Join me and fellow Titanic expert Pablo O'Hana for an intriguing and oft-narrative-bending journey into the "what ifs" of Titanic's sinking. For decades historians and fanatics alike have tossed around theories of who was to blame, or what might have happened if a few details were different that fateful night. In this conversations series we'll unpack some of the most controversial questions in an attempt to present Titanic's cultural and social history in a brand new light. Cheers! Make sure yo...
Jun 23, 2025•1 hr 7 min
Join me and fellow Titanic expert Pablo O'Hana for an intriguing and oft-narrative-bending journey into the "what ifs" of Titanic's sinking. For decades historians and fanatics alike have tossed around theories of who was to blame, or what might have happened if a few details were different that fateful night. In this conversations series we'll unpack some of the most controversial questions in an attempt to present Titanic's cultural and social history in a brand new light. Cheers! Make sure yo...
Jun 20, 2025•45 sec
Join me for a lively conversation with author Nelson Aspen, whose new book Kindred Spirits: A Titanic Tale drops us into a split timeline as two young men come to terms with their environment, their passions, and their (of course) history. Nelson's website, which includes book tour info: http://www.nelsonaspen.com/KindredSpirits/ Find Nelson and Alexandra's podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/titanic-talk/id1680985773 Support the show Support Unsinkable on Patreon for as little a...
Mar 11, 2025•52 min
Happy Black History Month! Today we explore the life of Harriet Tubman, who every American school child learns a LITTLE about. Her life was much more complex and grittier than typical textbooks will lead one to believe; her work on the Underground Railroad is just the tip of our proverbial iceberg. During the Civil War, Tubman risked her life to scout and spy for the Union Army as well as worked tirelessly to provide social services for recently-freed slaves. Join me as we unpack the mythologies...
Feb 14, 2025•1 hr 24 min
Join Pablo O'Hana, record-breaking fourth time Unsinkable guest, and me for a lively discussion of the evolution of modern marketing in the US and the UK. We take a look at the strategies used by the White Star Line and her competitors to bolster their reputations of luxury and size ("Have you heard of Dr. Freud, Mr. Ismay?") on the coveted Trans-Atlantic route in the early twentieth-century. A marketing and public relations expert himself, Pablo walks us through what advertising looked like in ...
Jan 06, 2025•1 hr 28 min
Help Asheville and its continuing recovery from Hurricane Helene here: https://www.belovedasheville.com/ Find all info related to Titanic: An Immersive Voyage here: https://expo-titanic.com/ Happy holidays! *Note: As a historian and former museum professional, I should make the disclaimer that Titanic: An Immersive Voyage does have some artifacts on display without standard placards and provenance. Support the show Support Unsinkable on Patreon for as little as $1/month: https://www.patreon.com/...
Dec 10, 2024•46 min
Please consider donating to help the victims of this disaster. Our beautiful mountain city is in ruins. Links here: https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2024/10/02/asheville-nc-flooding-how-to-help-helene-relief-efforts-in-western-nc/75472474007/ If you'd like to help the pod stay up and running during this time/support our little family during displacement, consider becoming a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/unsinkablepod Support the show Support Unsinkable on Patreon for as l...
Oct 02, 2024•5 min
Please excuse some inferior sound, I am displaced from my studio at the moment because of some very disagreeable pipes at our house that decided to flood our bottom floor. Sex is discussed in this episode, just a heads up, but not in any graphic way. Find our Outlander podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-great-outlander-rewatch/id1655047578 Books referenced in this episode (purchasing them through my link supports the podcast as well as indie bookstores!): *Susan Douglas, Whe...
Sep 17, 2024•1 hr 6 min
*Disclaimer: this episode includes the opinions of myself and my guest and is not intended to reflect anyone else's. We are not associated with RMST, Inc. in any way. When facts about the company are presented, we make sure to note them and mark them separately from our opinions.* Find Pablo here: https://www.instagram.com/pabs94/ For Pablo’s article: https://pabloohana.medium.com/judge-smith-has-got-it-completely-wrong-on-titanic-2373bf23c8bd For the BBC artifact warehouse article: https://www....
Sep 06, 2024•1 hr 36 min
This was a Patreon bonus episode but too fun to not unlock! I bring you an amazing EXTRA SPECIAL episode with my friend and fellow Titaniac Jamie Didawick. We met on Instagram when she found the podcast a couple of years ago and have since bonded over both Titanic and Disney. She's a travel agent (the best one ever) and she helped me and my family have the time of our lives at Disney World just a few weeks ago. This is a conversational episode about everything from James Cameron's Pandora at Dis...
