Her story might be one of ambition and regicide, or one of a woman manipulated by an evil puppetmaster – or it might be both! Travel with us back in time 3000 years, where our guest, renowned Egyptologist Kara Cooney, introduces us to that most enigmatic (and overlooked) New Kingdom pharaoh, Tawosret. A complete transcript of this episode is available here. Dr. Kathlyn (Kara) Cooney is a professor of Egyptian Art and Architecture at UCLA. …
How Jiu was never supposed to go to America. But in an incredible twist of fate during China’s Civil War in 1928, she set sail for San Francisco, never to return to her family again. Only 18 years old and traveling under a false identity, How Jiu had to pass a gueling test before she was allowed to enter the United States. Hear the surprising story of the Chinese immigration experience, recorded on location at …
Over 2000 years of history, China had exactly one female emperor. Wu Zhao (also known as Wu Zetian) rose from fifth-ranked concubine (a glorified maid) to supreme ruler, effectively governing China for over fifty years. Her reign was one of the most peaceful and productive periods of the Tang Dynasty – so why does history remember her as a bloodthirsty, sexually depraved tyrant? Olivia interviews Professor of Chinese History and Wu Zhao biographer, N. Harry …
The first flag of the Greek Revolution was raised by Laskarina Bouboulina on the mast of her ship, The Agamemnon, in 1821. Commanding a fleet of ships from her island of Spetses, she blockaded the greatest strongholds of the Ottoman Empire in the name of liberty. She personally led her troops into battle, wielding a sword and ferocious will. Bouboulina’s story is legendary in Greece, on par with George Washington’s in America. Our guest is …
Margaret Verble ‘found’ Cherokee America Rogers in a cemetery while visiting her grandfather’s grave. This “jaw-dropping” name sparked a journey into her own family history, the neglected stories of the Civil War in Indian Territory, and her newest novel, Cherokee America. Discover the remarkable woman behind this remarkable name, and the under-told and misunderstood history of Cherokee women in the nineteenth century. Our guest is Margaret Verble, author of Maud’s Line and Cherokee America, …
Sabina Spielrein was one of the first female psychoanalysts, “invented” child psychology, and innovated some of the most famous concepts now attributed to Jung and Freud.So why don’t we know her name? Learn how an accident of translation (and some sexism and antisemitism on the side) erased this powerhouse from our bookshelves and our classrooms — and why it’s more than time to bring her back! Olivia interviews Angela Sells, author of Sabina Spielrein: The …
In Nazi Germany, resistance was not just forbidden, it was deadly. But in 1942, a group of young college students went from enthusiastic supporters of the Third Reich to some of its most vocal opponents, publishing thousands of leaflets calling Hitler a criminal, and attempting to start a student revolt. Though their dream of a revolution never became reality, their courageous stance in the face of evil has become legendary in Germany, and their story …
Ruth Rowland Nichols was a pioneer of early aviation, the only woman yet to hold simultaneous world records for speed, altitude, and distance, the first woman to attempt a solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean, the founder of the Relief Wings branch of the Civil Air Patrol and one of the most famous pilots of the 1930’s (even more famous than her friend and rival Amelia Earhart). Her courage and daring made her a national …
On land, Sophie Blanchard was a timid, anxious woman who could hardly stand the noise and commotion of 18th century Paris. But after her first flight in a hot-air balloon, she was hooked, and would spend the rest of her life chasing the peace and freedom she found hundreds of feet in the air. The first woman in the world to fly solo in a hot-air balloon, she became so famous for her skill and …
