Shows / Her Half of History
Her Half of History
Women's history doesn't have be boring or depressing. I tell the stories of extraordinary women in history, including queens, slaves, spies, scientists, artists, wives, mothers, and more. But most women didn't leave us enough material for a biography, so I also tell you what it was like to be an ordinary woman, including what they wore, how they did housework, how they worked, and how they played.
In short, what were the women doing all that time while men were writing the standard history…
Episodes
Her Half of HistoryElena Cornaro Piscopia, First Woman with a University Degree (ep. 16.7)
The earliest universities only admitted men. Occasionally a woman was allowed to attend, but not to graduate. The first woman to buck that trend was Elena…
Her Half of HistoryAnnie Londonderry, First Woman to Cycle Round the World (ep. 16.f)
Annie Londonderry was the first international female sports star. But an unlikely one. When she decided to bicycle around the world, she did not yet know how…
Her Half of HistoryAnnie Londonderry, First Woman to Cycle Round the World (ep. 16.f)
Annie Londonderry was the first international female sports star. But an unlikely one. When she decided to bicycle around the world, she did not yet know how…
Her Half of HistoryElisabeth Thible, First Woman to Take Flight (ep. 16.e)
Humanity dreamed of flight for a very long time, but the reality of it was mostly failure. The first woman to truly fly went up in a hot air balloon in 1784…
Her Half of HistoryElisabeth Thible, First Woman to Take Flight (ep. 16.e)
Humanity dreamed of flight for a very long time, but the reality of it was mostly failure. The first woman to truly fly went up in a hot air balloon in 1784…
Her Half of HistoryPamphile of Epidaurus, One of the First Female Historians (ep. 16.d)
The Greeks invented history in the West, and to my very great surprise there was actually one female Greek historian. Pamphile of Epidaurus's work was still…
Her Half of HistoryPamphile of Epidaurus, One of the First Female Historians (ep. 16.d)
The Greeks invented history in the West, and to my very great surprise there was actually one female Greek historian. Pamphile of Epidaurus's work was still…
Her Half of HistoryAnna Komnene, One of the First Female Historians (ep. 16.6)
Anna Komnene is not the absolute first female historian, but she's pretty close. Plus, she wrote a full length book which still exists if you care to read it…
Her Half of HistoryAnna Komnene, One of the First Female Historians (ep. 16.6)
Anna Komnene is not the absolute first female historian, but she's pretty close. Plus, she wrote a full length book which still exists if you care to read it…
Her Half of HistoryHrotsvit of Gandersheim, First Female Playwright (ep. 16.c)
In the 10th century Hrotsvit of Gandersheim was seriously annoyed with the classic Roman playwrights she studied at school. They were all male, and she thought…
Her Half of HistoryHrotsvit of Gandersheim, First Female Playwright (ep. 16.c)
In the 10th century Hrotsvit of Gandersheim was seriously annoyed with the classic Roman playwrights she studied at school. They were all male, and she thought…
Her Half of HistoryMurasaki Shikibu, First (Great) Novelist (ep. 16.5)
The Tale of Genji is often listed as the world's first novel, but there are naysayers. Is it a novel? Is it the first? That's highly contentious, but whatever…
Her Half of HistoryMurasaki Shikibu, First (Great) Novelist (ep. 16.5)
The Tale of Genji is often listed as the world's first novel, but there are naysayers. Is it a novel? Is it the first? That's highly contentious, but whatever…
Her Half of HistoryWhy We Will Always Need Women's History Month
It's March and I'm celebrating with free-to-everyone bonus episodes all month, starting with this one on why women's history will always been important. I'm…
Her Half of HistoryWhy We Will Always Need Women's History Month
It's March and I'm celebrating with free-to-everyone bonus episodes all month, starting with this one on why women's history will always been important. I'm…
Her Half of HistoryGudrid Thorbjarnardottir, First European Woman in the Americas (ep. 16.4)
Today's episode is in response to a question from a listener. Peter asked me who was the first non-native woman to reach the Americas? Gudrid Thorbjarnardottir…
Her Half of HistoryGudrid Thorbjarnardottir, First European Woman in the Americas (ep. 16.4)
Today's episode is in response to a question from a listener. Peter asked me who was the first non-native woman to reach the Americas? Gudrid Thorbjarnardottir…
Her Half of HistoryFu Hao, First Female Military Leader (ep. 16.3)
Fu Hao married a king, gave birth multiple times, and also commanded troops in battle. (Why not?) Living around 1200 BCE in China, she is the first recorded…
Her Half of HistoryFu Hao, First Female Military Leader (ep. 16.3)
