Author Robert Harris speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about Munich: The Edge of War, the new Netflix film adapted from his 2017 historical novel Munich. They discuss the real history behind the 1938 Munich conference, the challenges of reassessing Neville Chamberlain, and what it’s like seeing your book adapted for the screen. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Roger Luckhurst speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about how the idea of the Gothic has evolved and mutated over time, from medieval-inspired architecture and 19th-century vampire fiction to politicised horror films. He also reveals how the genre has been used as a vehicle to explore society’s anxieties over time, from sex and gender to race and colonialism. (Ad) Roger Luckhurst is the author of Gothic: An Illustrated History (Thames & Hudson, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones:https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-viewingguide&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fgothic%2Froger-luckhurst%2F9780500252512 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Historian Natalie Livingstone chronicles the unexplored lives of the women who shaped the famous Rothschild banking dynasty. She speaks to Elinor Evans about how – though often excluded in a patriarchal society – they forged their own paths, from influential hostesses to pioneering scientists. (Ad) Natalie Livingstone is the author of The Women of Rothschild: The Untold Story of the World's Most Famous Dynasty (John Murray, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Women-Rothschild-Untold-Worlds-Dynasty/dp/1529366712#:~:text=From%20the%20East%20End%20of,dawn%20of%20the%20nineteenth%20century/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-Histboty See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Richard J Aldrich and Rory Cormac discuss Queen Victoria’s love of espionage and her network of royal intelligence agents Historians Richard J Aldrich and Rory Cormac speak to Emma Slattery Williams about their book The Secret Royals, which explores the connections between espionage and the British monarchy, revealing how Queen Victoria utilised a large covert network of international spies. (Ad) Richard J Aldrich and Rory Cormac are the authors of The Secret Royals: Spying and the Crown, from Victoria to Diana (Atlantic Books, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-secret-royals%2Frichard-aldrich%2Frory-cormac%2F9781786499127 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In the latest episode in our series on history’s biggest topics, Professor Rana Mitter answers your questions about one of the defining events of modern Chinese history. Speaking to Rob Attar, he explores the role of Chairman Mao in the Cultural Revolution, its impact on China’s population and its legacy today. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.