Podcast
The Biographers
Hosted by The Biographers · EN
The Biographers is a deep-dive biography podcast that aims to tell the full and complete stories of history’s most fascinating and influential characters. Join hosts Daniel Newman and Akiva Meola as they take you through the expansive and entertaining stories of various historic figures.
In a time where short-form, hardly-researched videos flood TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, we are doing the exact opposite. The Biographers gives you the chance to learn the full life stories of historic figures, both famous and obscure, without cutting corners. With hour-long, deep-dive research, we provide a bigger, better story than what’s in your feed. If you love true crime, but are craving stories about people who truly made a difference, then you’ve just discovered your new favorite podcast.
14episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Wu Zhao Part 1: A Great and Terrible Honor
1w ago01:13:21Tap to summarizeIt's time for a brand new series, and this time we're headed further back in time than we ever have before: the 7th century! For series 14 of The Biographers, we're covering Wu Zhao -- the only woman to ever reign as the Emperor of China. At just 13 years old, Wu Zhao was recruited into the Emperor's harem of concubines, and despite being born in a time and place where women were viewed as disposable, she would seize every opportunity put before her in a relentless quest to have her name carved into the history books. Buckle up, kids -- this one's going to be a doozie! (Ep. 77)
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Office Hours Ep. 10: Now With Video!
3w ago01:02:57Tap to summarizeComing in hot with another laid-back episode of Office Hours, but this time we have video! We are indeed humans! In this episode, we go over all the corrections and questions from our Frida Kahlo series in addition to chatting about our upcoming series on Wu Zhao.
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Frida Kahlo Part 6: Una Vida Vivida
May 201:32:08Tap to summarizeIn our final episode on Frida Kahlo, we discuss her last decade of life. Coming on the heels of Trotsky's death, Frida and Diego decide to remarry after realizing what they meant to one another, if only for a time. Frida's painting skills peaked in the 1940s, reaching a new level of detail evident in “Rosita Morillo” and “Moses”, which led to national recognition as one of Mexico's finest painters. Her newfound esteem even landed her a teaching position at La Esmeralda, where Frida and the “Fridos” explored the world with an artist's eye. Her time as a teacher was cut short, however, when health issues arose. As her friends sat beside her in the hospital bed once again, they knew she didn't have long to live. In a final effort to celebrate Frida’s alegría, artists, poets, peasants, and rebels banded together for an exhibition that nearly broke down the doors of La Galería Contemporánea. Needless to say, when the party ended, she would spend her last years fighting death with a ferocity only Frida could muster. Tune in to hear the finale of Frida Kahlo! (Ep. 076)
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Frida Kahlo Part 5: La Surrealista Asesina
Apr 1801:42:10Tap to summarizeIn part 5 of our series covering the dramatic and tragic life of Frida Kahlo, we go over the most formative years for her career as a painter. Following Diego's brutal betrayal of trust, Frida would make more paintings in two years than in the entirety of her marriage to him, creating masterpieces like The Two Fridas, and What the Water Gave Me. After an art show in Manhattan that had Frida spreading her wings outside of her husband's shadow, surrealist icons like Andre Breton would invite her to Paris for an exhibition, which turned out to be more than she bargained for. Back in Mexico, a petulant Diego would shove a political wedge between himself and the 4th International, setting off a chain of events that would leave a hand broken, a skull crushed, a house raided, and Frida Kahlo behind bars. Tune in to part four to hear all the drama! (Ep. 075)
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Frida Kahlo Part 4: Unos Cuantos Piquetitos
Apr 401:26:52Tap to summarizeIn part four of our series on Frida Kahlo, the seminal artist's grand tour of the United States comes to an end. Devastation would follow devastation in Frida’s mid-twenties: a miscarriage in Detroit, followed by the death of her mother in Coyoacán. Diego, on the other hand, was at the height of his fame, and was receiving commissions from some of America's most elite clientele. Unfortunately for Diego, his work would be a little too "Red" for the taste's of client's, and his work would be destroyed before it was finished. After moving back to Mexico, Diego would find some redemption, but would soon commit a betrayal so painful that Frida considered it equal to her most devastating physical injuries. Bruised but not broken, Frida would go on to create a life somewhat free of Diego’s influence just as the tides would usher in the arrival of one of the biggest names in the history of Communism. Tune in for part four to learn more! (Ep. 074)
