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History Book Club

Oliver Webb-Carter
World War II
Wars Of the Roses
Cold War
Operation Market Garden
Henry VI
Ukraine
Peloponnesian War
Vietnam War
Espionage
A Bridge Too Far
Battle Of Arnhem
Ottoman Empire
SAS
Second World War
German Army
D-Day
Battle Of the Bulge
Greek Revolution
Iran
Nazi Germany

Welcome to the History Book Club - the club for all lovers of history, presented by Oliver Webb-Carter, formerly of Aspects of History. Oliver interviews authors of the best historical writing, to draw out the stories that you'll be interested in. Every month will also feature the History Film Club, as historian Roger Moorhouse and director Tim Hewitt join to discuss a historical movie. Get in tou... more

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Latest Episodes

On the morning of 30 January 1933 Adolf Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany. There are many dates that can be used to identify the end of the Weimar Republic, but this is probably the most appropriate. The constitution that had held since 19... more

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Today the bestselling author Damien Lewis joins to discuss Special Forces ops in the Second World War, including the SAS, the SBS and the little known Greek version, the Sacred Squadron.

Added to that we chat the latest news on Paddy Mayne, one of t... more

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On 22 November 1963 at 1230 in the afternoon, shots fired out a President Kennedy’s motorcade in downtown Dallas, Texas. Now, we all know it was definitely Lee Harvey Oswald from the Book Depository with a rifle and a magic bullet but, what about the... more

YouTube

Have you been hearing about the shortcomings of the British military? Were you following the painful and depressing journey of seemingly the only warship in the Royal Navy, HMS Dragon? Well today I have a conversation with a naval historian and milit... more

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Recent Guests

Martin Fitzgerald
Long-time JFK assassination expert and author
Author of The Umbrella Man and Other Stories
Episode: 17. The JFK Assassination with Martin Fitzgerald
Andrew Lambert
Naval historian and military strategist, author of No More Napoleons
Author, Historian
Episode: 16. Britannia Ruled the Waves with Andrew Lambert
Tim Hewitt
Director joining as guest for the film club discussion
Director (History Film Club host)
Episode: 14. Film Club: Titanic (1997)
David Holloway
Author of Nuclear Weapons and International History
Historian, Stanford University
Episode: 13. Nuclear Weapons with David Holloway
Michael Scott
Professor of Ancient History and author
Warwick, Yale University Press (author of Themistocles, The Rise and Fall of Athens' naval mastermind)
Episode: 12. Themistocles with Michael Scott
Antony Beevor
Historian and author of Rasputin, So We Talked the Mad Monk
Author of Rasputin, So We Talked the Mad Monk
Episode: 11. Rasputin & Russia with Antony Beevor
Roger Moorhouse
Historian and author, frequent podcast guest
Historian/Author
Episode: Bonus. Have Podcasts Replaced Books? With Antonia Senior & Roger Moorhouse
Antonia Senior
Author and journalist
Author/Journalist
Episode: Bonus. Have Podcasts Replaced Books? With Antonia Senior & Roger Moorhouse
Toby Harnden
Author and journalist, known for his work on the history of the Troubles in Northern Ireland
None
Episode: 9. The Troubles in South Armagh with Toby Harnden

Host

Oliver Webb-Carter
Host of History Book Club; leads interviews with historians and authors, and coordinates History Film Club segments.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 237 ratings
  • A historic gem

    Found this last week. Catching up with past episodes. Some absolutely great guests - some of the finest historians & authors. Really nice style in interviews - more of a chat like the one with Bernard Cornwell but gets some nice anecdotes. Covers all aspects of history. A real find.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Indiana Bond
    United Kingdom6 months ago
  • War of the roses.

