The Preamble

On today’s episode, authors Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch sit down with Sharon to discuss their New York Times bestselling book, The Nazi Conspiracy . The pair discusses their research and writing process, including what it's like to collaborate on a book together. The Nazi Conspiracy takes readers deep inside the events of the Second World War and the semi-secret, in-person meeting between FDR, Ch...

Today on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon welcomes Marine Archeologist Dr. Sean Kinglsey. Learn about how marine archeology is carried out, what the divers look for when they dive and explore shipwrecks, and how the information is pieced together to fill in gaps of the history of human migration--specifically, the transatlantic slave trade, in which 12.5 million Africans were transported a...

Today on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, bestselling author Gretchen Rubin joins Sharon to talk about her newest book, Life in Five Senses . Gretchen talks about how to use our sensory experiences to draw closer to other people and evoke our memories. She is a fan of practical application–trying small things throughout our day to enrich our senses and open us up to more beauty, happiness, and pa...

Sharon welcomes guest Ed Yong to Here’s Where It Gets Interesting. Ed’s newest book, An Immense World , How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us . It’s a fascinating look at the rich sensory world of animals, and Ed speaks to Sharon about how exploring this world opens up big, philosophical questions about life. Every creature, humans included, are only really perceiving a very thin sl...

Today on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon sits down with author Alex Prud'homme about his book, Dinner with the President, all about White House food. He is the coauthor of his aunt Julia Child's memoir, My Life in France, and merges Presidential history with dishes that were the height of sophistication at one point. An on ramp to this book and conversation can be summarized in this passa...

Today on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon talks with Timothy Egan, a Pulitzer Prize—winning reporter, lifelong journalist, and the author of ten books, most recently the highly acclaimed A Pilgrimage to Eternity and The Immortal Irishman , a New York Times bestseller. His book on the Dust Bowl, The Worst Hard Time , won a National Book Award for Excellence in Nonfiction. His account of pho...

After four years of fighting, the Union had persevered in bringing the seceded states back into the fold. But the newly reunited country had a great deal of healing to do. Reconstruction took over a decade, and the passage of several constitutional amendments, to create new scaffolding. And even as a new century dawned, the United States was as segregated as ever. Hosted by: Sharon McMahon Executi...

In this series, we have covered all sorts of innovations that arose out of the conflict, from deviled ham spread and spy balloons to surgical advancements. Today we are going to continue that exploration with a wide range of new developments like photojournalism, a national currency, and the evolution of premade clothing. It’s a smorgasbord of inventions, y’all! Hosted by: Sharon McMahon Executive...

Approximately 620 thousand soldiers died in the Civil War, and some historians believe that number might be closer to 750 thousand. But believe it or not, it could have been worse. The Civil War hastened medical advancements out of necessity, and we’re still benefiting from many of these advancements today.  Hosted by: Sharon McMahon Executive Producer: Heather Jackson Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder...

Today in our series, Secrets of the Civil War, we’ll meet some of the key players in the Abolition Movement–a persuader, an agitator, and a conductor. Their ideals and actions helped foster the success of the Underground Railroad and the path to emancipation. How did so many enslaved persons seeking freedom make it through the perilous journey North? Through a meticulously organized network of saf...

Today on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, we’re going to touch on a war you probably didn’t know happened. During the seemingly all-consuming Civil War, there was another entirely different series of skirmishes and battles happening in America. It only lasted 6 weeks, but had devastating consequences. Hosted by: Sharon McMahon Executive Producer: Heather Jackson Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder Writt...

On today’s episode in our series, Secrets of the Civil War, we’re going to hear about two men–both named Robert and hailed as heroes, who had completely different backgrounds – until the Civil War changed the directions of their lives forever. One was a boat thief and the other was a battalion leader. Hosted by: Sharon McMahon Executive Producer: Heather Jackson Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder Writte...

