War Books
Episodes
Cold War – The CIA's mind control project, MKULTRA – John Lisle
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 058 – Nonfiction. Historian John Lisle discusses his new book, “Project Mind Control: Sidney Gottlieb, the CIA, and the Tragedy of MKULTRA.”‘...
World War II – D-Day, an Oral History – Garrett Graff
16 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 057 – Nonfiction. New York Times Bestselling Author Garrett M. Graff discusses his book, “When the Sea Came Alive: An Oral History of D-Day.”...
Russia-Ukraine War – Ukrainian Life During Wartime – Danielle Leavitt
23 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 056 – Nonfiction. Historian Danielle Leavitt discusses her new book, “By the Second Spring: Seven Lives and One Year of the War in Ukraine”‘...
Iraq War – Toxic Exposure & the Toll on Veterans – Joshua Howe & Alexander Lemons
26 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 055 – Nonfiction. Environmental Historian Joshua Howe & Marine Corps veteran Alexander Lemons discuss their new book, “Warbody: A Marine Sn...
World War II – China & the Birth of the U.S. Special Forces – Stephen R. Platt
15 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 054 – Nonfiction. Historian Stephen R. Platt discusses his new book, “The Raider: The Untold Story of a Renegade Marine and the Birth of U.S. S...
U.S. Civil War – Lincoln's Peace – Michael Vorenberg
18 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 053 – Nonfiction. On what date did the U.S. #CivilWar end? Most would say April 9, 1865, when Lee surrendered at Appomattox. But historian Michae...
Cold War – The CIA: An Imperial History – Hugh Wilford
01 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 052 – Nonfiction. As World War II ended, the United States stood as the dominant power on the world stage. In 1947, to support its new global sta...
World War II - A Soviet Perspective on War & Shame – Sasha Vasilyuk
24 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 051 – Fiction. In 1941, a Soviet soldier witnesses Hitler's invasion of the USSR and must cope with its devastating consequences. Sasha Vasilyuk ...
Modern War - The Next Cold War - George S. Takach (Author Interview, 2024)
20 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 050 – Nonfiction. Are we already in a second Cold War? George S. Takach says yes, and joins me to discuss his fascinating new book, “Cold War 2...
World War II – Italian Front – Derek B. Miller (Author Interview, 2024)
17 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 049 – Fiction. In August 1943, a fourteen-year-old is newly orphaned and flees Rome after surviving the American bombing raid that killed his par...
French Revolution – The Fall of Robespierre– Colin Jones
03 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 048 – Nonfiction. By July 1794, Robespierre was an outlaw, wanted for conspiracy against the French Republic. Historian Colin Jones chronicles Ro...
Cold War – Soviet Propaganda – Magda Stroinska
22 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 047 – Nonfiction. What's it like to grow up surrounded by Soviet propaganda? What lessons can we learn today? Magda Stroinska, Professor of Lingu...
U.S. Civil War – Joshua Chamberlain, Unlikely Hero – Ronald C. White
13 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 046 – Nonfiction. Before 1862, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain had rarely left his home state of Maine, where he was a trained minister and professor...
World War II – Investigating a Nazi Past – Burkhard Bilger
06 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 045 – Nonfiction. How do the descendants of Nazis reckon with the pasts of their families? Burkhard Bilger joins me to discuss his memoir, a ten-...
America's Wars – Wars from 1800-1860 – Edward L. Ayers (Author Interview, 2023)
22 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 044 – Nonfiction. From 1800-1860, America grappled with 4 major wars: the War of 1812, the Seminole Wars, the Mexican War, and the lead-up to the...
Viking Wars – England, 1000-1066 – Don Hollway
08 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 043 – Nonfiction. For England, the decades leading up to 1066 were defined by bloody wars in which Vikings, Anglo-Saxons, and Normans vied for su...
World Wars I & II – Women in Intelligence – Helen Fry
01 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 042 – Nonfiction. Across both world wars, women ran spy networks and escape lines, parachuted behind enemy lines, and interrogated prisoners. Hel...
Modern Wars – The F-35 Aircraft – Tom Burbage
25 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 041 – Nonfiction. The F-35 aircraft, which changed modern warfare, was one of the most expensive and controversial military programs in history. ...
Russia-Ukraine War – Putin's Mistakes – Owen Matthews
19 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 040 – Nonfiction. The Russia-Ukraine War is the most serious crisis in Europe since World War II. At the heart of the conflict is a mystery: why ...
