The Gist – December 3, 2025

Guest: Rachel McCarthy James
Main Theme: The axe as tool and weapon, the history and cultural meaning of axe murder, and the ways in which notoriety, violence, and symbolism play out—plus a wider look at how society spotlights polarizing figures.

Episode Overview

On this episode of The Gist, Mike Pesca interviews Rachel McCarthy James, author of Whack Job: A History of Axe Murder. The pair explore the unique place of the axe in human civilization, both as mundane tool and as weapon of violence—especially murder. The discussion branches into the first known axe murders, forensic science (and its limits), axes in ritual and warfare, notorious executions, and the linguistic fun that comes with axe puns. The episode also features Pesca’s signature ruminations on contemporary political figures, how our culture selects for divisive spokespeople, and the concept of forgiving or critiquing politicians for their more extreme past statements.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Cultural Selection of Polarizing Figures

(03:05–10:10)

• Mike Pesca discusses how, in recent years, social and traditional media ecosystems seem to “select for” the most polarizing individuals as representatives for any given cause.
• Regardless of ideology, prominent “main characters” (like Marjorie Taylor Greene, Riley Gaines, Greta Thunberg, Eric Swalwell) become lightning rods for the opposition, sometimes overshadowing their actual arguments.
• Quote (Pesca, 07:32):
  “The characters who come most to symbolize culture war…always are the most loathsome to the other side. That is what our systems select for.”
• Listeners are asked to provide examples of figures in recent years who’ve retained cross-partisan respect—a rarity in today’s landscape.

2. Interview: Rachel McCarthy James on the History of Axe Murder

(13:56–33:14)

The Axe: Tool, Weapon, Symbol

• The axe is one of humanity’s earliest tools, omnipresent in domestic and violent contexts.
• Unlike recent inventions (e.g., the chainsaw), the axe’s longevity ensures it is always “there when murder is to be done.”
• Quote (James, 15:39):
  “The stone hand ax is one of our very first tools…It’s always been used both in domestic settings and labor settings as well as in conflict, in wars and battles, execution rituals, things like that.”

The Origins: Cranium 17 and Early Violent Deaths

• Discussion of “Cranium 17,” a prehistoric skull with matching fractures, possibly the first known axe—or blunt force—murder.

• Forensic signs differentiate between accidental and intentional trauma, such as the "hat brim line" rule.

  • The Hat-Brim Line (17:40–18:52):
    If a skull fracture is beneath the area a hat would cover, it’s likely intentional; accidental injuries tend to occur elsewhere.
    • Pesca: “It’s not refined enough to introduce in court…but it’s a useful heuristic.”
    • James: “When you’re examining a skull, that’s one of the things that you’ve got.”

Ritual, Power, and the Axe as Spectacle

• Ancient China: Lady Fu Hao’s tomb, axes as status symbols, instruments of warfare and execution.
  (19:05–21:59)

• Executioners and spectacle in Henry VIII’s England: Class, gender, and the pageantry of death by axe versus other brutal punishments.

• Anne Boleyn’s “upgrade” from axe to sword—higher prestige in death.

  • Notable moment (24:47):
    James: “Anne Boleyn did not get the ax, she got a sword…a very classy French sword. A sword is higher prestige than an axe.”

The George Washington Story: The Ax and International Incident

(25:30–29:58)

• Washington’s disastrous first military expedition leads to the killing of French Captain Jumonville by Native leader Tanaghrisson with a tomahawk. The event, poorly managed by young Washington, sets off the Seven Years’ War.
• The tomahawk as both tool of violence and instrument of diplomacy.
• Quote (James, 30:23):
  “The tomahawk is not just…an article of war. It was also a diplomatic tool…reducing it to the tomahawk chop…brings up a lot of stuff about, you know, scalping and things like that that I don’t think we need to linger on quite so much.”

Wordplay and the “Axe” Lexicon

(31:02–32:39)

• The book and interview are peppered with axe-related puns and wordplay, but James notes she tries not to overdo it out of respect for the seriousness of her subject.
• Quote (James, 31:56):
  “If you start going down that road with axe puns…there’s no end to it. It’s just gonna go forever. So I generally stayed away from it. But I do enjoy [them].”
• Linguistic trivia: “Axe” and “axle” sound similar but have different etymological roots.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Forensics & the “Hat-Brim Line”:
  James (18:36):
  “If a fracture occurs in that area covered by the hat, it is more likely to be intentional. Whereas if someone…falls, trips, and injures their head…more likely to be on the face or on the very back.”

• On Class in Execution Methods:
  Pesca (24:30):
  “The axes are a gateway to sociology…And just how they do it is unbelievably important.”

• On Wordplay:
  Pesca (31:29):
  “Perhaps the axis of evil. And then in your book, like right here on page five…‘a clash of cutting edge technology.’”
  James: “If you start going down that road with acts, puns…there’s no end to it.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|------------------------------------------------------| | 03:05 | Opening thoughts on political forgiveness & selection of spokespeople | | 05:04 | Pesca cites examples of polarizing public figures | | 13:56 | Introduction to Rachel McCarthy James and Whack Job | | 15:19 | The axe’s ubiquity in history | | 16:23 | The Cranium 17 skull—first axe murder? | | 17:40 | The "hat brim line" forensic rule | | 19:28 | Lady Fu Hao, axes in the Shang Dynasty | | 22:20 | Gruesome Tudor executions & class, Anne Boleyn’s death | | 25:30 | George Washington, tomahawks, and the Seven Years’ War | | 31:02 | Axe puns and linguistic quirks |

Conclusion: Broader Connections & Takeaways

Rachel McCarthy James’s history of axe murder is, as Pesca says, “a gateway to sociology.” The episode doesn't just indulge in grisly anecdotes or morbid trivia—it explores how violence, technology, ritual, symbolism, and culture intersect across thousands of years. Both guests recognize the need to balance playfulness (yes, there are puns) with sobriety and respect for the real human cost of violence.

The episode’s first segment dovetails neatly: As society chooses its “axes”—tools, weapons, and even public figures—to do both creative and destructive work, we must continually reflect on who wields them, to what ends, and how historical memory shapes who we celebrate or condemn.

Recommended: For anyone interested in true crime, historical curiosities, or media criticism—with enough humor and self-awareness to keep the heavy subject matter accessible.