Half-Arsed History

This week in history we’ve got a twelve-year-old girl crowned as a king, we’ve got a turning point in Japanese history, we’ve got a disastrous Russian naval campaign - and we’ve got a huge petrified figure proving the existence ancient race of giants.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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This week in history we’ve got an extremely important but rather unknown battle, we’ve got an extremely important but very famous battle, we’ve got the construction of Brazil’s most famous landmark - and we’ve got the time TR was shot in the chest and survived.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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This week in history we’ve got the introduction of the Gregorian Calendar, we’ve got a full-scale riot caused by cheese, we’ve got the birth of the unsinkable stewardess - and we’ve got a Dutch city rescued by pirates surfing across farmland.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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In this week's episode, get across four of the chapters taken from the new book, The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of: Tarrare, William Buckley, Unaarrimin, and Countess Black Agnes Dunbar.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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This week in history we’ve got the battle that ended the Viking Age, we’ve got the second circumnavigation of the Earth, we’ve got the discovery of the first antibiotic - and we’ve got the financial crisis that gave us the term “Black Friday”.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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In this week's episode, learn more about what went into the creation of The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, while enjoying some truly first-rate gear making fun of Perth.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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In this week's episode, get a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, as well as a bunch of really excellent gags about Adelaide.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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This week in history we’ve got the very first circumnavigation, we’ve got the establishment of a weird neutral country, we’ve got the publication of a beloved children’s book - and we’ve got a week-long New York City riot kicked off by people wearing straw hats.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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In this week's episode, explore the everyday lives of the Vikings, learning about how their society was organised, what they wore, what they ate, what they did for fun, and how their religion changed over time.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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Half-Arsed History's second book, The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, is available now at all good bookshops (and probably some bad ones, too). Alternatively, you can snag your copy at one of the upcoming live shows, but don't delay in securing your tickets - some shows are running low. Head to halfarsedhistory.net to book!

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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This week in history we’ve got a a turning point in an ancient war, we’ve got a turning point in evolutionary biology, we’ve got a turning point in very stupid decision-making - and we’ve got an intriguing tale of fraud and deception, with a man executed for claiming to be someone he wasn’t.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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In this week's episode, learn all about the far-reaching regions to which the Vikings expanded, including Ireland, Iceland, Central and Eastern Europe, and beyond.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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This week in history we’ve got a battle that defined the history of ancient Rome, we’ve got a famous abolitionist breaking his chains, we’ve got the extinction of an Australian marsupial - and we’ve got the event that marked the downfall of the Western Roman Empire after years of decline

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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In this week's episode, continue discovering the story of the Viking Age, including learning why Vikings transitioned from raiding to conquest and settlement, and the consequent establishment of the Danelaw and Normandy.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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This week in history we’ve got London destroyed by a fire, we’ve got the shortest war in history, we’ve got an Olympic marathon won by a bloke in a car - and we’ve got the interesting but somewhat dubious psychological origin of the term Stockholm Syndrome.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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In this week's episode, begin an exploration of the Viking Age, beginning with its origins by getting into how and why Norse raiders spread across the seas from Scandinavia, looting and pillaging as they went.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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Half-Arsed History is going on tour yet again - this time across the entire country - to celebrate the release of The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of!

For the first time, as part of this tour I'm coming to both Perth and Adelaide, in addition to shows in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and at home on the Sunshine Coast.

Due to time constraints at the venues, these shows will be a little shorter than last year's - a quick chat, a chapter, a Q&A, then some time for signings.

Copies of the book will be available for purchase at each show, and I'll be more than happy to sign it and take a quick snap with you if you'd like. Can't wait to see you there!

*Ticket price includes light refreshments.

**Ticket price includes a welcome drink.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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This week in history we’ve got an ancient volcanic eruption, we’ve got a prime minister being devoured, we’ve got a mysterious gas cloud killing thousands - and we’ve got Edmond Halley discovering something important about the famous comet that still bears his name today.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Half-Arsed History is going on tour yet again - this time across the entire country - to celebrate the release of The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of!

For the first time, as part of this tour I'm coming to both Perth and Adelaide, in addition to shows in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and at home on the Sunshine Coast.

Due to time constraints at the venues, these shows will be a little shorter than last year's - a quick chat, a chapter, a Q&A, then some time for signings.

Copies of the book will be available for purchase at each show, and I'll be more than happy to sign it and take a quick snap with you if you'd like. Can't wait to see you there!

*Ticket price includes light refreshments.

**Ticket price includes a welcome drink.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode, learn all about the capture of the USS Chesapeake, a fascinating duel that took place between two frigates during the War of 1812.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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This week in history we’ve got the birth of a great friend of the show, we’ve got a marvel of modern engineering, we’ve got armies mobilising to cut down a tree - and we’ve got an audacious heist of gunpowder which was instrumental to the American Revolution.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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In this week's episode, meet Vincent van Gogh, the famous Dutch painter whose colourful and vivid paintings stood in sharp contrast to his difficult and troubled life.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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This week in history we’ve got the defeat of a great Spanish fleet, we’ve got the construction of a famous but slightly wobbly Italian landmark, we’ve got the infamous end of a US presidency - and we’ve got the time a US general slapped one of his soldiers, again.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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In this week's episode, hear all about the deadly horrors of the Plague of Athens, and tackle the question - what was the plague itself, in the first place?

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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This week in history we’ve got ancient Romans slaughtered by the thousand, we’ve got champagne not getting invented, we’ve got the disaster that was the first transatlantic telegraph cable, and we’ve got a famous physics demonstration held on the Moon.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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I can't log into my Apple Podcasts account - the 2FA code thing isn't working while I'm overseas (despite me setting it up with my overseas number before I left), so ads might be playing on what should be ad-free episodes for Apple Podcasts subscribers. I'm really, really sorry; I'm still trying to fix it, worst case scenario is I'll (hopefully) be able to back in Australia. In the meantime, please accept my very sincere apologies.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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In this week's episode, learn all about one of the most important and iconic conflicts from the history of Ancient Greece: the Peloponnesian War, when the rivalry between Athens and Sparta was settled once and for all.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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This week in history we’ve got skulls being made into drinkware, we’ve got German nobles drowning in sewage, we’ve got the death of the last Sapa Inca, and we’ve got the official introduction of tobacco to England, thanks to the efforts of the famous Sir Walter Raleigh.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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In this week's episode, learn all about the disasters that beset the Apollo 13 mission to the Moon, and how the astronauts aboard and the ground team on Earth worked tirelessly to stave off a terrible catastrophe.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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This week in history we’ve got the birth of a famous conqueror, we’ve got the dawn of the atomic age, we’ve got a giant leap for mankind - and we’ve got the story of a brief but bloody war sparked by a series of soccer matches in Central America.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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In this week's episode, explore the history of the cannabis plant, including its role in historical and modern textile industries, as well as its medicinal, religious, and recreational uses.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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This week in history we’ve got an iconic moment from the French revolution, we’ve got a famous historical duel, we’ve got someone trying to get to the North Pole in a balloon - and we’ve got the tale of the first expedition to summit the Matterhorn, and the tragedy that struck afterwards.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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In this week's episode, meet Mata Hari, the internationally-renowned exotic dancer who became a spy for... someone... during the First World War.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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This week in history we’ve got the origin of Independence Day, we’ve got a slightly-bungled assassination, we’ve got a bloke who used to surgically attach goat’s testicles to people - and we’ve got the grudge that the University of Oxford held for over 500 years without knowing why.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings:

AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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In this week's episode, learn about the Stonewall Riots, which took place in the wake of a police raid on a NYC gay bar and catalysed the growing gay rights movement. 

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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This week in history we’ve got the battle that unified Japan, we’ve got the death of a famous detective, we’ve got the event that kicked off the First World War - and we’ve got the time a mysterious Siberian fireball left scientists baffled for decades.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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In this week's episode, conclude the tour of World Cup history with the details of the tournaments from 1990 onwards - all the highlights and lowlights, including persistent issues surrounding bribery and corruption.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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This week in history we’ve got decisive battles for the East India Company and for friend of the show Napoleon, we’ve got a river of burning whiskey flowing through Dublin, and we’ve got the infamous Hand of God, from the 1986 World Cup.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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In this week's episode, continue to discover the story of the FIFA Men's World Cup, from the postwar return of the tournament in 1950, across years of development and controversy, to the end of the 1980s, as the modern event took shape.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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This week in history we’ve got the reason the Taj Mahal was built, we’ve got the debut of the world’s first bike, we’ve got the delivery of the Statue of Liberty - and we’ve got the story of the most infamously deadly motorsports disaster in history.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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In this week's episode, get across the early history of the FIFA Men's World Cup, from its forerunners and precursors to its early emergence and development. 

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This week in history we’ve got an unlucky French astronomer, an absurd religious festival, and a riotous baseball game where beer was ten cents a cup - and we’ve got the history of a treaty that divided the world up between two European imperial powers.

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In this week's episode, learn all about the Hindenburg Disaster, when a German rigid airship went up in flames in Lakehurst, USA - and the very significant long-term impact of this catastrophe.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

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This week in history we’ve got French heroes burning and Byzantine cities falling, we’ve got the birthdays of singers and spies and activists - that’s all actually just one person - and we’ve got the tale of the man who decided to reach the top of Mount Everest… by flying there in a plane.

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In this week's episode, meet J.R.R. Tolkien, the immensely influential fantasy author whose works, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, revolutionised the fantasy genre and made it what it is today.

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This week in history we’ve got assassinations and defenestrations and the release of a hugely popular global franchise, we’ve got the birthdays of palaeontologists and queens and jazz musicians, and we’ve got one of the most ridiculous promotional disasters you’ll ever come across.

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In this week's episode, get to know the famed Chinese admiral Zheng He, who led seven voyages at the head of a huge treasure fleet for the glory of Ming China.

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This week in history we’ve got the test of the first-ever vaccine, and the first woman to fly across the Atlantic, we’ve got the birthdays of artists and political leaders and walking disasters, and we’ve got the end of the Crusader States in the Holy Land.

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In this week's episode, meet Pocahontas, the famous Indigenous American woman, and uncover the truth of her story - or as much of it as we know, at any rate.

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This week in history we’ve got the theft of the crown jewels and of a Confederate steamboat, we’ve got the birthdays of nurses and composers and artists, and we’ve got the story of the only British prime minister ever to have been assassinated.

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In this week's episode, get to know John Harrison, and understand how his pioneering marine chronometers finally solved the famous longitude problem and ushered in a new age of navigation at sea.

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This week in history we’ve got the union of crowns, the beginning of a revolution, and an aeronautical disaster, we’ve got the birthdays of political philosophers, and we’ve got the tale of one of the weirdest hoaxes you’ll ever hear.

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In this week's episode, hear the gruesome tale of the Donner Party, when a group of westward migrants became trapped in snow on the Sierra Nevada, forced to horrifying and desperate lengths in order to survive.

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This week in history we’ve got famous mutinies, huge canals, and wartime invasions, we’ve got the birthdays of writers of philosophy and plays and novels, and we’ve got something of a watershed moment in the history of Ireland.

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In this week's episode, explore the lasting consequences of the 1973 Oil Crisis, and compare it with the current energy crisis the world is experiencing today.

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This week in history we’ve got several important or at least interesting chapters in Australian history, we’ve got the birthdays of actors and queens and… someone else… and we’ve got the downfall of the famous Red Baron, the German flying ace.

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In this week's episode, learn all about the Avignon Papacy, to understand why and how the US recently invoked it as a threat against the Vatican.

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This week in history we’ve got maritime disasters caused by iceberg and by toilet, we’ve got the death of a president and the birth of a mother of kings, and we’ve got the invention of a bland breakfast cereal alongside a certain rumour that goes with it.

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In this week's episode, explore the historical and contemporary legacies of the British East India Company, examined through nationalist, political, economic, and moral lenses.

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This week in history we’ve got volcanic eruptions and famous statues, we’ve got the birthdays of royals, representatives, and root rats, and we’ve got a bloke catching seagulls and killing sharks in a months-long ordeal of lonely maritime survival.

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In this week's episode, discover how and why the British East India Company, an immensely powerful and wealthy imperial institution, came crashing down after a slow and steady decline.

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This week in history we’ve got the origin of gerrymandering, the renaming of Constantinople, we’ve got the birthdays of composers and scientists and painters, and we’ve got the time the BBC convinced half of Britain that spaghetti grew on trees.

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In this week's episode, hear about the phase of conquest and expansion that transformed the British East India Company into one of the largest and most powerful imperial institutions on Earth.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

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This week in history we’ve got monuments both finished and unfinished, we’ve got great escapes, we’ve got the birthdays of clockmakers, filmmakers, and musicmakers, and we’ve got the time that England lost the World Cup in 1966.

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In this week's episode, get across how the British East India Company transformed from a purely commercial enterprise to a sovereign entity exercising colonial authority over a growing part of the Indian subcontinent.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

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This week in history we’ve got the death of a saint, the discovery of a planet, and the theft of half a billion dollars of art, we’ve got the birthdays of scientists and explorers, and beware the Ides of March, we’ve got the assassination of Julius Caesar.

Selene's Fun Animal Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6LMIgPToyL63jhxRKddc0a?si=3a181b5c586449b3

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In this week's episode, hear about the early history of the English East India Company, and how it moved away from the Indonesian spice trade and instead gained a foothold on the Indian subcontinent under the Mughal Empire.

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This week in history we’ve got the foundation of the French Foreign Legion and frozen food, we’ve got the birthdays of explorers and artists and activists, and we’ve got the establishment of the original and sometimes very amusing rules of the game of golf.

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In this week's episode, learn about the global 16th century trading conditions that ultimately led to the formation of the East India Company, an institution that would eventually grow to effectively rule as a nation in its own right.

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This week in history we’ve got the first Europeans in Australia, we’ve got the first Sherlock Holmes stories, we’ve got famous composers and an even famouser crook, and we’ve got the time the city that would go on to become Tokyo burnt to the ground.

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In this week's episode, get a taste of what this show might have sounded like if it had begun as a podcast of a different genre.

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This week in history we’ve got monuments, calendars, and the disastrous premiere of a popular opera, we’ve got the birthdays of astronomers and diarists and presidents, and we’ve got that time that Mexico got through three presidents in a single hour.

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In this week's episode, get to know Nicolaus Copernicus, the 15th-century astronomer who brought about a historical paradigm shift with his radical proposal that the Sun, not the Earth, is at the centre of the solar system.

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This week in history we’ve got famous martyrdoms, global car races, and the discovery of former planets, we’ve got the birthdays of scientists and leaders and activists, and we’ve also got the story of an infamous Chicago bloodbath.

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In this week's episode, discover how, why, and perhaps most importantly where modern Singapore was founded, back in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles.

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This week in history we’ve got riots and treaties, we’ve got the discovery of the world’s biggest gold nugget, we’ve got the birthday of a famous Victorian author, and of course, the end of the Islamic Golden Age with the Sack of Baghdad.

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In this week's episode, meet Catherine the Great, the empress who successfully ruled Russia for almost 35 years despite usurping a throne she had no claim to.

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This week in history we’ve got the execution of a famous traitor, a tale of revenge served cold, we’ve got the birthdays of conquerors and explorers and activists, and we’ve got the story behind the Day the Music Died.

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In this week's episode, become acquainted with Macquarie Harbour Penal Station, known as Sarah Island, which was one of the cruellest and most brutal convict settlements in Australia's history.

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This week in history: the publishing of Pride and Prejudice, the first-ever cans of beer, the birthdays of pirates, kings, and composers, and... that time some ships sailed from Botany Bay to Port Jackson.

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In this week's episode, head the gruesome and tragic tale of the Raft of the Medusa, when almost 150 people were set adrift and abandoned on a rickety raft, resorting to murder and cannibalism to survive.

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This week in history: inaugurations, executions, and people drowning in hot molasses, the birthdays of famous founding fathers, and the Miracle on the Hudson, when a passenger plane was safely landed in the middle of a river.

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In this week's episode, meet Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the famous and immensely influential engineer, whose work encompassed bridges, tunnels, railways, ships, and much more besides.

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This week in history: rioting sports fans in sixth-century Constantinople, the first-ever meeting of the UN General Assembly, the birthdays of famous musicians, and a pivotal moment in world history as Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon.

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In this week's episode, get across the story of Operation Just Cause, when the US staged an invasion of Panama in 1989, capturing and airlifting its leader back to the US to face drug-related charges.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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This week in history: the establishment of calendars and international timekeeping systems, the federation of Australia, the birthdays of several prominent authors, and the introduction of the euro as a currency.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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Quarter-Arsed History presents: the story of William McGonagall, widely considered to be the worst English-language poet that history has ever seen.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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In this episode, hear the tale of Jean de Carrouges, who fought a duel to the death to seek justice for his wife Marguerite.

WARNING: this episode contains content that may be distressing and is not appropriate for younger listeners.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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The smartphone is an invention that is currently bringing about a technological transformation of human civilisation - and an invitation to think about how other inventions from history have similarly impacted peoples' lives. 

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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Changes are coming to Half-Arsed History in 2026! Some positive, some negative - here is the TL;DL:

• There will now only be two episodes released each week: the usual full-length episode and a new series called This Week in History, replacing QAH

• I'm pulling back a little bit to try to bring my unsustainable workload back under control, reduce burnout, and find better balance

• Half-Arsed History's second book is coming later in 2026, the manuscript is currently being written and edited

• A brand-new Half-Arsed History card game is in the works, and you can be involved with playtesting and illustration

• The show's merch will undergo a full and proper refresh later in the year - artists are encouraged to submit portfolios

• A big goal for the show in 2026 is growth, so please tell your friends, enemies, and people about whom you feel largely ambivalent about Half-Arsed History

List of historical figures likely to appear in the card game: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KEsNw2oTfuXZOn-dU3-dtVhHJAvY0dt0DNbzhIVBbMY

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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Quarter-Arsed History presents: the very amusing history of Sealand, an unrecognised micronation located on an abandoned military fort off the coast of Britain.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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In this week's episode, meet five more historical figures with strange epithets: Æthelred the Unready, Constantine V Koprónymos, Louis Do-Nothing, Malcolm the Maiden, and Piero the Unfortunate.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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The internet is not something you just dump something on. It's not a big truck. It's a series of tubes. 

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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Quarter-Arsed History presents: the story of the Stone of Scone, a block of sandstone upon which Scottish, English, and then British kings and queens have been coronated for well over a thousand years.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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In this week's episode, hear the incredible tale of Air Canada Flight 143, when a Boeing 767 ran out of fuel mid-flight and so had to be flown and landed as a glider on a not-quite-abandoned airfield in the Canadian town of Gimli.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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The Global Positioning System began as top-secret military technology, before a series of interesting (and some tragic) events opened up a world of convenience and logistical optimisation to the world at large.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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Quarter-Arsed History presents: a brief history of Morse code, an encoding and transmission system that helped to transform long-distance communication in the mid 19th-century.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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In this week's episode, hear about the series of ridiculous setbacks and disasters that took place as part of the laying of the first transatlantic telegraph cable, a revolutionary step forward in global communications.

The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9

International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596

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