1960s Europe. Student riots, IRA in-fighting, bank robberiesa la Robin Hood. Even in the Basque Country, terrific wine took a backseat to the freedom fighters.
What was all the fuss about, and why did they all decide to be Revolutionary Roommates in Libya? There are some bits about Palestine, which had quite a different vibe then. Scotland’s Lockerbie bombing also features. It’s not our funniest episode (understandably) but be assured it’s not a downer. You’ll even learn some new acronyms and how to mispronounce them.
For the readers and movie lovers:
What do the Ottomans have to do with furniture, the invention of ice cream, or the piercing blue eyes of Peter O'Toole? Detz breaks it all down (1800s onward) with plenty of interruptions from Dice.
Spoiler alert - there was also an OttoWoman empire! And listen to the end for book recommendations (if you like reading about history too).
Ever wondered why the Pope has his own Vatican passport?
This one features Detz Senior, aka Mark Detzler. The pater familias is an excellent storyteller who steeped himself in Italian history when he was living there. In this thrilling, romantic account of the 19th Century Risorgimento we discover the role Garibaldi played in making Italy a nation - and learn why all sorts of other nations got caught up in his fandom. We also find out which is the best gelato. So grab your red shirt and poncho, it's time to make Italy.
Music recommendation: 'Va Pensiero' from Verdi's Nabucco (our guest explains why)
What did Britain get up to between World War 1 and 2? A political rollercoaster, for one thing - and we’re not just saying that because Detz finds politics endlessly thrilling. We’re talking coalitions and party splits, backroom bribes and mass strikes. There was a “coupon election,” the “flapper election,” and - well, a general obsession with elections. (basically, having one every five minutes)
It was also a time when industrial unrest and the struggle for suffrage made space for exciting new ideologies. The Labour Party broke through and Ireland made huge gains toward its independence. A lot more people could vote and Britain said hello to the BBC. But did MI5 really step in to topple the government? What were they so afraid of?
For you readers, Detz recommends The Making of Modern Britain by Andrew Marr and How Labour Wins by Douglas Beattie. Also, Marr’s documentary of the same name is worth a watch (even Dice thinks so).
This one’s all about Evita: the passion, the politics, and the legacy of Peronism in Argentina. Featuring Matias Ilivitzy, our favourite Argentinian and a real charmer. He is both highly educated and admittedly biased, so enjoy.
Hungry for more than the popcorn version? The Rest is History did a 5-parter about Evita’s life, which we highly recommend. Even Dice listened to it.
Turns out there’s more to this story than Dr. Zhivago or ABBA would have you believe. In this episode, Detz dispels some myths and Dice learns a lot.
Fun fact, this is our first and favourite episode! And we were asked to add a disclaimer, assuring our (tiny) audience that Dice is more intelligent than this podcast implies. “I’m sure they’ll know we’re being silly, Mum…okay fine.”