The Biographers is a deep-dive biography podcast that aims to tell the full and complete stories of history’s most fascinating and influential characters. Join hosts Daniel Newman and Akiva Meola as they take you through the expansive and entertaining stories of various historic figures. In a time where short-form, hardly-researched videos flood TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, we are doing the exact opposite. The Biographers gives you the chance to learn the full life stories of historic figures, both famous and obscure, without cutting corners. With hour-long, deep-dive research, we provide a bigger, better story than what’s in your feed...
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Nov 14, 2026 · 1:24:26
In part two of our Andy Warhol series, we see the young artist break out on his own in the fast-paced world of art in New York City. Though Andy is able to find work as an artist…
Oct 31, 2026 · 1:17:25
It's time for a new series, and this time we're tackling one of the most influential figures in American history: Andy Warhol. Though he was born into poverty from an immigrant…
Oct 17, 2026 · 1:14:20
It's that time again to sit back, relax, and enjoy a laid-back episode of Office Hours. In this episode, we bid a final (and incredibly fond) farewell to our long time friend and…
Oct 3, 2026 · 1:09:05
In our final installment of Marcus Aurelius, we discuss the twilight years of the “last good emperor”. Alone, battle-hardened, and bent with age, Marcus is still facing two of…
Sep 19, 2026 · 1:07:44
In part three of our series on Marcus Aurelius, we cover the battlefronts that the twin emperors were tasked to manage. In Syria, Marcus tasks his brother and co-emperor, Lucius…
Sep 5, 2026 · 1:14:59
In part two of our series on Marcus Aurelius, we see Marcus’ get adopted by Antoninus Pius after the grisly death of Hadrian. After moving into the royal palace, Antoninus Pius…
Aug 22, 2026 · 1:09:40
In part one of our series on famed Roman emperor and philosopher Marcus Aurelius, we explore the early life of the last of the so-called “5 good emperors”. Born the son of a…
Aug 8, 2026 · 1:02:05
It's time for another episode of Office Hours, and this time we have some show-altering news! Our very own Akiva Meola, who has been co-host of The Biographers for two years, is…
Jul 25, 2026 · 1:34:19
In the conclusion to our series on the infamous Wu Zhao, we discover why the only female emperor in Chinese history, relinquished the throne. Her reign as emperor would only last…
Jul 11, 2026 · 1:16:56
In part four of our series on Wu Zhao, we watch the continued rise to power of the only female emperor in the history of China. With Emperor Gaozong's health declining to the…
Jun 27, 2026 · 59:56
In part three of our series on the infamous Wu Zhao, we finally get to see her long-planned rise to Empress, and what sequence of events led her there! Due to some health…
Jun 13, 2026 · 1:10:39
In part two of our series on Wu Zhao, we take a look at the earliest days of her arrival into the royal harem of the Emperor, and what curriculum needed to be studied as a…
May 30, 2026 · 1:13:21
It's time for a brand new series, and this time we're headed further back in time than we ever have before: the 7th century! For series 14 of The Biographers, we're covering Wu…
May 16, 2026 · 1:02:57
Coming in hot with another laid-back episode of Office Hours, but this time we have video! We are indeed humans! In this episode, we go over all the corrections and questions…
May 2, 2026 · 1:32:08
In our final episode on Frida Kahlo, we discuss her last decade of life. Coming on the heels of Trotsky's death, Frida and Diego decide to remarry after realizing what they meant…
Apr 18, 2026 · 1:42:10
In part 5 of our series covering the dramatic and tragic life of Frida Kahlo, we go over the most formative years for her career as a painter. Following Diego's brutal betrayal…
Apr 4, 2026 · 1:26:52
In part four of our series on Frida Kahlo, the seminal artist's grand tour of the United States comes to an end. Devastation would follow devastation in Frida’s mid-twenties: a…
Mar 21, 2026 · 1:26:40
