The Revisionist History Podcast

An Brief Update

07 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today's brief episode gives a long overdue update.

Throwback Thursday: Five Films That Got History Right

29 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Hollywood doesn't care much about historical accuracy, and historically accurate movies aren't always great. The five we cover in today's Throwback Th...

Myths About the War of 1812

22 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we explore both some facts and some myths about the most forgotten war in American history: the War of 1812.

Meet Sir Thomas More

24 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we travel back to the time of King Henry VIII of England to meet a man who took a conscientious stand against the king and paid th...

Myths About Sex in the Victorian Age

15 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we debunk the persistent myth that the Victorian Age in England was one of total sexual repression. The facts are much more intere...

The Christmas Story You May Not Have Heard Before

25 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Merry Christmas! We all know the Christmas story from Luke's gospel, but in honor of the holiday, today's special Christmas episode looks at a Christm...

The Best of 2023: Three Maritime Myths from the Age of Sail

22 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

To wrap up the year, we will be looking back at some of the most popular episodes of 2023. We start with an episode debunking three persistent myths f...

The Real Origins of Two Cherished Christmas Traditions

16 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rather than debunking Christmas myths (which we did in an earlier episode anyway), today we'll be looking at the origins of two of our most cherished ...

The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

12 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today is the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas. In today's episode, we take a closer look at her appearance to St. Juan Di...

Four Persistent Myths About Christmas

10 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We're right at two weeks before Christmas, which makes it the perfect time to debunk some long-held and long-cherished myths about the holiday.

Emperor Constantine Did Not Invent the Catholic Church

23 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we tackle a myth I didn't know about until recently: the claim by some that the Roman Emperor Constantine actually started the Cat...

The Books the Saints Read

06 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Since I missed the Sundays with the Saints episode yesterday, today I am combining that with our Tuesday book review segment. In this episode, we look...

Throwback Thursday: Three Big Historical Errors in 'Band of Brothers'

02 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes, even an outstanding historical series gets some major facts wrong. In today's Throwback Thursday episode, we look at three times this happe...

A Very Different Halloween Episode

31 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is unlike one I have ever done. I was going to cover myths about Halloween, but I realized that, for some odd reason, I did that e...

The Four U.S. Presidents Who Won the Nobel Peace Prize

27 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we look at the four US presidents who won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Some Recent Developments at The Revisionist History Podcast

23 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is not about history but rather an update on recent developments with the podcast and some changes as a result of those developments. ...

From the Archives: Trigger Warnings and Revisionist History

19 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, I'm pulling an episode from the archives that should have run again during Banned Books Week. In it, we look at a recent spate of ...

Tuesday Book Review: Witness to Hope - The Biography of Pope John Paul II

17 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For this week's Tuesday Book Review, we're looking at a giant of the 20th century and an equally massive biography: "Witness to Hope: The Biography of...

Sundays with the Saints: St. Gregory the Great

15 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's Sundays with the Saints episode, we meet the last of the four great Latin Fathers of the Church: Pope St. Gregory the Great.

Throwback Thursday: Four Myths About Benito Mussolini

12 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's Throwback Thursday episode, we debunk four myths about the least-known leader of World War Two: Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.

A Look at Christopher Columbus on Columbus Day

09 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

From the toppling of his statues to moves to rename cities named after him, few historical figures cause as much debate centuries after their death as...

Sundays with the Saints: St. Augustine

08 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's Sundays with the Saints episode, we look at a saint and Church Father that virtually everyone has heard of: St. Augustine of Hippo, author ...

Throwback Thursday: Four Myths About the Titanic

05 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On today's Throwback Thursday episode, we debunk four myths about the RMS Titanic, which tragically sank on the early morning of April 15, 1912, and i...

It's Never Too Early To Debunk Myths About Halloween

03 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Since it's become something of a month-long celebration, it's not too early to talk briefly about the history, revisionist and otherwise, of Halloween...

Sundays with the Saints: St. Ambrose

01 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's Sundays with the Saints episode, we look at the life of another early Church Father. Let's meet St. Ambrose of Milan.

Banned Books Week Starts Tomorrow

30 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tomorrow, October 1st, kicks off Banned Books Week in the United States. On the surface, it may not seem like that has anything to do with revisionist...

