Best Broadsheet Radio Podcasts (2025)

1
111 - Hard Out Here for a Pope (feat. Alex DiVirgilio & Jim Vozzella) 1:48:10

23h ago1:48:10

1:48:10

We've seen the white smoke, and it is time for a Pope-a-palooza! From Pope #1 and the 13 other Pope Leos to lady popes and baller popes, we cover a LOT of papal history in this, the final episode of season 7 and Cass's last season as co-host! We're joined by returning guests and friends, Jim Vozzella (ep. 48) and Alex DiVirgilio (ep. 96 & ep. 100) …

1
SEAWEED 30:38

4M ago30:38

30:38

When you skip by seaweed on the beach or crunch into nori wrapped sushi rolls, you're interacting with something that also exists as billion-year-old fossils. In Australia, palawa people have crafted bull kelp water carriers for millennia, and from Ireland to Japan, seaweed’s been a culinary ingredient, a cough remedy and a way to pay taxes. Nowada…

1
WINE 32:26

5M ago32:26

32:26

Australians have been raising our glasses for a long time. Our vintages have been winning international prizes since 1822 and there's currently a $2 billion worldwide thirst for our wine. Australian innovations like the goon bag and screw-cap wines have made drinking more user friendly, though, and wine has since become a creative showcase for art …

1
MUSHROOMS 33:02

5M ago33:02

33:02

Onion stalk, parasol, bleeding fairy helmet, lawyer's wig, chicken of the woods, native bread and velvet shank are some of the mushrooms you'll find in Australia. Some taste a lot better than others and have been championed as a sustainable alternative to meat. Across the world, growing mushrooms has helped disenfranchised people gain economic inde…

1
HONEY 32:32

5M ago32:32

32:32

Australia is home to one of the world’s oldest honey cultures. For thousands of years, Indigenous people have harvested honey from sugarbag bees and honey ants which inspired kids TV and Japanese comic books. Australia’s native sweeteners probably predate the honey found in Egyptian tombs, which still proved edible 3000 years after it was buried. C…

1
EEL 30:44

5M ago30:44

30:44

There's an eel known as a living fossil because it resembles its dinosaur-era ancestors. And the Budj Bim eel traps, at least 6600 years old, confirmed that First Nations people have been catching eels for millennia. In medieval England, these fish were used to pay the rent and today, Australians have even turned them into musical instruments and g…

1
MILK 30:49

6M ago30:49

30:49

Australia's dairy industry began with a few cows brought in on the First Fleet in 1788, which escaped for a while and were later depicted in Dharawal cave drawings. Today, increased awareness of the environmental impact of cattle methane emissions is driving a shift toward more sustainable dietary choices, while Australia’s multicultural diet has l…

1
110 - A Hull Lot of Smut 58:47

9M ago58:47

58:47

This episode is about the Jane Addams Hull House and all of the residents who passed through, and about hot, smutty classical music. Maybe we'll write a clever description later, but for right now that is all you need to know. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Complete citations on our website.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SOCIALS: Follow Shared History at @SharedPod on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, @…

1
109 - Croc Rock & Turtle Lore (feat. Frank 'Alligator' Robb) 1:09:52

9M ago1:09:52

1:09:52

Maybe we should call this our first ever episode of Shared Science, but once we got talkin' crocs with Frank 'Alligator' Robb we just couldn't help ourselves! Join us on a journey through crocodilians of the distant past (fighting dinosaurs), recent past (How Frank caught Chicago's 'Chance the Snapper'), and near future (as the key to unlocking a c…

1
108 - Get The Sensation 53:51

10M ago53:51

53:51

[York (Lewis & Clark exp) & Essanay Film Studios] -- This week we give credit where credit is due. Pushing the boundaries of the United States? That credit goes to York, a man enslaved to William Clark, who was the MVP of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Pushing the boundaries of the film industry? Those kudos belong in the midwest and not the west …

1
107 - A Boulanger-ie Jamboree (feat. Heidi Joosten) 58:35

10M ago58:35

58:35

[Nadia Boulanger] - For a baked good, you might hit up the boulangerie, but for an exceptional music education? For that, you'd hit up Nadia Boulanger. Award-winning music director and composer, Heidi Joosten, joins to discuss the strengths and shortcomings of this complicated icon of the music industry...and also the strengths and shortcomings of …

