Half-Arsed History
Half-Arsed History's second book, The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, is out now! Buy your copy: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9Welcome along to Half-Arsed History! It's a weekly podcast highlighting absurd and entertaining stories from history. Twice a week, it helps host Riley Knight feel as though his useless history degree has some kind of real-world relevance.Get in touch: [email protected] the show on Patreon: https://patreon.com/halfarsedhistorySubscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/halfarsedhistoryBuy Half-Arsed History merch: https://halfarsedhistory.theprintbar.comIf you've just discovered the show and aren't sure which of...
Week 41: Theodore Roosevelt Survives Being Shot
This week in history we’ve got an extremely important but rather unknown battle, we’ve got an extremely important but very famous battle, we’ve got the construction of Brazil’s most famous landmark - and we’ve got the time TR was shot in the chest and survived.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Week 40: The Siege of Leiden
This week in history we’ve got the introduction of the Gregorian Calendar, we’ve got a full-scale riot caused by cheese, we’ve got the birth of the unsinkable stewardess - and we’ve got a Dutch city rescued by pirates surfing across farmland.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Episode 435: The Book Tour 2026 - Chapter Readings
In this week's episode, get across four of the chapters taken from the new book, The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of: Tarrare, William Buckley, Unaarrimin, and Countess Black Agnes Dunbar.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Week 39: The First Black Friday
This week in history we’ve got the battle that ended the Viking Age, we’ve got the second circumnavigation of the Earth, we’ve got the discovery of the first antibiotic - and we’ve got the financial crisis that gave us the term “Black Friday”.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Episode 434: The Book Tour 2026 - LIVE in Perth
In this week's episode, learn more about what went into the creation of The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, while enjoying some truly first-rate gear making fun of Perth.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Episode 433: The Book Tour 2026 - LIVE in Adelaide
In this week's episode, get a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, as well as a bunch of really excellent gags about Adelaide.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Week 38: The Straw Hat Riot
This week in history we’ve got the very first circumnavigation, we’ve got the establishment of a weird neutral country, we’ve got the publication of a beloved children’s book - and we’ve got a week-long New York City riot kicked off by people wearing straw hats.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Episode 429: The Viking Age - Part 4: Society
In this week's episode, explore the everyday lives of the Vikings, learning about how their society was organised, what they wore, what they ate, what they did for fun, and how their religion changed over time.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Second Book Available Now & Live Show Tickets Running Out
Half-Arsed History's second book, The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, is available now at all good bookshops (and probably some bad ones, too). Alternatively, you can snag your copy at one of the upcoming live shows, but don't delay in securing your tickets - some shows are running low. Head to halfarsedhistory.net to book!
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596...
Week 37: The Execution of “Martin Guerre”
This week in history we’ve got a a turning point in an ancient war, we’ve got a turning point in evolutionary biology, we’ve got a turning point in very stupid decision-making - and we’ve got an intriguing tale of fraud and deception, with a man executed for claiming to be someone he wasn’t.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/97...
Episode 428: The Viking Age - Part 3: Expansion
In this week's episode, learn all about the far-reaching regions to which the Vikings expanded, including Ireland, Iceland, Central and Eastern Europe, and beyond.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Week 36: The End of the Western Roman Empire
This week in history we’ve got a battle that defined the history of ancient Rome, we’ve got a famous abolitionist breaking his chains, we’ve got the extinction of an Australian marsupial - and we’ve got the event that marked the downfall of the Western Roman Empire after years of decline
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
Host...
Episode 427: The Viking Age - Part 2: Conquest
In this week's episode, continue discovering the story of the Viking Age, including learning why Vikings transitioned from raiding to conquest and settlement, and the consequent establishment of the Danelaw and Normandy.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Week 35: The Origin of Stockholm Syndrome
This week in history we’ve got London destroyed by a fire, we’ve got the shortest war in history, we’ve got an Olympic marathon won by a bloke in a car - and we’ve got the interesting but somewhat dubious psychological origin of the term Stockholm Syndrome.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Episode 426: The Viking Age - Part 1: Raids
In this week's episode, begin an exploration of the Viking Age, beginning with its origins by getting into how and why Norse raiders spread across the seas from Scandinavia, looting and pillaging as they went.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Update: Brisbane and Maroochydore Tickets, Date Change, Sorry for Lack of Episodes
Half-Arsed History is going on tour yet again - this time across the entire country - to celebrate the release of The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of!
For the first time, as part of this tour I'm coming to both Perth and Adelaide, in addition to shows in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and at home on the Sunshine Coast.
Week 34: Edmond Halley Observes His Comet
This week in history we’ve got an ancient volcanic eruption, we’ve got a prime minister being devoured, we’ve got a mysterious gas cloud killing thousands - and we’ve got Edmond Halley discovering something important about the famous comet that still bears his name today.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Tickets for the 2026 Book Tour are now available!
Half-Arsed History is going on tour yet again - this time across the entire country - to celebrate the release of The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of!
For the first time, as part of this tour I'm coming to both Perth and Adelaide, in addition to shows in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and at home on the Sunshine Coast.
