23 episodes

One day, Paul Bates found a book in an alley. It wasn’t a magical book, but it was very old - 132 years old, to be exact. It’s called The Pictorial Treasury of Famous Men and Famous Deeds: its cover is beautiful, its language is flowery, and its tone is problematic. It’s also full of wildly obscure and preposterously inaccurate stories about people and deeds you’ve probably never heard of. And, it’s the basis for this history podcast. Each episode Paul shares a chapter with a guest and together they cut through the rhetoric, fill in the blanks and bring a modern perspective to this relic from the height of the British Empire.

The Dubious Book of Famous Deeds The Sonar Network

    • History
    • 5.0 • 13 Ratings

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

One day, Paul Bates found a book in an alley. It wasn’t a magical book, but it was very old - 132 years old, to be exact. It’s called The Pictorial Treasury of Famous Men and Famous Deeds: its cover is beautiful, its language is flowery, and its tone is problematic. It’s also full of wildly obscure and preposterously inaccurate stories about people and deeds you’ve probably never heard of. And, it’s the basis for this history podcast. Each episode Paul shares a chapter with a guest and together they cut through the rhetoric, fill in the blanks and bring a modern perspective to this relic from the height of the British Empire.

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

    Correct Me If I'm Wrong (Livestream) w/ Leigh Cameron, Mark Little & Brandon Hackett

    Correct Me If I'm Wrong (Livestream) w/ Leigh Cameron, Mark Little & Brandon Hackett

    Inspired by his favourite British panel show, Paul Bates (host of The Dubious Book of Famous Deeds) came up with this hilarious concept for a game. Correct Me If I'm Wrong is a game where funny people have to speak for a full minute on a given topic without hesitation or deviation and everything they say must also be factually correct (as judged by Paul's Google Home device).

    This livestream episode was recorded as part of The Sonar Network holiday marathon in December, 2021.

    Featuring:
    Brandon Hackett
    Leigh Cameron
    Mark Little

    Chapter 19. Horatio Nelson, or: The Naval Gaze

    Chapter 19. Horatio Nelson, or: The Naval Gaze

    Clare Blackwood joins me for the tale of Lord Admiral Nelson: commander of the Royal Navy, hero of the Napoleonic Wars, deadbeat husband. Listen to the story of a man who left everything on the field, including an arm, most of his teeth and an eyebrow.
    Brought to you By: The Sonar Network https://thesonarnetwork.com/

    • 35 min
    Chapter 18. Samuel Colt, or: From My Old, Dead Hands

    Chapter 18. Samuel Colt, or: From My Old, Dead Hands

    Guests Rhys Waters and Jesse Harley ('Canadian Politics is Boring') come for the weaponry and stay for the pyromania as we explore the life of Samuel Colt, a gun inventor who had a singular appetite for destruction.
    Brought to you By: The Sonar Network https://thesonarnetwork.com/

    • 50 min
    Chapter 17. Walter Raleigh, or: Misadventure Time

    Chapter 17. Walter Raleigh, or: Misadventure Time

    Comedian Brandon Hackett is here for the story of Walter Raleigh, namesake of Raleigh, North Carolina: a great explorer, so we're told, but really - did he get a single thing right? Or was he really famous because Queen Elizabeth I had the hots for him?
    Brought to you By: The Sonar Network https://thesonarnetwork.com/

    • 39 min
    Chapter 16. Sir Henry Holland, or: Lady Chatterley’s Doctor

    Chapter 16. Sir Henry Holland, or: Lady Chatterley’s Doctor

    In a surprisingly horny episode, comedian Ashley Botting is here for the story of Sir Henry Holland: physician to the wealthy, confidante to the elite, and - to spread a rumour we can in no way substantiate - hot lover to them all?
    Brought to you By: The Sonar Network https://thesonarnetwork.com/

    • 42 min
    Chapter 15. Great Lighthouse Disasters, or: Lead Belly

    Chapter 15. Great Lighthouse Disasters, or: Lead Belly

    Alastair Forbes is here for stories about lighthouses! Specifically, stories about lighthouse disasters. We'll also hear a bit about John Smeaton, the first ever civil engineer... but mainly we're talking lighthouses failing.
    Brought to you By: The Sonar Network https://thesonarnetwork.com/

    • 56 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
13 Ratings

13 Ratings

Toe Gould ,

New favorite

I just found this podcast a couple of weeks ago and devoured the whole first season in less than a week.

Anneaie ,

The best thing I’ve ever listened to

Literally cannot wait between episodes, this show is addicting and informative in the best way

Angchriskraus ,

Worth listening.

Always entertaining although he does drop in notes of his leftist viewpoints.

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