If ideology has never before been so much in evidence as a fact and so little understood as it appears to be today then, Jason Blakely argues in his new book Lost in Ideology: Interpreting Modern Political Life(Agenda Publishing, 2023), this may not be because we are like travellers guided by old maps of the political world but because we make the mistake of thinking that our maps are the worlds in which we live and act politically. When we read them as if they are reality, rather than a representation of it, we get lost.
Jason recommends Charles Taylor’s sequel to The Language Animal,Cosmic Connections, and Jon Fosse’s novelistic exploration of the human condition, Septology.
Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption II, set in 1911 and 1899, are the most-played American history video games since The Oregon Trail. Beloved by millions, they’ve been widely acclaimed for their realism and attention to detail. But how do they fare as re-creations of history?
In Red Dead's History: A Video Game, an Obsession, and America's Violent Past (St Martin's Press, 2024), award-winning American history professor Dr. Tore Olsson takes up that question and more. Weaving the games’ plots and characters into an exploration of American violence between 1870 and 1920, Dr. Olsson shows that it was more often disputes over capitalism and race, not just poker games and bank robberies, that fueled the bloodshed of these turbulent years. As such, this era has much to teach us today. From the West to the Deep South to Appalachia, Olsson reveals the gritty and brutal world that inspired the games, but sometimes lacks context and complexity on the digital screen. Colourful, fast-paced, and dramatic, Red Dead’s History sheds light on dark corners of the American past for gamers and history buffs alike.
This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose new book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars.
During the Second World War, the United States embarked on one of the greatest science and engineering projects the world had ever seen.
Over 100,000 people took part in the program, the vast majority of which had no clue what it was for, and the total cost of the program was in the billions of dollars, at a time when a billion dollars was a lot of money.
The end result was the most devastating weapon ever created, and it fundamentally changed the world.
Learn more about the Manhattan Project and how the atomic bomb was created on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.
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We're just hours away from the announcement of VP Harris's running mate—and she's reportedly narrowed it down to Gov. Tim Walz and Gov. Josh Shapiro. Jon and Lovett talk about what they love about both finalists, what the influx of Obama veterans like David Plouffe could mean for the Harris campaign, why Trump doesn't want to debate the Vice President, and Trump's grievance-filled rally in Atlanta. Finally, they play a round of "Okay, Stop" with RFK's bizarre bear cub admission.
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.
We're telling you about a wild day on Wall Street, what caused it, and what's expected to happen next.
Also, Vice President Harris is set to announce her new running mate today. Reports say it's down to two candidates.
Plus, we'll update you on the damage done by Hurricane Debby, a judge's ruling that could have ripple effects across the internet, and Miss USA's hope of moving past a year of controversy with a historic new winner.
Those stories and more news to know in about 10 minutes!
About Us: From the creators of Robinhood Snacks Daily, The Best One Yet (TBOY) is the daily pop-biz news show making today’s top stories your business. 20 minutes on the 3 business, economics, and finance stories you need, with fresh takes you can pretend you came up with — Pairs perfectly with your morning oatmeal ritual. Hosted by Jack Crivici-Kramer & Nick Martell.
For this Money Talks, Taffy Brodesser-Akner, author of Fleishman Is in Trouble, chats with Felix Salmon and Emily Peck about her newest novel Long Island Compromise, a tale about a a family of one-percenters who see their lives and fortunes turned upside down. The hosts discuss Taffy’s real-world inspirations for the story, the psychology of the rich, and whether it really is possible for the super wealthy to lose it all.
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Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth.
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Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.
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The Big Bang: The moment when our universe — everything in existence — began....Right?
Turns out, it's not quite that simple.
Today, when scientists talk about the Big Bang, they mean a period of time – closer to an era than to a specific moment. Host Regina Barber talks with two cosmologists about the cosmic microwave background, its implications for the universe's origins and the discovery that started it all.
