Black Hawk: The War Leader America Defeated, Then Turned Into a Symbol
In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life of Black Hawk, the Sauk war leader whose story captures one of the deepest contradictions in American history. Born around 1767 in Saukenuk, near present...
19 Jun 20min
Annie Oakley: The Survivor Behind Little Sure Shot
In this episode of pplpod, we explore the real life of Annie Oakley, the legendary sharpshooter whose story is much darker, tougher, and more complicated than the Wild West caricature most people reme...
19 Jun 19min
Shivaji: Tiger Claws and the Founding of the Maratha Empire
Shivaji Bhonsle carved the Maratha Empire out of Mughal-controlled India through guerrilla warfare, naval innovation, and a flair for the dramatic that included escaping a besieged fortress in a baske...
17 Jun 1h
Themistocles: The Man Who Saved Athens Then Defected to Persia
Themistocles persuaded Athens to build the fleet that destroyed the Persian navy at Salamis in 480 BCE, the most consequential naval battle in Western history. Within a decade, Athens ostracized him. ...
17 Jun 21min
James Brown: The Violent Brilliance of the Godfather of Soul
James Brown grew up in a brothel in Augusta, Georgia, served time in juvenile prison, and became the hardest-working man in show business. He invented funk, pioneered the rhythmic foundation of hip-ho...
17 Jun 20min
Ray Charles: The Tragic Genius Who Invented Soul Music
Ray Charles went blind at seven, lost both parents by fifteen, and became addicted to heroin before he turned twenty. He also invented soul music by fusing gospel, blues, and jazz in a way that scanda...
17 Jun 47min
Ashurbanipal: The Scholarly Butcher of the Assyrian Empire
Ashurbanipal was the last great king of Assyria, a ruler who built the ancient world's largest library while flaying his enemies alive and stacking their skulls into pyramids. His collection at Nineve...
17 Jun 20min
Basil II: The Paranoid Emperor Who Blinded 15,000 Bulgarians
Basil II ruled the Byzantine Empire for 49 years and earned the title Bulgar Slayer after ordering the blinding of 15,000 captured Bulgarian soldiers, leaving one eye in every hundredth man so they co...
17 Jun 20min
