Welcome back! We saved you your favorite spot in the Smoke Circle! Spark up and get curious as the sisters are back together for another themed episode. Kt requested French history for this episode and we have a lot of stories for you! First up, Laurel has a top 5 list of "Most Oui-diculous (get it?!) Moments in French History. Ranging from history…

It's time to celebrate episode 100! To do so, we are tackling one of Hollywood's most famous (maybe infamous?) historical blockbusters--Braveheart. The film turns 30 this month (May 2025) and the sisters spark up and sit down in the Smoke Circle with Dr. Darren R. Reid, associate professor of history at Coventry University. Dr. Reid is himself Scot…

Welcome to episode 99 of High Tales of History! (Can you believe that we are at 99?!) For this history sesh, we travel back into the sands of time with two stories on raiders of Ancient Egypt. First up, Kt covers Napoleon's invasion of Egypt and the subsequent finding and deciphering of the Rosetta Stone. Next, Laurel covers the discovery of the to…

Welcome to episode 98 and part two of The History of Divination! After leaving the Ancient Romans in part one, we fast forward to the Tudors and the Elizabethan Era. We'll meet Dr. John Dee, who was Queen Elizabeth I's trusted seer and learn about the attitudes around magic and divination before Elizabeth's successor begins his witch hunts. We'll a…

Welcome to episode 97 (season 5, episode 3) of High Tales of History! We knew you'd be here because we saw it happen in our scrying mirror. We have our friend Saundra in the Smoke Circle with us for a two part episode on divination through history. Saundra is a psychic medium and intuitive tarot card reader and we have a blast all hanging out and t…

In episode 96, the sisters jump into some women's history beginning with the amazing and long history of Black midwifery in America. In early America, enslaved Black midwives (as well as Indigenous women) were responsible for birthing nearly all children in the United States. Today, Black midwives only make up between 5 to 9% of the profession whil…

Welcome to the season five opener! It's episode 95 (we will be reaching 100 during this season!) and we have invited our musician bestie, Matty Baker, on to chat about the very long and very deep history of American protest music! From Yankee Doodle to Kendrick Lamar; from the Revolutionary War through the Black Freedom Struggle, Vietnam and queer …

**The following episode is a bonus "pre-season five" Half Baked mini-episode released for all. The rest of our Half Baked episodes are a part of our Patreon Best Buds Club. Come join Laurel in the Smoke Circle in her old man sweater and get a taste of the Half Baked as we talk the badass that is Harriet Tubman. How much do you know about Harriet Tu…

Welcome to episode 94, our season 4 finale! In it, we take a trip down the yellow brick road and meet the man behind the curtain--L. Frank Baum and talk about the creation of his immortal book, The Wizard of Oz. Over the years since the release of the book, many parables and metaphors have been applied to the story as well as inspirations for its c…

Hi there! We saved you a spot in the smoke circle! Puff, puff, pass y'all! Otherwise, KT has some "Cab Sav" for you if you're interested. This week's episode covers a wide span of history starting with Laurel's story of more recent times about the Feather Heist of a scientifically and historically priceless collection of rare birds from the British…

It's episode 93 and it is time for some HIGH seas and some HIGH-sts (heists, we might have been trying a bit too hard there with the word play) First up, Kt takes us to Korea during Japan's invasions of the nation, commonly known as the Imjin War in Korea's Joseon Period (1392 to 1910). There we meet Korea's great admiral, Yi Sun-sin, who won sever…

It's episode 92 and we're talking about t*ts and shipwrecks! First up, we dive into North America's Great Lakes and learn about the first known shipwreck in 1679--Le Griffon--and bookend it with the last major shipwreck, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. We also talk about the Great Storm of 1913 and the weather systems that can make the Great Lakes so dan…

Welcome to the Halloween Episode! In episode 91, we first take a dive into one of history's greatest adventure mysteries--The Dyatlov Pass Incident which has been unsolved for over 65 years! In the middle of winter in 1959, 9 experienced hikers disappeared in the Ural Mountains and died under mysterious circumstances. Theories range from avalanche …

Well howdy and welcome to episode 90 of High Tales of History! For the month of October we are taking a trip into spooky and horrible histories and in episode 90, we are taking a trip to Europe to hear all about their werewolf trials which came out of the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries' anxieties about religious and political clashes as well as a gr…

Welcome to Season 4, Episode 2 (ep.89)In this episode, Kt hits us with some important medical history--the discovery, I mean, CO-discovery of insulin--and the hot drama that *CO* discovery created! After the break, Laurel brings the story of young Audrey Hepburn and her teens years as a helper in the Dutch Resistance in her heavily Nazi-occupied to…

Welcome to season four! To kick it off, we go to the not so distant past to a remarkable archeological find in Bosnia in 2019--a (probably) 14th century sword in the stone! From there, we travel back further into history to meet the inventor of the one of the most disruptive pieces of technology in at the turn of the 20th century--the diesel engine…

