The Road to Now Podcast
1) #134 The American Empire w/ Daniel Immerwahr
Is the United States an empire? US citizens have struggled with this question for a long time. Though our historical narrative traces our origins to the war for independence against the British Empire...Show More
2) The History of Santa Claus & Christmas Culture w/ James Cooper
It's Christmas time and this week we're resharing the original RTN Christmas Classic! Christmas expert James Cooper joins Bob and Ben to explain how Santa Claus, Christmas trees, and other Christmas t...Show More
3) #354 In Pursuit w/Anita McBride & Colleen Shogan
Anita McBride is one of the foremost experts on the legacy of American first ladies. Colleen Shogan served as the 11thArchivist of the United States. Together, they're bringing forward a new project c...Show More
4) It's a Wonderful Life: The Story Behind America's Favorite Christmas Film w/ Eric Smoodin
Dr. Eric Smoodin, film historian at the University of California- Davis and author of Regarding Frank Capra: Audience, Celebrity and American Film Studies, 1930-1960, joins Bob and Ben for the history...Show More
5) America's First War on Christmas w/ Bruce Carlson
On December 25, 1776, George Washington and his men celebrated their first post-Declaration of Independence Christmas by crossing a freezing river to mount a surprise attack against their enemies. The...Show More
6) How John Adams Defined the Presidency w/ Lindsay Chervinsky
John Adams' single term as President has long been cast as a low point in his political career, but Lindsay Chervinsky sees it differently. "George Washington created the Presidency," she writes in he...Show More
7) Americana w/ Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell
What is Americana music? Is it a genre? A community? A refuge? Twenty four years after the founding of the Americana Music Association and thirteen years since the first Grammy was awarded for Best Am...Show More
8) #353 The American Revolution w/ Sarah Botstein & David Schmidt
A decade after Ken Burns decided it was time to take on the American Revolution, the film is finished and premieres on your local PBS station on Sunday, November 16! In this episode, we talk with Sara...Show More
9) #352 Wakara's America w/ Max Perry Mueller
Wakara was a Ute leader whose power stretched across western North America long before the US claimed the land on which he lived. In this episode, Max Perry Mueller joins us to discuss his new book, W...Show More
10) #351 A History of the American Bookstore w/ Evan Friss
America’s bookstores have always been about more than just books, but the role they play in American society has changed over the years. In this episode, Evan Friss joins us for a conversation about h...Show More