Jun 22, 2024•1 hr 48 min
Thank you for AN AMAZING SEASON! Happy summer and love to you all! Find the Insta for my forthcoming Outlander podcast here: https://www.instagram.com/thegreatoutlanderrewatch/ For Paul's new Titanic podcast collaboration with Titanic Book Club, go here! https://www.youtube.com/@titanicbookclub Support the show Support Unsinkable on Patreon for as little as $1/month: https://www.patreon.com/unsinkablepod Or buy me a coffee!: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/labeadles Buy Unsinkable shirts here!: htt...
Jun 06, 2024•45 min
Join me in an audio essay, a love letter if you will, to the oak paneling made so iconic by the final scene of James Cameron’s Titanic and its new home at the Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge. A huge thank you to the museum for their support of the podcast for the past two years: I am honored to work with you all and I wish you the best with this exciting new exhibit! Emily Densky joins me from the museum to discuss its opening and plans for the new space. Buy Paula Parisi’s book about ...
May 30, 2024•50 min
Join me as I begin to explore the lives of Middle Eastern immigrants on Titanic, something I should have done long ago. The story of Titanic’s “Miracle Boy” is not oft-told, perhaps because it’s so heartbreaking, but the long and triumphant life of Michael Shafiq Peter Yusuf (Joseph is the Americanized version of the last name) is beautiful in its resiliency. Traveling on Titanic with his young mother and a tiny baby sister, Michael was separated from them in the chaos but managed to make it ont...
May 03, 2024•39 min
Join me as I reflect on the sinking 112 years later + present to you my live show at Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge, an event that will stay a core and important memory to me forever. Thank you to everyone who came out for it and thank you to Steven Schwankert for being the best live show guest I could ask for. Find him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sschwankert/ and make sure to follow along as he prepares to release his book about The Six early next year! Support the show S...
Apr 26, 2024•1 hr 27 min
Listen to me gab with on one of MY fave history podcasts, Salem the Podcast! I was honored to join them for an episode and I know many of you will find their work fascinating. On their show, Salem tour guides and historians Jeffrey and Sarah take deep dives into the oft-dark, always-intriguing history of their town, its mythology and its obsessions. We have much in common in terms of how we approach research and how we unpack strange and beautiful stories. In this crossover episode, we speak abo...
Apr 16, 2024•1 hr 26 min
Join me for a conversation with renowned actor Cotter Smith, who portrays Senator William Alden Smith in the new film Unsinkable: Titanic Untold . We discuss how he tackled playing this rather controversial Titanic figure, a man who spearheaded the United States Senate Inquiry in the immediate aftermath of the sinking; we also dissect how Smith has been treated in the ship's historiography and maybe why he’s not gotten the fairest shot. It was an absolute pleasure to meet Cotter. If you’d like t...
Apr 05, 2024•42 min
To register for my live, in-person show on April 13th, go here: https://titanicpigeonforge.com/titanic-tribute-week/ Support the show Support Unsinkable on Patreon for as little as $1/month: https://www.patreon.com/unsinkablepod Or buy me a coffee!: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/labeadles Buy Unsinkable shirts here!: https://www.bonfire.com/unsinkable-the-first-t-shirt/ Support the pod via my Bookshop Storefront: https://bookshop.org/shop/unsinkablepod Find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram....
Mar 27, 2024•1 hr 10 min
As Titanic hit the online news cycles in some wacky ways this past week (Titanic II? Ok…), I pushed the Emergency Meeting button and called Pablo O’Hana, my dear friend and one of our foremost experts on Titanic’s artifacts, its cultural impact and its memorialization. This is a wonderfully meandering podcast chat about what it means to be in the Titanic community, what we all owe to the memory of its victims, and how we can all use our voices here to honor the heart and soul of the ship we love...
Mar 26, 2024•1 hr 30 min
To register for the live, in-person show on April 13, go here: https://tickets.titanicattraction.com/WebStore/shop/viewitems.aspx?cg=PFSPEVT&c=PFTME&companycode=TITANIC Join me for a rather joyful episode today as we look at the life of Artie Moore, Welsh-born wireless enthusiast-turned Marconi employee who began his career by picking up on Titanic's SOS calls from his tiny shack on his family's mill property. For more reading on Marconi and wireless tech, check out Erik Larson's Thunder...
Mar 09, 2024•44 min
As a podcaster, a historian, a human, I want to extend my deepest love and sympathies to the family of Nex Benedict in the wake of their untimely and preventable death. We have to ACT and SPEAK OUT against inequality and prejudice in this country. We cannot hide in the shadows or make excuses for our relatives or friends who quietly support hate in the name of God or their church or their privilege. Thank you to everyone who reached out yesterday on Instagram. This podcast supports trans youth, ...
