A feminist women's history comedy podcast about the scandalicious stories of people from olden times. Hosted by Ann Foster.
The Vulgar History podcast is an absolute gem that I stumbled upon a few months ago and have been eagerly catching up on ever since. Hosted by the incredibly talented Ann Foster, this podcast delivers fascinating stories from history with flair and humor. From the first episode to the most recent seasons, Ann has honed her storytelling skills and created a show that is highly engaging and entertaining.
One of the best aspects of The Vulgar History podcast is Ann's knack for storytelling. She has a unique way of spinning historical events, adding her own personality and humor to make them come alive. Her passion for history shines through in every episode, as she dives deep into the lives of captivating women who have often been overlooked in mainstream narratives. This podcast is a breath of fresh air in its approach to history, offering a more informal yet well-researched perspective that is both educational and enjoyable.
Another great aspect of this podcast is Ann's dedication to her audience. She goes above and beyond to engage with her listeners, even creating a Patreon where fans can support the show and gain access to bonus content. It's clear that she values her community of listeners and strives to provide them with high-quality episodes that they will love. Additionally, Ann's involvement with the women she talks about is palpable; she truly resonates with and supports these historical figures, making her content all the more compelling.
While The Vulgar History podcast has many strengths, there are some minor downsides as well. In the early seasons, there were occasional sound issues that affected the overall quality of certain episodes. However, it's worth noting that Ann has improved significantly in this regard in more recent seasons. Additionally, some listeners may find Ann's fast-paced speaking style slightly challenging to follow at times. However, I personally enjoy it as it adds energy and captivation to the episodes.
In conclusion, The Vulgar History podcast comes highly recommended for anyone looking to delve into the fascinating stories of women in history. Ann Foster's storytelling abilities, combined with her unique spin on historical events and her passion for the subject matter, make this podcast a must-listen. Despite minor sound issues in earlier seasons and a fast-paced speaking style, this show is an absolute joy to listen to. Whether you're a history buff or new to the podcast scene, give The Vulgar History podcast a try; you won't be disappointed.
Women's accomplishments across history are often dismissed as exceptions. But why are most scientists, reporters, sports stars, politicians, and businesspeople all men? Allison Tyra joins us to discuss the 600 women she's re-inserting into the historical narrative with her book Uncredited: Women's Overlooked, Misattributed and Stolen Work. Get a copy of Allison's book (affiliate link) Learn more about Allison's Infinite Women project Listen to Allison's Infinite Women podcast — Preorder info for my book, Rebel of the Regency! — Sign up for the Vulgar History mailing list! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Because of wildfires affecting northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba, I'm re-releasing this episode about a woman who lived in these areas: Thanadelthur. She was a Dene woman who had a profound impact on the Dene people in Northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba during the eighteenth-century fur trade. Much of Thanadelthur's story is shared through oral storytelling among the Dene community. Our guest for this episode is Rosalie Tsannie-Burseth, a member of the Hatchet Lake Dënesųłiné First Nation in Treaty 10 territory. — Donate to the Central Urban Métis Federation Inc (CUMFI) in Saskatoon Donate to the United Way Saskatoon Donate to World Central Kitchen — References: The Legend of Thanadelthur: Elders' Oral History and Hudson's Bay Company Journals by Rosalie Tsannie-Burset Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dangerous Liaisons (1988) is a movie based on a play based on Pierre Choderlos de Laclos's novel from 1782. What does this have to do with the French Revolution? Lots, including that Marie Antoinette herself owned a copy of this novel. I'm joined by Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times movie reviewer and co-host of Unspooled to talk about this movie and also the pros and cons of how movies are the way many people learn about history. Learn more about Amy's podcast, Unspooled! — Preorder info for my book, Rebel of the Regency! — Sign up for the Vulgar History mailing list! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Manon Roland was a super-smart bookworm who amazed those around her from an early age with her intelligence (and strong opinions). When the French Revolution kicked off, she sent letters from Lyons to Paris to keep people updated on the latest news. She also got on the wrong side of Robespierre, which didn't go well. — Preorder info for my book, Rebel of the Regency! — Sign up for the Vulgar History mailing list! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Etta Palm d'Aelders was a Dutch woman so sexy that she got hired as a spy for three different countries (simultaneously). One of these countries was France, which is how she wound up in Paris during the French Revolution. — Sign up for the Vulgar History mailing list! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
