Welcome back to One Hundred Centuries! In our first full-length episode in a while, we discuss/review two graphic novels about historical scientists: The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage (by Sidney Padua) and Radioactive (by Lauren Redniss). Have a listen as we talk about Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage and …

Episode 16: Lovelace and the Curies, Two Graphic Novels

It’s back. After a long fall/winter of having a baby and publishing a book, this quick episode is the first of many this spring and summer. Today I’m spotlighting two teen books set in different historical periods: Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee (1840s West) and The Cure for …

Book Spotlight: Under a Painted Sky and The Cure for Dreaming

This week’s episode is about the camera obscura (A.K.A. the pinhole camera). It’s a fun and historical device used by astronomers and artists. You can even make one yourself for safe eclipse viewing. Also, do check out pictures of Vermeer’s paintings here: Essential Vermeer Do you think he used a …

Episode Fourteen: The Camera Obscura

In the third author interview, I talk with Paul Butler about his book, Hero. It’s set partly in World War I and partly in later years as the aftermath of the war affects different characters’ lives. Listen in above or view the interview as a video below. Paul has written multiple …

Episode Thirteen: World War One and the Meaning of Heroism: Interview with Paul Butler

Quick announcement: If you try to get in touch with the show over the next few weeks but don’t get a response for a while, it’s because we’ve got a baby due soon and our silence means he came and we are super busy. We’re prescheduling content to come out …

Episode Twelve: Victory Gardens and Children’s Literature: Interview with Leigh Shearin

Episode Eleven: 1950s Hollywood and Justice Girl: Interview with Julian David Stone

Today we’ve got some astronomical history for you. The dwarf planet Pluto has had a long and exciting history. There’s a number of fun further reading/viewing/listening resources if you’d like to learn more about Pluto when you’re done with the episode. The Planets by Dava Sobel How I Killed Pluto …

Episode Ten: The Discovery of Pluto

Today we spotlight two historical fiction verse novels for middle grade readers (ages 8 to 12, though many older readers may enjoy them just as much). Both stories feature strong-willed girls with different language barriers who emerge from their tales more confident and resilient. MAY B. by Caroline Starr Rose …

Episode Nine: Historical Verse Novels from the Kansas Soddy to Vietnam

Due to some power outages, we’re a day late on this episode, but if you love math and science history, I hope we’ve made it up to you. Today we discuss Pythagoras, the theorem he made famous but did not actually discover, and his hippie commune in Croton. We’ve got …

Pythagoras and “His” Theorem

Remember our episode a few weeks ago on women’s clubs? We’d promised to get a little more detailed on African-American women’s activism specifically, and today we’ve got it. Today, it’s also just me, Connie, on the podcast. Stephen wasn’t able to record this time. He’ll be back for the next …

Episode Seven: African-American Women’s Activism in the Progressive Era

No, we’re not talking cowboys. Today we’re talking Western cultures’ bathing traditions (or lack thereof for certain historical periods). What was ancient bathing like? (Our resident classicist, Stephen, draws from his wealth of knowledge on this one.)  When did bathing fall out of favor and why did it come back? …

Episode Six: Take a Western Bath!

This week, we do our first historical fiction spotlight and talk about the history behind it. The show begins with the basics of the Edwardian conquest of Wales and leads to a spoiler free discussion of THE WICKED AND THE JUST by J. Anderson Coats, a young adult book about …

Episode Five: The Conquest of Wales and The Wicked and the Just

For our first March podcast, we’re honoring Women’s History Month by focusing on the the Women’s Club Movement, a phenomenon associated with the later 19th and early 20th centuries. Women’s clubs were a way for women to enact change in their communities and lobby for causes while many women across …

Episode Four: Women’s Clubs Taking Action

At last we have the relaunch episode of One Hundred Centuries! From now on, except for announced breaks, we should be releasing an episode every two weeks. Today we look at two early sources for the grail legend: the earliest source, “Perceval or the The Story of the Grail” by …

Episode Three: What Is the Holy Grail?

This time we discuss the lives of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, as well as their famous duel that took place in 1804. It’s kind of nutty to think that a vice president shot and killed a founding father. Was it murder? Was it legal (at the time) dueling? You …

Episode Two: The Hamilton-Burr Duel

For our very first episode, we discuss the life of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. His assassination on June 28th, 1914 sparked the First World War. When you hear about his plans for the Austro-Hungarian Empire, you’ll wonder how different 20th century history might have been had he not been …

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