Thor's Angels is good. The American Peril is another good one. Logical Insanity is one of my faves.
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Hardcore History |OT| New episode: Painfotainment
- Thread starter ebullientprism
- Start date
Thor's Angels is good. The American Peril is another good one. Logical Insanity is one of my faves.
Prophets of Doom is the best single one he's done imo, it's so good.
Head of Vengarl
Banned
Ghosts of the Ostfront is my absolute favorite series.
Wrath of the Khans is probably my second favorite, though it might get extra brownie points for being the series that introduced me to Hardcore History.
After that it's like a five-way tie between Punic Nightmares, Death Throes of the Republic, Logical Insanity, The Destroyer of Worlds, and one of the other BLITZ episodes.
marvelharvey
Member
Yeah, Wrath Of The Khans was my first HH experience too and was perched on the edge of my seat throughout.
Blueprint For Armageddon was my absolute favourite though.
I recently relistened to Prophets Of Doom and was surprised to hear how much Dan hated the episode, thinking that it was HH's low point.
Ordinaryundone
Member
I can kinda get where he is coming from; it's a schlocky story even by Hardcore History standards. One that is very interesting but is still mostly focused on "man, look at all these weirdos with all their sex and violence and religion". It's a very indepth look at a VERY narrow period of time, and that doesn't really gel with what HH (at least, the really good series and episodes) are about. Dan's always complaining even at his best about how much interesting stuff he has to skip or gloss over in order to construct a narrative out of large scale historical events; something like Prophets of Doom would probably have been one of those side anecdotes in a grander series about the HRE or the rise of Protestantism. That said I love Prophets of Doom, it's probably my favorite one-off episode and probably one the stronger ones in terms of narrative format period.
He probably also doesn't like stepping on toes, though I can't imagine he got THAT much hate mail over what was basically a crazy cult offshoot even by the standards of the day.
More_Badass
Member
Wrath was my introduction as well. Nothing is better than Dan reading badass Mongol threats in his quote voice
Blueprint is great too, but it's so damn long that I can't re-listen to it like I can with Death Throes or some of the others
parrotbeak
Member
I didn't expect a new Common Sense this soon. It's about the US health insurance system.
I never understood health insurance but I always just bought into it because it's the system we have. I have always known people who didnt have insurance and got hurt and either ended up with huge loans or have just lived with chronic pain since their 20s. I always kept insurance even when I went without a job for a month or two even if it had cost hundreds for each month. Luckily i never went without a fulltime job for more than a couple months. I also knew of people who had disabilities but i never made the connection how they had to live with practically no savings and assets in order to get the benefits.
What I got out of this episode is that we've been accepting a scam system because we're so afraid of socialism that we've let for-profit companies handle something that the government should be doing.
I never understood health insurance but I always just bought into it because it's the system we have. I have always known people who didnt have insurance and got hurt and either ended up with huge loans or have just lived with chronic pain since their 20s. I always kept insurance even when I went without a job for a month or two even if it had cost hundreds for each month. Luckily i never went without a fulltime job for more than a couple months. I also knew of people who had disabilities but i never made the connection how they had to live with practically no savings and assets in order to get the benefits.
What I got out of this episode is that we've been accepting a scam system because we're so afraid of socialism that we've let for-profit companies handle something that the government should be doing.
anonymous_abc
Member
I love Death Throws, Prophets of Doom and The Wrath of Khans.
Blueprint is pretty awesome too!
Summer Haze
Banned
Same here, decided to listen to them while I go to sleep...ended up keeping me awake for hours. lol
I came in a few years ago but I got the whole collection so I've been making my way through the early episodes from the beginning. I don't know about best but worst has got to be Romancing the Tribes. It was like literally nothing and oh god he put echo on the quote voice. Best probably Osfront. Great story but the way it's told is so perfectly clear and concise.
CrocMother
Banned
I steer clear of Carlin's purely political stuff because I'm terrified it might taint hardcore history for me lol.
More_Badass
Member
He's pretty good. I started listening during the break between KoK and Destroyer of Worlds. Although Common Sense made me realize I could listen to Carlin talking about anything
sounds like you could benefit from listening to a bloke who can deliver thoughtful opinions that you might not necessarily agree with.
a lot of what i thought were his more loony suppositions when i first started listening to him turned out to be bang on the money.
parrotbeak
Member
When I first heard him call himself a political Martian, I thought ok whatever. But he really can't be fit into any category. "Common sense" seems to really be the goal of his talks--what path makes the most sense for the betterment of society.
You're doing it wrong.
parrotbeak
Member
Seriously I wish historians would talk about current politics. Their world view has to affect how they view history and I would want to know where they are coming from before being immersed in their vision of history.