Fu Hao married a king, gave birth multiple times, and also commanded troops in battle. (Why not?) Living around 1200 BCE in China, she is the first recorded…
Her Half of HistoryEnheduanna, First Named Author (ep. 16.2)
The first named author in history was Enheduanna, daughter of Sargon, conqueror of Sumeria. Her poems have been called the world's first bestsellers. But she's…
Her Half of HistoryEnheduanna, First Named Author (ep. 16.2)
The first named author in history was Enheduanna, daughter of Sargon, conqueror of Sumeria. Her poems have been called the world's first bestsellers. But she's…
Her Half of HistoryNeithhotep, First Named Woman in History (ep. 16.1)
Many religions and cultures have an answer to Who was the first woman? But the records of those answers were all written thousands of years after any such…
Her Half of HistoryNeithhotep, First Named Woman in History (ep. 16.1)
Many religions and cultures have an answer to Who was the first woman? But the records of those answers were all written thousands of years after any such…
Her Half of HistoryChildbirth, Literacy, Sources, the State of the World, and Other Listener Questions
Her Half of History turns 5 years old this month! In celebration, I'm taking questions from listeners and they range from the oldest account of childbirth to…
Her Half of HistoryChildbirth, Literacy, Sources, the State of the World, and Other Listener Questions
Her Half of History turns 5 years old this month! In celebration, I'm taking questions from listeners and they range from the oldest account of childbirth to…
Her Half of HistoryWoman the Gatherer (and Also the Hunter)
Early anthropologists and archaeologists told us that in foraging societies, women gathered and men hunted. More recent research suggests that women did hunt…
Her Half of HistoryWoman the Gatherer (and Also the Hunter)
Early anthropologists and archaeologists told us that in foraging societies, women gathered and men hunted. More recent research suggests that women did hunt…
Her Half of HistoryGot Questions? (and the voters' choice for Series 16)
Please send me your questions for the Q&A episode to celebrate my 5-year podcast anniversary! There's a spot to do it on the website…
- Her Half of History
Got Questions? (and the voters' choice for Series 16)
Please send me your questions for the Q&A episode to celebrate my 5-year podcast anniversary! There's a spot to do it on the website…
Her Half of HistoryThe Mothers of Invention (ep. 15.18)
They say necessity is the mother of invention, but I'm not convinced. Throughout this series on inventions, I noticed that almost all of the inventions I…
Her Half of HistoryThe Mothers of Invention (ep. 15.18)
They say necessity is the mother of invention, but I'm not convinced. Throughout this series on inventions, I noticed that almost all of the inventions I…
Her Half of HistoryThe Sewing Machine (ep. 15.17)
Sewing is at least 45,000 years ago, and it was known in nearly every culture on earth, but for millennia it was all done by hand. There are multiple claimants…
Her Half of HistoryThe Sewing Machine (ep. 15.17)
Sewing is at least 45,000 years ago, and it was known in nearly every culture on earth, but for millennia it was all done by hand. There are multiple claimants…
Her Half of History100 Years of Santa's Letters
Santa gets more mail every year than any other person on earth, but the earliest letters that I know of were not to him. They were from him. Later on, it…
Her Half of History100 Years of Santa's Letters
Santa gets more mail every year than any other person on earth, but the earliest letters that I know of were not to him. They were from him. Later on, it…
Her Half of HistorySome Like It Cold: A History of Your Fridge (ep. 15.16, rebroadcast)
Most historical women lived and cooked in an era when cold storage meant something like the root cellar or down the well. The ability to keep food at a…
Her Half of HistorySome Like It Cold: A History of Your Fridge (ep. 15.16, rebroadcast)
Most historical women lived and cooked in an era when cold storage meant something like the root cellar or down the well. The ability to keep food at a…
Her Half of HistoryPeriod Products (ep. 15.15)
Early details are scarce, but women have been managing periods for millennia, using everything from free bleeding to tampons to sanitary napkins. Visit the…
Her Half of HistoryPeriod Products (ep. 15.15)
Early details are scarce, but women have been managing periods for millennia, using everything from free bleeding to tampons to sanitary napkins. Visit the…
Her Half of HistoryThe Car and the Woman (ep. 15.14)
Women may not have invented the car, but a woman took the first road trip in one (Bertha Benz) and a woman was the first victim of one (Mary Ward). And when…
Her Half of HistoryThe Car and the Woman (ep. 15.14)
Women may not have invented the car, but a woman took the first road trip in one (Bertha Benz) and a woman was the first victim of one (Mary Ward). And when…
Her Half of HistoryNovember Giving Poll (plus send me your questions!)