American Frontier Wars – Tecumseh & William Henry Harrison – Peter Stark
11 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 039 – Nonfiction. Tecumseh’s military stand against William Henry Harrison was a last chance to protect Indigenous people from U.S. expansion. ...
Napoleonic Wars – Fighting Russia, a POW's memoir – Samuel de Korte
04 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 038 – Nonfiction. In 1812 the French emperor Napoleon invaded Russia. For this purpose, he gathered an army of half a million, including C.J. Wag...
War of 1812 – Burning Washington, D.C. – Robert Watson
20 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 037 – Nonfiction. The War of 1812 was disastrous for the U.S., the lowest moment being the capture and burning of Washington, D.C. Historian Robe...
Franco-Prussian War – Bismarck's German Empire - Rachel Chrastil
13 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 036 – Nonfiction. Deliberately engineered by Prussian Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the Franco-Prussian War toppled the French Empire, unified Ge...
Cold War - East Germany's History - Katja Hoyer
06 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 035 – Nonfiction. In 1990, East Germany, a country born from war, ceased to exist. Katja Hoyer joins me to discuss East Germany's evolution durin...
War Against ISIS – An Iranian on the Ground – Salar Abdoh
30 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 034 – Fiction. There aren't many books that give the perspective of the fight against ISIS from an Iranian perspective. Salar Abdoh joins me to d...
Russia-Ukraine War – Putin's Global Aims – Samuel Ramani
16 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 033 – Nonfiction. Why did Putin opt for regime change in Ukraine, rather than a smaller-scale intervention in Donbas? Samuel Ramani joins me to d...
Eastern Europe's Wars – History Beyond War – Jacob Mikanowski
09 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 032 – Nonfiction. What is the importance of Eastern Europe, and how has it been defined by warfare? Jacob Mikanowski joins me to discuss his insi...
Russia-Ukraine War – An On-The-Ground Perspective – Christopher Miller
03 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 031 – Nonfiction. As a journalist, Christopher Miller was on the ground in Ukraine when the first Russian missiles struck and troops crossed the ...
America's Modern Wars – Forever Wars & Citizenship – Phil Klay
26 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 030 – Nonfiction. What do America's modern wars say about us as a country, and how should we respond as citizens? Phil Klay joins me to discuss h...
Spanish Conquests – The Fall of Tenochtitlan – Stefan Rinke
19 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 029 – Nonfiction. 500 years ago, a Spanish flotilla reached the Yucatán under the command of Hérnan Cortés, leading to the fall of Tenochtitla...
Russia-Ukraine War - Inside the Kremlin's Narratives - Jade McGlynn
12 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 028 – Nonfiction. Why aren't ordinary Russians more outraged by Putin's invasion of Ukraine? Jade McGlynn joins me to discuss why & to talk a...
Russia-Ukraine War – A Definitive History Of The War – Serhii Plokhy
05 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 027 – Nonfiction. Russia's invasion of Ukraine, when considering history, shouldn't have been such a surprise. Harvard Professor of Ukrainian His...
World War II – Spies in Wartime Berlin – Peter Mann
28 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 026 – Fiction. In wartime Berlin, intelligence & spying was anything if not complicated— both morally and in practice. Peter Mann’s excel...
World War II – Franklin Roosevelt – Craig Nelson
21 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 025 – Nonfiction. Before the outbreak of World War II, the U.S. military was about the same size as Bulgaria's-- far too small to take on Hitler’...
World War II – Remembering French Holocaust Victims – Anne Berest (English)
14 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 024 – Fiction. In 2003, a postcard arrived at Anne's home with 4 names written on it, all of them family members who died at Auschwitz. In a fasc...
Germany's Wars – German Military History since 1500 – Peter H. Wilson
07 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 023 – Nonfiction. Is there a uniquely German way of war? Oxford historian Peter H. Wilson joins me to challenge this notion & discuss 500 yea...
U.S. Civil War – Reconstruction & The War On Freedom – Kidada Williams
31 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 022 - Nonfiction. “If we understand the violence of reconstruction, we can understand the violence of today.” Kidada E. Williams joins me to di...
World War II – Glider Pilots – Scott McGaugh
24 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 021 - Nonfiction. No engines, no guns, and no second chances. For our U.S. Memorial Day episode, Scott McGaugh joins me to talk about the American ...
Iraq War – Baghdad & 20 Years of Violence – Ghaith Abdul-Ahad
17 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 020 - Nonfiction. 20 years later, the Iraq War still lingers. "All the civil wars in Iraq & Syria had the spark from that chaos." Ghaith Abdul-...
