NZpodz (2025)

26/03/2023

Robert A. Heinlein’s seminal science fiction novel Stranger in a Strange Land was released on the first of June, 1961, and to this day remains an influential and pivotal work in the history of science fiction and American Literature at large.

Its story, of a human born on Mars coming back and discovering Earth for the first time. It has rippled through history, making its imprint on everything from religion to the Oxford English Dictionary. But who was Robert Heinlein, the man behind this novel? How did this Democrat-turned-Republican, debatably-pro-war, ex-navy-officer become a legend in the 1960s counterculture?

Were joined by special guest Vice President of the Heinlein Society, Ken Walters

26/03/2023

This episode takes us into the 1960s, as we return to the legacy of WWII, and look at a chilly figure who has fascinated historians for decades.
He’s Adolf Eichmann, the man responsible for the transportation network that took hundreds of thousands of people to the N**i death camps.
In 1960, he’s finally captured.

We like to delve into the backstories of historical figures in this podcast: but although the basic facts of Eichmann’s life are well-documented, the question of who he truly was is as loaded today as it was back then.

Here to help us unpack Eichmann is special guest Giacomo Lichtner, a cultural historian of modern Europe and associate professor of history at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand.
Giacomo has worked extensively on the portrayals of facism in cinema, and he also lectures about the Holocaust itself.

19/03/2023

In this episode we explore the life of iconic 20th century fiction writer – Ernest Hemingway.

Throughout his life Hemingway cultivated an image of hypermasculinity: he was a heavy drinker, a big game hunter, a deep sea fisher, and a war correspondent.
He was present at some of the most significant conflicts of the 20th century, and they influenced his work.
But the larger-than-life writer also had a softer side. To help us get to know Hemingway, we’re joined by special guest, writer Mary V. Dearborn. Mary’s the author of Ernest Hemingway: A Biography.

19/03/2023

Belgians in the Congo. It’s a tale of two countries: one a huge territory deep inside the equatorial rainforest, and the other a tiny European nation, led by a King with imperial dreams.

We’re joined by a special guest Adam Hochschild, a writer, historian and the author of King Leopold’s Ghost, the story of King Leopold and the Congo.

16/02/2023

A cultural touchstone and masterpiece of suspense, this week’s episode features Alfred Hitchcock’s seminal film, Psycho.

Perhaps more than any film we’ll discuss during this series, Psycho is a film so completely entrenched in the cultural consciousness that it’s hard to separate the film from its myth.

Here to talk about the history of Psycho is Andrew Hunt, a professor of history at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/16P8Wty6UUEu282Y80EP3o?si=a65d50cab9044a5b

06/02/2023

Hello fans for this weeks episode we’re talking about the Twist. The dance that took the teenage world by storm in the 1950s and 1960s. More broadly, we’re talking about its various different recordings, and the artist whose cover of the song made it into a smash hit phenomenon, Chubby Checker.

Here, helping us with this episode is Musicologist, Music Historian and Rock Musician, Dr Alexander Carpenter of the University of Alberta, Canada.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4oFlnRdg3FP3zzSz4h1OJi?si=190d8bce66d14615

31/01/2023

2) Kennedy

We explore the life of one of the most famous US presidents of the 20th century: JFK. His presidency lasted only 1000 days, but it’s inextricably woven into the fabric of 20th century history.

Today many people know about his assassination, and his rumoured affair with Marilyn Monroe – but there was a lot more to Kennedy than that.
Special guest Frederik Logevall, JFK’s biographer, a professor at Harvard University, joins us to tell us about John F Kennedy: his politics, his family, and his time.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2DXotGbmgspebhgVY6FKFL?si=ad6f7c33f1b14201

31/01/2023

Two episodes out this week

1) Payola

Looks into the process of paying for radio time which is called Payola.
A dominant trend in the 1930s onwards, Payola was a core part of the music industry and a huge influence on the dominant trends in popular music.
Interestingly, while the practice is illegal, and suggests a rich-get-richer musical hierarchy, it played a surprisingly positive role in pushing forward songs from more niche genres such as Country and R&B at a pivotal time in history, thus presenting a wider range of music to American audiences.
Because of this, the issue remains a complex one with a lot of moral gray areas.
So what is the story of Payola? How dominant really was it? And in what sort of form does it exist today?

