Aspects of History

There’s nothing like a summer blockbuster to get cinema back to the top of the agenda. One of the main talking points of the year so far, Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has split opinion but no doubt it’s achieved conversation.

In this episode, the first of the newly-rebooted Film Club, Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Editor of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, is joined first by classicist and YouTuber Erica Stevenson (aka MoAn Inc.) to discuss her new book, The Odyssey Effect, and explore the extraordinary afterlife of Homer’s poem, from the epic tradition’s oral beginnings to this year’s long-awaited adaptation, before welcoming film editor Henry Thackray for an in-depth chat about the film itself.

Together, the guests examine why Homer's epic continues to inspire successive generations, debate Nolan's interpretation of the character of Odysseus, the challenge of translating the poem to the screen, the director's commitment to practical effects and spectacle, and whether the film succeeds both as a blockbuster and as adaptation of one of history and literature’s greatest stories.

Episode Links

The Odyssey Effect: How Homer's Epic Poem Shaped the World

Erica Stevenson Links

Erica ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Erica on ⁠Instagram

Erica on ⁠⁠YouTube

Erica on Facebook

Erica on X/Twitter

Henry Thackray Links

Henry ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online

Henry on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Aspects of History Links

AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Zeb Links

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The power of pilgrimage, the enduring legacy of war, and the significance and delicate nature of truth, memory and reconciliation in an age of renewed global instability – each of these proved to be the inescapable findings of a 1,300km journey on foot across the landscapes of Central Europe, so scarred by conflict over the centuries.

In this episode of the podcast, author and historian Anthony Seldon joins Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Editor of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, to discuss The Path of Light, the remarkable account of his journey from Kilometre Zero on the Swiss border to Auschwitz. Following the success of The Path of Peace, he set out across Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland in search of the men and women, figures of light who stood against tyranny and genocide during the Second World War, uncovering stories of courage, conscience and humanity and explaining why this search remains as relevant today as ever.

Episode Links

The Path of Light: Walking to Auschwitz

Anthony Seldon Links

Anthony ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Anthony on Twitter/X

Aspects of History Links

AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb Links

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠
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He remains one of history's most scrutinised figures, but Alexander the Great's victories were far from inevitable. Recent discoveries are beginning to reshape our understanding of his life and legacy, and the immense personal burden of becoming simultaneously Macedonian king, Egyptian pharaoh, Persian Great King and a living god.

With Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Editor of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History, on the podcast this week is Edmund Richardson, historian and classicist, whose book, ⁠Alexander: God, King, Man⁠, re-examines its title character through newly translated sources, groundbreaking archaeology and a wealth of evidence to reveal a conqueror far more uncertain, contradictory and human than legend would suggest.

Episode Links

Alexander: God, King, Man

Edmund Richardson Links

Edmund ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Aspects of History Links

AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb Links

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠
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Roman Britain might appear a staid topic at first glance, one littered with the usual headliners and the iconic events, Julius Caesar's brief expeditions, Claudius' conquest, Boudicca's revolt and Agricola's northern campaigns. But, dig deeper, the narrative is not quite how it seems, especially in light of archaeological discoveries, the continued challenges of interpreting an ancient past, and the shifting ways generations of Britons have come to understand the Roman occupation.

This week on the podcast, Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Editor of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, is joined by historian and author Ferdinand Addis to discuss his new book, ⁠Conquest: A History of Roman Britain⁠. The conversation ranges from Iron Age hill forts and ancient DNA to imperial ideology, national identity. He also discusses his approach to writing history, the importance of landscape and place, and why the Roman conquest remains one of the defining encounters in British history.

Episode Links

Conquest: A History of Roman Britain

Ferdinand Addis Links

Ferdinand ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ferdinand on ⁠Twitter/X⁠

Aspects of History Links

AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb Links

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠
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This week, it's a special episode as three of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ gang – Antonia Senior⁠⁠, Richard Foreman⁠⁠ and Jane Thynne – join Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in person to talk through their recommendations for your holiday reading list.

Plenty of picks, with links below, to accompany you in your hand luggage this summer!

Books

The August Coup: The Destruction of the Soviet Union and the Making of New Russia, 1985-1991, by Robert Service

Stalin’s Apostles: The Cambridge Five and the Making of the Soviet Empire, by Antonia Senior

The Writers' Castle: Reporting History at Nuremberg, by Uwe Neumahr

Cold War Football: A History in Ten Matches, by Tony Shaw and Alan McDougall

White River Crossing, by Ian McGuire

The Black Death: A Global History, by Thomas Asbridge

Nonesuch, by Francis Spufford

Conquest: A History of Roman Britain, by Ferdinand Addis

Guests

⁠⁠Antonia Senior - Author and Historical Fiction Reviewer for The Times⁠

⁠⁠Richard Foreman - Author and Publisher⁠

Jane Thynne - Author

Aspects of History Links

AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb Links

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠
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