The Man Who Might Have Ended the Civil War Two Years Sooner

29 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

History is filled with examples of missed opportunities, and in today's episode, we look at one involving Abraham Lincoln, Italian freedom fighter Giu...

Throwback Thursday: Four Myths About the Salem Witch Trials

28 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

More than 300 years after the infamous Salem Witch Trials, the event remains shrouded in myth and misconception. In today's Throwback Thursday episode...

Che Guevara, the Poster Boy of Revisionist History

27 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we take a look at the man who is the literal poster boy of revisionist history. If you only know him as "that guy on the T-shirt,"...

Author Profile: Alexandre Dumas

26 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, we look at one of the all-time greats of literature and a man who not only wrote novels about history but lived it as well. Let'...

The Hagiography: History or Hoax?

25 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we take a look at a neglected literary art form: the hagiography. Is it real history or pious hoax? Let's find out.

Sundays with the Saints: St. Jerome

24 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's Sundays with the Saints episode, we look at St. Jerome, the man who translated the Bible into Latin and may have been the grumpiest saint w...

Five Cool Facts About Ernest Hemingway

23 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's been a rough month so far, and we all need some good news for a change. So rather than busting myths about today's subject, we instead present fi...

A Few Myths About Pirates

22 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we head back out to sea and debunk some cherished myths about those most romanticized of maritime marauders: pirates.

Throwback Thursday: Myths About the Spanish Inquisition

21 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's Throwback Thursday episode, we wade into a myth so pervasive that almost everyone accepts it as fact. Let's take a look at the Spanish Inqu...

Five Myths About Julius Caesar

20 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we debunk five common myths about the greatest Roman in history: Julius Caesar.

Tuesday Book Review: 'Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era'

19 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's Tuesday Book Review, we look briefly at one of the best histories of the American Civil War ever written: James McPherson's "Battle Cry of ...

Why Revisionist History Matters

18 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we address a question that comes up more often than it should: does revisionist history really matter? It absolutely does, and we'...

Sundays with the Saints: The Saints Were Actually Funny

17 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I am using our "Sundays with the Saints" episode to debunk a common myth about the saints: that they were always serious, always sour, and neve...

Did George Washington Start a World War?

16 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone knows that George Washington led the Continental Army in the American Revolution and became the first President of the United States. Fewer k...

Myths About the Death of Pope John Paul I

15 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we debunk a conspiracy theory that has raged for 45 years: that Pope John Paul I was murdered.

Throwback Thursday: When Jesus Made the Cover of Time Magazine

14 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's Throwback Thursday episode, I review a book about a pivotal yet nearly forgotten period in American history.

A Note About Today's Episode

14 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Just a brief note before today's full episode asking you to listen to the next episode on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/show/24OIdPLNou7U8Cq1...

The Literary Ambulance Drivers of World War I

13 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

History can be revised not only by what is changed but sometimes simply by what is forgotten. Today's episode addresses that by introducing you to the...

Tuesday Book Review: No One Here Gets Out Alive

12 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is a little different in that I am not only reviewing a book, but one in which I believe the myths it contains are actually a good thi...

Meet Rick Rescorla, a True Hero of 9/11

11 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today marks the 22nd anniversary of the September 11th attacks. In this episode, which I do every year around this time, we introduce you to a hero of...

Sundays with the Saints: St. Teresa of Avila

10 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode of Sundays with the Saints, we look at one of the most beloved saints in the world. Let's meet St. Teresa of Avila.

Learning History from an Unlikely Source

09 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we look at what you might not immediately consider a source for great content about history: YouTube. There are some channels that...

An Episode for the One-Year Anniversary of the Passing of Queen Elizabeth II

08 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, which comes on the one-year anniversary of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, we look back at a reflection I did shortly after that ...

Throwback Thursday: My Five Favorite Films About Kings and Queens

07 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After the passing of Queen Elizabeth II one year ago tomorrow, many of us binge-watched films about kings and queens. In this Throwback Thursday episo...

Cardinal Richelieu: Fact vs Fiction

06 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we separate fact from fiction regarding a historical figure most of us know best from the novel "The Three Musketeers," or at leas...