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3BvvBIMnpLNbYv5wbQ6nUP?si=c960f34a0dbc4005

25/01/2023

Hello fans, in this episode we go back to the origins of the split between North and South Korea, as we learn about another famous statesman: Syngman Rhee. He was a gifted scholar, a revolutionary, a prickly, authoritarian ruler – and a dangerous driver.
We’re joined for this episode by special guest David Fields, a historian and associate director of the Centre for East Asian Studies at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2HyVDOUxmYm3nexvyHHtcN?si=f2eefe67226f43f6

21/12/2022

After World War 2, American intelligence wanted to keep a watchful eye over Soviet territories. To do this they needed to come up with a brand new aircraft design to negate Soviet Air Defences. The Americans came up with this answer in 1955 with the U-2.
Perhaps the most famous spy plane ever built.

We’re joined by Author Chris Pocock. Chris’ works include 50 Years of the U-2, the Complete Illustrated history of the Dragon Lady, and Dragon Lady today.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3hfkLH2durwsei6R08SNfw?si=Ne8SFdWoRauoRktsAPq75Q

13/12/2022

In this episode we’re looking at debatably the most notorious product failure in American history.

A new line of cars designed by Ford in 1959 to try and compete in the upper-middle budget range, the Edsel suffered from poor planning, poor marketing, and even poorer design. Only collected nowadays by car collectors as a joke, or a historical artifact, the story of the Edsel begs the following questions. How does a company as big as Ford, mess up this badly? Who was responsible? And what impact has the Edsel left on the American Motor Industry today?

Our guest for this episode Author, Speaker and Un-consultant, Bryce Hoffman.

04/11/2022

In this weeks episode we return to the Cold War and discuss yet another controversial political figure - Fidel Castro, the revolutionary firebrand who came to power in Cuba in the late 1950s.
To some he’s a tyrant, and to others, he’s the hero who deposed a corrupt regime and defied America for decades. We’re joined by a very special guest, the historian and journalist Tony Perrottet. Tony is the author of several non-fiction books including Cuba Libre: Che, Fidel and the Improbable Revolution That Changed World History. He’s also a contributing editor at the Smithsonian Magazine in Washington, and has written for media outlets including The New York T

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Wkx5zcNccpPlpwhsYCcC5?si=b32369f4d7e8494e

30/10/2022

We’re spinning the story of one the world’s most timelessly popular toys, the Hula Hoop.

While it’s often thought of today as a fad of the past, the Hula Hoop has actually existed in a variety of different forms for centuries, and is debatably still as popular today as ever.

Joining us to talk about it is Bunny B Star, the founding director and owner of Australian Hula Hoop company, Hoop Empire.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0GgXB02V57qNLRACvYvASp?si=e67f1ec2913f4417

21/10/2022

This weeks episode explores one of the darkest versions of the American Dream - the deadly world of the Mafia.
For more than a century, the organized crime groups also known as the Cosa Nostra have inspired fear and fascination in America, as they change and evolve along with society.
We’re joined by a very special guest, former journalist and accomplished author Geoff Schumacher - the vice president of exhibits and programmes at the Mob Museum in Las Vega
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1OkLuGk4LrTo6u0DpQIYlR?si=adb8fe036f204da0

13/10/2022

In this episode we’re looking at the history of the unsung pioneers of space travel, Monkeys and Chimpanzees!

Before rockets were safe enough to take humans, and even after, NASA and rival organizations sent apes into space to test conditions without risking human life. These primates risked life and limb, faced incredible danger and adversity, and saw more than most humans ever will. Now, over 50 years since the height of the space race, there are new questions to be asked.

With a modern perspective on animal welfare, the conditions these apes were put under are dubious to say the least. Our guest for this episode is , Matthew Wood, Author of “Space Race, How the Cold War put humans on the Moon”

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4KpvDGJu4SWpOE8TUvLV4D?si=09a36ea4997a4522

13/10/2022

In this episode we’re looking at another epic of classic Hollywood cinema, Ben-Hur. Widely considered one of the greatest films ever made, Ben-Hur had more than enough drama happen off screen to fill all 4 hours of the blockbuster’s running time.

What is the story of Ben-Hur? And what impact has it left today?

23/09/2022

This episode takes us to a poignant time in the history of rock music: the brief and brilliant life of Buddy Holly. We travel back in time to learn about the young man behind the music: who accomplished such a lot, and could have achieved so much more.