In part three of our series on Frida Kahlo, we explore Frida’s early years of marriage to the world-famous painter Diego Rivera, along with her time spent touring the United…
Mar 7, 2026 · 1:26:37
In part two of our series on Frida Kahlo, we discuss the aftermath of one of Frida's greatest tragedies that would ultimately leave Frida in pieces. With dozens of shattered…
Feb 24, 2026 · 1:31:46
We are thrilled to be speaking with incomparable Max Miller of the sensational YouTube channel: Tasting History. Max kindly agreed to work with us on a recent collaboration video…
Feb 21, 2026 · 1:30:09
We're officially starting series 13, and this time we're focusing on one of the most influential artists of all time: Frida Kahlo! In part one, we discuss Frida's family origins,…
Feb 7, 2026 · 1:11:35
Time to sit back and relax for another casual episode of Office Hours. We go through questions and corrections from our series on Mark Twain, and share an amazing story from one…
Jan 23, 2026 · 1:19:37
This week, we are thrilled to be joined for an interview with one of the world's leading Mark Twain scholars who currently teaches at Stanford University: Professor Shelley…
Jan 10, 2026 · 1:50:04
It’s finally time to close the book on the life of the incomparable Mark Twain. His final ten years would not be easy, riddled with heartache and devastation, but the world at…
Dec 27, 2025 · 1:36:02
Tough times lay ahead for Mark Twain in part nine of our series on the legendary humorist. Somewhere along the way, Sam Clemens got it into his head that he was a businessman,…
Dec 13, 2025 · 1:26:45
In part eight of our series on the godfather of American comedy, Mark Twain, we finally get into the development and publishing of his most famous novel: Adventures of…
Nov 29, 2025 · 1:17:47
In part seven of our series on the incomparable Mark Twain, the godfather of American comedy finally publishes one of his most seminal works: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer .…
Nov 15, 2025 · 1:29:20
As we press on with the life of Mark Twain, trouble starts to brew in the early years of the 1870s. Some personal tragedy will strike the Clemens family, and Sam will experience…
Nov 1, 2025 · 1:32:11
In part five of our series on Mark Twain, the author is officially back stateside after a trip through Europe and the “Holy Land.” From these experiences, he would write his…
Oct 18, 2025 · 1:41:42
As we continue our series, we witness the steady rise of legendary author and orator, Mark Twain, following the publication of his famous short story The Celebrated Jumping Frog…
Oct 4, 2025 · 1:25:19
The American Civil War has officially begun! In part three of our series on Mark Twain, we see the not-yet-writer briefly join the Missouri State Guard before fleeing west with…
Sep 27, 2025 · 1:03:57
In part two of our series on Samuel Clemens (a.k.a. Mark Twain), we follow young Sam as he enters the working world, becoming a typesetter’s apprentice in his hometown of…
Sep 13, 2025 · 1:20:29
In series 12 of The Biographers, we're talking about one of the truest titans of American literature to ever put pen to paper: Mark Twain. Given the name Samuel Langhorne Clemens…
Aug 30, 2025 · 1:08:13
It's time for another laid-back episode of Office Hours! A bit of nonsense as usual, chatting about mini vans, how they are superior to SUVs, and how trucks are worst, but we…
Aug 16, 2025 · 1:30:45
In the final episode of our series, we cover the last years of General Alexandre Dumas. With the smoldering wreck of The Orient sinking in Aboukir Bay, Dumas and his men…
Aug 2, 2025 · 1:32:07
In part four of Alexandre Dumas, we cover General Dumas's time under the command of Napoleon Bonaparte. Dumas would be sent to engage the "unwindable" parts of France, laying…
Jul 19, 2025 · 1:06:20
In part three of our series on Alexandre Dumas, we see the French Revolution enter phase two with the arrival of the Reign of Terror, led by the infamous Maximilien Robespierre.…
Jul 5, 2025 · 1:30:43
In part two of our series on the legendary French soldier Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, we witness the rise of a humble soldier as he climbs the ranks of the newly established national…