Today, let’s talk about what life was like during the Civil War for people who weren’t on the battlefield. What did they get up and do every day? What did they worry about? We’ll witness the war through the eyes of five women whose stories are symbolic of the real experiences–the hopes, the sorrows, the loneliness and the joy–that countless women endured during the Civil War. Special thanks to the...

During the Civil War, the Union used a whole slew of propaganda to win over Northerners: pamphlets, posters, poetry, clothing, cartoons… and music. Performed at rallies where in front of huge crowds about the cause, Civil War songs were specifically written to stir up patriotism and pride. Lyrics praised the bravery of volunteers, and had the dual purpose of encouraging more young men to enlist wh...

Did you know that Hot Pockets, astronaut food, and maple bacon donuts all have their origins in the Battle Between the States? It’s true! During the Civil War, the most important thing for soldiers’ survival wasn’t ammunition or strategic plans. It was FOOD! So grab a snack and settle in. Hosted by: Sharon McMahon Executive Producer: Heather Jackson Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder Written and researc...

Today in our new series, we are going to discuss the Union, and it might surprise you to learn that spies and spy balloons, classified documents, and racially-motivated riots aren’t just the headlines of today but were also hallmarks of the American Civil War. We often think of the North as the emancipators, the champions of freedom, but that’s not quite the whole story.  Hosted by: Sharon McMahon...

On today’s episode in our series, Secrets of the Civil War, we talk about Jefferson Davis, the man who became the president of the states that tried to secede. And it may come as a surprise to you that Jefferson Davis did have some successful ideas, particularly when it came to importing desert camels into the American West. His successes may have been more surprising to his second wife, the North...

Welcome to the first episode in our series, Secrets of the Civil War. This won’t be a history of the Civil War like you’re expecting. The Union and the Confederacy, divided though they were, experienced incredible changes in medicine, technology, food science, and transportation during four years of conflict. It may surprise you to learn that it wasn’t solely an era of suffering and hardship; it w...

To round out the week on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon talks with Dr. Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic woman who went to space. Ellen flew in space on four different occasions, and after her career as an active astronaut, she became the director of the Johnson Space Center. Listen in to Ellen’s story, and why, in her retirement from NASA, she continues to encourage women, Hispanics, and...

On today’s episode of Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, writer and historian Helen Rappaport joins Sharon to talk about a topic our listeners are fascinated by: the last royal family of Russia. The Romanov murder and legacy has long persisted in popular culture. Learn more about their lineage and the parts that often get overlooked. Often, the truth is more interesting than the myth. Special thank...

Today on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon welcomes journalist and author Dean Calbreath, who has spent nearly twenty years researching the life of Nicholas Said, a Civil War Sergeant whose life has become a forgotten history. Siad’s adventures begin in a thousand year-old African kingdom. He was a master of language, a collector of knowledge, a friend to kings and tsars… and he arrived in...

Today on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, we welcome guest Jasmine Holmes. Jasmine is an educator and an author and she sits down with Sharon to talk about the state of history education in America: what it looks like and what it should look like. Why has it become a central topic in our current culture wars and how can we prevent the exclusion of our full and complex history? Thank you to our gu...

Today on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon welcomes New York Times Federal Reserve reporter Jeanna Smialek. Let’s face it, the Federal Reserve (not a prison), is a public-private partnership that’s a little hard to understand. What’s its history? Why do they make the decisions they make–like to raise interest rates–and how do those decisions impact our economy? How much power do they have o...

Historian Rebecca Boggs Roberts joins Sharon on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting to talk about her upcoming book, Untold Power. Long time listeners are no strangers to the lives of First Ladies, and today we talk about Edith Wilson, who was so much more than just her husband’s wife. When she met Woodrow Wilson, she was an independent, fashionable small business owner, and she had no plans to stand...

Joining Sharon on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting is Susan Wels, whose new true crime book, An Assassin in Utopia , proves that real life really is stranger than fiction. Stay tuned as we dive into the intimacies of the utopian Oneida cult community–its famous members, its principles, and the unthinkable murder that tarnished its reputation… but not its silverware. Please note that this episode c...