Dan Carlin's "Hardcore History" + history podcasts/audiobooks

[Gears of the Beast]

In one of Dan Carlin's Common Sense episodes, I believe it may have been "The Wages of Fear", he perfectly sums up this whole privacy issue/why it's so important/why the people defending attacks on privacy are so wrong. Highly recommend it to anyone.

[red snow]

In one of Dan Carlin's Common Sense episodes, I believe it may have been "The Wages of Fear", he perfectly sums up this whole privacy issue/why it's so important/why the people defending attacks on privacy are so wrong. Highly recommend it to anyone.

I'm been wavering on his other show - just in case his views don't gel with my own and it clouds my enjoyment of his history show.

[Gears of the Beast]

I'm been wavering on his other show - just in case his views don't gel with my own and it clouds my enjoyment of his history show.

That's fair but I recommend that specific episode to anyone - not the show itself. I think you'd get something out of the episode regardless.

[red snow]

That's fair but I recommend that specific episode to anyone - not the show itself. I think you'd get something out of the episode regardless.

It sounds like a safe place for me to try that show out. I'm definitely in agreement with him on the privacy issue.

[Jon AS]

I'm been wavering on his other show - just in case his views don't gel with my own and it clouds my enjoyment of his history show.

I think the way he expresses his views in the show makes it pretty easy to not get annoyed with him even when disagreeing. He's got strong convictions, but always emphasizes that they're his own, not universal truths.

[White Walker Texas Ranger]

I think it's important to occasionally listen to people you think of as intelligent and thoughtful express political views you disagree with.

That said, I rarely disagree with Dan Carlin about political stuff. He's libertarian who's against foreign intervention, but for campaign finance control and a social safety net. He's also borderline of crazy conspiracy theorist. I disagree with him about Russia and some of the conspiracy stuff.

[Howdyphillip]

I am listening to Blueprint for Armageddon part 1 right now because of this thread. He certainly adds excitement to the story.

[NestorMakhnosLovechild]

I think it's important to occasionally listen to people you think of as intelligent and thoughtful express political views you disagree with.

That said, I rarely disagree with Dan Carlin about political stuff. He's libertarian who's against foreign intervention, but for campaign finance control and a social safety net. He's also borderline of crazy conspiracy theorist. I disagree with him about Russia and some of the conspiracy stuff.

I really wouldn't classify Dan Carlin as any kind of libertarian at all. I'd listen to "Trapped by the Inflexible Mind" and his position on globalization and the loss of manufacturing jobs in the US. In that episode, he seems to be supportive of Sir James Goldsmith's position on protective tariffs back from 1994.*

*Which is not to say I don't think he's interesting or worth listening to. I very much do.

[red snow]

I think it's important to occasionally listen to people you think of as intelligent and thoughtful express political views you disagree with.

That said, I rarely disagree with Dan Carlin about political stuff. He's libertarian who's against foreign intervention, but for campaign finance control and a social safety net. He's also borderline of crazy conspiracy theorist. I disagree with him about Russia and some of the conspiracy stuff.

I guess some of those things come across in his history podcasts to be honest.

I like your comments about Russia given your avatar :)

[White Walker Texas Ranger]

I haven't changed my name, avatar, or title since the World Cup.

[red snow]

I haven't changed my name, avatar, or title since the World Cup.

A convert :)

[Guy Kilmore]

I have been listening to Hardcore History for a long time now and have been slowly converting everyone I know, pretty good podcast. I love the Fall of a Republic, my wife and I listened to that when we drove from Minnesota to South Carolina (it was my third listen through on that one).

[Iskaral Pust]

I tried Carlin but found him to be incredibly long-winded. He repeats almost every sentence 2-3 times. And too much of his color commentary is at too personal a level. I would prefer macro comments, e.g. parallels with other periods in history.

I have the same complaint about Great Courses DVDs too. Good subject material but the pacing is aimed at the cognitively impaired. I'm not sure if they are trying to bloat to make it seem like a better deal (just like a lot of non-fiction authors who turn a chapter's worth of material into a book) or if they think the average consumer actually absorbs information that slowly.

[red snow]

I tried Carlin but found him to be incredibly long-winded. He repeats almost every sentence 2-3 times. And too much of his color commentary is at too personal a level. I would prefer macro comments, e.g. parallels with other periods in history.