    Love this podcast. So interesting and well thought through. War of the roses series particularly well explained.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    teds mun
    United Kingdom9 months ago
  • Great history pod

    Has fab guests who know their stuff, and film reviews are fun. Love the book recommends too. Really good.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Morolio
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • 5 Stars 🌟

    Always interesting

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dan . 🦘
    Australiaa year ago
  • No Respect

    The NAM Rogers professor has no respect for the US Navy. He got the facts wrong about how the dive bombers got away with their attack at Midway land when, and said the battle was a mess despite the US clobbering all 4 of the Japanese carriers. It is very amusing to Pommies that the US armed forces are good at good at anything and would be hopeless without the help of the mother country. Love the show.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jumpy Johnny
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Buoyant host and knowledgeable guests make history engaging and informative.
High-quality discussions with insightful book recommendations and film analyses.
Listeners praise accessible, interview-style exploration of history and strong guest lineups.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#244
Finland/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

16. Britannia Ruled the Waves with Andrew Lambert
Q: Is Trident essential for Britain's security today, or could defense reform enable similar deterrence with different tools?
Trident offers a credible, minimal-need deterrent that supports a larger strategy of global reach without excessive conventional forces, though reforming procurement and ensuring naval and industrial resilience remain crucial to adapting to modern threats.
16. Britannia Ruled the Waves with Andrew Lambert
Q: What role did leaders like Wellington and Palmerston play in shaping Britain's long-term strategic posture?
They provided continuity and a long-term, state-centered perspective, prioritizing the protection of economic interests and the maintenance of a stable European order through strategic diplomacy, naval strength, and industrial capacity, rather than short-term political gains.
16. Britannia Ruled the Waves with Andrew Lambert
Q: Andrew, how did Britain shift from a land-dominated strategic mentality to a naval-centric empire after the Napoleonic Wars?
Britain built a coherent maritime strategy around a Navy-first approach, leveraging long-service professional sailors, superior naval leadership, and a network of strategic bases and shipping routes to deter continental threats and maintain global influence, while managing debt and political continuity to fund this system.
13. Nuclear Weapons with David Holloway
Q: Why did the U.S. and Soviet Union keep building after achieving early parity and what pushed them toward de-escalation?
Discussions suggest that surveillance, testing, and the perceived need to deter remained central, but the dangers and economic costs, plus the realization of catastrophic consequences of any war, gradually fostered a shift toward arms control and more cautious postures; the Cuban Missile Crisis served as a watershed example underscoring the perils of miscalculation.
13. Nuclear Weapons with David Holloway
Q: And what about the number of nukes? There are over 10,000 in the world today, but should there be?
The episode explains that numbers grew due to a combination of strategic calculations, the expansion of targets with reconnaissance capabilities, and the desire to deter potential adversaries; while some senior figures questioned extreme quantities, the logic of parity and redundancy during the Cold War led to vast arsenals, a trend that began to reverse only after the late 1980s and through subsequent arms-control efforts.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About History Book Club

What is History Book Club about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A history-focused interview program featuring in-depth conversations with historians, authors, and filmmakers who explore historical events, biographies, and interpretations through books and film. Episodes frequently center on historical accuracy, narrative choices in cinema, and the process of translating scholarship for a broader audience, often including book recommendations and production anecdotes. A recurring strength is the mix of rigorous analysis with accessible storytelling and lively host–guest exchanges, sometimes complemented by meta-discussions about publishing, podcasts, and audience engagement. Noteworthy is the show's ability to connect scholarly insights with popular culture, making history approachable for curious listen... more

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Which podcasts are similar to History Book Club?

These podcasts share a similar audience with History Book Club:

1. Dan Snow's History Hit
2. WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
3. The Rest Is History
4. The Rest Is Classified
5. Empire: World History

How many episodes of History Book Club are there?

History Book Club launched 5 years ago and published 316 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on History Book Club?

Recent guests on History Book Club include:

1. Martin Fitzgerald
2. Andrew Lambert
3. Tim Hewitt
4. David Holloway
5. Michael Scott
6. Antony Beevor
7. Roger Moorhouse
8. Antonia Senior

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