Roundup

Trafalgar

On 21 October 1805, England engaged in a massive sea battle against Napoleon's navy. It was the definitive naval battle of the Napoleonic Wars and it established Britannia's position as ruler of the seas for the following century and a half. It is a genuine turning point in our island's history for if Britain had lost, it would have been impossible to prevent Napoleon's full-scale invasion of the British Isles. But what really happened at Trafalgar? The anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar is

New Bio Offers Sinister View of Chairman Mao

A new book paints Mao as a monster on par with Hitler and Stalin and challenges almost every part of the conventional biography. Mao Tse-Tung (also written Zedong) led the Communist Party of China from 1943 until his death in 1976. Mao: The Unknown Story was written by Jung Chang, who described the suffering of her family during the cultural revolution in the bestseller Wild Swans and her husband, the historian Jon Halliday. They spent 10 years documenting the life of Chairman Mao,

'Active Liberty' from Justice Stephen Breyer

Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer has written about his interpretation of the constitution in the new book Active Liberty: Interpreting Our Democratic Constitution.

Bettany Hughes on Helen of Troy

Sandi Toksvig and guest co-host Bonnie Langford welcome historian and TV presenter Bettany Hughes, author of Helen of Troy: Goddess, Princess, Whore (Jonathan Cape). This podcast begins with Sandi and Bonnie’s interview of former MP Gyles Brandreth, author of Charles and Camilla: Portrait of a Love Affair. (Century).

RCMP Rwanda Arrest

Five years ago, the Canadian government passed the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act, which brought Canada into line with the statues of the International Criminal Court. Today, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police made their first arrest under the law. Desire Munyaneza of Toronto has been charged with seven crimes against humanity for his alleged actions during the Rwandan genocide of 1994 Interviewee: Inspector Graham Burnside, the officer in charge of the War Crimes Section of the RCMP.

Was Archimedes' Mirror Real?

Legend has it that the mathematician Archimedes invented a giant mirror that used the sun to set Roman warships afire during battle in 212 B.C. But many have wondered whether the story is a myth. Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor David Wallace decided to test it out with a team of students.

'The March': A Civil War Novel

Alan Cheuse reviews E. L. Doctorow's latest novel, The March. It chronicles Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman's devastating march through Georgia and the Carolinas during the Civil War.

E.L. Doctorow on Sherman and 'The March'

For years, E.L. Doctorow thought that Union Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman's destructive march through Georgia and the Carolinas near the end of the Civil War would make for a gripping work of fiction."That particular occasion, so devastating, so uprooting of an entire civilization, seemed to me a possible basis for a novel," Doctorow says. He was inspired to write The March after reading Sherman's memoirs. Sherman was"a wonderful writer," the author says."He and Grant were both wonderful

George Clooney: The Journey to 'Good Night'

Actor, producer, writer, director George Clooney directed and co-wrote the new film Good Night, and Good Luck, about the showdown between legendary journalist Edward R. Murrow and Sen. Joseph McCarthy that took place in 1954. Clooney also has a role in the film, portraying Murrow's producer Fred Friendly. The film is receiving much critical acclaim. The film Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, about game-show host Chuck Barris, marked Clooney's directorial debut. His acting and produc

Shakespeare's England

Professor and author James Shapiro talks about A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare: 1599. The book provides a look into the daily life of the playwright during a time of personal upheaval and prodigious creativity. During this period, Shakespeare produced Henry V, Julius Caesar, As You Like It and Hamlet. Editor's Note: When I read the original British edition last summer, I thought this book was pretty good both for its micro-biography of Shakespeare and for its micro

Voices in the News: Avian Flu and Iraqi Elections

A sound montage of some of the voices in this past week's news, including: Navy Captain James Stahlman, Chief of CENTCOM Operations and Planning Coordination; Syed Fazel Hadi, Executive Director, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences; U.S. Health Secretary Mike Leavitt; Dick Thompson, spokesman, World Health Organization; White House Press Secretary, Scott McClellan; President Bush; Wesley Clark, retired Army General; Sounds of Iraqi voters chanting; an Iraqi voter speaking though a translator.

Admiral Stansfield Turner

Stansfield Turner, Director of Central Intelligence from 1977 to 1981, talks about the rocky history of the nation's spy chiefs and how to improve U.S. intelligence efforts. He was an admiral in the Navy and is on the faculty at the University of Maryland.

New Exhibit Examines Slavery in New York City

James Horton is chief historian of the "Slavery in New York" exhibition at the New York Historical Society. Horton talks about the recently-opened exhibit, which details the first arrival of Africans in the city -- which, for two centuries, was the capital of American slavery.

Betsy and Napoleon: After Waterloo

After his defeat at Waterloo, Napoleon was exiled to the island of St Helena. There he struck up an unlikely and intense friendship with Betsy Balcombe -- the daughter of a British family -- who hosted him until his permanent residence was ready. Julia Blackburn, author of Betsy and Napoleon, this week's drama on Woman's Hour, talks to Jenni Murray about the former emperor and his outspoken and playful companion.

William the Conqueror Takes a Bride

Matilda of Flanders is today's topic of Professor Bob Packett, who teaches at Maple Woods Community College, in Kansas City, Missouri.

Georgian Giants (1st of 5) -- Captain Robert Barclay

Barclay set out in 1809 to walk 1000 miles in 1000 hours for 1000 guineas. It was an event that gripped Great Britain. The series"Georgian Giants" remembers famous British sportsmen from the 18th century.

Colin White on Nelson, the Latest (1st of 2) -- The Nelson Touch

In two programmes recorded in Spain, London, Portsmouth and Norfolk, Colin White -- one of the greatest Nelson historians alive -- presents the latest news on Nelson. How much do we know, what has changed over the succeeding generations since his death, what has happened to the iconography, his saintliness, the uses to which his heroism has been put -- in short, what is the latest on Nelson. In Part 1 we scrutinise a piece of paper. Before Trafalgar, Nelson devised a brilliant battle-plan, which

Michael Wood, sleeper trains and more

After host Sandi Toksvig talks to journalist Matthew Parris about the renovation of his medieval house in Catalonia, historian Michael Wood and novelist Susan Elderkin -- both graduates of the long distance school of rail travel -- join the conversation to look at the pros and cons of the wagon lit. Historian, broadcaster and presenter Michael Wood's most recent book is In Search of Myths and Heroes (BBC Books); his acclaimed television series have included Art of the Western World, L

Mrs Beeton: The original domestic goddess

The life of Mrs Beeton -- a household name for generations -- was masked by the delicacies of the Victorians and the commercial desires of her publishers. Martha Kearney talks to Kathryn Hughes, whose new biography shines a light into the chasm that lay between Mrs Beeton's public and private life. Hughes's book is The Short Life and Long Times of Mrs Beeton (Fourth Estate Ltd).

Sylvia Pankhurst: A look at the activist's life in Africa

Sylvia Pankhurst is perhaps the lesser known member of the famous suffragette family. Emily's daughter and Christabel's sister, she was a remarkable woman in her own right, a true activist who devoted herself to working class women in the East End by setting up cost price restaurants to feed poor women and children. And it was her campaigning for the vote for working class women that caused rifts within her family. Emily and Christabel didn't support universal suffrage, and because of their poli