The Last Archive is a show about the history of truth, and the historical context for our current fake news, post-truth moment. It’s a show about how we know w...
From Cautionary Tales: Harry Houdini's Spiritualist Journey
Harry Houdini is known for his daring escapes and illusions, but he also had an obsession with debunking spiritualist frauds.Today, we’re bringing you the first of a three-part series from another Pushkin podcast, Cautionary Tales, about Houdini’s crusade to expose phony mediums, an undertaking that would lead him to the courtroom and put him on a collision course with his close friend Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Host Tim Harford stops by The Last Archive for a conversation with Ben Naddaff-Hafrey about Tim’s fondness for historical morality tales, the concept of invisible worlds, and the root of Houdini’s anti-spiritualism. You can listen to the rest of the series on Cautionary Tales.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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John Birch vs. the PTA
In the 1960s, a right-wing organization led by a former candy tycoon rose to fame in America for their anti-communist campaigns. They called themselves the John Birch Society. Then, they tried to take over the Parent-Teacher Association. This week, what the battle between the two organizations tells us about the fate of American politics, and the history of your Halloween candy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Leon Neyfakh on the Bush v. Gore Fiasco
Today on the show, Leon Neyfakh, co-creator of the hit podcasts Slow Burn and Fiasco, discusses his season on the aftermath of the 2000 election between Al Gore and George W. Bush. You can listen to the full season of Fiasco now. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Part 2: Long Jump, Tall Tale
Jesse Owens spent the rest of his life retelling the story of the 1936 games and his encounter with Luz Long. We trace the evolution of a tall tale, discovering the hidden life of one of America’s iconic sports heroes. This is part two of a two-part crossover from Revisionist History’s ‘Hitler’s Olympics’ series. To listen to the whole series, head over to the Revisionist History show page.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Part 1: The Jiggle & the Giddy Up
The most famous athlete in 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany was the American sprinter Jesse Owens, and one of the most famous stories from those Games was the unexpected, heartwarming encounter Owens had with the German long jumper Luz Long. The friendship between the two athletes would serve as a symbol of how sports can overcome national antagonisms. We wonder: What really happened at the long jump pit that day? This is part one of a two-part crossover from Revisionist History’s ‘Hitler’s Olympics’ series. To listen to the whole series, head over to the Revisionist History show page.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Last Archive is a show about the history of truth, and the historical context for our current fake news, post-truth moment. It’s a show about how we know what we know, and why it seems, these days, as if we don’t know anything at all anymore. The show is written & hosted by Ben Naddaff-Hafrey, and was created by the historian Jill Lepore. iHeartMedia is the exclusive podcast partner of Pushkin Industries.