Best Humanitities Podcasts (2025)

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Mark Twain Part 6: The (Not So) Gilded Age. 1:29:20

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2h ago1:29:20

1:29:20

As we press on with the life of Mark Twain, trouble starts to brew in the early years of the 1870s. Some personal tragedy will strike the Clemens family, and Sam will experience some of his first true professional failures. Regardless, Sam and his true-love, Livy, remain hopelessly in love, and their family will continue to grow. Through the traged…

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Mark Twain Part 5: The American Vandal's Progress. 1:32:11

6d ago1:32:11

1:32:11

In part five of our series on Mark Twain, the author is officially back stateside after a trip through Europe and the “Holy Land.” From these experiences, he would write his first novel, The Innocents Abroad; or, The New Pilgrim’s Progress — a smash hit that fundamentally changed the fabric of American literature. He would also launch a new lecture…

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Mark Twain Part 4: The Quaker City Sinner. 1:41:42

1M ago1:41:42

1:41:42

As we continue our series, we witness the steady rise of legendary author and orator, Mark Twain, following the publication of his famous short story The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. After a trip to the Sandwich Islands (later known as Hawaii), Twain takes to the stage before making his way from San Francisco to New York. It’s in Ne…

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Mark Twain Part 3: Roughin' It. 1:25:19

2M ago1:25:19

1:25:19

The American Civil War has officially begun! In part three of our series on Mark Twain, we see the not-yet-writer briefly join the Missouri State Guard before fleeing west with his brother. After a few failed business attempts and an accidental case of arson, Sam Clemens lands a job as a journalist, and officially takes up the pen-name of Mark Twai…

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Mark Twain Part 2: Steamboat Sammy. 1:03:57

2M ago1:03:57

1:03:57

In part two of our series on Samuel Clemens (a.k.a. Mark Twain), we follow young Sam as he enters the working world, becoming a typesetter’s apprentice in his hometown of Hannibal. His small town couldn’t hold him for long, however, and he soon hit the road, traveling around the East Coast of the United States. Eventually, Sam began to pursue a car…

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Mark Twain Part 1: The Prints of a Pauper. 1:20:29

2M ago1:20:29

1:20:29

In series 12 of The Biographers, we're talking about one of the truest titans of American literature to ever put pen to paper: Mark Twain. Given the name Samuel Langhorne Clemens at birth in the pre-Civil War era of America, our next subject would grow up in a time of slavery, witness its abolition, and grow to become an outspoken opponent of racis…

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Office Hours Ep. 8: Van Superiority. 1:08:13

3M ago1:08:13

1:08:13

It's time for another laid-back episode of Office Hours! A bit of nonsense as usual, chatting about mini vans, how they are superior to SUVs, and how trucks are worst, but we also talk a lot about corrections and answers to questions from the past series on Alexandre Dumas. We're relaxing this week, but will be back in two weeks as we start up a mo…

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Alexandre Dumas Part 5: A Man of Principle. 1:30:45

3M ago1:30:45

1:30:45

In the final episode of our series, we cover the last years of General Alexandre Dumas. With the smoldering wreck of The Orient sinking in Aboukir Bay, Dumas and his men abandoned their military charge and were reduced to a single objective: survive. With the help of Napoleon's band of academic geniuses, the French armies were stabilized, and the w…

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Alexandre Dumas Part 4: Egyptian Blindness. 1:32:07

4M ago1:32:07

1:32:07

In part four of Alexandre Dumas, we cover General Dumas's time under the command of Napoleon Bonaparte. Dumas would be sent to engage the "unwindable" parts of France, laying siege to the city of Mantua, and recovering a secret letter just in time to save his troops, but would have his named wiped from the newspapers by a jealous Napoleon. Demoted …

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Alexandre Dumas Part 3: Monsieur Humanite. 1:06:20

4M ago1:06:20

1:06:20

In part three of our series on Alexandre Dumas, we see the French Revolution enter phase two with the arrival of the Reign of Terror, led by the infamous Maximilien Robespierre. During this turbulent period, Alexandre earned a reputation as a commander with a remarkable ability to transform undisciplined troops into effective fighting forces — a sk…