Tuesday Book Review: 'Ten Popes Who Shook the World'

05 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For today's Tuesday Book Review, we look at Eamon Duffy's fine combination of history and biography, "Ten Popes Who Shook the World."

Three Myths About John F. Kennedy

04 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we look at three myths about one of the most famous US Presidents ever: John F. Kennedy.

The Best-Selling Book No One is Reading

03 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sunday is usually the day we look at saints and their place in history, but today's episode veers from that a bit. Today, I want to introduce you to a...

A Brief Update

02 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Happy Labor Day weekend! In today's episode, I want to give a brief update about the podcast and some changes that are coming. We'll be back to histor...

Throwback Thursday: Ten Documentaries You Need to See

31 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For too long, documentaries have been labeled by most people as being boring. That is definitely not the case with the ten we look at in today's Throw...

Four Myths About Abraham Lincoln

30 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we dispel four myths about the greatest president in American history: Abraham Lincoln.

Tuesday Book Review: Peter the Great

29 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's Tuesday Book Review, we look at Robert K. Massie's mammoth biography of Russia's most influential Tsar in "Peter the Great: His Life and Wo...

Myths About Confederate Monuments

28 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we return to the subject of the American Civil War, specifically an issue that is hotly debated today: Confederate monuments and s...

Sundays with the Saints: St. Francis de Sales

27 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's Sundays with the Saints episode, we meet the patron saint of writers and journalists: St. Francis de Sales.

Fifteen Outstanding Historical Films from the 1960s You Should See

26 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For this Saturday's episode, we're back at the movies. This time, we're looking at 15 great historical films from the glorious 1960s that everyone sho...

Five Pop Culture Urban Legends Gen X Kids Actually Believed

25 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Since it's Friday, today's episode is a bit lighter than usual. We'll be debunking five urban legends (or myths, if you prefer) that kids in the '70s ...

Throwback Thursday: Politicians Insulting Each Other Is Nothing New

24 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

People today love to lament the lack of civility between our politicians, as if it's a new phenomenon. But is it? In today's Throwback Thursday episod...

Three Myths About George Washington

23 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When you're considered the "Father of the Nation," it's inevitable that some myths will spring up about you. Such is the case with George Washington, ...

Tuesday Book Review: 'Edmund Campion - A Life'

22 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's Tuesday Book Review looks at a biography of a man from a period of English history few know about, written by one of the great novelists of th...

Sundays with the Saints: St. Frances Xavier Cabrini

20 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's "Sundays with the Saints" episode looks at the first US citizen canonized by the Catholic Church and the patron saint of immigrants. Let's mee...

Historical Revisions in the Broadway Musical 'Hamilton'

19 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we correct some of the myths and revisions found in the hit Broadway musical "Hamilton."

Friday Flashback: Five Myths About William Shakespeare

18 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In a special Friday Flashback episode, we debunk some persistent myths about the man many consider to be the greatest writer of all time: William Shak...

People Trying to Censor Books Have Learned Nothing From History

16 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Censorship has ramped up in our school libraries recently. In today's episode, we look at the fact that these censors have learned nothing from the hi...

Five Excellent Books on History You Should Read

15 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I've talked before on this podcast about the importance of reading history. In today's episode, I offer five books I think everyone should read as the...

Revising History by Burning Books

14 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We have talked on this podcast about many different ways history is revised and altered. In today's episode, we look at the most direct, destructive m...

Pope John Paul II and the Fall of Communism

13 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's Sundays with the Saints episode explores some of the revisionist history that has sprung up about Pope John Paul II's role in the fall of comm...

Three Persistent Myths About Robert E. Lee

11 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we debunk three myths about a man who was once a sacred cow of American history: Robert E. Lee.

Throwback Thursday: Three Presidents with Unexpected Ties to the Alcohol Industry

10 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's Throwback Thursday episode, we look at three of our most famous U.S. presidents and their surprising ties to the adult beverage industry.

Schoolhouse Rock: The Classic Educational Cartoon That Revised History

09 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we take a critical look at a sacred cow of American "historical" programming: Schoolhouse Rock.