We’re joined by special guest, Philip Norman. Philip’s the author of Buddy: Philip Norman. He’s also written extensively about other rock legends, including The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Eric Clapton.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/33Y8sJI3gXv1ZfJUJ9AuL4?si=f9e67a3be2b54eb7

23/09/2022

In this episode we’re looking at what is arguably the greatest medical catastrophe in recent history, the Thalidomide Scandal. A drug designed to reduce morning sickness in pregnant women, Thalidomide caused more than 10,000 children in the late 1950s and early 1960s to be born with intense physical disabilities. Pushed primarily under the name Contergan by German company Chemie Grunenthal, the history of Thalidomide is one of corporate greed, negligible accountability, and minimal consequences.

To help us explore this complex and difficult subject, we have two guests. The first, James Essinger, author of “Frankie: The Woman Who Saved Millions from Thalidomide” and Thalidomider, academic speaker Kev Donnelon.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0zllM3dBVu1adbtE8N9iPr?si=a89b40512985435d

02/09/2022

Todays episode takes us back to the world of sport, and the era of California Baseball, when major league teams packed their bags and headed West in search of new opportunities.
The Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants are the most famous teams that chose to leave, but others followed suit, and major league baseball also eventually made its way into America’s deep south.
We’re joined once again by very special guest, baseball historian Andy McCue. Andy’s the author of Mover and Shaker: Walter O’Malley, the Dodgers and Baseball’s Westward Expansion.

25/08/2022

Hello fans, for this weeks episode we discuss the most famous French leader of the 20th century - General Charles de Gaulle. He’s the stubborn military commander who defied the Germans during WWII, and became the voice of hope that inspired thousands.

After the war, he was also the President who restored order to war-torn France. He returned to power again in 1958, when he handled the Algerian crisis, and founded France’s fifth republic.

We’re joined in this episode by very special guest, Lord Peter Ricketts, long time diplomat, and the former British ambassador to France between 2012 and 2016.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3T15gpCXvz4OyO3LJL4XGu?si=27c985af507247b4

20/08/2022

Also with our newest episode release we are officially past halfway through our series.  

First off we'd love to thank our listeners for all your support in this production. Its been a great milestone to make it halfway and we couldn't have done it without you.  
Secondly, we’d love to hear some feedback. Whats been your favourite episode or favourite guest, what can we work on for future episode?   Please comment below your thoughts.
Finally we've got heaps of great content coming up as we start wrapping up the 1950's, and head into some of the most famous moments of the 1960's, we're we meet more interesting people and events that shaped our history.

20/08/2022

Hello fans sorry for the late post, the episode has been out for a while but if you havent listened to it. Here is our next episode on the list Lebanon.
In this episode we’re traveling back to the Middle East in the 1950s and to the time when the United States conducted its first major military intervention in the area - in Lebanon.

What were the origins of the Lebanese crisis, and what led the Americans to intervene? Looking back today, did it make a difference?
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3G3caxSs0jl3n7ZlkLOVS8?si=a396bae979284666

31/07/2022

We’re returning to the movies in this episode, digging into the first of David Lean's canonical epic films, The Bridge On the River Kwai.

A defining film both in the history of war movies, and in cinema in general, The Bridge On the River Kwai is as grand as it was excessively ambitious.
Here to help explain is our guest, Film Historian and Blogger Wendy Whittick.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4iTcbPf3hVCzjXxILTMSlo?si=63ce78ffd3814f27

22/07/2022

Hello fans :) This episode takes us to communist China in the 1950s, where we explore the life of Premier Zhou Enlai.

Zhou Enlai was the suave revolutionary who became Chairman Mao’s most skilled diplomat.

In the West, he’s known as the man who helped foster a warmer relationship between China and America - and who gave a humane face to a brutal regime.

We’re joined by special guest Michael Dillon, Professor of History at King’s College, London, and the author of Zhou Enlai: The Enigma Behind Chairman Mao.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4oyo6CtutvptlZeFBCebcx?si=0d56cc5ab2ce44d0

12/07/2022

Hello fans, in this episode we’re focussing on one of the most often talked about periods of the cold war, the Space Race. More specifically we’re travelling back to the very start of it, with the launch of the first satellite - Sputnik One.

This metal sphere, barely bigger than a beach ball, would not only spark a decades-long scientific arms race between the world's two biggest political powers, but would end up drastically affecting the place of Science and Technology in the modern world.

But how did this come to be?

Here to help us answer that question we have Roger Launius, the former chief historian for NASA and curator of the National Space Museum at the Smithsonian.

