Following January 6th and the current political climate, some Americans fear there will be a “new Civil War.” But what does that truly mean? If you are a lover of history, this conversation is one you won’t want to miss. Author Erik Larson joins us to discuss his new book, The Demon of Unrest, which is set shortly before the outbreak of the Civil War. Dive into the mindsets and captivating portrayals of leaders on the brink of a war that eventually killed 750,000 Americans, and injured millions ...
May 20, 2024•36 min•Season 16Ep. 3
In a world of social media fights, keyboard warriors, and misinformation, it’s easy to feel disconnected, even among close friends and family. What if we rethink how we’re communicating to build better relationships and maintain connection? Former White House Press Secretary, Jen Psaki, joins us to share lessons she’s learned about how to be an effective communicator with any audience, and growing through giving and receiving feedback. Join us for a peek behind the scenes, and practice listening...
May 13, 2024•41 min•Season 16Ep. 2
Imagine being a Pulitzer Prize winning presidential historian, knowing you had extraordinarily rare primary source material and Presidential memorabilia tucked away in the cellar of your own home… and not opening it for decades? Doris Kearns Goodwin joins us today to share her journey of exploring more than 300 boxes, alongside her husband of 42 years, Richard (Dick) Goodwin, that served as a time capsule of his service in the 1960s. In the relay race of democracy, you never know who will pick u...
May 06, 2024•44 min•Season 16Ep. 1
Life in prison wasn’t enough for the Knights of Mary Phagan. They wanted Leo Frank to pay with his life, and they were going to make sure it happened. In Georgia, vigilante justice wasn’t new, but this time was different. This time, it would change the nation. Would the vigilantes actually get away with it? Join us for the final episode in this seven-episode series, The Vigilantes. Special thanks to former Georgia Governor Roy Barnes for his time and contribution to this episode. Host/ Executive...
Apr 29, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 15Ep. 8
Georgia’s Governor knew his life was in danger when he made his ruling. Would he commute Leo’s sentence, or let him die by execution?. And just how far would the angry mob go to seek revenge for Mary’s death? The planning had already begun… and it wouldn’t take long for a deal to be made with the prison warden. Join us for part six of this seven-episode series, The Vigilantes. Host/ Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder Writers: ...
Apr 22, 2024•45 min•Season 15Ep. 7
Appeal after appeal, Leo Frank was running out of options. With a new lawyer joining his defense team – the same lawyer who earlier represented the man who testified against Leo – the tide began to turn. Witnesses were coming forward, a new explanation for the murder note comes to light, and the story is making national news. With only days remaining before the scheduled execution, would time be on his side? Join us for part five of this seven-episode series, The Vigilantes. Special Thank You to...
Apr 15, 2024•49 min•Season 15Ep. 6
The heat in the Atlanta courtroom was sweltering and unbearable, as the trial against Leo Frank began. A Black man was testifying against a white man, which was nearly unheard of in the Jim Crow south. And the evidence against this man was mounting… A suspect who was at the murder scene, and continued to lie to the police. Join us for part four of this seven-episode series, The Vigilantes. Host/ Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks Audio Producer: Jenny Sny...
Apr 08, 2024•47 min•Season 15Ep. 5
It’s been 48 hours since Mary Phagan was last seen alive. It’s a media frenzy, and police are feeling the pressure to find the killer. There’s a new, sudden interest in the murder notes. Did the killer write them to throw off investigators? By the end of this episode, three men would become suspects. And despite dubious evidence and changing stories, one would soon be indicted for Mary’s murder. With a mob looking for vengeance, and sensational newspaper coverage, chances of a fair trial in Atla...
Apr 01, 2024•47 min•Season 15Ep. 4
It should have been a leisurely Saturday off work for 13-year-old Mary Phagan, who was looking forward to celebrating the Confederate Memorial Day holiday. It should have been an easy day for Leo Frank, too, who hoped to leave his job at the factory early to go to the local baseball game with his wife. It should have been a carefree day for 16-year old Grace Hicks, who was enjoying a rare day off, and waiting for her friend to join her at the parade. It was anything but a beautiful, joyful, rest...
Mar 25, 2024•44 min•Season 15Ep. 3
What is at stake in the upcoming presidential election? From the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, to women’s healthcare, and the economy, many voters aren't excited about a presidential rematch. Some have voiced their opinion by voting “Uncommitted” in the primary, instead of for President Biden. Our guest today views this election as a choice between stability, and the potential destruction of Democracy. She is the first female Vice President of the United States, and today Kamala Harris joins Sharon ...
