The Exploress

Season 3, Episode 14. Ever wondered about the origin stories of the titles Mrs., Miss, and Ms.? They're more than likely to surprise you. This bonus episode come courtesy of my patrons. Patrons not only really help me keep the show going, but they also get access to exclusives bonuses like this one, as well as Q&As, sneak peeks, interviews with guests, early access to episodes, cool contests, and...

Season 3, Episode 13. For years, China's ancient Shang Dynasty was almost a myth, but its stories were lying in wait in the Yellow River plain, where it had been hiding for centuries. And at the heart of it all, an almost lost queen. Let's meet the Shang and their impressive warrior queen. This bonus episode come courtesy of my patrons. Patrons not only really help me keep the show going, but they...

Season 3, Episode 12. This month, I'm pulling three bonus episodes from the Patreon vault to share with everyone. Happy holidays! I LOVE me some sequins. It's hard to feel anything but celebratory when you're sparkling like a mirror ball. The shiny plastic disc you're picturing is a relatively new invention, but sequins have a surprisingly long and interesting history.  This episode is brought to...

Season 3, Episode 11. Between 1450 and 1750, some 100,000 Europeans were tried for witchcraft, and some of the most intense periods of witchy panic took place in Scotland and England. Most, but not all, of these so-called witches were women. During this special Halloween episode, we'll be tracing the history of witch hunts, and talking about why King James VI was so fanatical about killing witches...

Season 3, Episode 10. This is one of my earliest Halloween-inspired bonus episodes, finessed and remastered, to get you warmed up for our Tudor-era Halloween special next week. It will take us from the ancient world into the Tudor and Victorian eras and beyond, exploring that age-old link between women and poison. It's a perfect companion to the spooky season! And it'll teach us some bizarre and f...

Season 3, Episode 9. We Tudor ladies have done a lot of work in this series. So let's prepare a meal, then take our place at the table and enjoy it. We'll find out what kinds of food we might be enjoying, how to make sure we mind our manners while feasting, and find out what kinds of things we do for fun in Tudor times. For show notes, suggested reading, a list of my sources and more, go to my web...

Season 3, Episode 8. We've talked a lot about the kinds of work Tudor women were doing inside of the domestic sphere. But what about out in the wider world? Let's see what professions were open to the ladies, talk about their rights under the law, and what kinds of punishments they might have encountered if they colored outside of society's strictly drawn lines. For show notes, suggested reading,...

Season 3, Episode 7. In our last episode, we found out just how much work we ladies have to do in Tudor England. Now...well...we're going to work some more. Grab your linen basket and a sturdy accounts ledger, and let's explore how Tudors are doing their laundry, tending to the sick in their households, and more. For show notes, suggested reading, a list of my sources and more, go to my website ....

Season 3, Episode 6. Women in Tudor England had a LOT to do on the day to day. Let's dive into what kinds of tasks she would typically be getting into, from cleaning to dairying, and making two huge staples of our diet: bread and ale. For show notes, suggested reading, a list of my sources and more, go to my website . The era-appropriate guitar music in this episode comes courtesy of John Sayles ....

Season 3, Episode 5. What the Tudor woman wears, and particularly what type of fabrics, will depend a lot on her level of wealth and social station, but they're all wearing the same basic layers. Let's explore those layers, as well as other clothes-related gems: why we design our clothing to come in many pieces, the origin of the word 'spinster', and why we have such a large number of straight pin...

Season 3, Episode 4. Before we get dressed in Tudor England, we've got some cleaning of our bodies to do. What DOES a Tudor lady smell like? Let's go traveling. For show notes, suggested reading, a list of my sources and more, go to my website . The era-appropriate guitar music in this episode comes courtesy of John Sayles . To find out more about Ruth Goodman and read all about her books, check o...

Season 3, Episode 3. In part 2, we got out of bed and explored our Tudor cottage a little. Now it's time to get right with God and find a place to have our morning pee. How are we going to the bathroom in Tudor England? And what're we doing about menstruation? Let's find out. For show notes, suggested reading, a list of my sources and more, go to my website . The era-appropriate guitar music in th...

