150 episodes

"Axelbank Reports History and Today: Conversations with America’s top non-fiction authors and why their books matter right now" approaches our past and present in a way that makes anyone want to listen. National-award winning TV news reporter Evan Axelbank interviews writers of history and current events to explore how America works and how it has been shaped by both the powerful and the powerless. In conversational and engaging fashion, listeners learn about the most important events, themes and figures in American history. This podcast shows why we have no choice but to understand where we have been, to know where we are going.

Axelbank Reports History and Today Evan Axelbank

    • History
    • 4.8 • 41 Ratings

"Axelbank Reports History and Today: Conversations with America’s top non-fiction authors and why their books matter right now" approaches our past and present in a way that makes anyone want to listen. National-award winning TV news reporter Evan Axelbank interviews writers of history and current events to explore how America works and how it has been shaped by both the powerful and the powerless. In conversational and engaging fashion, listeners learn about the most important events, themes and figures in American history. This podcast shows why we have no choice but to understand where we have been, to know where we are going.

    #149: James Swanson - "The Deerfield Massacre: A Surprise Attack, a Forced March, and the Fight for Survival in Early America"

    #149: James Swanson - "The Deerfield Massacre: A Surprise Attack, a Forced March, and the Fight for Survival in Early America"

    Though few remember it, James Swanson argues the Deerfield Massacre of 1704 played a critical role in the shaping of early America. He explains how Native tribes and French soldiers brutalized a small outpost of colonists in western Massachusetts and set off a continental effort to find the missing victims and establish forces to protect the colonies. The tale of large-scale kidnappings, battles over who land belongs to and fear of attacks without warning have clear parallels to today. Swanson also explains what it is like to see artifacts from the attack that has been almost forgotten, until now.

    Information on "The Deerfield Massacre" can be found at https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Deerfield-Massacre/James-L-Swanson/9781501108167

    James Swanson is on social media at https://twitter.com/JamesLSwanson

    Support our show at https://patreon.com/axelbankhistory

    **A portion of every contribution is given to a charity for children's literacy**

    "Axelbank Reports History and Today" can be found on social media at

    https://twitter.com/axelbankhistory

    https://instagram.com/axelbankhistory

    https://facebook.com/axelbankhistory

    • 50 min
    #148: Jason Lantzer - "Dwight Eisenhower and the Holocaust"

    #148: Jason Lantzer - "Dwight Eisenhower and the Holocaust"

    Up until the very end of World War II, even Dwight Eisenhower did not grasp the extent of the devastation the Holocaust had inflicted to the Jewish people. It wasn’t until he was among the liberators at the Ohrdruf concentration camp where the Americans found thousands of dead bodies and starving Jews when Eisenhower finally had his full call to action. They weren’t just fighting fascism, they were fighting to make sure there would never be another Holocaust. Lantzer describes how Eisenhower used his political skills to make sure the message was heard around the world.

    Information on "Dwight Eisenhower and the Holocaust" can be found at https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783111327112/html?lang=en

    Jason Lantzer is on social media at https://twitter.com/HistProfDad

    Support our show at https://patreon.com/axelbankhistory

    **A portion of every contribution is given to a charity for children's literacy**

    "Axelbank Reports History and Today" can be found on social media at

    https://twitter.com/axelbankhistory

    https://instagram.com/axelbankhistory

    https://facebook.com/axelbankhistory

    • 55 min
    #147: Harold Holzer - "Brought Forth on This Continent"

    #147: Harold Holzer - "Brought Forth on This Continent"

    Abraham Lincoln is often thought of as the president who kept the union together, or who contributed the legal basis for slaves to be freed in states in rebellion, but Harold Holzer, one of America's renowned Lincoln scholars, explains how Lincoln harnessed the power of immigrants to make both achievements possible. Holzer's new book, "Brought Forth on this Continent: Abraham Lincoln and American Immigration," traces Lincoln's life from midwestern storekeeper, to Whig Party stalwart, to President. His view of immigrants shifted from indifferent to embracing, as he realized the source of renewal and strength they provide to America. While Lincoln's views often centered around those of European descent, Lincoln pushed back against anti-immigrant forces in the US to spend national resources on attracting more immigrants and making it possible for them to thrive. He allowed for the full participation in both the political system and in the military force that would become the victorious side in the Civil War. Near the end of his life, he gave a landmark speech on immigration that could well be applied to today's debate over how to respond to immigrants who reach American soil.