It works both ways too. What people know about history (or often don't know) also affects how they view current politics.
afternoon delight
Member
Common Sense is okay for maybe a year until you realize it's the same position stated over and over and over and over and over and over and man Hardcore History is just ten times more interesting to listen to than Dan not pick a side on modern political discourse. *
* Not that a side needs to be picked, but pragmatists espouse noncommittals or vagaries every time over ever giving an answer.
* Not that a side needs to be picked, but pragmatists espouse noncommittals or vagaries every time over ever giving an answer.
I understand where you are coming from. I am no historian (studied it for a year), but the way I was told, was that there is no right or wrong in history. Because history is so unpredictable: as in, we almost never can fully understand why people did things, so it is kind of useless to make assumptions.
I can only assume this also extrapolates to historians when it comes to current-day events: sure you could make a comparison, but things rarely go the same way in history, so when it doesnt pan out exactly as things did in the past, no one will be satisfied.
I also assume most historians dont want to meddle in current affairs, as it might influence their future work and they are viewed in the academic world. People usually depend quite heavily on the writer of publications in the historical academia, so i can understand people not wanting to make statements that might influence their academic success
Ditto. Don't always agree with his positions or his arguments but I really enjoy listening!
parrotbeak
Member
Oh ya for sure, I get why they don't. High risk, low reward.
From personal friends who are historians, their takes on current events are interesting in that they bring so much knowledge that I don't have. It can lead them to think something happening now is very similar to their understanding of something that happened 100 years ago, but it often just means they'll throw a lot of ideas out there and realize they have no idea what's happening now.
As people who have worked in state government we also know what we're getting from the media is only the versions that different interested groups want people to know, and a lot of facts won't come out till later.
Vigilant Walrus
Member
I really enjoy common sense. I like that he breaks himself and attacks his own sides. In the beginning I felt he sounded very libetarian, but then he started tearing that apart and admit to the folly.
Dan says he is radical, but is he really? I think most people if they weren't so religious about their political party affiliation would have opinions that both had elements from both sides of the aisle.
When he talks about the civil rights movement, and the LA riots in conjunction with the idealism of state rights versus the risks. It's very interesting.
I also didn't expect him to not rely more on anecdotes from the past. He even said you couldn't use history as a barometer for predicting the future, which is something I think history buffs have a tendency to do.
I disagree with Dan on some things. I don't understand his opinion on Russia and NATO. I want to understand it, but it's hard to wrap my head around.
Dan says he is radical, but is he really? I think most people if they weren't so religious about their political party affiliation would have opinions that both had elements from both sides of the aisle.
When he talks about the civil rights movement, and the LA riots in conjunction with the idealism of state rights versus the risks. It's very interesting.
I also didn't expect him to not rely more on anecdotes from the past. He even said you couldn't use history as a barometer for predicting the future, which is something I think history buffs have a tendency to do.
I disagree with Dan on some things. I don't understand his opinion on Russia and NATO. I want to understand it, but it's hard to wrap my head around.
CrocMother
Banned
It's not that I don't value his opinions, or that I wouldn't find it interesting. It's just that I'm constantly reading political opinions and news from all over the place, and I want Hardcore History to remain this kind of pure thing I can retreat to.
Billy_Pilgrim
Member
One of the things I like about Common Sense is that he's quite open about being wrong about stuff and infrequently is. The real meat of the show is his ability to look at issues in a broad context.
Nor do I but that's perfectly healthy. He has a fascinating take on things.
Basileus777
Member
It shouldn't. I don't really agree with a lot of Carlin's politics, but he never approaches it in a way that makes me concerned about it tainting the type of history coverage he performs.
ThoseDeafMutes
Member
He got real heavy into the both sides narrative circa Ukraine being invaded by Russia from memory which turned me right off for a while
Basileus777
Member
He's weird about Russia, but I don't think it affects the topics he covers in Hardcore History. Then again I come to him for well researched and entertaining pop history, not an authoritative source for what he speaks of. I've listened to him long enough that I feel comfortable identifying his blind spots.
If you're going to do it you subscribe monthly and use the token system to get the books cheaper.
Head of Vengarl
Banned
I love it. My grandma buys me a 6-month gift subscription for Xmas and my bday every year. You get 1 credit per month that lets you buy anything for free, which is great because yeah some of the audiobooks are expensive. Dune is almost fifty bucks, for example (but it's so good).
ThoseDeafMutes
Member
Buying them individually is terrible value, but using the monthly credits (which can sometimes be had at a fantastic discount with various promotions) is good value.
More_Badass
Member
I've considered it, but podcasts take up so much of my listening time that I don't have time for an audio book
Seems like a cool service though. Never really gave audiobooks a chance
lastflowers
Banned
Audiobooks are Great. Definitely only do the Sub, as the individual prices are absolute crap.