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Alexandre Dumas Part 2: d'Artagnan Rises. 1:30:43

5M ago1:30:43

1:30:43

In part two of our series on the legendary French soldier Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, we witness the rise of a humble soldier as he climbs the ranks of the newly established national military during the early days of the French Revolution. After famine ravaged the population, France was in turmoil and hungry for change, leading the people to overthrow …

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Alexandre Dumas Part 1: The Count of Pailleterie. 1:30:04

5M ago1:30:04

1:30:04

We're back, and it's officially time to start up Series 11! For this series, we're getting back to our roots by discussing a person most people have never heard of. While many do know the name "Alexandre Dumas" — author of classic stories like The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers — most probably don't know that his father was actually…

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Office Hours Ep. 7: A Quick Update. 17:38

6M ago17:38

17:38

It's time for another episode of Office Hours, but this one will be slightly different, in that Akiva is out of town! Don't worry -- he'll be back next time, but this means today's episode of Office Hours will be short and sweet.

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Pancho Villa Part 5: La Muerte de un Bandido. 1:21:12

6M ago1:21:12

1:21:12

In the conclusion episode of our series on the Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa, we take a look at the darker days of his life and the deeds that earned him the oft-overlooked reputation of a villain. Despite many of the initial goals of the Mexican Revolution being achieved, Pancho continued to fight, even as most of his army dwindled away. In t…

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Pancho Villa Part 4: Vaivenes. 1:28:56

7M ago1:28:56

1:28:56

In part four of our series on Pancho Villa, we witness Pancho rise to become the single most powerful person in the country of Mexico, after the notorious Victoriano Huerta is finally overthrown. The revolutionaries were victorious in their task, but the various leaders of the revolution couldn't seem to find a compromise on how to move the nation …

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Pancho Villa Part 3: La Cucaracha. 1:16:39

7M ago1:16:39

1:16:39

In part three of our series on Pancho Villa, we explore an often-forgotten tragedy in world history known as La Decena Trágica (The Ten Tragic Days), during which the first phase of the Mexican Revolution comes to a swift and violent end. From the chaos, a new dictator emerges — Victoriano Huerta — who is so despised by the people that a song is co…

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Pancho Villa Part 2: Viva la Revolución. 1:21:48

8M ago1:21:48

1:21:48

In part two of our series on Pancho Villa, the Mexican Revolution officially begins! Though an unlikely candidate, Pancho quickly becomes a high-ranking officer in the revolutionary army and displays his uncanny abilities in guerrilla warfare. But even after the revolution gains steam and wins some key victories, all is not well in Mexico, and the …

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Pancho Villa Part 1: La Vida de un Bandido. 1:15:38

8M ago1:15:38

1:15:38

For our next series, we're headed to Mexico to cover our first revolutionary in a man named Pancho Villa. Born the son of a humble farmer, Pancho's life would take a sudden and harsh turn at the age of 16, transforming him from farmer to bandit. For nearly ten years, Pancho lived the violent life of a bandit and outlaw, but cries for revolution wou…

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Office Hours Ep. 6: Tasty Pastries and Waldorf Salad. 1:13:52

9M ago1:13:52

1:13:52

Announcement! If you hadn't heard in our last episode, we are back to a bi-weekly release schedule. Have no fear, we aren't going anywhere -- we just need some additional time to research, read, and write up our episodes. That being said, it's time for another laid-back episode of Office Hours! This week we talk about boring stuff that's actually e…

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Nikola Tesla Part 5: Closing the Circuit. 1:37:36

9M ago1:37:36

1:37:36

In our final episode on the genius inventor Nikola Tesla, we bid the old wizard a fond farewell. The latter portion of his life had its fair share of inventions and recognition, but it was also riddled with struggle, hardship, and rejection. Despite holding patents for a multitude of his electrical inventions, people just couldn't seem to stop them…

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Nikola Tesla Part 4: Conquering the Falls. 1:20:35

