Drafting the Past

Kate Carpenter
  • 5.0 (5)
  • History
  • Updated weekly

Drafting the Past is a podcast devoted to the craft of writing history. Each episode features an interview with a historian about the joys and challenges of their work as a writer.

  1. 3 days ago

    Charlotte Brooks Is Always Thinking About Research

    It's not every day that I find myself so invested in the characters of a history book that I stay up way past my bed time to find out what happens next, but that's exactly what happened when I read the new book by today's guest, Dr. Charlotte Brooks. Charlotte is a professor of history at Baruch College, which is part of the City University of New York, or CUNY, system. She is a scholar of race, immigration, and urban history, and is especially known for her work on Chinese American history. She is the author of four books. Her first three books were more aimed at an academic audience, but for her fourth book she wanted to try something a little different. The book that resulted is The Moys of New York and Shanghai: One Family's Extraordinary Journey Through War and Revolution. It's a group biography that tells the stories of six siblings, born to Chinese immigrant parents, and how they challenged the limitations and racism they faced in the United States, how many of them sought opportunities in China, and the ways they navigated the tumultuous world in which they lived in both countries in the first half of the 20th century. They are fascinating characters, but Charlotte uses them to give us a window into the history of an entire generation of Chinese American families that many Americans know little about. I talked with Charlotte about what finally motivated her to write the book that she had been dreaming about, as well as what it was like to work with the Moy descendants, how her narrative makes the siblings so compelling, and why it was still a tough sell as a trade book. Sign up for the Drafting the Past newsletter for updates on the show and more.  Note: Bookshop.org links are affiliate links. When you buy books through these links, Drafting the Past receives a small percentage of the purchase price. Thanks for helping to support the show! Mentioned in this episode: Charlotte Brooks, The Moys of New York and Shanghai: One Family's Extraordinary Journey Through War and Revolution Charlotte Brooks, American Exodus: Second-Generation Chinese Americans in China, 1901-1949 Charlotte Brooks, Between Mao and McCarthy: Chinese American Politics in the Cold War Years Charlotte Brooks, Alien Neighbors, Foreign Friends: Asian Americans, Housing, and the Transformation of Urban California Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) Ellen Wu Mae Ngai Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency Virtual Shanghai Project Historical Photographs of China Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

    1hr 6min

  2. 2 Jun

    Gautham Rao Completes Each Vacation with an Archive Trip

    In this episode, Kate Carpenter is joined by a scholar who can never pass up a good archive, Dr. Gautham Rao. Gautham is a historian of American law and politics and is an associate professor of history at American University in Washington. He's the author of two books: National Duties: Custom Houses and the Making of the American State, and his new book, White Power: Policing American Slavery. White Power is a history of the laws that enslavers used to police enslaved people from 1619 until the Civil War, and how the violent legacies of those laws and practices have reverberated throughout American history and life. In addition to his books and journal articles, Gautham has also written op-eds, contributions to Supreme Court cases, and a Substack newsletter called "The State of the State." I was especially interested to hear how Gautham grappled with organizing and using the evidence he collected from many locations over more than two decades. You'll also learn how he writes and rewrites to make himself clear, and how an offhanded remark from a well-known colleague set him on a new publishing path. If you love the show and want to support it, but maybe don't have any spare cash to become a Patreon supporter, leave a review in your favorite podcast app. Sign up for the Drafting the Past newsletter for updates on the show and more. Links to bookshop.org are affiliate links. If you purchase books through these links, the show gets a small percentage of the price (at no extra cost to you). Thank you for supporting the podcast and our guest authors! Mentioned in this episode: White Power: Policing American Slavery National Duties: Custom Houses and the Making of the American State Gautham's Substack reMarkable tablet Ibram X. Kendi Kate Masur, Until Justice Be Done: America's First Civil Rights Movement, from the Revolution to Reconstruction Jessica Pishko, The Highest Law in the Land: How the Unchecked Power of Sheriffs Threatens Democracy Omohundro Institute book series in early American history Samantha Seeley, Race, Removal and the Right to Remain: Migration and the Making of the United States Sarah Gronningsater, The Rising Generation: Gradual Abolition, Black Legal Culture, and the Making of National Freedom Emily Conroy-Krutz, Missionary Diplomacy: Religion and Nineteenth-Century American Foreign Relations Rebecca Brenner Graham, Dear Miss Perkins: A Story of Frances Perkins's Efforts to Aid Refugees from Nazi Germany (check out my interview with Rebecca in Episode 60: Rebecca Brenner Graham Gives Us the Publicity Behind-the-Scenes) Dani Segelbaum, Gautham's agent Margot Canaday, The Straight State: Sexuality and Citizenship in Twentieth-Century America and Queer Career: Sexuality and Work in Modern America Mae Ngai, Impossible Subjects: Illegal Aliens and the Making of Modern America and The Chinese Question: The Gold Rushes, Chinese Migration, and Global Politics Giorgio Agamben, State of Exception Walter Benjamin, Illuminations, which includes his essay "Theses on the Philosophy of History Sally Hadden, Slave Patrols: Law and Violence in Virginia and the Carolinas Michael Willrich, American Anarchy: The Epic Struggle Between Immigrant Radicals and the US Government at the Dawn of the Twentieth Century

