Tag Archives: history

57. Mission La Purisima Concepcion, California

The ghost stories about the La Purisima Mission, what they include and what they surprisingly don’t, tell us a lot about how Californians think about their state’s past.

77. Women Talking

Kaylia and Chris talk about institutionalized abuse, power dynamics, and how this very evocative book and beautiful movie find a way to be optimistic in the face of some of the worst parts of humanity.

Trigger Warning for rape, sexual abuse, (against both children and adults) and domesitc violence etc.

It’s A Queer Thang – April 2023 Episode 1

April 7th episode of It’s A Queer Thang: In this episode, we talk politics, books and movies, fun lgbtq vocabulary, and share the Transgender Day Of Visibility Rally in Fresno. Enjoy!

55. The Shanghai Tunnels, Portland, Oregon

In this episode: how commerce, tall tales, and xenophobia collide with notions of innocence and victimization to create the folklore of Portland’s Haunted Shanghai Tunnels.

54. Rispin Mansion

Perched on a tree-covered riverbank in the coastal town of Capitola, California there is a once-glorious mansion. Built by Henry Rispin, this “haunted house” has been abandoned for decades and now lurks in the shade just outside of easy view. In this episode, Matt discusses the history of the mansion, the ghosts who are said to haunt it, and its role in Santa Cruz County folklore.

53. Themes of the Podcast Part 2 (Ghost Stories and History)

Matt discusses how ghost stories both enhance and warp our understanding of the past. The relationship between historic understanding and the paranormal is complex and fascinating, and Matt tries to give a bit of insight.

Supplemental: The Monterey Waterfront

In another special supplemental episode, recorded near the beginning of the year, Matt returns to Monterey in search of the ghost of the Chinese Fisherman featured in Episode 15. Along the way, he talks about how our views of history can be both reflected and distorted by the landscape as we walk through it.

41. The First Ghosts (Interview With Dr. Irving Finkel)

In this episode, Matt has the opportunity to speak with Dr. Irving Finkel, curator in the Department of the Middle East at the British Museum, and author of The First Ghosts. Dr. Finkel was kind enough to discuss ghost/demon beliefs in ancient Mesopotamia and how those beliefs reflect a lineage of such beliefs that continues through to the present day.