This summer's best history podcasts ...Middle East

Empire

Historian and author William Dalrymple joins Anita Anand to share stories on the changing fortunes of the world’s greatest empires in history

When William Dalrymple was first invited to appear on The Rest Is History podcast, he was warned that his hosts would talk only to each other and forget he was there. Instead, his guest spot became one of the series’ most popular episodes, and it wasn’t long before he and Anita Anand, his friend and co-author of the book Koh-i-Noor, were given their own show.

Three years, nearly 300 episodes and 75 million downloads later, the pair have become seasoned raconteurs of everything imperial. Their global audience stretches from west London to India, where, according to Dalrymple, cricket superstar Virat Kohli makes his tea while tuning in. It’s also where Dalrymple spends nine months of the year, something he believes contributes to the success of the show.

“We have a Brit who lives in India, and an Indian who lives in Britain – it’s balanced criticism, which coincides quite well with most of the post-colonial world. Our critics tend to be colonels in Shropshire and Winston Churchill-lovers in America. And we also have Anita’s sense of humour and how she takes the mickey out of me. It never fails to delight our listeners.”

For Dalrymple, the history of the British Empire is “the great white elephant in the room”. “A quarter of the world at various points was colonised by us and yet we scarcely cover it in our own history lessons,” he marvels. “We know all of Henry VIII’s wives but wiping out entire tribes and conquering continents is not taught.”

Is there anyone the hosts disagree on? “Yes, Rudyard Kipling. We’re looking forward to going into a duel on him.” CAROLINE FROST

The Rest is Classified

CIA analyst turned best-selling author David McCloskey trades spy stories with former BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera

How important is your previous work in making this podcast?

My having been inside the Agency and having a network of people currently inside, I think complements well with Gordon’s journalistic experience. The producers don’t try to shape what we’re saying. We’re just trying to be our authentic selves.

Do you think it helps that, between you, we get both British and American perspectives?

I think it adds up to something bigger than either of us doing it alone. I hope you’d love to be hanging out with us at a bar while we’re having this conversation, and when I make fun of him sometimes and poke in a gentle way.

You’ve explored Edward Snowden’s actions. Was that a challenging story to cover?

I wanted to be direct in how I approached it, but also accurate. It’s a hot-button political issue with how people view him. There aren’t divisions in how Americans view Osama bin Laden, right? Snowden was harder in that respect.

What do you hope to achieve with this podcast?

The number one goal is that the listener is excited to hear what’s going to happen in the story. I also want people to understand how these institutions function. I hope that the podcast contributes to knowledge about what spy agencies actually do, what they don’t do, and why they matter for our democracies. CF

Centuries of Sound

With a mix of up to four hours for every year of recorded sound since 1859, James Errington’s aural collages are epic, sprawling portraits of change. For example, 1925 was the first year that, in theory, all audible sound could finally be captured. Among Errington’s ear-tefacts from the time are songs from Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong and Guy Visser and his Singing Duck. GARETH McLEAN

16 Sunsets

From the team behind the award-winning 13 Minutes to the Moon, including space expert presenter Kevin Fong, this offers a deep look into the cultural, political and scientific context of the birth of Nasa’s Space Shuttle programme. The Hans Zimmer/Christian Lundberg score sets the scene, celebrating the collaboration of uniquely skilled people, all clearly made of “the right stuff”. CF

Half-life

Author Joe Dunthorne uncovers a disquieting truth when he tries to learn more about his German-Jewish family’s dramatic escape from Nazi Germany in 1936. Themes of hidden family trauma, ethical compromises and the very physical scars of war mix in a story that stretches across continents, with a soundscape that subtly reflects the subject.DAVID CRAWFORD

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