Future of War – New Threats & the Age of Danger – Andrew Hoehn and Thom Shanker
10 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 019 - Nonfiction. How dangerous are things right now? In a first for the War Books Podcast, we discuss the future of war. Andrew Hoehn and Thom Sha...
World War One – Language, Love, & Same-Sex Partnerships – Aleksandar Hemon
03 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 018 - Fiction. What can World War One, one of the world's most destructive conflicts, teach us about language, love, & same-sex partnerships? A...
Russia's Modern Wars – Vladimir Putin – Mark Galeotti
01 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 017 - Nonfiction. “Ukraine is very different from all the other wars... it’s one in which Putin involves himself much more personally.” Mark ...
Bangladesh Liberation War – Wars Connected to Climate Change – Scott Carney
26 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 016 - Nonfiction. The Bangladesh Liberation War is sometimes called the world's first climate war. How did a mild cyclone lead to a violent genocid...
Vietnam War – Agent Orange & The Post-War Experience For Vets – George Black
24 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 015 - Nonfiction. An incredible story of Vietnam, Agent Orange, & the post-war experience for veterans. My interview with George Black on his f...
American Revolution – Did Washington burn New York City? – Benjamin Carp
19 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 014 - Nonfiction. In 1776, rumors abounded that George Washington would rather burn New York City than let it fall. The British invaded. Then, the ...
World War II – Espionage & the OSS – John Lisle
17 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 013 - Nonfiction. Glowing foxes, bat bombs, explosive baking flour, and more. My fascinating interview with John Lisle on his new book, "The Dirty ...
Afghanistan War – War Correspondents & War-time Friendships – Jeffrey E. Stern
12 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 012 - Nonfiction. Jeff’s latest book, “The Mercenary: A Story of Brotherhood and Terror in the Afghanistan War,” is a nonfiction novel about ...
World War II – A Child Soldier in Hitler's Army – Heidi Langbein-Allen
10 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 011 - Nonfiction. “He might’ve been of the youngest generation in that war.” At the age of 13, Heidi Langbein-Allen's father was forced from ...
World War II – Stalingrad – Iain MacGregor
05 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 010 - Nonfiction. In September 1942, one of the fiercest battles of WW2 began: Stalingrad. The battle is one of the most written-about of WW2, and ...
U.S. Civil War – Confederate Navy & Spies in Liverpool – Alexander Rose
03 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 009 - Nonfiction. In 1861, the Confederacy sent a devious Southern agent abroad to build a Navy. The Union sent an agent to stop him. My interview ...
Vietnam War – Nixon & Kissinger – Carolyn Woods Eisenberg
29 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 008 - Nonfiction. My fascinating conversation about the Vietnam War with Prof. Carolyn Woods Eisenberg, author of the new book "Fire and Rain: Nixo...
World War II – Letters from a German-Jewish Family in Frankfurt – Karen Baum Gordon
22 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 007 - Nonfiction. My interview with Karen Baum Gordon on her new book, “The Last Letter: A Father's Struggle, a Daughter's Quest, and the Long Sh...
U.S. Civil War - Black Soldiers in the Union Army - David Wright Faladé
20 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 006 - Fiction. My first fiction author on the War Books Podcast! The incredibly talented author David Wright Faladé joined me to discuss his new b...
American Revolution - Native Americans, African-Americans, and Women - Woody Holton
15 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 005 - Nonfiction. My discussion with Woody Holton about his book, "Liberty Is Sweet: The Hidden History of the American Revolution." Wo...
World War II - Germans Resisting Hitler - Tom Dunkel
13 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 004 - Nonfiction. I interview author Tom Dunkel on his new book, “White Knights in the Black Orchestra: The Extraordinary Story of the Germans Wh...
World War II - British Internment Camps - Simon Parkin
10 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 003 - Nonfiction. I interview author and journalist Simon Parkin on his new book, “The Island of Extraordinary Captives: A Painter, a Poet, an He...
World War II - Japan Leading Up To Pearl Harbor - Steve Kemper
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 002 - Nonfiction. I interview Steve Kemper on his terrific new book, “Our Man In Tokyo: An American Ambassador and the Countdown to Pearl Harbor....
World War II - The Crimes Of The Luftwaffe - Philip Blood
06 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 001 - Nonfiction. For the very first episode of War Books, I interview historian Dr. Philip W. Blood on his new book, "Birds of Prey: Hitler’s Lu...