It’s episode 87, our last one for season 3! To end it on a bang, we are doing some adventure and true crime history! We are joined by Laurel’s husband, Kristian, back from Season One Episode 4 to hear about another wild race from history—the 1908 Great Car Race in which six cars went on a race from New York to Paris. We follow it up with George Rem…

Welcome to episode 86! We are celebrating our three year anniversary of the show with a topic that kicked it all off for us: a kickass female pirate. In this episode we meet al-Sayyida al-Hurra, a queen of her city-state of Tétouan in present-day Morocco. Due to a lack of formal navy against the might of the Portuguese and Spanish fleets, she creat…

It's episode 85! We are rounding out our celebration of Pride month by going back to the 19th century, four years after the end of the American Civil War, to attend the earliest drag balls in Harlem, New York. Over time, these balls turned into the house ballroom culture and the dance competitions that birthed voguing. After the break, KT takes us …

It's episode 84 and we have history! And horses! And non-binary 18th century preachers! We. Have. Everything.Kt, our resident Horse Girl and Horsetorian, takes us on a tour through history to meet some of its most famous equine figures--from Alexander the Great's Bucephalus to Roy Rogers' Trigger.Next, Laurel travels through history to Revolutionar…

In episode 83, KT wraps up her two part series on fantasy authors and friends with J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings series. (In our previous episode, she covered C.S. Lewis) From his service in World War One to his time teaching at Oxford and Cambridge to his amazing world building of Middle Earth, KT takes us through …

Welcome into the wardrobe for episode 82! At the back you'll find the Smoke Circle where we have snacks, history and...gin. Laurel first takes you to 18th century London when the greater access to spirits made gin a hot commodity and everyone a hot mess...or worse. After the break, KT shares the life and creative mind of Clive Staples Lewis, better…

Welcome to episode 81! In this episode, Laurel covers the story of the RMS Titanic's sinking and how it remained undiscovered on the ocean floor for the next 73 years until a top secret Cold War mission led to its (almost accidental) discovery in 1985. After we get back on dry land, KT brings us a long awaited topic near and dear to her heart: meta…

Welcome to season three! We are thrilled to be back with you and thrilled to be back with one of our favorite guests, Dr. Darren R. Reid, history professor at Coventry University in Coventry, England. We previously had Dr. Reid on in episodes 52 and 53 (linked below if you want to hear!) to talk to us about Indigenous representation in popular movi…

It's our season 2 finale so hop in your wicker basket and get ready for some wild intergalactic travel we have guest Justin McHenry in the Smoke Circle to talk about a fake place that has some very real history--Lemuria! Justin has written the book "Lemuria: A True Story of a Fake Place" which takes the reader from its real origins in 19th century …

Welcome to season 2, episode 7! We're celebrating Black history in the Smoke Circle! First up, Laurel takes us back to roaring 20s Paris to meet Josephine Baker, the Jazz Age star, who was not only a singing and dancing star in the early 20th century, but also was a spy for the French Resistance during WWII and spent her later years as an activist …

We're celebrating all different kinds of love in the Smoke Circle for Valentine's Day! First up, Laurel travels through time recounting iconic stories of love and friendship suggested by listeners--from John Adams and Thomas Jefferson to Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas. Next, Kt travels through the life and family tree of Norman king William I--…

Welcome to part two of the history of American comics with comic book historian and writer, Kevin Garcia. Kevin joins the Smoke Circle to discuss American comic's great (roughly) 150 year history and how intertwined they are with the history of America itself. Through comic books, readers can see reflections of American policies, commonly held beli…

Welcome to a great two part series with comic book historian and writer, Kevin Garcia. Kevin joins the Smoke Circle to discuss American comic's great (roughly) 150 year history and how intertwined they are with the history of America itself. Through comic books, readers can see reflections of American policies, commonly held beliefs, attitudes abou…

Welcome to season 2, episode 3 and the last episode of 2023! To finish it out, Kt takes us through the lives of Viking Age women and what their days might have been like. She also connects this history and time period to the song "Savage Daughter" by Karen Kahan/Wyndreth Berginsdottir, which has been popular on social media platforms. After that, L…

Welcome to episode two of season two! In this episode we get to realize our dream of being Bill and Ted: plucking a historical figure out of time and sitting down with them to talk history and hear one of their most juicy (and most excellent!) stories! We are joined in the Smoke Circle by Bryan Austin, first person historical interpreter of Benjami…

We are back with episode one of season two! We're excited to be back in the Smoke Circle with you! Kt hits it hard right off the bat with the history of one of her most favorite things in the world--CHEESE. After that, Laurel takes us to Sweden to meet King Christina of Sweden!*~*~*~*Mentioned In the Stories:Pictures of Christina of Sweden⁠⁠Images …

Let's get spooky! In our final episode of a very long season one, we cover a long-running mystery called the Tunguska Event. Over 100 years ago, the Earth experienced the largest impact of a cosmic body in modern human history...but no impact was found... Next, Kt takes us on a field trip through England to visit castles with eerie history--complet…

