Aspects of History
By Oliver Webb-Carter
The editor of Aspects of History, Ollie Webb-Carter, interviews historians and authors on the past - from the ancient world right up to the modern day. In each episode, Ollie seeks to get to the bottom of a story or scrutinise a figure from history. There are bonus episodes too, on current events and anniversaries to the Aspects of History Film Club.
Latest episode
-
Shardlake and Thomas Cromwell with Peter Wagstaff
A bonus episode sees the historical consultant of the new Disney series Shardlake join to discuss disability and the Dissolution of the Monasteries, and the history behind the new show. -
Iran & Britain with Ali Ansari
Iran & Britain are old friends, they've had ups and downs, and it's probably fair to say we're going through a difficult patch right now, but who better than Ali Ansari to talk about the historical relationship through much of the 20th century. -
William Adams & Shogun with Giles Milton
On the 19th April 1600, after nearly two years at sea, William Adams, one of only nine surviving crew members, made land at modern day Usuki, on the east coast of Japan. He was starving, scurvy ridden and close to death. -
Film Club: The Passion of the Christ (2004)
The release of The Passion of the Christ in 2004 caused outrage, fury accusations of antisemitism and even sadomasochism. -
The Berlin Wall with Iain MacGregor
The Berlin Wall stood for 28 years, but up until the very end, on the 9th November 1989, the whole world thought it was permanent. It's now 35 years since the Wall fell, but how did it get built, what was its impact, and how did it fall? -
Patrick Leigh Fermor with Artemis Cooper
On a dark night in April 1944 a German general was returning to his villa on the Nazi occupied island of Crete. Suddenly, two men, dressed as Wehrmacht soldiers, emerged from the darkness and stopped the car. The two men were British officers, and to… -
James I with Steven Veerapen
On the 24th March 1603 at Richmond Palace Elizabeth I died. She had not named a successor, but James VI of Scotland was proclaimed king in London that same day, and he headed south to accede to the English throne. -
Colonial Kenya & the Mau Mau with Nicholas Rankin
The Mau Mau Uprising ran from 1952 to 1960 in a Kenya administered by Britain. The conflict was a brutal one, with atrocities committed by both sides and it remains controversial to this day. -
Women's Secret Diaries with Sarah Gristwood
Sarah Gristwood returns to talk about the secret diary entries of women's diaries, from the 1st January all the way to the 31st December. There are many great names, and some less well-known, but we delve into some heart-breaking, funny, tragic and s… -
The Rise of the Mafia with Louis Ferrante
This week's guest is a man who has lived about what he writes. Louis Ferrante was a former member of the Gambino crime family, one of the Five Families of New York. He rose up the ranks until he was convicted of crimes and sent to prison where he bec…