1
106 - Books, Brews, Aquatic Birds 53:18

10M ago53:18

53:18

Crack open a cold one and/or crack open a good book, Cass and Nat are here to tell you about the Lager Beer Riot (Chicago, 1855) and the history of Penguin Publishing...plus a brief explanation of where we disappeared to for months, and a few luke-warm takes on home library organization. Mayor William B. Ogden Mayor Levi Boone 1858 photo of riot si…

1
105 - Fortune Favors the Whoopsies (feat. Sarah Whittle) 54:24

11M ago54:24

54:24

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again...OR maybe you've just failed productively? Social Media Darling, Sarah Whittle joins us to share a hilarious history of items invented by accident and we even discuss a few brilliant inventions of our own devising. So listen to this episode and steal our ideas! Our guest, Sarah Whittle Spelling Bee-kin…

1
020 - My Kingdom for a Fife (feat. Michael Nardone) 1:05:29

1+ y ago1:05:29

1:05:29

More Scottish history than your body can handle! Jk, it is a lot, but we believe in you. Michael Nardone is here to shower us with oodles of fun Fife facts and historical anecdotes inspired by myths, stories from Grandpa, and his own one-man historical and musical show: A Dram O'History. Our lovely guest, Michael Nardone Map of The Kingdom of Fife …

1
104 - Don't Matter if You're Black or White 56:50

2y ago56:50

56:50

What does hockey's first organized league and a colony of creative rabbits have in common? One was black, one was white, but both buck expectations and deserve some overdue recognition for being really freaking good in their fields. Listen and learn about The Colored Hockey League and The White Rabbits (women sculptors) of the 1893 Chicago World's …

1
103 - Everday War (feat. Dr. Greta Uehling) 1:02:08

2y ago1:02:08

1:02:08

What the networks deem "newsworthy" barely scratches the surface of what it means to be a nation at war, a community at war, a civilian at war. Cultural anthropologist Dr. Greta Uehling joins us to provide a window into life for noncombatant civilians in Ukraine looks like during the current conflict, and the humor and humanity that gets them throu…

1
102 - Jazz Goddess, Gypsy Queen 53:52

2y ago53:52

53:52

Today we're talking about two ladies who've got rhythm and music: black singer, composer and music critic, Nora Holt; and fierce beast of falmenco, Carmen Amaya. Nora Holt Carmen Amaya ⁠⁠⁠Complete citations on our website.⁠⁠⁠ SOCIALS: Follow Shared History at @SharedPod on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, @SharedHistory on ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠, ⁠⁠@sharedhistorypod on Mastad…

1
101 - Celebrities, They're Just Like Us! (feat. Lanny Jones) 53:18

2y ago53:18

53:18

As we explore overlooked figures from history, we often find ourselves shouting about how these folks should have been celebrities, either in their time or in history books. But this week we're taking a step further back to examine the history of celebrity itself. And who better to lead us on that journey than former managing editor of People and M…

1
100 - In Da Club: A Shared History Musical Spectacular! 58:03

2y ago58:03

58:03

Remember when every TV show had a musical episode? Ring in the 100th episode of Shared History with the sweat and style of the history of house music and Chicago's notorious and naughty Everleigh club PLUS original and fully improvised songs courtesy of some of our very talented friends: the Then This Happened Podcast, S6 finale guest Alex DiVirgil…

1
099 - The Most Interesting Man in the World (feat. Michael MacBride) 1:23:43

2y ago1:23:43

1:23:43

Nobody puts Baby in the corner and nobody makes Merton Clivette pick a lane. Author and indie publisher, Michael MacBride, regales us with tales of painter, magician, writer and more Merton Clivette, aka Clivette the Great, aka The Man in Black, aka The Mysterious Strange. Join us to learn about all things Clivette and how/why MacBride found himsel…

1
098 - This Little Horse Lord Hates Disco 1:04:25

2y ago1:04:25

1:04:25

Finally, more people are talking about Scythia and, of course, Chicago! And by more people, we mean us. Listen and learn about Persian-crushing Queen, Tomyris of Scythia and vinyl-crushing mayhem, Disco Demolition Night of Chicago 1979. Handy map of Scythians during Tomyris' time Tomyris straight dunking Cyrus' head 1979 coverage of disco demolitio…