Tuesday Book Review: A Moveable Feast

08 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's epsiode we have one more book review, this time about Paris in the decade following the First World War and the ex-pat writers and artists ...

The Myth of Ronald Reagan

07 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode we look at the myths that have grown up around one of the towering figures of the 20th Century: the 40th President of the United St...

Sundays with the Saints: Francis Xavier Seelos

06 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On today's "Sundays with the Saints" episode, we meet a Bavarian priest who spent most of his life working tirelessly among immigrants in the United S...

Five Myths About Napoleon Bonaparte

05 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we're debunking five myths about one of the most famous leaders of all time: Napoleon Bonaparte.

Three Myths About the Crusades

04 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode we look at the Crusades, always a daunting and controversial subject, and dispel three common myths about them that just won't go a...

Throwback Thursday: Polish Cavalry Never Charged Nazi Tanks

03 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's Throwback Thursday episode, we take on a myth that somehow still persists despite being debunked numerous times: the claim that Polish cava...

Tuesday Book Review: A Brief History of Penguin Paperbacks

01 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In a slight departure from our regular Tuesday book review epsiode, today we'll be looking at the history of Penguin Paperbacks, as well as some of th...

The Overlooked Role the Soviet Union Played in the Vietnam War

31 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Vietnam War has been discussed, debated, and written about more than any other conflict over the past 50 years, but one key player gets almost no ...

Sundays with the Saints: Five Superb Biographies About the Popes

30 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s Sundays with the Saints episode, we look at five biographies about popes and the history they were a part of, a history that they were bo...

Why Our Libraries Matter Now More Than Ever

29 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We've talked in past episodes about great books about history and why you should read history. Today, we'll be discussing something that should be obv...

How Springsteen Brought Down the Berlin Wall

28 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode (because it's Friday), we look at the pivotal role played by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band in the fall of the Berlin Wall...

Throwback Thursday: Four Battles That Changed European History

27 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's Throwback Thursday episode, we look at four battles that changed the course of European history and preserved western civilization as we kn...

The 1980s Actually Were a Literary Decade

26 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There is a common misconception that the 1980s were not a great literary decade, but it's simply not true. In today's episode, we set that record stra...

Tuesday Book Review: Around the World in 80 Books

25 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's Tuesday Book Review episode, we take a look at books in translation. Books in translation can expand our worldview while entertaining us at...

Myths About Ancient Rome

24 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we debunk some persistent myths about the greatest empire the world has ever known: the Roman Empire.

Sundays with the Saints: The Saint Who Battled the Mafia

23 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's Sundays With the Saints episode, we meet a modern-day martyr who battled crime and corruption at the cost of his life: Blessed Father Pino ...

The Eight Worst Historical Films Ever

22 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Hollywood is great at entertaining but often horrible at presenting historical events. In today's episode, we look at eight movies that got history re...

An Episode for Ernest Hemingway’s Birthday

21 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this date in history, the great Ernest Hemingway was born. Let's meet a man who, while often shrouded in myth, was both a legend and one of the gre...

Throwback Thursday: Four Myths About George Armstrong Custer

20 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's Throwback Thursday episode, we debunk four myths about George Armstrong Custer and the Battle of Little Big Horn. Some of the facts may sur...

The Myth of the 'Good Old Days'

19 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we take on the historical revisionist phenomenon of the "good old days." Those idyllic days of eras past, viewed honestly, weren't...

Tuesday Book Review: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

18 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's Tuesday Book Review, we turn again to historical fiction to teach us about real history, this time with "The Guernsey Literary and Potato P...

Three Myths About the Mafia

17 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we debunk three persistent myths about the Mafia that have entrenched themselves in the public imagination and need to be dispelle...

Sundays with the Saints: St. Ignatius Loyola

16 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's Sundays with the Saints episode, we meet the founder of the Society of Jesus, better known as the Jesuits: St. Ignatius Loyola.

Five Myths About the U.S. Civil War

15 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we debunk five persistent myths about the American Civil War.

Four Myths About Rasputin, the Russian Bogeyman

14 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Grigori Rasputin was a larger than life character in the court of Czar Nicholas II and Czarina Alexandra just before the Russian Revolution. He is als...