While not being the book many fans wanted (and still haven’t gotten…), George R.R. Martin’s 2018 “Fire and Blood”, a fictional history prequel to "A Game of Thrones" is worthy of historical examination in its own right. Aside from being a lesson to historians in how to write entertaining, captivating history, it also offers insight into some of the bigger themes and ideas related to the study of history and the historical process. Why does history focus on war so much? Who determines which events are important in history and how they should be remembered? What happens if there are different perspectives on the same event? At what point do the "positives" of empire like infrastructure and commerce negate the negatives of conquest, brutality, and oppression? "Fire and Blood" is a fun standalone fantasy history book, but it's also more relevant to the real world than you might think.
-Consider Supporting the Podcast!-
Leave a rating or review on apple podcasts or spotify!
Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory
Check out my podcast series on Piranesi, Arcane, The Dark Knight Trilogy, and Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart here: https://www.reflectinghistory.com/bonuscontent
Try my podcast series "Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart"-- What led to the rise of Nazi Germany? The answer may surprise you…Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? To what extent are ordinary people responsible for the development of authoritarian evil? This 13 part audio-course explores these massive questions and more through the lens of Nazi Germany and the ordinary people who collaborated or resisted as the Third Reich expanded. You'll not only learn about the horrifying, surprising, and powerful ways in which the Nazis seized and maintained power, but also fundamental lessons about what fascism is-how to spot it and why it spreads. Through exploring the past, I hope to unlock lessons that everyone can apply to the present day. Check it out on my Patreon page at: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory.
Try my podcast series "Piranesi: Exploring the Infinite Halls of a Literary Masterpiece"-- This course is a deep analysis of Susanna Clark's literary masterpiece "Piranesi." Whether you are someone who is reading the novel for academic purposes, or you simply want to enjoy an incredible story for it's own sake, this audio course goes chapter by chapter into the plot, characters, and themes of the book...“The Beauty of the House is immeasurable; it’s kindness infinite.” Piranesi lives in an infinite house, with no long-term memory and only a loose sense of identity. As the secrets of the House deepen and the mystery of his life becomes more sinister, Piranesi must discover who he is and how this brings him closer to the “Great and Secret Knowledge” that the House contains. Touching on themes of memory, identity, mental health, knowledge, reason, experience, meaning, reflection, ideals, and more…Piranesi will be remembered as one of the great books of the 21st century. Hope you enjoy the course as much as I enjoyed making it. Check it out at https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory.
Subscribe to my newsletter! A free, low stress, monthly-quarterly email offering historical perspective on modern day issues, behind the scenes content on my latest podcast episodes, and historical lessons/takeaways from the world of history, psychology, and philosophy: https://www.reflectinghistory.com/newsletter.
Episode 68: The Bosnian War Part VI-Safe Area Gorazde
Episode 67: The Bosnian War Part V-Forgiveness
Episode 66: The Bosnian War Part IV-War Journalism and The Tolerance Paradox
Episode 65: The American Civil War with S.C. Gwynne
Episode 64: The Bosnian War Part III-Hatred
Episode 63: The Bosnian War Part II-The Siege of Sarajevo
Episode 62: The Bosnian War Part I-The Perils of Nationalism
Episode 61: Chance, Randomness, and Luck in History
Episode 60: The Fall of the Roman Republic Part VI-Death by a Thousand Cuts
Episode 59: The Fall of the Roman Republic Part V-The New Normal
Episode 58: The Fall of the Roman Republic Part IV-You Win or You Die
Episode 57: The Fall of the Roman Republic Part III-The Gracchan Revolution
Episode 56: The Fall of the Roman Republic Part II-The Long Defeat
Episode 55: The Fall of the Roman Republic Part I-Features of the Republic
Episode 54: Diogenes the Cynic
Episode 53: African Sleeping Sickness
Episode 52: The Cultural Revolution Part VIII-The Silent Revolution
Episode 51: The Cultural Revolution Part VII-Mobilizing for War
Episode 50: The Cultural Revolution Part VI-The Army Intervenes
Episode 49: The Cultural Revolution Part V-The Hidden Victims
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Irish Songs with Ken Murray
History Obscura
Historycal: Words that Shaped the World
The Rest Is History
Everything Everywhere Daily