1
097 - Balloon Poppin' Daddies 1:05:50

2y ago1:05:50

1:05:50

We’re starting this season off with a bang…or at least Natalie is, as she traumatizes Cass with a harrowing tale from Chicago history: The Wingfoot Air Express Disaster before Cass shares the fashion and racism behind the Zoot Suit Riots. Wingfoot Express Leaving Grant Park Inside bank after crash Diagram of crash Composite illustration of wingfoot…

1
BONUS - A Very True and Accurate 'Little Locals'/Mailbag Minisode 24:00

2y ago24:00

24:00

In this incredibly sincere and well-researched bonus minisode, we read a note from the mailbag, explore a magical neighborhood in Wisconsin, and answer the question: "what if Nat & Cass commit to a bit for ~24 minutes?". We want to shout out our listener Melanie who sent in this request and probably didn't expect this. See y'all for Shared History …

1
019 - There Will Be Hippos (feat. Mark Bonnar) 1:08:14

2+ y ago1:08:14

1:08:14

This week, it's personal. Mark Bonnar joins to share with us the history of Scottish New Towns -- more specifically, the art of Scottish New Towns and his father's art in Glenrothes during his tenure as a Town Artist in particular. What follows is a heartfelt and hilarious discussion on public art and the importance of art to the human psyche as a …

1
096 - Chasing Waterfalls (feat. Alex DiVirgilio) 1:34:01

2+ y ago1:34:01

1:34:01

It's the season 6 finale and that calls for our signature silly finale tradition of a waterfall episode...although this time our comedy guest, Alex DiVirgilio, took that extra literally. That's right, join us for a barrel of laughs as we discuss the history of Niagara Falls! More on Alex Alex DiVirgilio is an improviser, musician and shaper of youn…

1
018 - Schemin' n Dreamin' (feat. Andy Clark) 1:10:06

2+ y ago1:10:06

1:10:06

UK history is rife with excuses to keep a boot on the neck of Scotland, our guest this week is shedding some light on one of the go-to anecdotes on Scotland’s so-called failure to launch. This week, we’re joined by Andy Clark and we’re chatting about the oft bemoaned Darien Scheme. Our lovely guest, Andy Gulf of Darien map (see dotted area) William…

1
095 - The History Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 58:07

2+ y ago58:07

58:07

Everyone knows there is nothing cooler than sweet tats and sick dragons, so in this week's episode we're bringing you both. Cass takes us to the Philippines to school us in the Kalinga art of the batok tattoo, and then Nat takes us on a whirlwind adventure to prove once and for all that dragons are real. Whang-od Whang-od at work St. George and the…

1
017 - Where My Ladies At? (Feat. Nalini Chetty) 1:10:14

2+ y ago1:10:14

1:10:14

History favors the male. Or, more specifically, the way history has been recorded and taught favors the male. Nalini Chetty joins us this week to set us to rights and discuss some of the women of Scottish history who have been left out of the narrative, from Margaret Bulkley to Maggie Dickson (we promise they aren't all named Margaret) we're having…

1
094 - Cheers, Beers & Queers (feat. Nia Ryan of Herbiery) 1:11:45

2+ y ago1:11:45

1:11:45

We're taking beer back to it's roots, literally, with a not-so-hoppy history lesson from our friend Nia Ryan at Herbiery. Join us as we talk about the history of hops, the proven potential of hop-free beers, and what Queering Beer means to us. Learn more about Herbiery and where to find their delicious beers at Herbiery.com And look out for their t…

1
016 - Fit Like? (feat. Ian Pirie) 1:10:30

2+ y ago1:10:30

1:10:30

Alright mah quines n loons, grab a pear and a chair and tune your ears north to Aberdeen for a lesson in the Doric language/'dialect' from our pal Ian Pirie. Our lovely guest, Ian Ian kilted up Aesops Fables in Doric A lil doric guide to weather The Malt Whisky Trail More on Ian: Ian Pirie is a Scottish actor known for a whole lot of amazing work, …

1
093 - Stay Socialist, Not Toxic 1:14:00

2+ y ago1:14:00

1:14:00

Same topic, different person. It finally almost happened. Cass and Nat come in hot with ALMOST THE EXACT SAME TOPIC. Join us as we learn about Eleanor Marx and Edith Nesbit, two feminist, socialist organizers in mid-to-late 19th century London. Eleanor Marx Edith Nesbit Edward Aveling Hubert Bland The Railway Children, first edition Miss Marx movie…