    55 min

  3. 26 May

    Tara Mulder Describes the Conditions of Labor

    Today's guest, Dr. Tara Mulder, gets real about the challenges of writing while moving between temporary jobs, juggling a ton of teaching, and struggling to find a tenure track position. But also told me why that struggle brought a surprising amount of freedom and led to a much more creative and entertaining book. These days, Tara is an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, although she did not get that position until after her book was nearly published. She's a specialist in medicine, sex, and gender in antiquity, and her book is called A Womb of One's Own: Lost Histories of Childbirth in Ancient Rome. In it, she brings the experiences of pregnancy and childbirth of Roman women brilliantly to life, turning scraps of archival materials into richly detailed narratives. In addition to her teaching, Tara also previously worked as a managing editor of Eidolon, an online classics journal that brought classics scholarship to the public in a playful, easy to read voice. You'll hear more in our conversation about how that experience shaped Tara's writing. We also talked about how her lived experiences, especially as the daughter of a homebirth midwife, helped her read the archive, and how keeping her writing going means trusting in her future self. Heads up: Links to bookshop.org are affiliate links. If you buy books from these links, the podcast gets a small percentage—it's an awesome way to support our guests and the show at the same time. Mentioned in this episode: Tara Mulder, A Womb of One's Own: Lost Histories of Childbirth in Ancient Rome Eidolon archives Scrivener Anna Bonnell Friedin, Birthing Romans: Childbearing and Its Risks in Imperial Rome Anna Tatarkiewicz, The 'Cursus Laborum' of Roman Women: Social and Medical Aspects of the Transition from Puberty to Motherhood Saidiya Hartman, "Venus in Two Acts" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, A Midwife's Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812 Sign up for the Drafting the Past newsletter for updates on the show and more.

    57 min

  4. 19 May

    Jessica Riskin Lets the Story Carry the Argument

    Episode 100! I'm thrilled to welcome historian of science Dr. Jessica Riskin. Jessica is the Frances and Charles Field Professor of History at Stanford University. She's the author of three books and has edited two additional collections. She has also written extensively for academic journals and has published some highly entertaining book reviews and essays for the New York Review of Books and the Los Angeles Review of Books. Her newest book, and her first with a trade press, is The Power of Life: The Invention of Biology and the Revolutionary Science of Jean-Baptiste Lamarck. It's a biography of French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, whose early theories of evolution have been discredited and ignored. But in this book, Jessica traces his life, restores his thinking, and shows not only that we have Lamarck all wrong, but also what we lose when we turn away from his expansive approach to science. It's an interesting subject, but in Jessica's hands it transforms into a deeply engaging, witty, surprising, and fascinating read. I loved learning more about how her love of novels helps her bring the past to life, how transformative it has been to work with great editors, and how she manages to write a book that is both a delightful read and a persuasive argument. Sign up for the Drafting the Past newsletter for updates on the show and more. Note that bookshop.org links are affiliate links that generate a small commission to support the show if you purchase books using these links.  Mentioned in this episode: Jessica Riskin's faculty website Jessica Riskin, The Power of Life: The Invention of Biology and the Revolutionary Science of Jean-Baptiste Lamarck Jessica Riskin, The Restless Clock: A History of the Centuries-Long Argument over What Makes Living Things Tick Jessica Riskin, Science in the Age of Sensibility: The Sentimental Empiricists of the French Enlightenment Riskin at the The New York Review of Books Riskin at Los Angeles Review of Books FriXion Erasable Markers Natalie Zemon Davis, The Return of Martin Guerre Peter Elbow, Writing with Power: Techniques for Mastering the Writing Process Ken Alder, The Measure of All Things: The Seven-Year Odyssey and Hidden Error That Transformed the World Carlo Ginzburg, The Cheese and the Worms