Jun 21, 2025 · 1:30:04
We're back, and it's officially time to start up Series 11! For this series, we're getting back to our roots by discussing a person most people have never heard of. While many do…
May 31, 2025 · 17:38
It's time for another episode of Office Hours, but this one will be slightly different, in that Akiva is out of town! Don't worry -- he'll be back next time, but this means…
May 17, 2025 · 1:21:12
In the conclusion episode of our series on the Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa, we take a look at the darker days of his life and the deeds that earned him the oft-overlooked…
May 3, 2025 · 1:28:56
In part four of our series on Pancho Villa, we witness Pancho rise to become the single most powerful person in the country of Mexico, after the notorious Victoriano Huerta is…
Apr 19, 2025 · 1:16:39
In part three of our series on Pancho Villa, we explore an often-forgotten tragedy in world history known as La Decena Trágica (The Ten Tragic Days), during which the first phase…
Apr 5, 2025 · 1:21:48
In part two of our series on Pancho Villa, the Mexican Revolution officially begins! Though an unlikely candidate, Pancho quickly becomes a high-ranking officer in the…
Mar 22, 2025 · 1:15:38
For our next series, we're headed to Mexico to cover our first revolutionary in a man named Pancho Villa. Born the son of a humble farmer, Pancho's life would take a sudden and…
Mar 8, 2025 · 1:13:52
Announcement! If you hadn't heard in our last episode, we are back to a bi-weekly release schedule. Have no fear, we aren't going anywhere -- we just need some additional time to…
Feb 22, 2025 · 1:37:36
In our final episode on the genius inventor Nikola Tesla, we bid the old wizard a fond farewell. The latter portion of his life had its fair share of inventions and recognition,…
Feb 15, 2025 · 1:20:35
In part four of our series on Croatian inventor Nikola Tesla, we explore some of the highest highs and lowest lows of the genius’s life. Success was coming his way, including a…
Feb 8, 2025 · 1:17:08
In part three of our series on the master of AC electricity, Nikola Tesla, we finally get to see the invention of the Tesla Coil! When introducing his new invention to shoot…
Feb 1, 2025 · 1:07:50
In part two of our series on electrical genius Nikola Tesla, we examine the early stages of his rise to success, along with the hardships that accompanied it. The road to success…
Jan 25, 2025 · 1:12:03
To kick off 2025 right, we're starting with one of the greatest titans of invention ever known to walk the earth: Nikola Tesla. Born to humble beginnings in what is now Croatia,…
Dec 21, 2024 · 1:21:22
It's time for another laid back episode of office hours! No set agenda, but we do talk about a few questions and corrections from our Marilyn Monroe series, as well as some…
Dec 14, 2024 · 1:14:01
In the final episode of our series on Marilyn Monroe, we take a look at her last years, her final movies, and what led up to her untimely death. Like much of her life, her final…
Dec 7, 2024 · 1:07:27
In part four of our series on Marilyn Monroe, we take a look at what life was like as the biggest star in the world. For Marilyn, it was definitely a case of "be careful what you…
Nov 30, 2024 · 1:13:31
In the third installment of our series on Marilyn Monroe, we take a look at the early days of her rise to superstardom, and what movies helped catapult her career. After crossing…
Nov 23, 2024 · 1:10:42
In part two of our series on blonde-bombshell, Marilyn Monroe, we get a glimpse of what life was like as she struggled to make a name for herself as a model, and eventually an…
Nov 16, 2024 · 1:15:00
It's new series time, and we're covering our most modern biography to date as we take a closer look at one of the most iconic humans to ever walk the earth: Marilyn Monroe. Long…
Nov 9, 2024 · 1:01:22
We take a break from our regularly scheduled programming for another episode of Office Hours, giving us a small break before starting up our next biography series. In this…
Nov 2, 2024 · 1:16:23