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Frida Kahlo Part 3: Gringolandia
Mar 2101:26:40Tap to summarizeIn part three of our series on Frida Kahlo, we explore Frida’s early years of marriage to the world-famous painter Diego Rivera, along with her time spent touring the United States. In Cuernavaca, Diego finds himself painting the Mexican Revolution for American oil investors, while Frida begins to paint from within. As fascism spreads across Mexico like a disease, the two depart for America — or, as Frida called it, “Gringolandia.” There, Diego relishes his newfound fame, while Frida is less than pleased. In New York, Frida confides in her new American friends, feeling disillusioned as she watches Diego's wealthy new clients trivialize their message. Following Diego's success, the two are whisked to the Motor City, where Frida's expressive, rebellious side begins to flourish more and more, laughing in the faces of the elite. Unfortunately, the fun is short-lived, as tragedy lurks just around the corner. Tune in to part three of Frida Kahlo to learn more! (Ep. 073)
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Frida Kahlo Part 2: El Elefante y la Paloma
Mar 701:26:37Tap to summarizeIn part two of our series on Frida Kahlo, we discuss the aftermath of one of Frida's greatest tragedies that would ultimately leave Frida in pieces. With dozens of shattered bones and an iron bar piercing her abdomen, Frida would spend the next two years evading death. As she recovered, her novio, Alejandro, slowly disappeared from her life, and Frida would find new meaning through painting. During this time, she created some of her first portrait works while mummified in a plaster corset to realign her spine. When she “recovered,” Frida reunited with the Cachuchas to support La Raza Cósmica through José Vasconcelos’ campaign. He would lose the election, but it gave Frida the opportunity to join the Communist Party, and there she would meet the world-famous muralist (and womanizer) Diego Rivera. Despite a 20-year age gap, the two would fall in love, and wedding bells were soon heard in the distance. Everyone had an opinion on the slovenly painter’s new fling, and Frida’s own mother called it “a marriage between an elephant and a dove.” Tune in to part two of Frida Kahlo to learn more! (Ep. 072)
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Bonus! -- A Taste of History: An Interview with Max Miller
Feb 2401:31:46Tap to summarizeWe are thrilled to be speaking with incomparable Max Miller of the sensational YouTube channel: Tasting History. Max kindly agreed to work with us on a recent collaboration video about the eating habits of Nikola Tesla, whose culinary preferences are as specific as they are riddled with historical inaccuracies. We got the chance to sit down with Max to discuss our respective research processes, and how "facts" about history are not always what they seem.
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Frida Kahlo Part 1: La Pequeña Diablillo
Feb 2101:30:09Tap to summarizeWe're officially starting series 13, and this time we're focusing on one of the most influential artists of all time: Frida Kahlo! In part one, we discuss Frida's family origins, the political turmoil in Mexico at the time, her early struggles with illness, and her wild years studying at the esteemed National Preparatory School in Mexico City. At school, she rubbed elbows with some of the greatest young minds in Mexico while also causing trouble with her rebellious gang, the Cachuchas. Frida would also experience all the ups and downs of being an angsty teenager, like falling in love, causing trouble, churning up drama, and occasionally detonating small bombs that shattered all the glass windows of her school . But just as her young life was beginning to blossom, she would experience a tragedy that would alter her life forever. (Ep. 071)
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Office Hours Ep 9: Historical Prophylactics
Feb 701:11:35Tap to summarizeTime to sit back and relax for another casual episode of Office Hours. We go through questions and corrections from our series on Mark Twain, and share an amazing story from one of our listeners who has some personal connections to Pancho Villa. We'll be back for our regularly scheduled programming in two weeks, starting into our next biography subject: Frida Kahlo!
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