    51 min

  5. 12 May

    Craig Fehrman Wanted to Write an Epic Page-Turner

    Is it possible to write a new history of Lewis and Clark (and get anyone to read it)? If you're Craig Fehrman, the answer is a definite yes! In today's episode, Craig joins Kate Carpenter to talk about his new book, This Vast Enterprise: A New History of Lewis & Clark. Craig is a journalist and historian who lives in Indiana, where he focuses on writing and occasional adjunct teaching at Indiana University. His first book was Author in Chief: The Untold Story of Our Presidents and the Books They Wrote. He has published articles and reviews in venues like Deadspin, the New York Times Book Review, and Boston Globe. In his new book, This Vast Enterprise, Craig retells the story of the Lewis and Clark expedition through the rotating perspectives of several members of the expedition, as well as some of the people they encountered along the way. The result is a nuanced, fresh version of this history that decenters the expedition leaders and introduces some new sources and interpretations! In the interview, We get into how Craig came upon those sources and how what he found allowed him to reinterpret other sources, like Lewis and Clark's expedition diaries. We also talked about his interviews with contemporary Native sources, how a creative constraint actually led to new insights, his approach to writing history as a page-turner, and much more. Sign up for the Drafting the Past newsletter for updates on the show and more. Note that bookshop.org links are affiliate links that generate a small commission to support the show if you purchase books using these links. Mentioned in this episode: Craig's website Craig Fehrman, This Vast Enterprise: A New History of Lewis & Clark Craig Fehrman, Author in Chief: The Untold Story of Our Presidents and the Books They Wrote Craig Fehrman, editor, The Best Presidential Writing: From 1789 to the Present Stephen E. Ambrose, Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West Ken Burns documentary Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery Ned Blackhawk, The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History and Violence Over the Land: Indians and Empires in the Early American West Elizabeth Fenn, Encounters at the Heart of the World: A History of the Mandan People and Pox Americana: The Great Smallpox Epidemic of 1775-82 We Proceeded On journal from the Lewis & Clark Trail Alliance Isabel Wilkerson, The Warmth of Other Sons: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration Megan Kate Nelson, The Three-Cornered War: The Union, the Confederacy, and Native Peoples in the Fight for the West (Listen to Megan in DTP episode 1 and episode 94) Claire Keegan Carys Davies Rachel Aviv Lillian Ross Jill Lepore Louis Menand

    56 min

  6. 5 May

    David Perry Writes the Book on Public Scholarship

    David Perry returns to talk with Kate about his new book, The Public Scholar: A Practical Handbook. If you've ever been curious about writing essays or op-eds, but are unsure where to get started, David's book should answer pretty much any question you can dream up. I think this book is hugely helpful, and I was glad to hear more from David about why he wrote it—and to get answers to a few more burning questions about public scholarship (or, you know, just a pep talk). When David first joined me on Drafting the Past during the show's first season in 2022, we talked about The Bright Ages: A New History of Europe that he had just published with co-writer Matthew Gabriele. I highly recommend that you go back and listen to that episode, Episode 10. It's especially inspiring for anyone interested in co-writing or who does not find writing to come to them naturally. Since that conversation, David and Matthew have co-authored a second book called Oathbreakers: The War of Brothers That Shattered an Empire and Made Medieval Europe. And David has continued to write prolifically for the public. He has also been enthusiastic about giving other scholars the tools to do the same, and he started offering a workshop on public writing for university faculty and graduate students. Now, he's bringing that advice to all of us in a short, essential book called The Public Scholar: A Practical Handbook. Note that bookshop.org links are affiliate links that generate a small commission to support the show if you purchase books using these links. Sign up for the Drafting the Past newsletter for updates on the show and more.  Mentioned in this episode: David's website David M. Perry, The Public Scholar: A Practical Handbook Matthew Gabriele and David M. Perry, Oathbreakers: The War of Brothers That Shattered an Empire and Made Medieval Europe Matthew Gabriele and David M. Perry, The Bright Ages: A New History of Europe Matthew and David's newsletter, Modern Medieval Drafting the Past Episode 10: David M. Perry Writes Out Loud David's Star Tribune column about Irish music: "This St. Patrick's Day, don't forget Irish music's anti-fascist roots" The Instagram reel promoting his column that we talked about at the start of the episode Tressie McMillan Cottom Irina Dumitrescu