30/06/2022

Hello fans, this episode takes us into the life of one of the 20th century’s most iconic authors, edgy beat writer and cultural icon Jack Kerouac.
Reading his most famous book, On the Road, is still a rite of passage for many teens and people in their early 20s: and his coming of age tale continues to inspire writers, musicians and actors.
We’re joined by special guest Brian Hassett, a lifelong “beat” and the author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Jack Kerouac (and numerous other books on Kerouac and the beat generation).
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6PPgzS18no2E2t37vXvI4n?si=2ff3493358a04651

24/06/2022

Hello fans sorry for the long wait. We are back up and running and will be posting episodes weekly again.
This episode takes us into the life and times of one of the best-known sportsmen of the 1950s, star baseball player Mickey Mantle.
Mickey was the charismatic golden boy who rose from the mines of Oklahoma to become perhaps the best-known Yankee slugger of all time. He’s also someone who struggled immensely with fame, and with demons of his own.
We take a look at the man behind the myth.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0IBw564vhclUqAf1he8Q5g?si=Ov8kbpVfToGJmGeSyqCnmw

04/06/2022

Hi fans, just updating you all, the podcast team will be taking a two week break. We’ll be returning on the 22nd of June with the release of Mickey Mantle and Kerouac.
All the best 😊

25/05/2022

This weeks episode covers Russian Author and Poet Boris Pasternak, whose epic novel Doctor Zhivago, released in 1957, became an instant classic, won him the Nobel Prize, and ended up a weapon in the Cold War.
In her book Lara: The Untold Love Story that Inspired Dr Zhivago, Anna Pasternak (Boris's Grandniece) blows the doors of history wide open and changes the way we remember Boris, both for good and for ill.

Link to episode below:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1aLEWjNyxN7GLQmAesiLN1?si=8dd690595fec4896

18/05/2022

Again sorry for the long wait but this episode is definitely worth it. For this weeks episode we have a unique situation for our podcast. While we’ve always been blessed with amazing guests, people who are experts in their field - we’re rarely given the opportunity to speak to people directly involved in the events themselves. Hence, we couldn’t be more excited to share with you that for this episode we’re joined by Terrence Roberts of the Little Rock Nine.
Back in 1957 Terrence, alongside eight other teenagers, would be the first Black students to integrate into a previously white high school in the American South. Caught in the middle of a political battlefield, Terrence and his schoolmates had the eyes of the entire world on them. They faced abuse from their classmates, teachers, and untold numbers of locals who showed up outside the school every morning to protest.
But who were the Little Rock Nine? and What was it like to be there?

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3xLlUPzSMHosWy4vUK819X?si=082b78a23cc14a6a

07/05/2022

Hello fans sorry the delay, this weeks episode takes us to Egypt in 1956, when the nationalisation of the Suez Canal by General Nasser led to the “mother of all conspiracies”.

Behind closed doors, Great Britain and France made a secret plot with Israel to gain control of the waterway, and retain their influence in the Arab world. The conspiracy spelled the end of British Prime Minister Anthony Eden’s political career: and the Suez Canal Crisis is considered the nail in the coffin of the British Empire.

As we explore this topic we’re joined once more by special guest Khaled Fahmy, Sultan Qaboos bin Said Professor of Modern Arabic Studies at the University of Cambridge.

Link below:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1iswHA0guswuhrhutIkX1m?si=2c3aa5df566e4733

28/04/2022

In this weeks episode, we’re taking a look at the bestselling novel that scandalized America in the 1950s, Peyton Place by Grace Metalious.
Its themes include abortion, in**st and alcoholism, and even today, it probably deserves a trigger warning.
It’s also a subversively feminist book: it gives a glimpse into hidden aspects of women’s lives, and it explores society’s changing attitudes towards s*x.

We’re joined by special guest Dave O. Dodge, the author of The Seasons of Grace: The Unauthorized Backstory of Peyton Place.