To celebrate Pope Leo XIV, I pulled this out of the Patreon vault so everybody can enjoy our spoiler-filled discussion. Last year when the movie Conclave came out, Allison and I both went bananas. Little did we know, it would later be nominated for numerous Academy Awards, or that there would be an IRL conclave, or that the new Pope would be from Chicago WHERE ALLISON LIVES??? — Sign up for the Vulgar History mailing list! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Charlotte Corday is a notorious figure from the French Revolution, best known for assassinating Jean-Paul Marat. Who was she, why did she do this, what art was inspired by her act, was she the Luigi of her time, and must we stan?? Special guest Gavin Whitehead from The Art of Crime podcast joins us to talk about the ribbons of it all. — Sign up for the Vulgar History mailing list! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Let's go girls! Claire Lacombe and Pauline Léon came from different backgrounds: Claire was an actress from the countryside, and Pauline grew up in Paris the daughter of chocolatiers. But what they had in common was a passion for the French Revolution, women's rights, and attacking anyone who disagreed with them. And they were also Historically Very Good Friends if you know what I mean, and I'm sure you do. Plus: special guest stars The Market Ladies!! — References: Wikipedia (Claire) Wikipedia (Pauline) https://womenineuropeanhistory.wordpress.com/2017/01/31/pauline-leon/ Theophile Leclerc: an anti-Jacobin terrorist by Morris Slavin Liberty: the life and times of six women in revolutionary France by Lucy Moore https://www.geriwalton.com/reine-audu-heroine-heroine-of-the-french-revolution/— — Sign up for the Vulgar History mailing list! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Anne-Josèphe Théroigne de Méricourt was one of the most notorious people in the French Revolution. She arrived in Paris ready for revolution, used her theatrical experience to design unforgettable outfits, and did her best to fight for women's rights (with a sword by her side). We're joined by Claire Mead to talk about the gender shenanigans of Théroigne's saga, and why she deserved much better. Keep up with Claire's work about queer women and swords at clairemead.com — Sign up for the Vulgar History mailing list! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
For the next seven weeks, we'll be looking at women who were actively involved on the Revolution side of the French Revolution in a miniseries we'll call Liberté, égalité, sororité: You Can't Stop The Women of the Revolution! We're starting off with one of the most well-known women of this era, Olympe de Gouges. Guiding our discussion/ explaining the French Revolution (because it's very confusing to me) is return guest and friend of the podcast, Leah Redmond Chang! Follow Leah on Substack at https://leahredmondchang.substack.com/ — Sign up for the Vulgar History mailing list! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Esther Brandeau was a Jewish teen from France who (in true Catalina/Antonio de Erauso style) dressed in boy's clothes, chose a very fun pseudonym, and got a variety of jobs on ships. This is how they became the first Jewish person to set foot in Canada (though they didn't stay long). Image is from the cover of Sharon E. McKay's novel Esther (artist unknown). References: Dictionary of Canadian Biography Wikipedia — Sign up for the Vulgar History mailing list! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Belle Elmore was born in a Brooklyn tenement and became a star on London's music hall scene. She devoted herself to fundraising for the Music Hall Ladies Guild and formed close friendships with her fellow performers. And then she was murdered by her husband. Author Hallie Rubenhold explores Belle's life and death in her new book Story of a Murder: The Wives, the Mistress, and Dr. Crippen. Hallie joins us on the podcast to share Belle's story, and why she deserves to be seen as much more than just a murder victim. Buy a copy of Hallie's book from bookshop.org — Sign up for the Vulgar History mailing list! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Françoise-Marie Jacquelin, Madame La Tour, was a French woman in the 17th century remembered for her heroic deeds after she moved to the French colony in modern-day New Brunswick, Canada. Learn more about Place Fort La Tour in modern-day New Brunswick. Canadian voters: get info on strategic voting in your riding at https://smartvoting.ca/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joanna of Naples (1326-1382) was Queen of Naples, Jerusalem, and Sicily for thirty action-packed and highly scandilicious years. This story has it all: kidnappings! Revenge murders! Evil popes! Evil husbands! Being trapped in an iron cage for fourteen years! The black plague! References: Queens of Infamy: Joanna of Naples by Anne Theriault on Longreads The Lady Queen: The Notorious Reign of Joanna I, Queen of Naples, Jerusalem, and Sicily by Nancy Goldstone — Sign up for the Vulgar History mailing list! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Anahareo, also known as Gertrude Bernard, was a Canadian writer, animal rights activist and conservationist of Algonquin and Mohawk ancestry. She also invented having a bob with bangs. Canadians: get info on strategic voting for the federal election at SmartVoting.ca Buy a copy of Anahareo's book Devil in Deerskins: My Life With Grey Owl Info on Grey Owl's cabin in Prince Albert National Park in Saskatchewan References: Anahareo, by Alison Wick Anahareo (Wikipedia) — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Anne I (1665 – 1714), best known as the main character of the movie The Favourite, was Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland and then of Great Britain and Ireland for twelve years. Her life story is a gossip buffet of rivalry, death, and resiliency. But how will she score on the scandilicious scale?? References: Queen Anne: Politics and Passion by Anne Somerset The Favourite: The Life of Sarah Churchill and the History Behind the Major Motion Picture by Ophelia Field — Sign up for the Vulgar History mailing list! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I'm back and as Canadian as ever, ready to share the nonstop twists and turns of the story of Mona Parsons! Featuring: my hometown, and maybe my ancestor? And also, hard launching What'shisface, my boyfriend! Elbows up, y'all. Learn more about Mona Parsons at monaparsons.ca Get a copy of Mona Parsons: From Privilege to Prison, From Nova Scotia to Nazi Europe by Andria Hill-Lehr Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Eugénie of France was one of the most influential and glamorous women in nineteenth-century Europe. Nancy Goldstone's new book Rebel Empresses explores Eugénie's efforts to rule amid the scandal, intrigue, tragedy, and violence of their era. Order a copy of Nancy Goldstone's book The Rebel Empresses: Elisabeth of Austria and Eugénie of France, Power and Glamour in the Struggle for Europe. — Sign up for the Vulgar History mailing list! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Time to learn about Canadian history! In this first Canadian Heritage Minute(s) we learn about: Why Canada has united in rage-patriotism What "elbows up" means And, most importantly, the story of iconic Canadian heroine Viola Desmond! References: Canadian History Ehx episode about Viola Desmond 'Elbows up' rallying cry evokes memories of Mr. Hockey by Alastair Steele, CBC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A real-life historical figure, the woman known as Malinalli, Malintzin, La Malinche and Doña Marina was the Nahua interpreter who helped Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés communicate with the native people of Mexico. Mexican-American author Veronica Chapa has retold her story in the new novel Malinalli, and joins us to talk about the real history that inspired her book. Buy a copy of Malinalli by Veronica Chapa. — Sign up for the Vulgar History mailing list! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Here's a recording of the event that I did last week in Minneapolis at Magers & Quinn booksellers with Allison Epstein! You may recognize a familiar voice from the audience, which is Minneapolis local and Vulgar History icon Lana Wood Johnson! Yes, this is the event where Lana, Allison and I all met each other in person for the FIRST TIME in front of twenty other people! Buy a copy of Fagin the Thief here! — Sign up for the Vulgar History mailing list! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Juana I of Castile (1479-1555) was the third child of Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon. She's remembered now for being "Juana La Loca/Juana The Mad" but, in fact, that reputation was just part of a larger scheme that found her caught between her ambitious and terrible husband and her ambitious and terrible father. References: Sister Queens: The Noble, Tragic Lives of Katherine of Aragon and Juana, Queen of Castile by Julia Fox Juana I: Legitimacy and Conflict in Sixteenth-Century Castile by Gillian B. Fleming — Sign up for the Vulgar History mailing list! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Greetings Vulgar History listeners! We're thrilled to bring you an episode of another show we hope you'll enjoy: Fear Daily! Fear Daily takes you into the shadows of the past, unearthing the 1990's most terrifying tales of monsters, madness, and life after death. Join us as we explore the ghost stories and supernatural encounters left on an old online bulletin board that continues to operate somewhere in an unknown part of the Pennsylvania Rust Belt - a time capsule of society's greatest fears. Written by Brennan Storr, creator of The Ghost Story Guys, and hosted by Brandon Schexnayder, creator of Southern Gothic... Fear Daily is guaranteed to be the stuff of nightmares. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Isabella I of Castile was one of the most significant figures in world history in some of the worst possible ways. in this throwback episode from 2020, we follow her journey from little girl trapped in a ghost castle to teenage war mediator to PR stunt inventor to genocidal dictator! This is a heavy one, so get ready. References: Isabella of Castile: Europe's First Great Queen by Giles Tremlett Isabella: The Warrior Queen by Kirstin Downey — Register to see Allison and Ann's event at Magers & Quinn in Minneapolis! RSVP to the Vulgar History Minneapolis meet-up! — Sign up for the Vulgar History mailing list! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Fredericka "Marm" Mandelbaum was a Jewish mother of four, a gracious society hostess, a beloved member of her community—and the first widely renowned crime boss in America. Friend of the podcast Allison Epstein joins us to discuss this historical icon. Plus: BIG NEWS!! Order a copy of Allison's new book, Fagin the Thief. — Register to see Allison and Ann's event at Magers & Quinn in Minneapolis! RSVP to the Vulgar History Minneapolis meet-up! — Reference for today's episode: The Talented Mrs. Mandelbaum by Margalit Fox — Sign up for the Vulgar History mailing list! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Empress Matilda (1102 - 1167) was the daughter, wife, and mother of Kings. She also should have been England's first crowned female monarch, but the patriarchy got in the way. She also once escaped by camouflaging herself in white cloaks in the snow!! A true legend. References: Matilda: Empress, Warrior, Queen by Catherine Hanley She-Wolves by Helen Castor — Sign up for the Vulgar History mailing list! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Before the American Civil War, Black opera singer Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield reigned supreme on Northern stages—even performing at Buckingham Palace. Novelist Tiffany L. Warren joins us this week to talk about the Beyoncé of the Antebellum, who features as the star of Tiffany's new novel The Unexpected Diva. Buy a copy of The Unexpected Diva by Tiffany L. Warren. — Sign up for the Vulgar History mailing list! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In an age when corporations increasingly see people as obstacles to profits, Surekha Davies's book Humans: A Monstrous History traces the long, volatile history of monster-making to chart a better path for the future. The result is a profound, effervescent, empowering retelling of the history of the world for anyone who wants to reverse rising inequality and polarization. This is not a history of monsters, but a history through monsters. Buy a copy of Humans: A Monstrous History. — RSVP to the Vulgar History meetup in Fort Myers, Florida! — Sign up for the Vulgar History mailing list! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Breasts, clitoris, hymen, and womb. Across history, these body parts have told women who they are and what they should do. Although knowledge of each part has changed through time, none of them tells a simple story. Author Helen King is here to tell all, as we discuss her new book Immaculate Forms: A History of the Female Body in Four Parts. Buy a copy of Immaculate Forms by Helen King. — Sign up for the Vulgar History mailing list! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Black British history reaches all the way back to the Roman age, so why do many people assume it began with the 20th-century Windrush generation? Author Elle Machray joins us to discuss the real Black British history that inspired their 18th-century historical novel Remember, Remember. Order a copy of Elle's book Remember, Remember. — Sign up for the Vulgar History mailing list! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