    41 min

  7. 28 Apr

    Emily Dufton Loves Paper (But Watch Out For Floods)

    Host Kate Carpenter is joined by drug historian Dr. Emily Dufton to talk about researching and writing Emily's newest book, Addiction, Inc.: Medication-Assisted Treatment and America's Forgotten War on Drugs. Emily holds a PhD in American studies and works full-time as a writer. Her first book was Grass Roots: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Marijuana in America. Thanks to her expertise in drug history, she regularly serves as a commentator on cannabis history and news, and she also writes essays and op eds for public outlets. Addiction, Inc. tells the history of medication-assisted treatment for illicit drug addiction, beginning with its emergence during President Richard Nixon's war on drugs in the 1970s as a radical approach to public health. From there she traces the controversies, missed opportunities, and privatization that have scrambled access to what is considered the gold standard of addiction treatment, even as America wrestles with an opioid overdose epidemic. Emily is the recipient of multiple awards that supported the book's creation, including a J. Anthony Lukas Works-in-Progress Award, a Robert B. Silvers Grant, and a Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant. We spoke about the process of applying for those awards and why writers should try for grants, the home disaster that derailed the beginnings of this project, and how she balances feedback with her own vision for her book—even when there is A LOT of feedback. You'll also hear about whether she finds it lonely to write outside of an institution, and why she suggests that more historians pick up the phone and call their sources. Note that bookshop.org links are affiliate links that generate a small commission to support the show if you purchase books using these links. Sign up for the Drafting the Past newsletter for updates on the show and more.  Mentioned in this episode Emily Dufton's website Emily Dufton, Addiction, Inc: Medication-Assisted Treatment and America's Forgotten War on Drugs Emily Dufton, Grass Roots: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Marijuana in America J. Anthony Lukas Prize Robert B. Silvers Foundation Works-in-Progress grants Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant Pauline Kael's work at the New Yorker

    49 min

  8. 21 Apr

    Daniel Neep and the Power of Immersion

    In this episode, host Kate Carpenter is joined by Dr. Daniel Neep to talk about his new book, Syria: A Modern History. Daniel is a non-resident fellow at the Crown Center for Middle East Studies at Brandeis University and is currently senior editor at the Arab Center Washington DC, a think tank focused on the relationship between the Arab world and the US. Previously, he has worked as a faculty member, researcher, and leader at universities, NGOs, and research centers as he seeks to bridge academic work and institution building. He is the author of a previous book on Syria, as well as many articles and analyses in a wide variety of venues. His new book tells the history of Syria from the 1800s through the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, focusing on how the Syrian people themselves have understood and advocated for their country's politics, economic relationships and social structures. Kate and Daniel talked about how his many years steeped in research about the Arab world and Syria went into this book, and how he thought about its structure and purpose. We also talked about some of the quirks of publishing a book in both the US and the UK, including how this one book has two slightly different titles, and about what it's like to be writing and revising a book when the ending is changing in real time. Note that bookshop.org links are affiliate links that generate a small commission to support the show if you purchase books using these links. Sign up for the Drafting the Past newsletter for updates on the show and more.  Mentioned in this episode: Daniel Neep's website Daniel Neep, Syria: A Modern History (US version) Daniel Neep, A Modern History of Syria (UK version) Daniel Neep, Occupying Syria Under the French Mandate Arab Center Washington D.C. Timothy Mitchell, Colonizing Egypt Timothy Mitchell, Rule of Experts: Egypt, Techno-Politics, Modernity Michael Mann, The Sources of Social Power, Vol. 1

    47 min
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About

Drafting the Past is a podcast devoted to the craft of writing history. Each episode features an interview with a historian about the joys and challenges of their work as a writer.

Information

  • Creator
    Kate Carpenter
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    106
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026
  • Show Website
    Drafting the Past

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