1
015 - Fancy, Functional, F*ck You (feat. Clare Campbell of Prickly Thistle) 1:11:32

2+ y ago1:11:32

1:11:32

From the history to the future of the fabric, this week we talk tartan and the paradox of tartan with Clare Campbell, mastermind behind Prickly Thistle, Scotland’s 1st ever B Corp Mill. NOTE: The audio quality on some of this is less than ideal, thank you for bearing with us and we hope you enjoy the episode despite the wobbles. Our lovely guest, C…

1
092 - The Last Badass (feat. Tehya from For The Love of History) 1:21:01

2+ y ago1:21:01

1:21:01

If Tom Cruise is involved, it's wrong. That's one of many lessons we take away from this week's episode on samurai women warriors, or the onna-bugeisha, with Tehya from For The Love of History Podcast. Listen to Tehya's podcast here. Tomoe Gozen Woodblock printing of a warrior woman (Utagawa Kuniyoshi) Woman dressed as Tomoe Gozen at festival Ishi-…

1
014 - Do Meet Your Heroes (feat. Stuart Martin) 59:09

2+ y ago59:09

59:09

They say you shouldn't meet your heroes, but this week's guest was pleased to discover the real Rob Roy was as magnificent as the movie made him out to be. Join Adam, Nat and Stuart Martin on a trip back to the lowland/highland border for a bit of cattle thievery and blackmail (or as it's known in Gaelic: mal dhu) Our lovely guest, Stuart Proof of …

1
091 - Nobby Nat & The Unwashed Casses 1:06:24

2+ y ago1:06:24

1:06:24

Coming up with new nicknames is an art form, and this episode is chocked full of art. Cass teaches us all about composer, conductor and family man Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (not to be confused with Samuel Taylor Coleridge). And while they may not have been lauded a fine art in their time, Nat's topic of Dime Novels (or Penny Dreadfuls) are responsibl…

1
013 - Somerville Out There... (feat. Tyler Collins) 1:19:31

2+ y ago1:19:31

1:19:31

We ran the numbers and if you NepTUNE in this week and you can bet Uranus that you'll have a good time. We're learning about mathematician, astronomer and 10 pound note model Mary Somerville from actor, musician, friend-of-the-pod and 'Honorary Scot': Tyler Collins. Our lovely guest, Tyler Collins Tyler as a toilet in Scots Mary Somerville, self po…

1
090 - Don't Wake Daddy Disney (feat. Caitlin Cadieux) 1:28:14

2+ y ago1:28:14

1:28:14

...because he was kind of a d*ck. We're joined by motion designer and co-host of the Cartoon Feelings podcast, Caitlin Cadieux to examine some of the less than ideal labor practices of Walt Disney and his studios. Listen to Cartoon Feelings here. Cait is hosting an online event TOMORROW, Wednesday 11/2: info here More on Caitlin Caitlin Cadieux is …

1
SOYBEANS 34:38

2+ y ago34:38

34:38

In 1770, naturalists Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander reportedly saw wild soybeans in Botany Bay. The following century, the Japanese government sent soybeans to Australia as a gift. Thanks to Chinese miners in the 1800s, tofu was most probably part of gold rush diets, but it wasn’t until just a few decades ago – with the growing vegetarian movemen…

1
012 - See You in the Past! (feat. Grant O'Rourke) 1:20:00

2+ y ago1:20:00

1:20:00

Murder! Intrigue! A Naked Bum! We're examining the murder of Lord Darnley. After first regretting and then rejoicing in his decision to be on this podcast in the first place, Grant O'Rourke makes his debut as the official history via public transit liaison for Edinburgh. Sexy Scottish Actor, Grant O'Rourke (as promised) 1567 drawing of Lord Darnley…

1
089 - Scared History 4: Scared 4 History 1:05:42

2+ y ago1:05:42

1:05:42

Sometimes there is nothing scarier than reality. So, in this edition of Scared History, Nat & Cass is keeping things close to home with a very real local (Chicago) murder and Cass is bombarding us with scary tales of Nature. Chicago Reader headline/illustration on Ruthie McCoy murder The Death of Alexander, 323 bce Lake Nyos limnic eruption Lake Ny…