It's a bye-week for the podcast, but I have two big announcements! First, November is a month for gratitude, and Her Half of History is donating half of all…
Her Half of HistoryNovember Giving Poll (plus send me your questions!)
It's a bye-week for the podcast, but I have two big announcements! First, November is a month for gratitude, and Her Half of History is donating half of all…
Her Half of HistoryThe Disposable Diaper (ep. 15.13)
Diaper duty isn't the funnest part of parenting. But imagine what it was like when there was no such thing as a disposable, and you were also on laundry…
Her Half of HistoryThe Disposable Diaper (ep. 15.13)
Diaper duty isn't the funnest part of parenting. But imagine what it was like when there was no such thing as a disposable, and you were also on laundry…
Her Half of HistoryLet There Be Light: A History of Flipping the Switch (ep. 15.12) (rebroadcast)
Artificial lighting is an invention that has become so ubiquitous in the developed world that many of us barely notice when we use it. But it wasn’t always…
Her Half of HistoryLet There Be Light: A History of Flipping the Switch (ep. 15.12) (rebroadcast)
Artificial lighting is an invention that has become so ubiquitous in the developed world that many of us barely notice when we use it. But it wasn’t always…
Her Half of HistoryAqua Tofana (or how to poison your husband) (ep. 15.11)
It's spooky season and this is my third annual Halloween episode! It's the story of Aqua Tofana, a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and utterly deadly poison…
Her Half of HistoryAqua Tofana (or how to poison your husband) (ep. 15.11)
It's spooky season and this is my third annual Halloween episode! It's the story of Aqua Tofana, a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and utterly deadly poison…
Her Half of HistoryThe Pill (ep. 15.10)
Quite possibly no invention in modern history has done more to change women's lives than the pill so important it can just be called: The Pill. Safe, reliable…
Her Half of HistoryThe Pill (ep. 15.10)
Quite possibly no invention in modern history has done more to change women's lives than the pill so important it can just be called: The Pill. Safe, reliable…
Her Half of HistoryBirth Control Before the Pill (ep. 15.9)
The ancient world recorded many means of contraception, some of them reasonable, and some of them bizarre. Many records only say that prostitutes do this well…
Her Half of HistoryBirth Control Before the Pill (ep. 15.9)
The ancient world recorded many means of contraception, some of them reasonable, and some of them bizarre. Many records only say that prostitutes do this well…
Her Half of HistoryCanned: A History of Bottling Food (ep. 15.8)
The problem of what to cook for dinner has been with women for millennia, but for most women in history, the options were limited by modern standards. They ate…
Her Half of HistoryCanned: A History of Bottling Food (ep. 15.8)
The problem of what to cook for dinner has been with women for millennia, but for most women in history, the options were limited by modern standards. They ate…
Her Half of HistoryTo Fetch a Pail of Water (a history of women carrying it) (ep. 15.7)
Historically, women carred an awful lot of water. It was so commonplace that it rarely gets mentioned in the historical record, so the details are scarce. But…
Her Half of HistoryTo Fetch a Pail of Water (a history of women carrying it) (ep. 15.7)
Historically, women carred an awful lot of water. It was so commonplace that it rarely gets mentioned in the historical record, so the details are scarce. But…
Her Half of HistoryVaccines and Surviving Childhood (ep. 15.6)
Until the very recent past, your chances of surviving childhood were iffy. Your chances of losing one or more of your own children were high. The invention of…
Her Half of HistoryVaccines and Surviving Childhood (ep. 15.6)
Until the very recent past, your chances of surviving childhood were iffy. Your chances of losing one or more of your own children were high. The invention of…
Her Half of History"Superfluous" Women and the Typewriter (ep. 15.5)
Over the 19th century, a larger middle-class and better educational opportunities meant that many women had the necessary skills to work in an office. But…