Mar 20, 2024•22 min•Season 15Ep. 2
A shocking murder. A scene so brutal that the first people to find the victim couldn’t even tell what their skin color was. And a case that forever changed both the city, and the state’s legal system. It was April 1913, in Atlanta, Georgia, and the city would never be the same. You may wonder why this imperative and dramatic case is not taught in history class, or how the world could have forgotten such a horrific crime that continues to have an impact more than 100 years later. Join us for part...
Mar 18, 2024•33 min•Season 15Ep. 1
It’s the ultimate idea worth spreading: Generosity of spirit. Sharon is joined by Chris Anderson, whom you may know as the “head of TED.” As the leader and curator of TED, Chris shares why he chose this moment in time to write his book, Infectious Generosity, referring to the sea of anger that we’re living in, and the role the Internet can play – for better or for worse. Chris suggests that we all ask ourselves this question: Am I a net giver, or a net taker? What does it mean to live with the v...
Mar 11, 2024•40 min•Season 14Ep. 9
Do you ever wonder what Democracy could look like in America? Many voters are familiar with this scene: You walk into a voting booth, review the options, and feel as though you’re voting between “the lesser of two evils.” You might worry that voting third-party is wasting a vote, but you don’t feel represented by the main candidates. Sound familiar? If you’re like the majority of Americans, you probably find yourself frustrated with the two-party system and a historically unproductive Congress. ...
Mar 04, 2024•43 min•Season 14Ep. 8
Are you ready to question what you know about America’s founding? Today’s guest, David Fleming, shares all about a delicious slice of history in his new book, “Who’s Your Founding Father?” We dive into the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, a conspiracy theory, and possible plagiarism surrounding one of the most important documents in U.S. history. How do the ultimate frenemies, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, tie into this? Join us to find out. Special thanks to our guest, David Fleming,...
Feb 26, 2024•41 min•Season 14Ep. 7
Term limits, mental competency evaluations, and the looming 2024 presidential election. Join us for one of the most requested episodes yet, as Sharon sits down with presidential candidate, former governor and former U.S. ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley. The majority of Americans do not want a matchup of Biden Vs. Trump in the General Election. What kind of strategies will Nikki Haley bring to the table, to help bridge the divide between Democrats and Republicans, if she’s elected President? Wi...
Feb 19, 2024•37 min•Season 14Ep. 6
In a time when people are working to better understand systems of oppression and address issues that can seem daunting, folks are left asking the question: What can I do to make an impact? Sharon is joined by speaker and #1 New York Times bestselling author, Ijeoma Oluo, for a conversation to set listeners on a path of how to do important work, right where you are. There is work that is accessible to all of us, and her new book, Be a Revolution, highlights practical and tangible ways to work for...
Feb 12, 2024•37 min•Season 14Ep. 5
We’ve all gotten trapped in the social media & news loop: Checks Twitter, scrolls on Instagram, reads comments, watches the news, checks Twitter, reads comments, checks the news again… and the cycle continues. Today’s guest, international best-setting author Katherine May, invites us to join her on a journey or reawakening in her newest book, Enchantment. Explore the art of reconnecting with the world around you, and learn to see the humanity of others. Whether it’s a gorgeous sunset, a moss...
Feb 05, 2024•43 min•Season 14Ep. 4
What is it like to transition from one of the most powerful positions in the world, to that of an ordinary citizen? Sharon is joined by presidential historian and New York Times bestselling author, Jared Cohen, to share about what happens when presidents – at the pinnacle of their prestige and influence – leave office. What can we learn about human nature and building a legacy from these past political figures? Join us as we explore Jared’s new book, Life After Power, that confronts the ambiguou...
Jan 29, 2024•38 min•Season 14Ep. 3
We’ve heard it before: Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But what did the nation’s Founders mean when they identified “the pursuit of happiness” as an unalienable right? And what role does moral philosophy play in understanding the virtues that accompany the pursuit of happiness? Today we’re joined by Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO of the National Constitution Center, to explore these questions, as well as to dive deeper into the history and meaning of the pursuit of life-long virtu...