9M ago1:20:35

1:20:35

In part four of our series on Croatian inventor Nikola Tesla, we explore some of the highest highs and lowest lows of the genius’s life. Success was coming his way, including a center-stage appearance at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago, and his inventions were being implemented across the United States (and many other parts of the world). However,…

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Nikola Tesla Part 3: Thunderstruck! 1:17:08

10M ago1:17:08

1:17:08

In part three of our series on the master of AC electricity, Nikola Tesla, we finally get to see the invention of the Tesla Coil! When introducing his new invention to shoot electricity wirelessly through the air, Nikola shocks the crowd (not actually) by illuminating a lightbulb held in one hand, while a bolt of electricity connects to his other h…

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Nikola Tesla Part 2: War of the Currents. 1:07:50

10M ago1:07:50

1:07:50

In part two of our series on electrical genius Nikola Tesla, we examine the early stages of his rise to success, along with the hardships that accompanied it. The road to success for young Nikola was anything but smooth, with obstacles such as a mutiny on his voyage to America, bad-faith investors he became entangled with upon arrival, and his subs…

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Nikola Tesla Part 1: Dawn of the Future. 1:12:03

10M ago1:12:03

1:12:03

To kick off 2025 right, we're starting with one of the greatest titans of invention ever known to walk the earth: Nikola Tesla. Born to humble beginnings in what is now Croatia, Tesla's childhood was often carefree, but not without its fair share of trauma. Despite his father's strong push for young Nikola to follow in his footsteps and become a pr…

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Office Hours Ep. 5: The Many Deaths of Marilyn Monroe. 1:21:22

11M ago1:21:22

1:21:22

It's time for another laid back episode of office hours! No set agenda, but we do talk about a few questions and corrections from our Marilyn Monroe series, as well as some conspiracy theories surrounding her death. This will be Akiva and Daniel's final episode of 2024, as they both need a bit of a break for the holidays, and some extra time to pre…

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Humanité Boutique, Hurricane Helene and the Power of Community 35:26

11M ago35:26

35:26

Explore the strength and unity of Bryson City, North Carolina, as Erin Smith, owner of Humanité Boutique, shares her journey as a small business owner during challenging times. Learn how the community came together after Hurricane Helene, the lessons that shaped their recovery, and the impact of supporting one another. Erin’s story reveals the impo…

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Marilyn Monroe Part 5: A Candle in the Wind. 1:14:01

12M ago1:14:01

1:14:01

In the final episode of our series on Marilyn Monroe, we take a look at her last years, her final movies, and what led up to her untimely death. Like much of her life, her final years weren't easy. Although she had the opportunity to co-star with her childhood hero, Clark Gable, in her final completed movie, she was deeply distressed when she learn…

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Marilyn Monroe Part 4: The Double-Edged Sword of Fame. 1:07:27

12M ago1:07:27

1:07:27

In part four of our series on Marilyn Monroe, we take a look at what life was like as the biggest star in the world. For Marilyn, it was definitely a case of "be careful what you wish for", as her life would be constantly invaded by members of the press and die-hard fans. The stress from both her public and private life would also kickstart an unhe…

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Marilyn Monroe Part 3: A Star Is Born. 1:13:31

12M ago1:13:31

1:13:31

In the third installment of our series on Marilyn Monroe, we take a look at the early days of her rise to superstardom, and what movies helped catapult her career. After crossing paths with other stars like Groucho Marx and Cary Grant, Marilyn would catch her proverbial "big break" in one of the best pieces of cinema (possibly) of all time. Through…

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Marilyn Monroe Part 2: The Hollywood Grind. 1:10:42

1y ago1:10:42

1:10:42

In part two of our series on blonde-bombshell, Marilyn Monroe, we get a glimpse of what life was like as she struggled to make a name for herself as a model, and eventually an actor. Contrary to what you might think, Hollywood did not welcome Marilyn with open arms, and the first five or so years of her pursuit of acting was riddled with uncertaint…

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Bryson City, NC’s Resilient Spirit and Holiday Traditions 36:50

