The Queen's Silk

Jhansi ki Rani, or the Queen of Jhansi, led a rebellion against the British that ended in horrible tragedy... but a tragedy that emboldened a nation to fight against the oppression surrounding them. Where do we find courage and motivation to act? How does our environment impact what we accomplish?

This week we're discussing the life of Alexandra Romanov, the last Czarina of Russia and the events that led up to the Bolshevik Revolution. Knowing the patterns of a revolution can help you avoid them in your own life.

You may not know this, but George Washington was a bit of a homebody -- and when he couldn't go home, his home, Martha Washington, found her way to him. Today we talk about the role Martha Washington played in the success of the Revolutionary War and her time as the first First Lady of the United States.

Marie Antoinette's older, but less well known sister, is our woman of the week! Maria Carolina was the queen of Naples during the French Revolution and was, as Napoleon declared, "The only man in Naples." Biography: In the Shadow of the Empress by Nancy Gladstone

Malala Yousafzai, education advocate and the youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, survived an assassination and terrorist attack on her life because of her desire to learn and her willingness to help other young women maintain their rights to education. How does this apply to motherhood? you'll see :)

Three women were the bane of Frederick the Great's existence and nearly brought him to his knees: Maria Theresa of Austria-Hungary, Madame de Pompadour of France, and Empress Elizabeth of Russia. #girlbossesforthewin Biography: In the Shadow of the Empress by Nancy Goldstone

Maiden. Commander. Martyr. Savior of France. Joan of Arc was all of these things, and so much more. She inspired her downtrodden countrymen to raise their swords and fight again, and would not rest until Charles the Dauphin was on the throne. Terrified of her influence and success, her enemies burned her at the stake.

Our first episode about Motherhood! Inspired by Pamela Drukerman's Bringing Up Bebe, Tami and Anne delve into motherhood, teaching children, and guiding children as they grow and develop.

It's been one year since we got started! Celebrate with us and tune in to hear our thoughts on past episodes, behind the scenes, and hear some.. well... maybe a little bit too dark jokes.... To claim your prize: -Follow us on your preferred podcast platform -Leave us a rating -Visit our profile on Instagram, @queenssilkpodcast , and leave the comment "First Listener" and tag a friend...

This week we're discussing the investigation of Norah Vincent into the world of men -- her hypothesis? Men have this privilege in society that makes it easier for them to succeed. We'll discuss her findings and take a look at society's expectations across the board. To learn more about her story, check out her memoire Self-Made Man. Also! It's been one whole year since we got start...

Charla Muller, author of the memoir 365 Nights and Pretty Takes Practice, decided to give her husband a gift for his 40th birthday that he would never forget.

Eva Peron was a model, actress, radio host, and eventually the First Lady of Argentina. We discuss the facts vs. fictions surrounding her story, her rise to power in Argentina, and her plateau among European elites. Biography: Eva Peron by Nicholas Fraser and Marysa Navarro.

"Off with their heads!" For Elizabeth I, who grew up with her father, Henry VIII in fact, chopping off his wives' heads, and then her sister, Mary I, AKA Bloody Mary, also beheading those she disagreed with... It's a rather morbid joke, but Elizabeth I was known for making it. Elizabeth I, AKA the Virgin Queen, was also incredibly good at using her status as an unmarried queen to create treaties a...

Inspired by the film Leap Year starring Amy Adams and Matthew Goode, Tami and I talk about the representation of women in films, the Bechdel test, and some deeper themes in chick flicks as we gear up to discuss relationships between men and women. Chick flicks that are discussed: 1. Leap Year, starring Amy Adams and Matthew Goode 2. This Means War, starring Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, and Tom H...

"Some women really don't know how great they are. They come to us all vogue on the outside and vague on the inside." Beauty and cosmetics businesswoman Mary Kay Ash left a legacy for women who want to be beautiful on the inside and outside and have the opportunity to build and create something for themselves. DISCLAIMER: This is not a sponsored message; we do not discuss the Mary Kay...

We went to a Punjabi wedding in India! Here's our experience and our thoughts -- Please keep in mind, this is our experience as outsiders, not as experts. Happy Valentines Day!

The Unsinkable Molly Brown in a common figure on Broadway, in the movies, and in the American conscious. Her story is a perfect American Tall Tale of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps and living the American dream in the West. But did you know she was a real woman? That her actual name was Margaret Brown? That she and her husband laid the ground work for Denver, Colorado? Well, now you do.

Living in the same time period as Georgiana Spencer, Abigail Adams managed to create full financial freedom for herself through investment and opportunity. And she helped lay the groundwork for the freedoms all Americans experience today :)

Georgiana Spencer was one of the first influencers in the late 1700s, setting social fashions, hosting amazing parties, creating political spectacles, and, at one point, had more influence over the British Parliament than the prime minister or the prince of Wales. She was also, at one point, $36,000,000 dollars in debt. So... let's talk about how to avoid that. Biography: The Duchess by Amanda...

Princess Diana! I’ll be honest, she was before our time, but we’ll do our best to honor the woman that she was :)

Join us today as we bemoan just how mislead we were by the memoire/story of Anna Leonowens. We are frustrated indeed.

Poet and adventurer, Gertrude Bell fell in love with Middle Eastern literature and then culture, so much so that her understanding and influence helped to bring about 50 years of peace in a turbulent area during the early 1900s.

In the 1800s, being declared "Incurably Insane" was the easiest way to get out of an asylum... but when you're a perfectly sane woman who has her own thoughts and opinions, goals and motivation, that's exactly what you were: Incurably Insane. Declared such, Elizabeth Packard used her new freedom from the asylum to change legislation and claim human rights for those dubbed insane...

Despite having a truly complicated and difficult life, Joanna I of Naples diligently cared for her people and provided the best she could for their welfare. Today's Biography: The Lady Queen: The Notorious Reign of Joanna I, Queen of Naples, Jerusalem and Sicily by Nancy Goldstone Today's Music: Lamentationes Jeremiae Prophetae by Francesco Durante

How do the stories we tell or listen to impact our perceptions of ourselves and of the world? Today, we share Anne's version of the Twelve Dancing Princesses and discuss what wasn't told in the story as much as what was.