In the conclusion episode of our series on Mary Shelley, we take a look at what life was like after Frankenstein achieved success. Upon returning to her homeland of England, her…
Oct 26, 2024 · 1:11:54
Death, death, and more death! In part four of our series on Mary Shelley, we go through the most tragic part of the classic author's life, experiencing more loss than ever…
Oct 19, 2024 · 59:56
In part three of our series on author Mary Shelley, we get to explore all the trials, tribulations, and moments of jubilation often used as sources of inspiration that ultimately…
Oct 12, 2024 · 1:01:00
In part two of our series on Frankenstein author, Mary Shelley, we see the young genius enter her teenage years, and the blossoming of her relationship with the poet, Percy…
Oct 5, 2024 · 1:07:22
It's spooky season, so we're starting up a series on the mistress of morbid herself: Mary Shelley! In our first episode, we discuss the legacy of Mary's parents, and how Mary…
Sep 28, 2024 · 1:14:53
As we take a quick break between our normal programming, we talk about recent hospital visits, professional wrestling, the current state of children's television, and horror…
Sep 21, 2024 · 1:26:58
As we close out our series on the oft-forgotten genius of classical music, Franz Liszt, we bid the old maestro a fond farewell. Much like future rockstars would also experience,…
Sep 14, 2024 · 1:11:59
In part five of our series on classical composer, Franz Liszt, we learn about the most tragic part of Franz's life, which compels him to become a clergyman of the Catholic…
Sep 7, 2024 · 1:19:38
In part four of our series on Franz Liszt, we witness the rise of a music superstar the likes of which the world had never seen before, and what history would come to call…
Aug 31, 2024 · 1:13:35
In part three of our series on Franz Liszt, we explore the continuing rise of Franz's popularity, and all the stereotypical cliches that come with being a Pop Star. Yes, Franz…
Aug 24, 2024 · 1:04:58
In part two of our series on piano virtuoso, Franz Liszt, we get to see what life was like in 1830s Paris, as Franz rubs elbows with some of the most prominent writers, artists,…
Aug 17, 2024 · 1:07:46
In part one of our series on classical composer and pianist, Franz Liszt, we examine the earliest parts of the young prodigy's life. Though he was born the son of a humble…
Aug 14, 2024 · 55:48
In our second episode of Office Hours, we kick our feet up once again, answering questions we asked ourselves from previous episodes, expanding upon some previously unexplored…
Aug 10, 2024 · 1:06:35
In the last installment of our series on Leonardo da Vinci, we cover the final ten years of the genius Renaissance man's life. Starting off in Milan, Leonardo tries to discover…
Aug 3, 2024 · 1:08:55
In part six of our Leonardo da Vinci series, we learn about the more senior years of Leonardo's life working as an engineer, before reverting his attention back to art once…
Jul 27, 2024 · 1:07:31
In part five of our series on Leonardo da Vinci, we dive into the first five years of Leonardo's return to his hometown of Florence after nearly two decades away. Upon arriving…
Jul 20, 2024 · 1:09:40
In part 4 of our series on Leonardo da Vinci, we finally see the master artist's time in Milan come to an end. But before his time in Milan was over, Leonardo would discover…
Jul 13, 2024 · 1:12:36
In part three of our series on Leonardo da Vinci, we take a look at the first decade of Leonardo's time working for the Duke of Milan. Despite his initial ambitions to design war…
Jul 6, 2024 · 1:05:40
In part two of our series on Leonard da Vinci, we take a look at Leonardo's first decade as a master-ranked painter. Regardless of his distinguished title of "master", Leonardo…
Jun 29, 2024 · 1:17:16
It's finally Akiva's turn to host a series with our oldest biography yet: that of revered painter and inventor, Leonardo da Vinci. After we explore da Vinci’s complicated…
Jun 22, 2024 · 1:00:00
It's time to chill out for a minute and take a break from all the studying and learning. In our first ever episode of Office Hours, we kick up our feet and casually chat about…
Jun 15, 2024 · 1:13:14