Feb 22, 2024•57 min
Join me as I tell the tragic but beautiful tale of two of Titanic's honeymooners--the Marvins, a gorgeous and glowing young couple from New York. In a newspaper interview shortly afterward, Mary said, unable yet to process Daniel's death: “My God, don’t ask me too much. Tell me, have you any news from Dan? He grabbed me in his arms and knocked down men to get me into the boat. As I was put in the boat he cried ‘It’s alright, little girl, you go and I will stay a while. I’ll put on a life preserv...
Feb 14, 2024•35 min
I am THRILLED to bring you an interview with Max Miller, whose YouTube Channel is a gorgeously innovative but also accessible look at the local and global histories of food and recipes across time and place. There are equal parts cooking and history! I'll link his Titanic-specific episodes just below, as well as his video for 400-year old Buttered Beere, which we discuss at the end. I'm so grateful we got to speak about his love of Titanic, what inspired/inspires him to to create Tasting History...
Jan 25, 2024•52 min
Join me as I FINALLY return to my side series Titanic on Film with a look at 2012’s 12-part miniseries Titanic: Blood and Steel. Make sure to click the merch/Bonfire link below to grab your original-design Unsinkable tee before they’re retired forever! Recommendations: Salem the Podcast (collaboration coming!): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/salem-the-podcast/id1612165471 Molly Brown: Unraveling the Myth (for Patreon book club!): https://www.amazon.com/Molly-Brown-Unraveling-Kristen-Ivers...
Jan 23, 2024•54 min
Join me for a look at the life of Engelhart and Helen Ostby, father-and-daughter jewelers who boarded Titanic in First Class. Until recently, I had no idea that such a crucial figure in Edwardian fashion and design was a passenger or that he trained his daughter in the business by traversing Europe, a fairly modern and feminist concept. The Ostby story is one of immigration, one of innovation, and their rings remain part of our aesthetic today. This is random and beautiful Titanica at its finest...
Jan 10, 2024•50 min
Thanks to Angie Hung, actor and podcaster, for joining me on a fun rewatch of the Kate Winslet holiday classic (can something 20 years old be a classic?!) The Holiday. This was an exclusive Patreon episode for its first couple of weeks, but I wanted to unlock for everyone. Happy holidays!!! Find Angie on Instagram: @angiehung Find her pod here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-would-kate-do-specifically-kate-winslet-as-an-actress/id1674467743 Support the show Support Unsinkable on Patr...
Dec 26, 2023•1 hr
Join me for an exploration of the life of Third Class Passenger Hilda Hellstrom. In November of this year, a group of Titanic researchers, enthusiasts and descendants assembled to honor her life and memories with a new headstone at Memorial Park Cemetery in Skokie, Illinois. This episode is an amalgam of that experience, with descendant interviews conducted by listener Mia Morgante (an unsinkable thank you, Mia!) and insight from the Paul Burns, Titanic Museum Attractions' curator and Tony Probs...
Dec 13, 2023•1 hr 8 min
This is the first of two holiday-inspired December episodes. Join me AT the Titanic Museum Attraction as Emily Densky and I discuss the haunting beauty in recognizing the lives of Titanic's children, both those who survived and those lost. We tell the story of Douglas Spedden, whose survival that night (alongside his family) inspired his mother Daisy to write a children's book at Christmas, 1913--to help him cope with the unbelievable trauma, no doubt. Douglas' life was cut horrifically short ju...
Dec 06, 2023•31 min
Join me for this, an incredible (though heartbreaking) story of how Swedish immigrant Elin Gerda Lindell's wedding ring ended up in the bottom of Titanic's last recovered lifeboat-- I'm not on Facebook, but this is just happened to be a great link straight to a photo as part of the Titanic Exhibition (not, as of April 2023, still in New York): https://m.facebook.com/titanictheexhibition/videos/real-objects-from-the-titanic-mrs-gerda-lindells-ring/211290281080001/ Support the show Support Unsinka...
Dec 01, 2023•39 min
Join me as I catch up with Titanic Talk co-host (and my dear friend!) Nelson Aspen as he releases his new novel, Dancing Between the Raindrops , which is truly a love letter to New York City. Nelson is, of course, also a renowned entertainment journalist and a prolific writer. We discuss everything from his earliest interest in Titanic and how it shaped his life and passions to the writing process and its sleepless nights. For updates on this winter's happy hours, follow Nelson on Insta: https:/...
Nov 17, 2023•55 min
Thank you to Veronica, Unsinkable's only three-time guest, this time to celebrate the release of Titanic: the Official Cookbook! To support Veronica and the pod, buy your copy here at Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/p/books/titanic-the-official-cookbook-40-timeless-recipes-for-every-occasion-titanic-film-cookbook-titanic-film-entertaining-veronica-hinke/20076726?aid=80949&ean=9781647228576&listref=episodes-miscellany To follow Veronica's work: https://veronicahinke.com Support the show Su...
Nov 07, 2023•58 min