I have the same complaint about Great Courses DVDs too. Good subject material but the pacing is aimed at the cognitively impaired. I'm not sure if they are trying to bloat to make it seem like a better deal (just like a lot of non-fiction authors who turn a chapter's worth of material into a book) or if they think the average consumer actually absorbs information that slowly.

I get the impression that he doesn't edit much out of the recording and his repetition is to a) give him time to think about the next segment and b) is genuinely trying to get that point across. He's always reminding us to think of the causalities but I think that's worthwhile as it is very easy to take 50,000 deaths in our stride. He even admitted in one of his recent podcasts that there's a drinking game for every time he mentions "aliens".

wrath of the khans was the first one i listened to and I almost gave up as it took him 20 minutes to even start talking about the mongols. I do think his earlier episodes are tighter in that respect but with time, I think I like the "thinking out loud" format of the later ones.

[Galactus]

I have the same complaint about Great Courses DVDs too. Good subject material but the pacing is aimed at the cognitively impaired. I'm not sure if they are trying to bloat to make it seem like a better deal (just like a lot of non-fiction authors who turn a chapter's worth of material into a book) or if they think the average consumer actually absorbs information that slowly.

They seem to be based on university lectures. (pretty much the same kind of info I'd get from a lecture of a similar length) which basically means it's paced for you to be able to take notes and ponder questions. (which makes it incredibly annoying since I keep wanting to ask for clarifications, or challenge their interpretation, but I argue against books too :p)

It also depends a bit on the lecturer, ofc.

[White Walker Texas Ranger]

I tried Carlin but found him to be incredibly long-winded. He repeats almost every sentence 2-3 times. And too much of his color commentary is at too personal a level. I would prefer macro comments, e.g. parallels with other periods in history.

I have the same complaint about Great Courses DVDs too. Good subject material but the pacing is aimed at the cognitively impaired. I'm not sure if they are trying to bloat to make it seem like a better deal (just like a lot of non-fiction authors who turn a chapter's worth of material into a book) or if they think the average consumer actually absorbs information that slowly.

I find the pacing perfect for when I'm working on a semi-menial Excel or Powerpoint task and I can devote about 60-70% of my attention to the podcast. I guess that type of work doesn't come up as often at your level.

[red snow]

I find the pacing perfect for when I'm working on a semi-menial Excel or Powerpoint task and I can devote about 60-70% of my attention to the podcast. I guess that type of work doesn't come up as often at your level.

I found podcasts are fine for "handling fly stocks" and "basic lab techniques". When I need to think a bit more actively, I have to go back to music/silence. I tried preparing a presentation with Dan on and it quickly became white noise. Not his fault but more my ability to split my attention

[red snow]

I tried his "common sense" show. He gets a lot angrier in those shows and doesn't hold back from calling people stupid. Intersting to hear his views on current events though.

I recently finished his "death throes of the republic" - I found it fascinating after the first episode. So maybe I'll give that show on the roman empire a shot after all.

I also found it funny in one of the aftershow segments that Dan said his producer said he should start doing "1 minute episodes" and by the time he'd done four there'd be an hour of material. It's hilarious how his "blitz" shows are now twice as long as his early "full length" episodes were.

[red snow]

just got past the "100th" episode of Mike Duncan's "history of rome". It's unrepentant in its chronology but I quite like it as it gives me a better sense of how close, say the second Punic war was from Caesar's rise to power. Thanks for the rec

Been going through some more "In our time" as well. I'm particularly enjoying a third podcast point of view on Cleopatra and it's fun to see what the different amateur historians and professionals focus on or dismiss. Eg Mike Duncan treat Boudica as a solid fact while the In our Time historians at one point had Melvin Bragg questioning if she was a legend. I think listening to Duncan's work with dips into In our time is a nice balance as the "in and out and all over" approach of In our time stops me getting to obsessed with everything Roman.

The other thing I'm starting to notice is how much history inspires a lot of the fantasy I read. I'm currently reading the last "shadows of the Apt" book and while the World War II similarities were always obvious to me - I'm noticing a lot of Rome sneaking in there too - interestingly with the antagonists as the romans.

I'm sure there are other examples that I'll notice as i become more familiar with different periods and characters through history.