a full list of our sources and show notes, check out our website!Support the show

In this episode, Katie is bewitched with the debutantes of the London social season. Since the late 1700s, Britain's most eligible young ladies have been presented to society during London's social season. Providing the framework for our favorite novels like Pride and Prejudice, debutante society hides a deeply problematic world of sexism, racism, classism, and more. In this deep-dive into the beginnings and evolution of this bizarre ritual, we explore the realm of the ultra-exclusive debutante social scene. For more information, and a list of all our sources, visit our website. Titles recommended in this episode: The Season: A Social History of the Debutante by Kristen RichardsonThe Husband Hunters: Social Climbing in London and New York by Anne de Courcy and Clare CorbettWomen of Means: The Fascinating Biographies of Royals, Heiresses, Eccentrics, and Other Poor Little Rich Girls by Margaret Wagman-GellarThe Bridgertons Series by Julia QuinnBelgravia by Julian FellowesThe American Heiress by Daisy GoodwinThe Debutantes series by Jennifer Lynn BarnesIf you're interested in purchasing the books mentioned in this episode, visit our bookshop.org affiliate shopLinks:The 10 Dos and Don'ts of Etiquette to Become a Lady in Regency EnglandDebutante balls and the persistent obsession with the purity of young womenQueer in the Regency: a Slice of Once-Hidden LGBT HistoryGender roles in the 19th centuryLove and Courtship in Regency EnglandThe London SeasonThe Racist History of PromThe Curious Plight of the Modern DebutanteThe History of British Slave Ownership Has Been Buried'Princess Seraphina' Steps Out at Vauxhill GardensA Survivor's Guide to Georgian MarriageSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

In this episode, Hailee is bewitched with rock and roll myths, legends and curses. Who created Rock and Roll? It's a question that has been heavily debated and there are many possible answers. Rock has certainly had a very turbulent history. Close calls, plane crashes, heavy use of drugs and alcohol, mysterious deaths, just to name a few. Join us this week as week as Hailee tells the tale of Robert Johnson who may have sold his soul at the crossroads to become an amazing musician, the 27 club, which claims the lives of numerous rock and roll legends at the age of 27 and the Buddy Holly Curse.For more information and a full list of our sources, visit our website. Recommended titles: One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London Take a Walk on the Dark Side: Rock and Roll Myths, Legends, and Curses by R. Gary Patterson What We Don't Talk about When We Talk about Fat by Aubrey Gordon The Day you Begin by Jacqueline Woodson Jookin': The Rise of Social Dance Formations in African-American Culture by Katrina Hazzard-Gordon The Walrus Was Paul: The Great Beatle Death Clues by R. Gary Patterson Escaping the Delta: Robert Johnson and the Invention of the Blues by Elijah Wald Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll by the editors of Rolling Stone The Devil and the Bluebird by Jennifer Mason-Black If you're interested in purchasing the books mentioned in this episode, visit our bookshop.org affiliate shop. Links:Netflix documentary - ReMastered: Devil at the CrossroadsRobert Johnson BiographySupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

In this special episode of The Reference Desk, Katie and Hailee tell you a bit about themselves, why they started a podcast and play a game of Would You Rather!Books MentionedFangirl by Rainbow RowellThe Bell Jar by Sylvia PlathThe Outlander series by Diana GabeldonBooks by Louise MillerBooks by Jenny ColganThe Fingerprints series by Melinda MetzIf you're interested in purchasing the books mentioned in this episode, visit our bookshop.org (affiliate shop)Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)

In this episode, Katie is bewitched with the psychedelic drug ayahuasca.Deep in the Amazon basin of South America, indigenous people rely on the wisdom of the sacred ayahuasca brew, a psychoactive drink. For centuries, this medicine has guided and healed those who partake in its sacred ritual. Traditionally, a trained shaman guides their community members through the ritual, but Westerners want in, too.For more information and a full list of our sources, visit our websiteRecommended titles: Songteller by Dolly PartonCravings by Chrissy TeigenCravings: Hungry for More by Chrissy TeigenThe Little Blue Cottage by Kelly Jordan and Jessica Courtney-TickleMiss Rumphius by Barbara CooneyYou Are Your Child's First Teacher by Rahima Baldwin DancyAyahuasca in my Blood: Twenty-five Years of Medicine Dreaming by Peter GormanAyahuasca Visions: The Religious Iconography of a Peruvian Shaman by Pablo Amaringo and Luis Eduardo LunaNine Perfect Strangers by Liane MoriartyFitness Junkie by Lucy Sykes and Jo PiazzaIf you're interested in purchasing the books mentioned in this episode, visit our bookshop.org affiliate shopLinks: The Brutal MirrorAyahuasca ResearchWhy You Will Never Get a Traditional Ayahuasca TreatmentWhat's a "Traditional" Ayahuasca Ceremony?How Can You Drink Ayahuasca Legally in the US?Ayahuasca: The Dark Side and DangersThe Colonization of the Ayahuasca ExperienceCultural Context and the Beneficial Applications of AyahuascaSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thereferencedesk)