No discussion of 18th-century revolutions is complete without including the Haitian Revolution. We're joined this week by Marlene L. Daut to learn about Henry Christophe, a key leader in the Haitian Revolution and the only monarch of the Kingdom of Haiti. Order a copy of Marlene's book, The First and Last King of Haiti: The Rise and Fall of Henry Christophe. — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians was a significant figure in English history. Not only did she repel Viking invaders through the clever use of BOILING BEER and BEES, she also worked alongside her brother Edward to see through their father's goal of a united England. Also: BEES. Episode image is a statue of Æthelflæd, erected in Tamworth in 2018. Artist is Luke Perry (not that one). References: Founder, Fighter, Saxon Queen: Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians by Margaret C. Jones Æthelflæd: Lady of the Mercians by Tim Clarkson Æthelflæd: England's Forgotten Founder (A Ladybird Expert Book) by Tom Holland — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As my gift to you all, enjoy this newly-edited (just for audio issues, not for content!) discussion of the 2001 movie A Knight's Tale with myself, Allison Epstein, and Lana Wood Johnson! Spoiler: we all LOVED it. Want to hear more episodes of Vulgarpiece Theatre? Join the Patreon! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Gráinne Ní Mháille was a 16th-century woman who led the Ó Máille dynasty in the west of Ireland. She is an iconic heroine of Irish history, so we needed an iconic Irish-Scottish guest and that's why Katie Charlwood (from Who Did What Now?) is here to celebrate her in a crossover! Who Did What Vulgar History Now? Learn more about Katie and Who Did What Now! — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
William Shakespeare dedicated many of his sonnets to someone known only as the Dark Lady. Novelist Mary McMyne imagines that this was maybe a witch named Rose in her new novel, A Rose by Any Other Name. Mary joins us to talk about her book, and Shakespeare, in this week's episode! Click here to buy a copy of A Rose By Any Other Name. — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Cassie Chadwick, one of history's most successful con artists, was a master of reinvention. In the dusk of the Gilded Age, she swept from town to town, assuming fresh identities to swindle a fortune so large that it rivaled the robber barons of the time. Annie Reed, author of a new biography of Cassie Chadwick, joins us to share the saga of one of history's earliest scam goddesses. Click here to buy a copy of The Imposter Heiress: Cassie Chadwick, the Greatest Grifter of the Gilded Age. — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Slut. Shrew. Sinful. Scold. The 19th- and early 20th-century American women profiled in Therese Oneill's new book Unbecoming A Woman were called all these names and worse when they were alive. And that's just fine. Therese joins us to celebrate these women who forever changed what women can become. Click here to buy a copy of Unbecoming A Lady: The Forgotten Sluts and Shrews Who Shaped America. — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Lady Mary Wortley Montagu was an English aristocrat, medical pioneer, writer, and poet. She learned about the practice of smallpox inoculation while in the Ottoman Empire, and lobbied to bring the practice to England. We're joined by Sean Lusk, author of A Woman of Opinion, a new novel about Mary's life. Click here to buy a copy of A Woman of Opinion. — Hilary Mantel's essay on the importance of historical fiction. — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It's a crossover special! Last month, I went on The Art of Crime to share the story of Princess Caraboo (not her real name). And today, we're playing that episode here in the Vulgar History feed. Gavin Whitehead and I talk about the enigmatic Princess Caraboo, who claimed to be an exotic princess who washed up on English shores in 1817. But who was she really? Learn more about Gavin's show The Art of Crime at artofcrimepodcast.com — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Adélaïde Labille-Guiard, aka Adélaïde Des Vertus was one of the greatest female painters in 18th-century France. The path was not easy for female painters in 18th-century France, especially when you were born working-class like she was. But her knack at making friends, a PR rivalry with another painter, and the excellence of her work ensured she made a living in art... until the French Revolution. We're joined by Bridget Quinn, author of the recent biography Portrait of a Woman: Art, Rivalry, and Revolution in the Life of Adélaïde Labille-Guiard. Click here to buy a copy of Bridget's book. Look at a gallery of Adélaïde's work on her Wikipedia page here. — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It's a Halloween special! While the French Revolution turned into The Terror, people still had to keep working their regular jobs, including today's heroine: Madame Tussaud. And along with her mentor, she managed to turn the Terror into big business for her wax museum, such that many people still know her name today! Joining us is Gavin Whitehead, host of the Art of Crime podcast. Learn more about his show (including his Madame Tussaud series) at artofcrimepodcast.com — As mentioned in the extro, Leah Redmond Chang's Substack about pregnancy death. — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Bonus! I'm hard at work right now writing my book Rebel of the Regency, a biography of Caroline of Brunswick (coming in 2026 published by Hanover Square Press!). I want to share part of the journée with you all, which is why I'm posting short podcast updates about it on my