The Backstory with Patty Steele
The Backstory with Patty Steele
Love a good, juicy story that goes beyond what we already know? We're talking scandalous presidential family members, a mass murder at a world-famous architect's home, stolen inventions, nude athletes at the first Olympics, compulsive liars, the arrival of the bikini, and so much more. History fanatic Patty Steele tells you the inside backstories you didn’t know you needed to know.Social links:
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The Backstory: Making a statement with A Christmas Carol
Was Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" inspired by political outrage? That’s the story and it makes sense when you hear what he went through and what he was seeing in London back in 1843.
07:04
The Backstory (Replay): How did Christmas turn into trees and egg nog?
On this replay episode of The Backstory: We all have our Christmas traditions, but how did Santa Claus, Christmas trees, and George Washington’s recipe for heavily spiked eggnog rule the season?
08:30
The Backstory: The charming spy who got away with it all
Espionage in the mid-1900s was very much like what you see in the early James Bond movies. Kim Philby, a British aristocrat and a notorious double agent lived a life a lot of us fantasize about. He was never arrested. But why…and what happened to him?
11:22
(Replay) The Backstory: The 9-year-old Union soldier
In this re-release episode: War is a terrible thing under any circumstance. But imagine the Civil War. There were more deaths than the combined total in WW1 and WW2. Food, uniforms, medical supplies, working weapons, and more, all in short supply with con artists stealing as much as 25% of governme…
06:38
(Replay) The Backstory: Where did all the dinosaurs go?
In this re-release episode: Have we really only known about dinosaurs for less than 200 years? They roamed the earth for almost 200 million years and were wiped out in a matter of months. Where did they go and how did we find out about them?
06:49
The Backstory: The big movies their stars hate
We’ve all had jobs that we’re less than proud of but took out of a lack of judgment or, most probably, a need to make a buck. But what happens when you make a bad choice and the whole world is watching? Stars like Brad Pitt, Jacob Elordi, Julia Roberts, and lots more weigh in.
08:38
The Backstory: Drinking the Kool-Aid – the Jonestown massacre
Ever heard the term “drinking the Kool-Aid”? It all started with Jim Jones and his people’s temple cult in the 1970s. After outspoken support from people like Jane Fonda and First Lady Roselyn Carter, he led his followers to the jungles of Guyana in South America in 1978. In the end, over 900 peopl…
08:12
The Backstory: The American fashion model in Hitler's bathtub
Lee miller, the subject of a fascinating new Kate Winslet film, lived a glamorous but troubled life. Abused as a child, she went on to become a star fashion model in the 1920s. Then, as a wartime photographer, found herself taking a bath in Adolf Hitler’s tub the day he committed suicide.
07:54
The Backstory: Thanksgiving from another point of view
Many of us see Thanksgiving, most importantly, as a day to express gratitude. What’s amazing is how many Native Americans also celebrate gratitude on that day—even though for them, it’s also a national day of mourning. But they still believe every day is a day to give thanks. This is a peek into an…
06:51
The Backstory: Unpacking Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is the best. Whether you celebrate with family, friends, or even on your own, what makes it the best is the focus on gratitude. But what about all those traditions? When we celebrate, how we celebrate, what we eat, and even the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! Where did all those tradit…
08:50