1
TOMATOES 31:42

2+ y ago31:42

31:42

The tomato was dismissed as poison for 200 years in Italy, though it’s now celebrated as a staple of its cuisine. Italian migration to Australia helped make the tomato a mainstream ingredient here. Learn about the people who grow it, preserve it or cook it — whether it’s Italian Australians bottling passata in their ‘second kitchen’ (garage) in Syd…

1
011 - Suffering for Suffrage (feat. Joanne Thomson) 1:01:23

2+ y ago1:01:23

1:01:23

Welcome back for more Under the Kilt action! To kick things off we've got a tidy list of ladies who weren't afraid to make a mess. Outlander's Joanne Thomson joins to sing the praises of some of Scotland's fiercest suffragettes. Our Guest Joanne Thomson! Joanne as Amy McCallum, Outlander Joanne as Mary Leigh, Suffragettes Joanne in The Strange Undo…

1
088 - Like an Icon in the Sky (feat. Thomas Betti) 1:26:38

2+ y ago1:26:38

1:26:38

Once the second most recognizable brand in the world after Coca-Cola, Pan Am is and was more than an airline. Historian and host of The Pan Am Podcast, Tom Betti, takes us on a journey through historical firsts, fashions and tragedies that all tie back to the innovative, iconic and inspiring: Pan American Airlines. Our Guest, Tom Betti The Pan Am M…

1
Coming Soon: Under The Kilt Season 2 1:59

2+ y ago1:59

1:59

We're back, pals! Everybody climb back under the kilt for more tales of lesser-known Scottish history starting October 20, 2022! This season we're bringing you science, fashion, explorers, state sanctioned torture, murder, intrigue, and so much more all told by a whole new batch of amazing guests. Be sure to subscribe, rate and review, and, of cour…

1
COFFEE 30:41

2+ y ago30:41

30:41

Australia is famous for its coffee culture, but it didn’t begin with Italian post-war migration. There was the rise of coffee palaces during the 19th century temperance movement and the influential Depression-era coffee shops run by Russian migrant Ivan Repin (who offered fresh-roasted beans when stale, day-old coffee was standard). The impact of I…

1
087 - That Peasant's Poisonnnnn 57:41

3y ago57:41

57:41

Cass tells us the 1850 BCE Egyptian story of "The Eloquent Peasant" and Natalie opens up the crock of lies about the danger of poisons in the royal court. Sources: editorialinc, JSTOR, Medicina Antiqua, Complete citations on our website. SOCIALS: Follow Shared History at @SharedPod on Twitter & Instagram SUPPORT: Support us on Patreon or Buy us a "…

1
BEER + VEGEMITE 39:48

3y ago39:48

39:48

Australian colonial history begins with beer: the Endeavour left England with 250 barrels on board. The drink reflects the changing fortunes of women, from Australia’s first female licensee to the 1960s feminist fight to allow women into public bars. Beer has always bubbled over into politics, with Reschs’ owner, Edmund Resch, thrown into a local i…

1
086 - Big Impact, Little History (feat. Dr. Natalia Molina) 1:01:35

3y ago1:01:35

1:01:35

This week we're all over the map but also right at home as Dr. Natalia Molina schools us on the historical and everyday impact of immigrants and the all-around importance of big H history and little h history. From community touchstones to your textbooks, the immigrant story is our story. Our Guest Natalia Molina Natalia's latest book: A Place at t…

1
GRAINS 39:57

3y ago39:57

39:57

Long before local authorities tried to ban sliced bread, Australia was home to the world’s first bakers. Grindstones, some 65,000 years old, suggest Indigenous communities have been baking for millennia and there’s an amazing effort to bring back this cultural knowledge and revive Indigenous grains. While Australia has had a fraught relationship wi…

1
085 - Worth the Wimple 1:02:48

3y ago1:02:48

1:02:48

The women in today's episode saw a need and crafted their own solutions to fill it. First we've got the 10th century canoness Hrotsvitha bringing theatre back to the western world with "clean" new plays, and then we've got Myers and Briggs themselves -- Isabel Briggs Myers and Katharine Cook Briggs -- offering a more nuanced, introspective look int…

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