Patreon. This is a preview of one of the episodes, in which friend-of-the-podcast Allison Epstein joins me while I yell about how many Napoleon Bonaparte relatives show up in the Caroline saga. Subscribe to hear more of these bonus episodes by joining my Patreon (for free) at patreon.com/annfosterwriter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this instalment of How Do You Solve A Problem Like Marie Antoinette, we wrap up the saga of a man who Marie Antointte truly hated, the Marquis de Lafayette. And joining us to share the legendary life of this dirtbag (complimentary) is friend of the podcast Allison Epstein! As mentioned in the episode, here is more info on the French revolutionary calendar. Allison's new book Fagin the Thief comes out in February 2025. Click here to preorder a copy. — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this instalment of How Do You Solve A Problem Like Marie Antoinette, we look at a man who really annoyed her: the Marquis de Lafayette. And joining us to share the legendary life of this dirtbag (complimentary) is friend of the podcast Allison Epstein! Allison's new book Fagin the Thief comes out in February 2025. Click here to preorder a copy. — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As our discussion of Marie Antoinette and the French Revolution continues, we're looking at the life of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges. Saint-Georges was a mixed-race man born to an enslaved woman and her enslaver in Guadaloupe. Sent to Paris to be educated, his athleticism and musical gifts made him a celebrity. We're joined today by Professor Julian Ledford, Assistant Professor of French and French Studies at The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. — References: The Chevalier de Saint-Georges: Virtuoso of the Sword and the Bow by Gabriel Banat Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges, Man of Music and Gentleman-at-Arms: The Life and Times of an Eighteenth-Century Prodigy by Gabriel Banat Joseph Boulogne, the Chevalier de Saint-George and the Problem With Black Mozart by Julian A. Ledford — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We're back on the Marie Antoinette train, and in Season 7 Part 2 the topic is "Meanwhile, Back in France." We're joined again by Amanda Matta to wrap up the scandalous saga of Madame du Barry. Follow Amanda on: TikTok Instagram Substack And keep up with her podcast, The Art of History! — Reference: Madame du Barry: The Wages of Beauty by Joan Haslip — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We're back on the Marie Antoinette train, and in Season 7 Part 2 the topic is "Meanwhile, Back in France." To explain the French royal court system that Marie Antoinette eventually joined, we're taking a look at notorious mistress Madame du Barry in a saga so iconic it can't be contained in one podcast episode. Our guest this week is everyone's favourite TikTok royal commentator, Amanda Matta! Follow Amanda on: TikTok Instagram Substack And keep up with her podcast, The Art of History! — Reference: Madame du Barry: The Wages of Beauty by Joan Haslip — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This used to be a Patreon-only bonus episode, but now everyone can hear it! Since we'll be discussing Versailles in upcoming episodes, it felt appropriate to share this episode about Louis XIV aka The Sun King, who basically invented that whole scenario. To hear more bonus episodes, subscribe at the $5/month or higher level at patreon.com/annfosterwriter — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It's a rerelease of a classic Vulgar History episode, now with better editing! Boudica was Queen of the Iceni, a Celtic tribe during the Roman conquest of Britain. She led a rebellion of united tribes against their Roman invaders, leaving a path of death and bloodshed in her wake. Reference: Boudica: Warrior Woman of the Roman Empire by Caitlin C. Gillespie — Intro ends/story starts 01:49 Ad break 21:34 Outro starts 44:58 — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, we're revisiting a classic Vulgar History episode. Agrippina the Younger was also the sister, wife/niece, and mother of three different Roman emperors and also one of the villainesses in the 1976 BBC miniseries I, Claudius! — Reference: Agrippina: The Most Extraordinary Woman of the Roman World by Emma Southon (now available in paperback!) — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
There was no way I could revisit the Cleopatra episode and score without getting Gina Berry's assistance! She was a guest on our epic Nefertiti and Hatshepsut episodes, and now she's here to talk all things Cleo. As ever, when the two of us get together, it will be at LEAST 2 hours of episode. I recommend listening to the Cleopatra episode first before diving into this discussion, but you do you. — Reference: Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) — Support Vulgar History on Patreon — Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices