Willy Willy Harry Stee...

In this BRAND NEW episode from Charlie Higson , he mixes History and Cartography to bring you the authors of a book that shows that a map might not be the honest, accurate and useful tool you once thought. Born on Youtube, T he Map Men has been an internet sensation and their new book 'This Way Up' is a funny and fascinating journey into the maps that messed up: big time! In this chat with Mark Cooper-Jones and Jay Foreman (aka, the Map Men ) Charlie finds out how they got into the world of mad maps in the first place and digs into the book that takes a deep dive into the world’s most baffling and absurd map blunders, some innocent, but others not so! Remember that Charlie's book of the podcast, Willie Willie Harry Stee is available NOW in all book shops. Christmas. Sorted!! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Willy Willy Harry Stee, Harry, Dick, John, Harry Three......... Charlie Higson continues his canter through the Monarchy and along with Henry, comes Simon De Montfort. Was Henry weak and inept while Simon held the real power? We'll find out as Charlie welcomes this week's proper historian, Sophie Therese Ambler author of a biography of Simon de Montfort called - The Song of Simon de Montfort: England's First Revolutionary and the Death of Chivalry. If you'd like to read all about it, remember that this episode is a book companion to Willie Willie Harry Stee the book of the podcast. Beautifully written by Charlie and illustrated by Jim Moir, its available now, so go and snap one up! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Willy Willy Harry Stee, Harry Dick John ......... Charlie Higson's romp through the middle ages lands on King John , who hasn't been fondly remembered. BUT...was he really that bad a King? Well, yes. He really was. In fact he was worse than we thought. Find out just how rubbish a monarch he was as Charlie digs into his hopeless life, together with this episode's proper historian, Professor Nick Vincent. And, while you're listening, why not order the book of the podcast! WIllie Willie Harry Stee with illustrations by Jim Moir, available at all book outlets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Willy Willy Harry Stee, Harry Dick....... In this episode, Charlie Higson explores Richard I, or to give him his popular name Richard The Lionheart . Noble, considerate and fair.....according to Walt Disney, however Charlie digs a little deeper and finds a King of England who, well, wasn't in England very much. With guest proper historian, the excellent Dan Jones, author of The Plantagenets & Essex Dogs to help him, Charlie uncovers the REAL Richard I. And remember, Willie Willie Harry Stee, the book of the podcast, is out now, so you can read about Richard as well as listen! https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/willie-willie-harry-stee-an-epically-short-history-of-our-kings-and-queens-charlie-higson?variant=55169046708603 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Willy Willy Harry Stee, Harry......yes, Charlie Higson reaches Monarch number 5 in the shape of Henry II , a man who fought and married his way to the top only for his wife and sons to rebel against him and start a revolt. What would you do? Well in this episode you'll find out exactly what Henry II did and how he did it. Helen Castor , author of 'She-Wolves: The Women Who Ruled England Before Elizabeth' is Charlie's guest 'proper' historian. Of course, you can also now read about Henry by buying the book of the podcast, Willie Willie Harry Stee. Available now in all bookshops, even the shabby ones. Buy it online here..... https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/willie-willie-harry-stee-an-epically-short-history-of-our-kings-and-queens-charlie-higson Its the ideal Christmas gift. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The saga continues as Charlie Higson brings you the story of Stephen & Matilda. When Henry I died, the crown should have fallen to his daughter, the Empress Matilda . BUT Stephen of Blois got there first to claim the crown and together with his wife, a different Matilda, Matilda of Boulogne .....it all went horribly wrong as you'll hear. Charlie's proper historian guest is Cath Hanley author of Matilda: Empress, Queen, Warrior. And remember, Willie Willie Harry Stee, the book of the podcast, is out now, so you can read about Henry as well as listen! https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/willie-willie-harry-stee-an-epically-short-history-of-our-kings-and-queens-charlie-higson?variant=55169046708603 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Imagine you have two brothers. One of them is King of England, the other two want to be. What would YOU do? Well how about this. You have the brother who is King killed in a convenient hunting accident, then lock the other one up for the rest of his life. Farfetched? Then listen on as Charlie Higson continues his personal history of the extraordinary story of the Monarchs of England, assisted by this week's proper historian, Lord Charles Spencer. And remember, Willie Willie Harry Stee, the book of the podcast, is out now, so you can read about Henry as well as listen! https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/willie-willie-harry-stee-an-epically-short-history-of-our-kings-and-queens-charlie-higson?variant=55169046708603 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this, the final episode of the Summer / Autumn History Book Club , Charlie Higson welcome a talented young historian who is really making waves in the social media world. Katie Kennedy, also known on Tik Tok as 'The History Gossip' is dedicated to popularising history and making it accessible and relatable – and she’s done all this while being a student and studying history at university. Earlier this year, she wrote her first book, called Was Anne of Cleves a Minger ? It presents a fun and interesting historical fact to cover every day of the year and Katie and Charlie talk about her work, her passion for history and her insanely busy life! While Charlie is off around the country with the Fast Show tour, he'll be giving you another chance to listen to the original series of Willy Willy Harry Stee, which is a fine companion to the book of the podcast, Willie WiIlie Harry Stee , a book complete with illustrations from Jim Moir. https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/willie-willie-harry-stee-an-epically-short-history-of-our-kings-and-queens-charlie-higson?variant=55169046708603 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this second chance to hear episode, Charlie Higson continues his voyage through the rhyme of 'Willy Willy Harry Stee', stopping at the second Willy, King William the 2nd otherwise known as William Rufus. This week's proper expert is James Hawes , author of the smash hit ' The Shortest History of England ’, who’s been in the bestseller charts as both a crime novelist and a popular historian. In this episode, find out how the Norman invasion directly led to Brexit! It really is a real life version of Succession! These episodes are best enjoyed while reading the new Book of the Podcast Willie Willie Harry Stee. You can buy the book here: https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/willie-willie-harry-stee-an-epically-short-history-of-our-kings-and-queens-charlie-higson?variant=55169046708603 So do! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the special episode of Willy Willy Harry Stee , Charlie Higson digs deep into the way history is being used, or mis-used. His guest is Dr Rachel Moss, a medieval historian at the University of Northampton, who has been awarded a prestigious joint research grant from the British Academy and the Leverhulme Trust to investigate how far-right groups in Britain have historically misused medieval imagery and narratives to promote extremist ideologies. Rachel explains just how long this has been happening and explores some of the root causes of the appeal of this hijacking of history. REMEMBER: Charlie's new book of the podcast, Willie Willie Harry Stee, with illustrations by Jim Moir is in bookshops NOW! Click below to buy. https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/willie-willie-harry-stee-an-epically-short-history-of-our-kings-and-queens-charlie-higson?variant=55169046708603 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the publication of the book of the podcast, Willie Willie Harry Stee , (available now in ALL bookshops, both those made of bricks and those made of data), Charlie Higson thought it would be a good idea to give you another chance to hear the podcast version of the monarchs, in order, starting with William the Conqueror , otherwise known as William the Bastard. The question is WHY was he known as this? The answer is.....well, Charlie will explain along with proper historian, Judith Green . You can buy the book here. https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/willie-willie-harry-stee-an-epically-short-history-of-our-kings-and-queens-charlie-higson?variant=55169046708603 So do! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to this very special episode, timed to coincide with the official launch of Charlie Higson's book of the podcast, Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee: An Epically Short History of Our Kings and Queens. Charlie is joined by the book's illustrator, formerly known as Britain's Top Light Entertainer under his stage name Vic Reeves, the acclaimed artist Jim Moir. The book is OUT NOW so order it here..... https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/willie-willie-harry-stee-an-epically-short-history-of-our-kings-and-queens-charlie-higson?variant=55169046708603 ..... or go and buy one, its available in all great booksellers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

And so it came to pass that Charlie Higson's epic podcast Willie Willie Harry Stee made its long awaited transformation from Podcast to Book! Yes, on October 9th , Charlie's personal history of the monarchy becomes a literary work, with deliciously witty illustrations by Jim Moir. It's a rip-roaring romp through history that takes in the Normans, Plantagenets, Tudors, Stuarts, Hanoverians and Windsors, not to mention the infamous Blois (how can we forget them?). But hang on......how can Charlie interview himself about his own book?? Well, he can't, which is why the excellent Al Murray returns to probe the author. You can pre-order or buy the book here: https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/willie-willie-harry-stee-an-epically-short-history-of-our-kings-and-queens-charlie-higson?variant=55169046708603 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of his Willy Willy Harry Stee Book Club, Charlie Higson looks at a new book which uses eye-witness accounts to paint a stark picture of the start of World War 1. As war broke out in the summer of 1914, not a nation on Earth understood the magnitude of what they were about to face. To win it, whole populations must be mobilised, and neutrality was impossible to practice. Our understanding of this complex conflict has been coloured by a blinkered approach to popular history. It has ignored the fact that Denmark actively participated in laying minefields as soon as war began; that the first British shots were fired in West Africa, by a black man; and the first Australian casualties occurred not at Gallipoli, but in the Pacific. Charlie's guests are books authors Alex Churchill & Nicolai Eberholst, who have scoured the globe in search of an enormous quantity of fresh material, bringing us history not as told by 'great men', but as a people's view of the war which tells a touching and surprising tale of events that many us may have thought we already knew. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this edition of the Summer History Reading Book Club, Charlie Higson is on a witch hunt. As a woman, if you lived in Scotland in the 1500s, there was a very good chance that you, or someone you knew, would be tried as a witch. Witch hunts ripped through the country for over 150 years, with at least 4,000 accused, and many women's fates sealed by a grizzly execution of strangulation, followed by burning. In their book How to Kill A Witch: A Guide For The Patriarchy writers and podcasters Claire Mitchell, KC, and Zoe Venditozzi, have delved deeply into just why the trials exploded in Scotland to such a degree and with wit, and a sense of outrage, they attempt to inhabit the minds of the, often male, persecutors, revealing the inner workings of exactly why the Patriarchy went to such extraordinary lengths to silence women. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Summer Reading Book Club, Charlie Higson is looking at a book which explores art history in a unique way. It's called the History of Art in One Sentence: 500 years of art - but funny , written by Verity Babbs. Verity has carved out her own cultural space as an art historian, comedian and presenter. To quote from her website, Verity's work focuses on making the art world more accessible and bringing laughter into cultural spaces. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode of Willy Willy Harry Stee , Charlie Higson takes a moment to look at the history of the English flag, the Union Jack and the Cross of St George. Where did they come from? What do they mean? What do they represent? With the current outbreak of flag raising around the country and furious arguments about what these flags represent, Charlie un-furls the truth to help us understand the real origins of the flags of the United Kingdom. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this edition of Charlie Higson's Summer Reading History Book Club, he looks at the history between England and India. Before the East India Company and before the British Empire, England was an unimportant backwater. Seeking better fortunes, 16th and 17th century merchants ventured to the empire of the mighty Mughals, attempting to sell coarse woollen broadcloth that nobody really wanted. It was a land ruled from the palatial towers by women – the formidable Empress Nur Jahan Begim, the enterprising Queen Mother Maryam al-Zamani, and the intrepid Princess Jahanara Begim. Their collision of worlds helped connect East and West, launching a tempestuous period of globalisation spanning from the Chinese opium trade to the slave trade in the Americas. Joining Charlie to explain this fascinating story is Dr Lubaaba Al-Azami, whose book ' Travellers in the Golden Realm' traces the origins of a relationship between two nations – one outsider and one superpower – whose cultures remain inextricably linked to this day. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joining Charlie Higson on this edition of the Summer Reading History Book Club is comedian, musician and writer, Al Murray. As well as being the man behind the Pub Landlord , Al is also able, in his own words, to 'bang on' about his love of World War II history for a long time. Which suits us just fine. Al is the author of Watching War Films With My Dad, Command: How the Allies Learned to Win the Second World War, Arnhem, Black Tuesday and Victory '45 - The End Of The War in Eight Surrenders , co-written with his We Have Ways podcast co-host, James Holland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of his Summer Reading History Book Club, Charlie Higson discusses his favourite book about possibly the most famous person who has ever lived. Queen Elizabeth II. Virginia Woolf compared her to a caterpillar; Anne Frank kept pictures of her on the wall of her annex and Donald Trump offended her; E.M. Forster confessed he would have married her, if only she had been a boy. The book that uncovers these fascinating insights is A Voyage Around the Queen by the very clever and very funny Craig Brown and in this episode, Charlie and Craig talk about this and his other works. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this edition of his Summer History Book Reading Club, Charlie Higson invites Amy Licence back to the podcast to talk about her new book, The Sixteenth Century in 100 Women. As part of her self-confessed mission to shine a light on forgotten but important women in history, Amy has scoured the records from Europe and beyond to tell the stories of mistresses and martyrs, witches and muses, pirates and jesters, doctors and astronomers, escapees and murderesses, colonists and saints. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the summer sun beats down......probably..... Charlie Higson brings you another great historical book to get your sunglasses into. The Light Ages by Seb Falk, A Medieval Journey Of Discovery. It's easy to form an impression of how backward and ignorant everybody was in the Middle Ages, BUT in his book, Seb explores the time through the life of an extraordinary monk, John of Westwick and he uncovers an age when people were eager to learn about the workings of the world and indeed of the stars in the universe, demonstrating just how much more people knew, than we give them credit for. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Charlie Higson's Summer Reading History Book Club, we're edging away from the Fourteenth Century and the Wars of The Roses. Well, when I say edging, I mean hurtling, as we reach the 20th, and indeed the 21st Century, to a group of young men whose impact on culture and society, fashion and of course music is pretty hard to overstate. In Stuart Maconie’s new book, With A Little Help from Their Friends: The Beatles Changed the World, but Who Changed Theirs? , Stuart discusses some of the people around this infamous band who irrevocably altered the world for all of us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How's the summer reading going? Well, today's episode of The Willy Willy Harry Stee Summer Reading History Book Club features a book that will grip you from start to finish, one definitely worth adding to your suitcase. The book is Sceptred Isle and the author chatting to Charlie Higson is Helen Carr who's been a guest on the show a few times. Helen's big interest is the Middle Ages and her book is A New History of the Fourteenth Century, an extraordinary time with some extraordinary characters right across the board. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Summer History Reading Book Club, Charlie Higson is talking to Tom Phillips , author of a series of very funny books known as the ‘Brief History’ series. These books include Humans - A Brief History of How We Fucked It All Up which was published in 2018. He followed this up with Truth - A Brief History of Total Bullshit, in 2019 – and then Conspiracy - A History of Bullshit Theories and How Not To Fall For Them , published in 2022 and as his most recent book is A Brief History of the End Of The Fucking World published this year, it's pretty clear what the main topic is in each book! Tom is a journalist with a passion and dedication for fact-checking, which makes these books even more interesting as they separate fact from fiction. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.