Here’s a riddle: If history is so interesting, why was history class so boring?
This is a question that’s vexed me ever since I slogged through my first high school course on ancient Mesopotamian irrigation techniques. I love history, but I found it hard to focus when my teacher would drone on and on about dates, statistics, and names.
I know I’m not alone in my history class apathy. We all have horror stories of sleeping into comas as our professors tediously explained the founding of Canada for the fiftieth time.
It shouldn’t have been like that. History is endlessly fascinating. There are so many great stories, characters, and moments buried in the 5,000-plus years of human society. Our textbooks were full of uninteresting numbers when they should have been more entertaining than a monster truck rally.
Thankfully, podcasters around the world have reignited the excitement of history, regaling listeners with tales of revenge, redemption, and more. One of the best in this field is Dan Carlin.
Carlin cut his teeth in the 1980s and 1990s, acting as a television news reporter, a columnist, and a radio talk show host.
In the mid-2000s, Carlin saw the rising popularity of digital audio entertainment and he struck out with a new show: “Hardcore History.”
In every episode, Carlin tackles a specific moment in history, be it the fall of the Roman Republic, the creation of the atomic bomb, or the rise of Genghis Khan. Carlin, as self-described “amateur historian,” takes a casual approach to the subject matter. He doesn’t overwhelm the listener with dates and figures. Instead, he focuses on the intriguing events, people, and quotes that makes history so thrilling.
Carlin is an expert host, deftly guiding his audience through complicated issues. He gives the historical record a cinematic scope that makes the facts stick in your mind.
One quick warning: “Hardcore History” episodes are quite long. Carlin’s most recent edition, “The Celtic Holocaust,” clocked in at six hours. It’s best to tackle the episodes in chunks. It’s well-worth your time.
“Hardcore History” can be downloaded wherever podcasts are found.
— Sean Mott
