The Rest Is History

About this podcast

Historians Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook are interrogating the past, attempting to de-tangle the present for their new podcast "The Rest Is History" They question the nature of Greatness, why the West no longer has civil wars and whether Richard Nixon was more like Caligula or Claudius. They're distilling the entirety of human history, or, as much as they can fit into about thirty minutes.

The Rest Is History

Episodes

Season 1
28. The Kings of Comedy
Comedian Al Murray joins Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook to discuss the history of comedy as well as the funny side of history. Has comedy changed through time? When and why are we not allowed to laugh at events? Al Murray has made a living out of making people laugh, while also frequently placing history at the heart of his humour. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Harry Lineker Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Email: restishistorypod@gmail.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
March 4, 2021
54 min
27. Tutankhamun
Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook ask why Tutankhamun remains the best known of the Egyptian pharaohs. They examine the discovery of the tomb by Howard Carter in 1922 and discuss Tutankhamun’s relatives, in particular his father Akhenaten. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Harry Lineker Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Email: restishistorypod@gmail.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
March 1, 2021
46 min
26. Witches
Suzannah Lipscomb joins Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook to discuss the history of witches and witchcraft. Why did society see witches as a threat and what is the modern equivalent of a witch hunt? A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Harry Lineker Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Email: restishistorypod@gmail.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
February 25, 2021
47 min
25. Empires
Is the age of empires over? And are they always a bad thing? Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland explore empires through history, examining the modern assumption that nation statehood is always the better way. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Harry Lineker Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Email: restishistorypod@gmail.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
February 22, 2021
51 min
24. Sex in the City
Everything you wanted to know about sex in the 18th and 19th Century but were afraid to ask. Hallie Rubenhold, author of The Covent Garden Ladies and the multi-award winning The Five joins Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook to discuss this fascinating subject. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Harry Lineker Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Email: restishistorypod@gmail.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
February 18, 2021
45 min
23. The 90s
Ecstasy, emails and economic stability. Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland discuss the 1990s, a decade which brought us Oasis, Tony Blair, Monica Lewinsky and Mr Blobby. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Email: restishistorypod@gmail.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
February 15, 2021
44 min
22. Weird Wars
The Rest is History brings you the top ten strangest conflicts of all time. Obscure, little-known, downright strange. Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland choose five each. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Email: restishistorypod@gmail.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
February 11, 2021
43 min
21. The History of the Future
What is history’s take on the future? Oracles, prophecies, apocalypse, scientific projection. Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook discuss them all. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Email: restishistorypod@gmail.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
February 8, 2021
40 min
20. China
Broadcaster and historian Michael Wood joins Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook to discuss the world’s oldest civilisation. What were the great moments in Chinese history and why do the Opium Wars still feature so prominently in the modern Chinese school syllabus? The birth of the Chinese Communist Party and the complicated legacy of Chairman Mao all feature. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Email: restishistorypod@gmail.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
February 4, 2021
56 min
19. King Arthur
It remains the most romantic historical story of all time, but is the legend of King Arthur a myth? Was he even English? And will he rise again when the country needs him most? Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook take their places at the round table. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Email: restishistorypod@gmail.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
February 1, 2021
48 min
18. The North South Divide
England has long been divided by an invisible line somewhere north of Watford and south of the Mersey. But do northerners really have more in common with Scots and Welsh people than their fellow Englishmen in London? Dan Jackson, author of The Northumbrians and a former advisor to Cheryl Cole, joins southerner Tom Holland and midlander Dominic Sandbrook to try and decide if we should eat lunch then dinner, or dinner then tea. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Email: restishistorypod@gmail.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
January 28, 2021
52 min
17. Fascism
What is fascism and where did it come from? No one admits to being a fascist yet it continues to be a term of abuse hurled on a regular basis. Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook discuss the history of this most unacceptable of political models. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Email: restishistorypod@gmail.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
January 25, 2021
46 min
16. Pompeii
Pompeii Why does Pompeii continue to hold such a fascination for so many people? And which secrets are still to be uncovered from beneath the ashes? Dr Sophie Hay, a leading expert on the ruined Italian city, joins Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook to answer lots of listener questions. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Email: restishistorypod@gmail.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
January 21, 2021
48 min
15. Walls and Borders
From the Great Wall of China to the Berlin Wall, history is littered with the building of barriers aimed at keeping people out, and sometimes in. Do they work? Are they ever a good thing? Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook climb walls and explore borders as they investigate the history of separation. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Email: restishistorypod@gmail.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
January 18, 2021
43 min
14. Historical Fiction
Is the author’s responsibility to the quality of the novel or the truth of history? What makes a great historical novel and which authors have contributed to our understanding of history. Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook range across literature in search of the best of historical fiction. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Email: restishistorypod@gmail.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
January 11, 2021
56 min
13. Stephen Fry and Troy
Stephen Fry is our guest on The Rest is History as he tells Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook about his enduring fascination with the Greek myths. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Email: restishistorypod@gmail.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
January 7, 2021
60 min
12. Conspiracy Theories
History is littered with conspiracy theories, from Popish plots to JFK’s assassination. But what makes people believe in them and how do they gain currency? As strange stories continue to swirl around the coronavirus vaccine, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook examine conspiracy theories through the ages. Oh and Dominic finally solves the question of who did kill JFK. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Email: restishistorypod@gmail.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
January 4, 2021
45 min
11. Brexit
As Britain leaves the EU, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook look at the best & worst comparisons from history that have been made to Brexit. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Email: restishistorypod@gmail.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
December 28, 2020
42 min
10. Christmas
Is Christmas an ancient ritual or was it invented by Dickens? Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland discuss the transformation of Christmas from public to private event and decide when it became a commercial rather than spiritual celebration. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Email: restishistorypod@gmail.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
December 21, 2020
36 min
9. Causes of the First World War
Whose fault was it? Does the question even make sense? Are wars always somebody's "fault"? Was it really the first global war? And should Britain have fought, or stayed out? A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Email: restishistorypod@gmail.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
December 14, 2020
43 min

The Rest Is History

About this podcast

Categories

About this podcast

Categories

The Rest Is History

Episodes

28. The Kings of Comedy

27. Tutankhamun

26. Witches

25. Empires

24. Sex in the City

23. The 90s

22. Weird Wars

21. The History of the Future

20. China

19. King Arthur

18. The North South Divide

17. Fascism

16. Pompeii

15. Walls and Borders

14. Historical Fiction

13. Stephen Fry and Troy

12. Conspiracy Theories

11. Brexit

10. Christmas

9. Causes of the First World War