Jan 22, 2024•41 min•Season 14Ep. 2
What makes a real hero? From Amelia Earhart, to Abraham Lincoln, to Jane Goodall, there are some names we all know – and with good reason. When today’s guest, author Brad Meltzer, became a father, his writing career took a turn. In a world of TikTok stars and YouTube influencers, he wanted a book series for children that set apart the character of true heroes, from those who are out for fame. Join us as we step inside the creative process of how Brad begins to write a children’s book, the collab...
Jan 15, 2024•35 min•Season 14Ep. 1
It was supposed to be a picturesque and luxurious sightseeing tour over Antarctica. One filled with wonder and awe, in a tour that had cultivated a reputation for giving passengers the “trip of a lifetime.” But what began as an adventurous flight near Mt. Erebus, the southernmost active volcano in the world, became one of New Zealand’s most catastrophic accidents. What really happened? And who was ultimately responsible? Meanwhile, President Carter had just lost the election to Ronald Regan, who...
Jan 08, 2024•35 min•Season 13Ep. 16
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Jan 01, 2024•2 min•Season 13Ep. 15
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dec 25, 2023•2 min•Season 13Ep. 14
“You are now leaving Iranian air space!” It was a moment that dozens of hostages and their loved ones longed for with bated breath, for 444 days. Freedom. To be released, and returned home. The Iranian hostage crisis captured the attention of the world, but how did we get there? President Jimmy Carter was in Iran for a New Year’s celebration in 1978, and his infamous toast would have become a viral clip had it taken place today. Little did he know that days later, an Iranian newspaper article wo...
Dec 18, 2023•39 min•Season 13Ep. 13
A religious leader with a raging drug addiction who led his following to a tragic end. A President with the hope of finding peace between Israel and Egypt. And a politician who was pivotal to the early LGBTQ+ rights movement, and lost his life in the process. Join us as we explore the stories of three men in 1978 who all had specific visions of the world, and the reality of those visions coming to fruition. If you’ve ever wondered where the term “Don’t drink the Kool-Aid” came from, or you want ...
Dec 11, 2023•44 min•Season 13Ep. 12
Did you know that Star Wars almost started a war in real life, over a sandcrawler model? Would the film have been so wildly successful if someone else had been cast in the role of Han Solo, such as – let’s say – Christopher Walken? How would a band today be received if their drug use was so integral to their music, that they considered thanking their dealer in the liner notes? And let’s take that iPhone from your pocket, and compare it to the speed of an Apple II computer in 1977, which was 3,00...
Dec 04, 2023•43 min•Season 13Ep. 11
A happenstance introduction to Charles Manson. Assassination attempts against President Ford– a man who was never elected to the vice presidency or presidency. And the kidnapping of college student and newspaper heiress, 19-year-old Patty Hearst, that rocked the nation. Following Nixon’s resignation and the end of the Vietnam war, the country was in freefall. When, and how, did the U.S. begin to mend its wounds from political scandal and years of a grueling war? And what role did an unconvention...
Nov 27, 2023•43 min•Season 13Ep. 10
Draft dodging. When did the draft lottery begin for the war in Vietnam, and who among America’s youth was hit the hardest? It was an unwinnable war, and thousands of high school graduates and college students refused to comply. What sparked these explosive protests nationwide? What role was marijuana and heroin playing back in Vietnam? And how did two decades of the costly, divisive conflict finally come to an end? Writer, Host, and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder...
Nov 20, 2023•47 min•Season 13Ep. 9
It was the worst attack on the US Capitol in modern American history. What was it like to be on Capitol Hill and be in the White House through that tumultuous time? Sharon is joined by Cassidy Hutchinson, former special assistant to President Donald Trump and his chief of staff, Mark Meadow, who was an integral witness in the January 6th hearings. Cassidy shares her personal experience in her book, Enough, and gives an insider perspective. When democracy is in jeopardy, and character is put to t...
Nov 16, 2023•46 min•Season 13Ep. 8
A cover up that cost Nixon's presidency, a pardon that cost Gerald R. Ford his election, and a friendship dating back to the 1940s. It was the first time a President had been impeached, and the only time in U.S. history that a President resigned from office. The betrayal of the public’s trust reverberated well beyond Nixon’s presidency in a time of economic turmoil, but what happened following Nixon’s departure from office? How did the new Ford administration attempt to gain control over the ris...
Nov 13, 2023•34 min•Season 13Ep. 7