Season 3, Episode 2. Last time, we got some context about where we're time traveling back to. Now we'll open our eyes on Tudor England and get going with our day. For show notes, suggested reading, a list of my sources and more, go to my website . The era-appropriate guitar music in this episode comes courtesy of John Sayles . To find out more about our excellent guest Ruth Goodman, check out her...

Season 3, Episode 1. Let's time travel back to Tudor England and explore your average lady's day. But first, we'll be contextualizing the time period: where are we, exactly, in English history? What sort of landscape and situation are we walking into? We'll meet all stars like Queen Elizabeth Woodville and Kingmaker Margaret Beaufort, who helped kicked off the Tudor dynasty, and find out more abou...

How have women throughout history dealt with their periods? In this bonus episode, we'll explore how menstruation was viewed in different cultures and time periods, and learn about the historical evolution of sex education, period products, women's health, cultural taboos around virginity, and the magical qualities of period blood. For show notes, including a transcript of this bonus episode, furt...

You can order The Wolf Den in the U.K. and Australia wherever books are sold! For American listeners, Blackwell's in the U.K. is offering 100% FREE shipping to readers in the USA. All you need to do is create a free account with them when you order The Wolf Den online. They're also selling the book at a discount . U.K. listeners should know that Waterstones is selling a limited, signed edition wit...

Season 2, Episode 33. Ancient Rome's military machine was legend, taking over lands far outside its capital. But there were always those who fought back against the Empire, giving everything they had for freedom. A few of them even happened to be women. We're about to go on an adventure with two of them: Boudicca and Zenobia. They're from vastly different places and eras, but they have something i...

Season 2, Episode 31. Last time, we saw Agrippina the Younger survive her exile AND a jealous young empress, only to marry her uncle Claudius and become empress herself. What a comeback! What will she do, now that she's finally achieved the kind of power she's always dreamed of? You can be sure she's about to shatter some imperial glass ceilings, but her position will also force her to make diffic...

Season 2, Episode 30. Last time, we saw Agrippina the Elder making some big power plays for her children, but ultimately she lost the imperial game. Her daughter Agrippina the Younger watched as half of her family was murdered, her remaining brother Gaius sent off to the island of Capri to hang out with Tiberius in what has to have been a very tense situation. But that's all over now. Tiberius has...

Season 2, Episode 29. When we last left Agrippina the Elder and empress Livia, both had hit a real high point in terms of their personal power. But things are about to get pretty messy. Let's explore the end of Livia's life, the rest of Agrippina's, and the fraught beginnings of the legend that is her daughter, Agrippina the Younger. For a transcript of this episode, images, and more, check out my...

The story of the American suffrage movement is long and complex, filled with noteworthy characters, highlights and shadows, and plenty of paths we could get lost wandering down. In this bonus episode, I want to explore some of the more haunting aspects of the fight for suffrage, and the dark consequences that come when you don't have a public voice. For a transcript, images, and a list of suggeste...

Season 2, Episode 28. Daughter of Rome's most venerated war hero, favorite granddaughter of its first emperor, wife of one of its most shining stars, Agrippina the Elder was born to be famous, thrust into the spotlight, whether she wanted to bask in it or not. But she also made her own spotlight, always fighting for what she believes in - and against those who would do her family harm. Let's explo...

Love them or hate them, bras have always been with us in one form or another. They've squashed us down, lifted us up, and shaped our silhouettes, a constant part of our day to day. Let's take a trip through time to see how - and why - it took shape and meet some of the women who shaped its evolution in this special bonus episode.  For a transcript of this episode, images, and more, check out my we...

Season 2, Episode 27. When we last left our Roman ladies, Octavia and Livia, their lives were changing fast. After all that bloodshed and drama, Octavian has finally been left as the last man standing in the fight for control over Rome. What happens now? Octavian becomes Augustus, Rome's very first emperor, and the ladies become the imperial legends. Let's explore the extreme highs (and sometimes...

Season 2, Episode 26. Let's trace the paths of some of ancient Rome's first imperial superstars: the wives, sisters, and daughters who rose with Octavian (later Augustus) to become Rome's first family: Livia, Octavia, Julia, Messalina, both Agrippinas. In a time of great change, these women had to navigate both public love and hate. They had access to power in ways that few women had before them,...