**Content Warning: Hightailing Through History is for mature audiences and this particular episode includes content that is...a little more mature and "dirty" than our usual "mature content." Viewer and listener discretion is advised** Welcome to the conclusion of our history of sex series! For part two, Laurel snags her best friend, Kelly, to join…

Welcome to Episode 69! In this two part series, we are diving into the deep topic of sex and its history! In part one, we take it from 385 million years ago up through the Middle Ages discussing the attitudes and practices around sex found in different cultures and eras. In addition, our community on social media voted for further getting into bed …

Welcome to Episode 68! We are joined by returning guest Aaron Odom, host of Euripides Eumenides: a Theater History Pod! We have such a great time in the Smoke Circle together (as we always do!) talking about the tangled web of royal family members during the course of WWI--and tangled it is! Next, the sisters tag team a brief history of the jester …

Welcome to episode 67! We cover the ancient and the recent in this one! First up, Laurel takes the Smoke Circle back to the Roman Empire's Crisis of the Third Century. Rome was a revolving door of emperors and constant uprisings and civil wars. During this period of time, one regent queen rose up and broke away from Rome, creating her own empire in…

Welcome to episode 66 and boy howdy do we have some interesting history for you! Kt kicks things off with a trip to Mesoamerica to learn about the elite eagle and jaguar warriors of the Mexica (also known as the Aztecs). Armed with fierce weaponry, like the Macuahuitl--a club studded with razor sharp obsidian stone--the warriors were rewarded not o…

Welcome to episode 65! During our time in the Smoke Circle today we'll be visiting West Africa to learn more about the Agojie who were the all women army of the Kingdom of Dahomey. This fierce group of fighters were featured in the film The Woman King. T'Challa's royal guard in Black Panther, the Dora Milaje, were also loosely based on these women.…

Welcome to episode 64, our first ever video episode! Kt kicks things off with investigating the dark and often gruesome history behind children's nursery rhymes. Next, Laurel goes through the wild inside job of the NASA moon rock heist in 2002. *~*~*~*~*~* Mentioned in the Stories: Episode 2: The Great Feather Heist *~*~*~*~*~* The Socials! Instagr…

Welcome to episode 63! In this episode Laurel dives into the life of American musician Sister Rosetta Tharpe, often called the Godmother of Rock n' Roll. She was a direct musical inspiration for many iconic male performers of 1950s rock. Names like Chuck Berry, Johnny Cash, Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis all were in awe of Rosetta's powerhouse voice and…

Hey cool kids. Welcome to Episode 62. It this episode, the sisters take a moment to explore what it means to be Midwestern Americans: why do we love ranch dressing so much? Why does it take so long to say good bye and the use of the exclamation "ope!" Kt shocks us all by initiating the bottle, leaf, grinder battle for the first time in our 62 episo…

Did you know that London had an all-women gang for at least 80 years through the 19th and 20th centuries (perhaps even for 175 years!) Neither did we! Their story seems to be a footnote in history but these gals were fierce and one of London's most feared gangs. Laurel introduces us to the gang, their potentially long history as well as their glamo…

Welcome to episode 60! Get ready for some adventurous history. Laurel kicks things off with one of history's biggest, ugliest scientific feuds. At the center of it are two paleontologists--Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel Charles (O.C.) Marsh. Once friends turned bitter rivals, their race to be at the forefront of their field led to decades of mud-s…

In Episode 59, Kt takes the reins and recounts the history of the Pony Express, which bridged the gap in mail and communication delivery while the railroad and telegraph were making their way to the American west coast. Through rain, shine, snow and hostilities, the young men of the Pony Express got the job done! Next, Laurel tells of the fun--but …

Join sisters Laurel and Kt with fellow history and cannabis enthusiasts, Nick and Kelsey from Half Baked History! Together for a special 4/20 celebration, they discuss cannabis’s long-term relationship with human beings stretching back 12,000 years! From its early cultivation and use to its spread around the world as medicine (and a good time); fro…

Welcome to Episode 57, in which KT and Laurel finish Women's History Month STRONG with two stories about amazing warrior women! First up, KT takes us to the Soviet Union during World War II and introduces us to Colonel Marina Raskova and the 588th Night Bomber Regiment also known as the Night Witches. Next, Laurel takes us back to British India dur…

How do you feel about dams? What about chimpanzees? Is concrete your thing? How about scientific women? Well, for episode 56, we have all those things. First, KT recounts the construction of the Hoover Dam, which celebrated an 88th anniversary on March 1, 2023. The dam, which is the largest in the United States, contains enough concrete to build a …

Welcome in to episode 55! The sisters continue their journey through Black history with the stories of Bessie Coleman, the first Black *and* Native American woman to receive her pilot’s license. She dazzled her audiences with her shows doing tail spins, loop de loops, wing walking and sky diving! Next, KT covers the creation of The Negro Motorist G…

Welcome to episode 54! We have two stories celebrating Black history for the month of February! First off, we have the rough and gruff, gun-toting, cigar smoking, take no shit Mary Fields, often known to history as "Stagecoach Mary!" She was the United States' first Black woman (and 2nd woman) to run a star route for the postal system. A star route…