Half-Arsed History

This week's monument is Stonehenge, a prehistoric stone circle found in the United Kingdom that dates back to around 2500 BCE. While we don't know for certain why Stonehenge was built, the way it was built is truly remarkable, and millennia later it remains a place of great cultural significance. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: Jenny Diver, a notorious and infamous pickpocket who terrorised London's wealthy classes in the early 18th century with all sorts of very inventive schemes. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia o...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, learn about the emperor Charlemagne, who had a foundational influence on the creation and development of modern Europe.  The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affil...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the Bombing of the Rainbow Warrior, an act of state terrorism carried out by France against a Greenpeace ship in a Kiwi harbour in 1985. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (a...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, discover the tale of one of the most important scientific figures in human history: Charles Darwin, and his revolutionary theory on evolution. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readi...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the Christmas Truce, an unofficial and unauthorised ceasefire between soldiers fighting the First World War over Christmas in 1914. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affili...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, hear the life story of one of the greatest monarchs ever to have lived: Brazil's Pedro II the Magnanimous.  The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affiliate link): h...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: Alfred Nobel, a man who may have attempted to cover up his legacy as the inventor of dynamite by instituting the world-famous Nobel Prizes. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, uncover the story behind one a longstanding diplomatic stoush between Greece and Britain, and the items that caused it: the Elgin Marbles. NOTE: Sincere apologies for my frustratingly incorrect pronunciation of "Elgin". I should have looked it up before I started recording, oops! The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the story of the Principality of Hutt River, an unrecognised micronation whose chief exports were wheat, shonky passports, and tax evasion. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, get across a condensed history of one of the richest and most powerful empires of the early modern period: the Mughal Empire. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affil...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: a brief history of powdered wigs, from why and how they emerged as an essential fashion accessory for western men in the 18th century to their eventual decline and downfall. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, hear the life story of the the celebrated French seer Nostradamus, and examine some of his more famous prophecies in more detail. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (a...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: Operation Cowboy, when an unlikely group of allies came together in the closing stages of the Second World War in Europe to rescue a herd of prize horses. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, learn the life story of the famous composer Johann Sebastian Bach while listening to some of his most enduring works - most of which you are already probably familiar with, even if you don't realise it. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: Adolphe Sax, who not only invented the saxophone but also defied death on eight different occasions as a small child. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affiliate link): htt...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, discover the remarkable tale of Kate Sheppard, who was instrumental in making Aotearoa New Zealand the first self-governing place on Earth to offer universal women's suffrage to its populace. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand re...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the Loudun Possessions, an affair that saw a horny French priest executed for the possession of some nuns during over a dispute about the demolition of Loudun's town walls. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, count down through the five longest-reigning sovereign monarchs in history, from ancient Maya city states to modern 21st-century kingdoms. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings:...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: Sayyida al Hurra, a Moroccan noblewoman who ruled the city-state of Tétouan with a powerful pirate fleet that terrorised the Mediterranean. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, learn the history of the celebration today known as Halloween, from its origin as a Christian festival for saints and martyrs to its modern Samhain-influenced incarnation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September acros...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: Al Capone, the infamous Mafia boss whose legendary fame during the Prohibition era has had a huge influence on the popular conception of gangsters to this day. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopi...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, discover the history of the Sicilian Mafia, the most famous criminal organisation in history, and hear about its spread from the island of Sicily across the world. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy fr...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: George Mallory, the British mountaineer who lost his life while making an attempt on the summit of Mount Everest back in 1924. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affiliate l...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, hear the tale of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, the first two people to be confirmed to have made it to the peak of the highest mountain on Earth, Mount Everest.  The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your...