The problem with so much popular history

I don't know why I waited until my 40s to take up history because I've been a fan my whole life. I have always devoured history books, documentary films and, of course, podcasts. But the longer I read, watched and listened, the more keenly I felt a gaping hole in the vast production of popular history – Where were the women? I got really into big biographies and I ran out of women to read about before I ran out of American founding fathers. I scrolled through the feed of the most popular English language history podcast out there (you know which one) and found a single episode about a named woman in an entire year. I like WWII and the Roman empire as much as the next history buff, but surely there is comparatively more to say about a whole half of humanity.

The problem with so much women's history

I became much more intentional about seeking out women's history, and I got... bored. What attracts many of us to popular history is the storytelling, the collision of ordinary lives – lives that could have been ours – with extraordinary events. The problem is that because women have been excluded from public life for so much of history, it's much harder to find such rousing stories that feature them. We are reduced to "wife of" biographies and social histories of anonymous crowds. We have to pretend we believe that domestic tedium matters as much as grand explorations. Or, when the pendulum swings, we are subjected to the "girlbossification" of women's history, a collection of role model hagiographies that condescend to a female audience and do little to explain the march of the world.

What goes into making Broad History

I will not acquiesce to women's history being akin to eating your vegetables, nor do I consent to giving up complexity and intellectual rigour. This is my project with Broad History. I want historical storytelling as compelling as Band of Brothers, as page-turning as a Chernow or Isaacson biography, as complete as a Ken Burns documentary. I want to tell the history of the world. I just want it to include women this time.

That work doesn't come easy. I may read half a dozen books to research a single episode and spend days producing a script before I interview an expert guest. I come up with episode ideas, make the schedule, book guests, record and edit everything myself. I write the newsletter and create posts for social media. I code the website. I devise strategies to grow the audience and diversify revenue. Customer service? That's me too. I spend a couple thousand pounds a year on software and hosting alone, but more than that, this is my full-time job. Without the support of paying members, Broad History cannot exist.

Join now and be part of the adventure

But I'm not asking for charity. Becoming a member is something you should do for you. Here's what you get:

• Early access to every episode. The podcast goes up on a private feed for members at least 2 days before the general public.
• Binge series in one go. All episodes of a topical series go up at once. Pace yourself or binge it all, no judgement.
• No ads. I know what you're thinking: "But you don't have ads, Isa!" That won't last. I welcome sponsors, but when they arrive, they won't be bothering you.
• Exclusive content. There will be extra episodes for members and access to paywalled articles. I'm not shy about making sure people who pay get most of my attention.
• Comment to your heart's delight. Chat with other history buffs in the community. Ask me questions. Help me prep future episodes. Comments on the site are open to you and you alone.
• Lock in early pricing. As long as you remain a member uninterrupted, you retain the price at which you joined (one-time discount excluded). No inflation for you.
• Enjoy early access and discounts to... everything. As BH grows and I can afford to hire some help, I am planning many more benefits including a chat community, online events, merch and more. Members will always be first in line for anything I do.

If you still have more questions, I wrote an FAQ.