    Harold Holzer's website can be found at http://www.haroldholzer.com/

    He is on Twitter at https://twitter.com/HaroldHolzer

    Information on his book, "Brought Forth on this Continent: Abraham Lincoln and American Immigration," can be found at https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/558372/brought-forth-on-this-continent-by-harold-holzer/

    Our previous episode with Harold Holzer and his book "Presidents vs. The Press" can be found at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axelbank-reports-history-and-today/id1521053272?i=1000503758391

    Support our show at https://patreon.com/axelbankhistory

    **A portion of every contribution is given to a charity for children's literacy**

    "Axelbank Reports History and Today" can be found on social media at

    https://twitter.com/axelbankhistory

    https://instagram.com/axelbankhistory

    https://facebook.com/axelbankhistory

    • 52 min
    #146: David Head & Timothy Hemmis - "A Republic of Scoundrels"

    #146: David Head & Timothy Hemmis - "A Republic of Scoundrels"

    The Founding Fathers are often thought of as the pathbreaking generation that fought with dignity, wrote with moral clarity, and bound the colonies together with one goal. Except, in their new edited collection, “A Republic of Scoundrels: The Schemers, Intriguers and Adventurers who Created a New American Nation,” historians David Head and Timothy Hemmis argue that's not what happened at all. They say that mixed in with those like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, are a batch of who are essentially anti-Founders, those who worked to stop the founding from succeeding at all. For every Founder who has gone down as a hero, there are several who are finally being given their due as American villains.

    Dr. David Head's website can be found at https://www.davidheadhistory.com/

    Dr. Timothy Hemmis is on social media at https://twitter.com/hemmist

    Information on "A Republic of Scoundrels" can be found at https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/A-Republic-of-Scoundrels/David-Head/9781639364077

    Our previous episode with David Head on his book, "A Crisis of Peace" can be found at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axelbank-reports-history-and-today/id1521053272?i=1000514069140

    Support our show at https://patreon.com/axelbankhistory

    **A portion of every contribution is given to a charity for children's literacy**

    "Axelbank Reports History and Today" can be found on social media at

    https://twitter.com/axelbankhistory

    https://instagram.com/axelbankhistory

    https://facebook.com/axelbankhistory

    • 48 min
    #145: Martyn Whittock - "American Vikings: How the Norse Sailed into the Lands and Imaginations of America"

    #145: Martyn Whittock - "American Vikings: How the Norse Sailed into the Lands and Imaginations of America"

    From costumes to professional football to a brand of high end ovens, "Vikings" have become a part of American pop culture. In "American Vikings: How the Norse Sailed into the Lands and Imaginations of America," historian Martyn Whittock explains why actual vikings set sail, what they were after, and why the potential for myths to be handed down to future generations was so pervasive. He shows how sailors in the year 1000 left their homes to plunder and explore, all while shaping European and American history. He explains what he found about their earliest voyages to what would eventually be called North America. Since he has also studied Christianity extensively, Whittock also left us with a mission for how to approach the holiday season!

    Martyn Whittock's social media page can be found at https://twitter.com/MartynHistorian

    Information on "American Vikings" from Simon & Schuster can be found at https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/American-Vikings/Martyn-Whittock/9781639365357

    Support our show at https://patreon.com/axelbankhistory

    **A portion of every contribution is given to a charity for children's literacy**

    "Axelbank Reports History and Today" can be found on social media at

    https://twitter.com/axelbankhistory

    https://instagram.com/axelbankhistory

    https://facebook.com/axelbankhistory

    • 41 min
    #144: John Reeves - "Soldier of Destiny: Slavery, Secession, and the Redemption of Ulysses S. Grant"

    #144: John Reeves - "Soldier of Destiny: Slavery, Secession, and the Redemption of Ulysses S. Grant"

    How  did Ulysses S. Grant go from being surrounded by - and benefitting from - slaves to becoming one of the most instrumental American leaders responsible for its downfall? In "Soldier of Destiny," John Reeves shows how Grant's formative years with an anti-slavery father, the challenges of his alcoholism and his experience as a military leader during the Civil War led to his belief that emancipation was the only way to redeem America's founding promise.

    John Reeves' website can be found at https://john-reeves.com/author

    He is on Twitter at https://twitter.com/reevesjw

    Information on "Soldider of Destiny" from Pegasus Books can be found at http://pegasusbooks.com/books/soldier-of-destiny-9781639365272-hardcover#:~:text=Soldier%20of%20Destiny%20tells%20the,father%20and%20his%20slaveholding%20wife.

    Support our show at https://patreon.com/axelbankhistory

    **A portion of every contribution is given to a charity for children's literacy**

    "Axelbank Reports History and Today" can be found on social media at

    https://twitter.com/axelbankhistory

    https://instagram.com/axelbankhistory

    https://facebook.com/axelbankhistory

    • 44 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
41 Ratings

41 Ratings

GAX ,

Interesting and fun as well.

I enjoyed listening to this. There was a feeling like two friends where having a discussion. I’m looking forward to future installments.

I’d like to add, that as time has gone on I still find this podcast interesting, fun, and informative!

MBB1207 ,

History

Love this historical podcast on the past, keep up the great work. America needs to understand its own history, far to often we fail to understand our own history. Way to go!

Consumer19 ,

Peter Baker? Nope

Baker is one of the biggest hacks in journalism, along with his colleague Haberman. Both are totally biased, their reporting is one-sided and they withhold information until they have a book to shill. The fact that this podcast gave him a platform shows it has zero credibility. Don’t waste a minute listening.

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