Many of David McCoullough's books are on Audible, and a couple are NARRATED by him. Quite fantastic. I also like more general non-fiction writing like Bill Bryson and Michael Lewis as audiobooks. I'm not likely ever going to take notes on these books, but they're perfect for when your podcasts have run out or on a long drive.
Edit: seems like only a couple are narrated by him. I've listened to all of those and forgot John Adams wasn't. Still quite good though.
John Adams: Regular Price:$79.93. 30 hours.
Many of David McCoullough's books are on Audible, and a couple are NARRATED by him. Quite fantastic. I also like more general non-fiction writing like Bill Bryson and Michael Lewis as audiobooks. I'm not likely ever going to take notes on these books, but they're perfect for when your podcasts have run out or on a long drive.
Edit: seems like only a couple are narrated by him. I've listened to all of those and forgot John Adams wasn't. Still quite good though.
John Adams: Regular Price:$79.93. 30 hours.
Regulus Tera
Romanes Eunt Domus
The Common Sense episode he did on Immigrstion back in 2015 is essentially a Hardcore History Blitz on the history of Immigration lol
Also I've been binging on both his podcasts for the past two months and I'm still not done. Just now listening to Blueprint for Armageddon.
Also I've been binging on both his podcasts for the past two months and I'm still not done. Just now listening to Blueprint for Armageddon.
Rhomega Beta
Member
I got a couple of audiobooks from Audible.
1. Eisenhower: The White House Years
2. The Disaster Aritst: My Life Inside The Room (done by author Greg Sestero)
3. A Game of Thrones, which I haven't really listened to because I couldn't really follow along. I bought the book to go with it, but I haven't started on that.
1. Eisenhower: The White House Years
2. The Disaster Aritst: My Life Inside The Room (done by author Greg Sestero)
3. A Game of Thrones, which I haven't really listened to because I couldn't really follow along. I bought the book to go with it, but I haven't started on that.
RedSparrows
Member
Many do, but many others are wary. E.g. I work with a scholar of British Labour history, and he's asked to comment on Jeremy Corbyn. He refuses, because he's a historian, not a political fortune-teller. He can say where Corbyn comes from, but he doesn't want to suggest where he is going.
Edit: just reread what you wrote, and you were talking about a different issue. Woops! Ignore me...
ebullientprism
Member
This is so fucking good. The one time I would recommend an Audio book over the actual physical book. Sestero does a great job narrating it and his Tommy impression is amazing.
Absolute must listen for any Room fan.
More_Badass
Member
Head of Vengarl
Banned
Nice!
Septimus Prime
Member
I know, I know. There's no new episode.
But the latest History on Fire podcast is an interview with Dan Carlin. I'm enjoying it so far.
But the latest History on Fire podcast is an interview with Dan Carlin. I'm enjoying it so far.
More_Badass
Member
Beat me to it. I'll take anything Dan Carlin; I actually started listening to History on Fire because Carlin retweeted about it a while back, so the two of them together is a nice treat
Edit: although here's some news
Next episode is coming "before August"
https://twitter.com/HardcoreHistory/status/853745214204157952
Regulus Tera
Romanes Eunt Domus
Has anybody listened to The Eastern Border podcast? Dan was in the latest episode and I'm wondering if I should bother with it considering the host's accent. I don't have anything against accents, but I need to be more focused than usual when listening to such material.
Zepp Twofist
Member
I have and liked it quite a bit. The accent isn't too bad in my opinion (and certainly easier to listen to than History on Fire)
ThoseDeafMutes
Member
I followed it for a while but as you note, the Host does not speak in a way that is easy to understand. Aside from that, it's not super rigorous as a history program, sometimes relying on anecdotes and stories related through his family or friends, his father in particular. He cohosted The Lesser Bonapartes for a while but he was not my favorite there either.
More_Badass
Member
Finally got around to checking out the early HH episodes. A bit weird for them to be so short, but I will say the pro is that he touched on a wider range of topics versus doing a single series for months. Not that I'm complaining about the super-long series
It's interesting hearing those older topics, since some feel like early versions of later discussions that pop up in future episodes. For example, Alexander vs Hitler is very reminiscent of the discussion of how the Mongols and the Khan are remembered in Wrath of the Khans
===
And some updates on the next HH:
https://www.twitter.com/hardcorehistory/status/871745149922967552
===
It's interesting hearing those older topics, since some feel like early versions of later discussions that pop up in future episodes. For example, Alexander vs Hitler is very reminiscent of the discussion of how the Mongols and the Khan are remembered in Wrath of the Khans
===
And some updates on the next HH:
https://www.twitter.com/hardcorehistory/status/871745149922967552
===