Showing results by narrator "Tony Honickberg" in All Categories

Queen Victoria, 1819 to 1901, was the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland from 1837 until her death, and is one of the most widely recognized rulers in British history. Queen Victoria’s 63 year rule (a rule longer than any of her predecessors) coincided with an era of monumental changes and developments in industry, politics, science, and culture as well as the vast expansion of the British Empire across the globe; most significant of all being Britain’s colonial activity in India, so much so Queen Victoria earned the title of Empress of India in 1876.

Today, Brooklyn is New York's largest and arguably most vibrant borough, with a diversity of culture and sights that draw millions of people to it everywhere. How did this borough, which was a Dutch marshland in the early 1600s, come to be the place it is today? Trace from the 1600s to modern day and explore Brooklyn's role after English takeover, during the Civil War, the monumental construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, and the variety of peoples who make up its demographics.

Considered by many to be the Father of Western Philosophy, the life of this great philosopher is shrouded in mystery. He would study under the renown Plato and along with Socrates is responsible for making the ideas of the late, great philosopher known to the world. Aristotle would ascribe views on science that would be held as gospel throughout the Middle Ages and his thoughts on the nature of existence continue to influence great minds today.

Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa was one of the greatest Romans who ever lived. A man of constant honor, he worked side by side with Augustus and was responsible for the marble masterpieces of architecture ancient Rome is known for today. He was a consul, general, architect, and statesman and lived his life according to a strict code of conduct. If not for his early death, the people of Rome were expecting him to be their next emperor. Explore his life and regal legacy and the incredible impact one person can have on the course of a nation's history.

People often think of feminism as a modern movement, born out of voting rights debates in the 1920s. But strong women have been fighting for equality in society since the start, as evidenced by Olympe de Gouges, the French revolutionary writer who would die by the guillotine due to the radical nature of her work.

Neville Chamberlain rose from Parliament to prime minister during one of the most tumultuous times in English history. He worked to calm tensions between England and Germany as Germany became more and more aggressive - most notably signing away part of Czechoslovakia to Germany in a bid to keep the peace. His alliance with Poland would pull Britain into the war, and he would lead them for the first eight months, until stepping down in the hopes that a more united governmental front with new leadership would be what was best for the country.

Ayn Rand is one of the most famous contemporary philosophers, particularly for her landmark books The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. She was the founder of Objectivist Philosophy which was largely rejected during her time but has recently enjoyed a huge surge in popularity among many political groups. Her works focused on free market capitalism and intense individual and property rights. Ironically, the woman who prized individualism above all else, and rejected all government support, rose to prominence and then ended her life surviving off of social programs.

Pericles was a statesmen, general, and speaker during the Golden Age of Athens. His impact on the city-state would be so great that Thucydides, an honored historian, would refer to him as the city's First Citizen. In what would be titled the "Age of Pericles", he would turn the Delian League from an alliance to an Athenian Empire and foster the arts and sciences within his country more than any leader had before him. He is responsible for starting the great projects of Athens, like the Acropolis and Parthenon, which can still be seen in their glory today.

Mata Hari paints a fascinating picture: an exotic dancer turned spy, eventually executed for her devious work during World War I. Her life, however, reveals a much different story. She would make a living as a dancer and exhibitionist, as well as through lifelong habit of telling wild tales about herself that sold well to the papers. Whether or not she was a true spy or was simply framed in the fallout of the War is almost impossible to ascertain, and leaves the listener wondering - who really was this woman, and can we ever know?

Agatha Christie remains, all these years later, the unchallenged queen of the murder-mystery genre. What life could produce the woman who seems to be the clear inspiration for J.B. Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote? Follow Christie from England to Egypt and back again, join her on archaeological digs with her husband and dive into strange facts that led to her to write fewer books as she aged.

Joseph Stalin ruled Russia with an iron first. As a dictator, he was personally responsible for the deaths of roughly 10 million people. While most write Stalin off as an evil tyrant, there is more to the man than most know - a US Ambassador once said, "I must confess that for me Stalin remains the most inscrutable and contradictory character I have known."

Marteen has dreams, aspirations, and absolutely no idea what he's doing or what he's up against. Marteen lives in a world where those who can find a connection with the wealthy and powerful are rewarded, while the rest linger in abject poverty.