1y ago36:50

36:50

Bryson City, NC, is a mountain town in Western North Carolina that blends resilience, community spirit, and festive traditions. In this episode, Sarah Conley, Executive Director of the Swain County TDA, shares how Bryson City navigated the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. From using social media to keep residents informed to preparing for winter visi…

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Marilyn Monroe Part 1: Little Orphan Norma Jeane. 1:15:00

1y ago1:15:00

1:15:00

It's new series time, and we're covering our most modern biography to date as we take a closer look at one of the most iconic humans to ever walk the earth: Marilyn Monroe. Long before she would ever be known as Marilyn Monroe, Norma Jeane Mortensen was born to extremely humble beginnings in Los Angeles, California, and much of her adolescence was …

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Beech Mountain, NC Welcomes Winter Travelers After Hurricane Helene 28:04

1y ago28:04

28:04

Beech Mountain, North Carolina, Tourism Marketing Director Armando Garcia shares the story of how this resilient mountain community responded to Hurricane Helene, with heartfelt support from both locals and visitors. As winter approaches, Beech Mountain is prepared to welcome travelers to its snowy slopes and scenic trails. In this episode, Armando…

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Office Hours Ep. 4: Scottish Phallic Imagery. 1:01:22

1y ago1:01:22

1:01:22

We take a break from our regularly scheduled programming for another episode of Office Hours, giving us a small break before starting up our next biography series. In this episode, we cover questions and corrections from our previous series on author Mary Shelley, in addition to talking about adult friendships, how to properly give hugs and handsha…

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Mary Shelley Part 5: The Fate of Frankenstein. 1:16:23

1y ago1:16:23

1:16:23

In the conclusion episode of our series on Mary Shelley, we take a look at what life was like after Frankenstein achieved success. Upon returning to her homeland of England, her status as a superstar writer seemed to be universal, but for Mary, her primary focus was now on the task of raising her only son, Percy Florence Shelley. Despite her life s…

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Mary Shelley Part 4: The Journal Book of Misfortunes. 1:11:54

1y ago1:11:54

1:11:54

Death, death, and more death! In part four of our series on Mary Shelley, we go through the most tragic part of the classic author's life, experiencing more loss than ever before. Though there are some bright spots during this period of life, Mary Shelley would truly earn some Goth merit badges. Despite the losses, however, Mary did not let life be…

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Mary Shelley Part 3: A Contest of Unhallowed Art. 59:56

1y ago59:56

59:56

In part three of our series on author Mary Shelley, we get to explore all the trials, tribulations, and moments of jubilation often used as sources of inspiration that ultimately lead to the creation of Frankenstein. There will be love, loss, and hounding creditors that force her husband, Percy Shelley, to live underground, but such is the life of …

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Mary Shelley Part 2: Love in the Graveyard. 1:01:00

1y ago1:01:00

1:01:00

In part two of our series on Frankenstein author, Mary Shelley, we see the young genius enter her teenage years, and the blossoming of her relationship with the poet, Percy Shelley. As the two fall deeper in love, we get to see how "all too human" some of these legendary figures can be with sappy love poems, theatric professions of love, dramatic i…

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Mary Shelley Part 1: Daughter of Anarchy. 1:07:22

1y ago1:07:22

1:07:22

It's spooky season, so we're starting up a series on the mistress of morbid herself: Mary Shelley! In our first episode, we discuss the legacy of Mary's parents, and how Mary would be raised surrounded by some of the most cutting-edge thinkers of her time. After a tragic complication arises in the birthing process, Mary's father is left to raise hi…

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Office Hours Ep. 3: Mom Knows Best. 1:14:53

1y ago1:14:53

1:14:53

As we take a quick break between our normal programming, we talk about recent hospital visits, professional wrestling, the current state of children's television, and horror movies. We also review some corrections from previous episodes, and expand on some ideas that were left unexplored. Join us for another laid-back episode of Office Hours.…

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Franz Liszt Part 6: Requiem. 1:26:58

