Dan Carlin (@hardcorehistory) is the host of my favorite podcast, Hardcore History.
But… what?! History?! I know. I thought the same thing. How could a history podcast have a cult following?
And yet it did. During research for launching The Tim Ferriss Show, I asked many of the top dogs on the iTunes charts: what is your favorite podcast? Almost without exception, the answer came back: Hardcore History.
Since then, I’ve become friends with Dan (and more obsessed with his show), and this episode explores all the questions I’ve been dying to ask him, including:
- His early experiments
- What has worked and what hasn’t
- His habits, rituals, and routines
- How podcasting became his full-time job
- His “radio” voice and how to find your own
- Creativity
- And much more…
I hope you enjoy it, and listen to at least one episode of Hardcore History. They’re amazing. I’ve included a few of my favorites below.
You can find the transcript of my interview with Dan Carlin here. Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.
Hardcore History Episodes Mentioned — If In Doubt, Start with “Wrath of the Khans”
- Prophets of Doom
- Steppe Stories
- Apache Tears
- Bubonic Nukes
- Ghosts of the Ostfront
- History Under the Influence
- Wrath of the Khans
Show Notes and Select Links from Episode 20
- How the concept of Hardcore History evolved into a massively successful podcast
- The basic ingredients of Hardcore History’s recipe
- How Dan keeps his signature tangents out of the “blue room”
- Why he will never do an episode on the history of Southeast India
- Advice to those searching for their voice
- The dramatic effect Dan loves that would be part of every episode, if he could do it all over again
- The upside of Dan’s special brand of masochism
- Why he likens himself to a street performer on a really busy corner
- Who really came up with the idea for Hardcore History
- Dan’s definition of “success”
- The gateway drugs of Hardcore History
Links
- Learn more about James Burke and his Connections series
- More information about Gwynne Dyer
- Learn more about Edward R. Murrow
- More information on Orson Welles
- The Final Countdown movie
- Hell in the Pacific series
- Find out more about John R. Bolton
- Music: Dead Kennedys | Lou Reed | The Seeds | Jerry Lee Lewis
- Get free shows at DanCarlin.com or on iTunes
- This American Life Podcast
- Welcome to Night Vale Podcast
Books Mentioned in This Episode
- Dying Every Day: Seneca at the Court of Nero by James Romm
This podcast is brought to you by The Tim Ferriss Book Club, which features a handful of books that have changed my life. Here’s the list.