Empress Zhu wrote, “Once I lived in heaven above, in pearl palaces and jade towers; now I live among grass and brambles, my blue robes soaked in tears. I hate the drift of snow.”
‘Once I lived in heaven above, now I live among grass and brambles’
How I wrote and published my book while working full-time
I have posted this evening on my podcast and on Youtube a special episode. Here I talk openly for the first time about how I wrote my book, From the Burning Archive, which you can buy at the Amazon affiliate link or other online book retailers.
Who is winning the war in Ukraine and what are the stories of this war?
I have produced three episodes of the podcast/channel on the state of play of the war in Ukraine. How do we make sense of the events leading up to the war in Ukraine, and throughout the year of 2022? There have been many news stories, many podcasts and many channels looking at the unfolding events in Ukraine from day to day, In these episodes, however, I step back from the daily news cycle, and explore what it means for us as ordinary citizens looking on at these distressing events and wanting states to find their way back to diplomacy and dialogue.
Two new podcasts on the uses of history in government and decision-making
Episode 63 The Lessons of History - The Burning Archive podcast explores how the past is not dead, the past is not even past. But if that is so, what are the uses and lessons of history? How can history be used for guidance in our lives, and to advise governments on the big decisions that shape... Continue Reading →
Two new podcasts on America and Australian Foreign Policy
I have released two new podcasts on the crises in America and the challenges of a multipolar world for Australia.
The making of my podcast marathon on Civilizations
I have just released episode 55 of the Burning Archive podcast. This episode is about the concept of civilization, in both the legendary game Civ I-VI and in the traditions of history-writing. Civilization, the game, is soon to be released in its 7th edition. In this episode of The Burning Archive I respond to a... Continue Reading →
The Making of my podcast on the Medici
Today I have recorded, edited and released the latest episode of The Burning Archive podcast - The Medici in Games and in History
Burning Archive Podcast 52 Professions and Guilds in Games and History
This morning I released the latest Burning Archive podcast. In games, we see a different pre-modern world of work - of artisans, craft skills and guilds. Was this world ever real, and what does this fantasy world of work tell us of our collective memory of work and collective organisation? Join me on this fascinating tour of the history of work, guilds and unions, and the global transformations of ideas of work in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.
Podcast 31 – Seven Basic Plots vs 1001 Nights of Stories
This episode of The Burning Archive examines tragedy and comedy, the story of the story of stories, the seven basic plots, and how even historians write their histories with these plots. But can the inventiveness of great storytellers really be limited to seven basic plots. Will Scheherazade outwit, outlast and outplay the critics?
Podcast # 30 – Three Faiths. One Holy Land.
Podcast 30 of the Burning Archive discusses the claims of Judaism, Christianity and Islam on the State of Israel and the Universal City of Jerusalem.
Podcast 28 & 29 – The Crusades, Parts I and II
What were the crusades and how did they give birth to modern European nations? What made the crusaders and their opponents believe faith justified violence, that they fought a just war, a holy war, a jihad?
Podcast 27 – Silk Worms. Silk Trade. Silk Roads.
Episode 27 of the Burning Archive podcast asks: How did the Byzantine Empire acquire the secrets of silk production from China, and what does it tell us about the history of silk, the diffusion of silk trade across the world, and the Silk Roads of Eurasia?
The Burning Archive 