In the conclusion episode to our series on Tennessee whiskey maker, Jack Daniel, we bid a fond farewell to the charismatic community leader, and dispel a few myths regarding his…
Jun 8, 2024 · 1:08:07
In part five of our series on legendary distiller, Jack Daniel, we finally get to see the little guy from Tennessee enter the spotlight of worldwide fame. But just as he was…
Jun 1, 2024 · 1:06:15
In part four of our series on American Whiskey maker, Jack Daniel, we uncover the true origins of how Jack labelled his product as "Old No. 7," along with a few alternative…
May 25, 2024 · 1:12:54
In part three of our Jack Daniel series, we finally get to see the Boy Distiller become a fully-fledged southern gentleman of bourbon (Tennessee Whiskey, if you want to be…
May 18, 2024 · 1:06:53
In part two of our series on Jack Daniel, we learn all about the ancient art of whiskey making, and how the young Jack Daniel first discovered the craft. From his affable and…
May 11, 2024 · 59:22
For this series, we're headed to the Tennessee backcountry to talk about an American icon that many of you probably didn't realize was an actual person: Jack Daniel. But how did…
Apr 27, 2024 · 2:00:37
In our final episode on Abigail Adams, we follow her through the final parts of her life, during which she celebrates new grand (and great grand) children, and mourns the loss of…
Apr 13, 2024 · 1:40:59
In this episode, we see a mature Abigail Adams help thwart what would have been a terrible marriage for her daughter, followed by her graceful transition to grandmother, and the…
Mar 30, 2024 · 2:13:50
In an era where women could not have their own money or property, Abigail and John’s unique and trusting relationship allows Abigail to start an import business, invest in real…
Mar 16, 2024 · 1:50:53
In our second episode on Abigail Adams, all is not well in the colonies, as a revolution, rather than tea, was brewing. Abigail and John experienced more periods of separation,…
Mar 2, 2024 · 1:39:14
For our fourth series, we're heading all the way back to the 1700s to learn about the United States' second First Lady, Abigail Adams. Though you might simply know her as the…
Feb 17, 2024 · 1:43:59
As we come to the conclusion of Ian Fleming's incredible life, we finally get to see the infamous secret agent, James Bond, take to the big screen. You probably know which actor…
Feb 3, 2024 · 2:15:17
Life finally seems to be settling down for Ian Fleming after so much -- shoot, I spoke too soon: looks like he's actually becoming a father after a 14 year affair with a married…
Jan 20, 2024 · 1:56:31
As war rages on throughout the world, Ian Fleming finds himself entrenched ever-deeper into the world of international intelligence. What was Operation Golden Eye, and was it…
Jan 6, 2024 · 1:45:13
As the world moves closer and closer to the outbreak of the Second World War, Ian Fleming finds himself moving from journalism, to merchant banking, to stock broking... And now…
Dec 16, 2023 · 2:15:58
In part two of our series on James Bond creator, Ian Fleming, we watch the young Ian as he struggles to find his first job, but ultimately landing a position with one of the…
Dec 2, 2023 · 2:03:40
In our third series, we're covering novelist (among many other titles), Ian Fleming, who is most famously known for his creation of the fictional character, James Bond. But did…
Jul 29, 2023 · 2:08:04
In the conclusion episode of our first series on Mabel Dodge Luhan, we find D.H. Lawrence and his wife, Frieda, being wooed to Taos, New Mexico, by a determined Mabel. What magic…
Jul 15, 2023 · 1:33:03
Gone are the days of big city living; Mabel has officially moved to Taos, New Mexico, and has become hypnotized by a Native American man named Tony Lujan. Life has officially…
Jul 1, 2023 · 1:41:08
The world is at war, but Mabel don't care. A quick trip to Pompeii before returning home? Sure! What's next? Co-founding a dance conservatory for underprivileged children, and…
Jun 17, 2023 · 1:53:32
Artists, politicians, and revolutionaries? Oh my! As we continue on with the life of Mabel Dodge Luhan, we find Mabel leaving Europe, where she first encountered the Stein…
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