Episode 425: The Capture of the USS Chesapeake
In this week's episode, learn all about the capture of the USS Chesapeake, a fascinating duel that took place between two frigates during the War of 1812.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Week 33: The Bermuda Gunpowder Heist
This week in history we’ve got the birth of a great friend of the show, we’ve got a marvel of modern engineering, we’ve got armies mobilising to cut down a tree - and we’ve got an audacious heist of gunpowder which was instrumental to the American Revolution.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Episode 424: Vincent van Gogh, the Tortured Artist
In this week's episode, meet Vincent van Gogh, the famous Dutch painter whose colourful and vivid paintings stood in sharp contrast to his difficult and troubled life.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Week 32: Lt. General Patton Slaps a Soldier... Again
This week in history we’ve got the defeat of a great Spanish fleet, we’ve got the construction of a famous but slightly wobbly Italian landmark, we’ve got the infamous end of a US presidency - and we’ve got the time a US general slapped one of his soldiers, again.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Episode 423: The Plague of Athens
In this week's episode, hear all about the deadly horrors of the Plague of Athens, and tackle the question - what was the plague itself, in the first place?
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Week 31: The Hammer and Feather on the Moon
This week in history we’ve got ancient Romans slaughtered by the thousand, we’ve got champagne not getting invented, we’ve got the disaster that was the first transatlantic telegraph cable, and we’ve got a famous physics demonstration held on the Moon.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Episode 422: Athens vs. Sparta - the Peloponnesian War
In this week's episode, learn all about one of the most important and iconic conflicts from the history of Ancient Greece: the Peloponnesian War, when the rivalry between Athens and Sparta was settled once and for all.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Apologies to Apple Podcasts Subscribers
I can't log into my Apple Podcasts account - the 2FA code thing isn't working while I'm overseas (despite me setting it up with my overseas number before I left), so ads might be playing on what should be ad-free episodes for Apple Podcasts subscribers. I'm really, really sorry; I'm still trying to fix it, worst case scenario is I'll (hopefully) be able to back in Australia. In the meantime, please accept my very sincere apologies.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU...
Week 30: Tobacco Comes to England
This week in history we’ve got skulls being made into drinkware, we’ve got German nobles drowning in sewage, we’ve got the death of the last Sapa Inca, and we’ve got the official introduction of tobacco to England, thanks to the efforts of the famous Sir Walter Raleigh.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Episode 421: The Successful Failure of Apollo 13
In this week's episode, learn all about the disasters that beset the Apollo 13 mission to the Moon, and how the astronauts aboard and the ground team on Earth worked tirelessly to stave off a terrible catastrophe.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Week 29: The Football War
This week in history we’ve got the birth of a famous conqueror, we’ve got the dawn of the atomic age, we’ve got a giant leap for mankind - and we’ve got the story of a brief but bloody war sparked by a series of soccer matches in Central America.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
Hosted o...
Episode 420: The History of Cannabis
In this week's episode, explore the history of the cannabis plant, including its role in historical and modern textile industries, as well as its medicinal, religious, and recreational uses.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Week 28: The First Ascent of the Matterhorn
This week in history we’ve got an iconic moment from the French revolution, we’ve got a famous historical duel, we’ve got someone trying to get to the North Pole in a balloon - and we’ve got the tale of the first expedition to summit the Matterhorn, and the tragedy that struck afterwards.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--978176...
Episode 419: Mata Hari, the Seductress-Turned-Spy
In this week's episode, meet Mata Hari, the internationally-renowned exotic dancer who became a spy for... someone... during the First World War.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Week 27: Oxford University’s 500-Year Grudge
This week in history we’ve got the origin of Independence Day, we’ve got a slightly-bungled assassination, we’ve got a bloke who used to surgically attach goat’s testicles to people - and we’ve got the grudge that the University of Oxford held for over 500 years without knowing why.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Announcing: The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings:
AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au...
Episode 418: The Stonewall Riots, the Origin of Pride
In this week's episode, learn about the Stonewall Riots, which took place in the wake of a police raid on a NYC gay bar and catalysed the growing gay rights movement.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Week 26: The Tunguska Event
This week in history we’ve got the battle that unified Japan, we’ve got the death of a famous detective, we’ve got the event that kicked off the First World War - and we’ve got the time a mysterious Siberian fireball left scientists baffled for decades.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Episode 417: The History of the FIFA World Cup - Part 3
In this week's episode, conclude the tour of World Cup history with the details of the tournaments from 1990 onwards - all the highlights and lowlights, including persistent issues surrounding bribery and corruption.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Week 25: The Hand of God
This week in history we’ve got decisive battles for the East India Company and for friend of the show Napoleon, we’ve got a river of burning whiskey flowing through Dublin, and we’ve got the infamous Hand of God, from the 1986 World Cup.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Episode 416: The History of the FIFA World Cup - Part 2
In this week's episode, continue to discover the story of the FIFA Men's World Cup, from the postwar return of the tournament in 1950, across years of development and controversy, to the end of the 1980s, as the modern event took shape.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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Week 24: The 1955 Le Mans Disaster
This week in history we’ve got the reason the Taj Mahal was built, we’ve got the debut of the world’s first bike, we’ve got the delivery of the Statue of Liberty - and we’ve got the story of the most infamously deadly motorsports disaster in history.
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--riley-knight--2026--9781761472596
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