To find out more about Dave and his work a link to his website is below:
https://www.daveododge.com/

Below is a link to the Peyton Place

Episode link below to Spotify or you can find us on other major podcast directories at 'Since the World's been turning'

https://open.spotify.com/episode/34gropENPbfhcnY6LMZrqE?si=eb560e500947448a

22/04/2022

Hello fans, this time around, we’re exploring the life and work of movie star, fashion icon, and eventual royal - the princess of Monaco herself, Grace Kelly.
Setting new expectations of poise and - no pun intended - grace, in America after the events of the Second World War, Grace Kelly would define the generation of Post-Affluence. But what was her inner life like? How did she navigate her short but explosive career in Hollywood? And what did she leave as her legacy, in the principality of Monaco?
Link below to episode:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5r7rZeKF71F4bmLjbtIhvi?si=7c8a9b55f3f940e5

06/04/2022

Hello fans, this weeks episode takes us into the troubled heart of Alabama in the 1950s: when the state was the scene of racial inequality, tension and violence.
It was in Alabama that Rosa Parks, the “Mother of the Civil Rights Movement” refused to give up her bus seat for a white man, and the Montgomery Bus Boycott was born. The boycott garnered interest from activists all over the world, and it led to the rise of a charismatic young preacher, named Martin Luther King Jr.

We’re joined by special guest Cole Manley, a PhD student at the University of Columbia. Cole is the author of the book, “The Unlikely World of the Montgomery Bus Boycott”, which explores the global impact of the protest.

02/04/2022

Hello fans this weeks episode is on Budapest, a reference towards The Hungarian revolution of 1956, a pivotal moment in the Cold War, as the first real example of a Soviet-occupied country attempting to break out from under the iron curtain. It shows us how widely the smallest choice made in the Kremlin could ripple out, and just how drastic the consequences could be.
Were joined by Dr Gerhard Schüsselbauer, the director of the Pan-European Studies Institute in Vlotho, Germany.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6NDX9osQ0iQPFIF10vb2hp?si=8b92dd45013348b6

25/03/2022

Hello fans sorry for the late update, this weeks episode focuses on one of the most influential and controversial actress of the 20th Century, Brigitte Bardot. Throughout her career, Bardot not only changed fashion forever but also ushered in a new era of cultural attitudes towards s*x, specifically s*xually empowered women.

Episode link below:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3bh3ZKOWlERRwPhVPKyPlV?si=018b9e1e66c4471a

15/03/2022

Hello fans, this week we’re booking our tickets, signing up for Fastpass and heading out into the California countryside to visit Disneyland.

Arguably the most singular and innovative idea of Walt Disney, a man known for his singular and innovative ideas, the word Disneyland has become synonymous with adventure, joy, and painfully long queue times.

But how did it come to be?
Here to help us answer that question is theme-park engineer turned Disneyland historian, Alastair Dallas.

Link below:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7HuuxFEd3ZpTYp5ap0CpdC?si=e1e4e63735dc4066

12/03/2022

The uncontested king of rock and roll, Elvis Presley. From humble beginnings in Mississippi and Tennessee, Elvis shot to superstardom in the 1950s. More than 60 years later, he’s still a household name. Although his life was tragically short, he lives on in the memories of his fans - some of whom dedicated shrines to him.

Our guest is Ray Connolly, the author of ‘Being Elvis: A Lonely Life’. Ray, a veteran music journalist, was one of the only reporters to interview the star, who many people heard and saw, but few truly knew.

02/03/2022

In this episode we’re diving into one of the most significant stories of all time, Peter Pan. A tale as immortal as its ever child-like protagonist, Pan’s adventures have been revamped and retold countless times in the hundred and fifty years since its conception.

From its initial telling as a satirical fantasy laced with personal tragedy in turn of the century Britain, through its re-shaping into a hyper Americanized piece of post World War two escapism by both Walt Disney and Broadway, to finally winding up as an ever underperforming piece of IP in the Hollywood Machine, the history of how we tell Peter’s story has become as captivating as the story itself. But where did it come from? And why do we, time and again, find ourselves returning to the story of the boy who wouldn’t grow up?

23/02/2022

Hello fans, In this weeks episode we explore the man behind the hit 1950’s Disney TV show Davy Crockett.

This Texas legend is perhaps most famous for his part in the 1836 Battle of the Alamo, which served to only build on his prodigious legend. Known in his day as the ‘King of the Frontier’, tales of his exploits would inspire and entertain millions over a century later when he hit television screens in 1950’s America.

The Disney TV show was a huge hit. By 1960 Americans had spent, in today's money, two billion dollars on Davy Crockett merchandise.

To explore the life of this iconic American we’re joined by Bill Cotter. Bill is a Disney insider and expert, having worked there for decades and he’ll help guide us through Davy Crockett's reincarnation as a Disney sensation.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0jVW8AgBJyiGVT7OYObLPU?si=c4dfe2ec4d394ed1

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