1y ago1:26:58

1:26:58

As we close out our series on the oft-forgotten genius of classical music, Franz Liszt, we bid the old maestro a fond farewell. Much like future rockstars would also experience, he would be forced to deal with a psychotic and dangerous stalker, hell-bent on taking him down one way or another. Despite his old age, Franz's popularity as a musician (a…

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Franz Liszt Part 5: The Pope's Composer. 1:11:59

1y ago1:11:59

1:11:59

In part five of our series on classical composer, Franz Liszt, we learn about the most tragic part of Franz's life, which compels him to become a clergyman of the Catholic Church. That's right: the infamous ladies-man has decided to become abbé! Does that mean the notorious lothario has to give up his promiscuous lifestyle to appease his faith? Reg…

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Franz Liszt Part 4: Lisztomania! 1:19:38

1y ago1:19:38

1:19:38

In part four of our series on Franz Liszt, we witness the rise of a music superstar the likes of which the world had never seen before, and what history would come to call "Lisztomania". But what made this superstar piano-player so special, and what caused such a stir in his fanbase? This wouldn't be the only point of pride during this phase of his…

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Franz Liszt Part 3: Sex, Drugs, and Classical Music. 1:13:35

1y ago1:13:35

1:13:35

In part three of our series on Franz Liszt, we explore the continuing rise of Franz's popularity, and all the stereotypical cliches that come with being a Pop Star. Yes, Franz was involved with all the things that the title of this episode implies, but also created one of the first ever benefit concerts which aided Hungarian citizens affected by a …

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Franz Liszt Part 2: An Artist Amongst Legends. 1:04:58

1+ y ago1:04:58

1:04:58

In part two of our series on piano virtuoso, Franz Liszt, we get to see what life was like in 1830s Paris, as Franz rubs elbows with some of the most prominent writers, artists, and thinkers of the day. After witnessing a violin performance by the legendary Niccolò Paganini, Franz is inspired to reinvent what it means to play the piano, and establi…

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Franz Liszt Part 1: The World's First Rockstar. 1:07:46

1+ y ago1:07:46

1:07:46

In part one of our series on classical composer and pianist, Franz Liszt, we examine the earliest parts of the young prodigy's life. Though he was born the son of a humble bookkeeper, by age seven Franz would demonstrate such unbelievable skill on the piano that he would be accepted as a pupil in Vienna under the tutelage of the legendary composers…

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Office Hours Ep. 2: The Milchig Plates! 55:48

1+ y ago55:48

55:48

In our second episode of Office Hours, we kick our feet up once again, answering questions we asked ourselves from previous episodes, expanding upon some previously unexplored ideas, and adding color to some concepts that are just plain fascinating. We also add a bit more information related to Leonardo da Vinci, including a heist in the early 20th…

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Leonardo da Vinci Part 7: The Master Rests His Head. 1:06:35

1+ y ago1:06:35

1:06:35

In the last installment of our series on Leonardo da Vinci, we cover the final ten years of the genius Renaissance man's life. Starting off in Milan, Leonardo tries to discover how the earth sustains life, much like he discovered the importance of the human heart years earlier. In his studies of geology, Leonardo becomes unabashedly heretical, usin…

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Leonardo da Vinci Part 6: Clash of the Turtles! 1:08:55

1+ y ago1:08:55

1:08:55

In part six of our Leonardo da Vinci series, we learn about the more senior years of Leonardo's life working as an engineer, before reverting his attention back to art once again. The Signoria of Florence commissions him to paint The Battle of Anghiari, only to find that a new upstart artist named Michelangelo is also commissioned to work on a wall…

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Leonardo da Vinci Part 5: The Borgia's Engineer General. 1:07:31

1+ y ago1:07:31

1:07:31

In part five of our series on Leonardo da Vinci, we dive into the first five years of Leonardo's return to his hometown of Florence after nearly two decades away. Upon arriving home, Leonardo discovers a conservative church-cult has taken over Florence after overthrowing Lorenzo the Magnificent. Leonardo also dodges portrait requests from bratty so…