Biography
Biography
Matt Smith
The podcasting of a life, by Matt Smith. “Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show.” - Charles Dickens.
Ned Kelly 4: Such is Life
With his last desperate stand at an end, Ned Kelly will be tried and executed for his crimes in 1880, at the age of 25. His name and notoriety would only grow, and a surprisingly mixed reputation as a larrikin bushranger would develop. Many Australians would come to admire the legend and the myth, without necessarily understanding the man. Guest: Dr Doug Morrissey (Historian and author of Ned Kelly: A Lawless Life)
Feb 16, 2018
21 min
Ned Kelly 3: The Last Stand
The Kelly gang they are broke and on the run, having ambushed and killed policeman and conducted bank heists. Their next plan is their most daring, or perhaps reckless, centring around the victorian town of Glenrowan. Guest: Dr Doug Morrissey (Historian and author of Ned Kelly: A Lawless Life)
Dec 20, 2017
26 min
Ned Kelly 2: A Short Life of Crime
Ned Kelly came through a troubled upbringing and started a career as a horse thief, but is now on the run after shooting a policeman. With the authorities after him, he would only become more desperate and ruthless. Guest: Dr Doug Morrissey (Historian and author of Ned Kelly: A Lawless Life)
Oct 13, 2017
26 min
Ned Kelly 1: Australian Outlaw
Ned Kelly is a legendary figure in Australian history. A bushranger, an outlaw, a convicted police murderer, and controversial figure. Despite his rap sheet, to some he was a rascal and a hero. Guest: Dr Doug Morrissey (Historian and author of Ned Kelly: A Lawless Life)
Sep 27, 2017
30 min
Gandhi 4: Father of the Nation
When British India collapses, India embraces it’s state of free rule, but it isn’t the outcome Gandhi had campaigned for. Religious rivalries and disagreements lead to a split between Muslim and Hindi, dividing the territory in two. Guest: Dr Thomas Weber (Politics and Philosophy, La Trobe University)
Apr 13, 2017
26 min
Gandhi 3: Shaking the Foundations
The salt march is the most iconic event from Gandhi's campaign of non-violent resistance. In 1930 Gandhi and his followers began a month-long march to the coast where he made salt, defiantly breaking a British law related to the taxation of salt production. Explaining his choice, Gandhi said that "Next to air and water, salt is perhaps the greatest necessity of life." Guest: Dr Thomas Weber (Politics and Philosophy, La Trobe University)
Mar 24, 2017
22 min
Gandhi 2: Hate the Sin, Not the Sinner
When Gandhi returned to India twenty years had passed, and it was a different country to the one he had left. He embarked on a mission not just to better his country and help it stand on its own, but to better himself. Guest: Dr Thomas Weber (Politics and Philosophy, La Trobe University)
Mar 3, 2017
22 min
Gandhi 1: A Good Seed is Sown
Gandhi is a figure who is known across the world as the father of the nation, the man who achieved independence in the Indian subcontinent through non-violent resistance. He was also a thinker and a philosopher, and the name he was given, ‘Mahatma’, means great soul, and reflects the reverence with which he was seen. Guest: Dr Thomas Weber (Politics and Philosophy, La Trobe University)
Feb 10, 2017
25 min
Themistocles 3: Persuasion and Compulsion
With his victory at Salamis, Themistocles is now the hero of the Hellenic world. he's recognised and lauded across the lands, but with this power comes jealousy and competition. The hero of Athens will have to turn to its greatest enemy for sanctuary. Guest: Professor Christopher Mackie (Ancient Mediterranean Studies, La Trobe University)
Dec 11, 2016
24 min
Themistocles 2: Indubitable Signs of Genius
Themistocles has established himself as a respected politician within ancient Athens, but he isn't without rivalry. He has political enemies from within who hope to bring him down, and there's always the threat of Persia, readying itself to take on the Hellenic states. Guest: Professor Christopher Mackie (Ancient Mediterranean Studies, La Trobe University)
Dec 1, 2016
21 min
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