The Biographers

Leonardo da Vinci Part 3: Wisdom Through Friendship.

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 machines, da Vinci finds himself in the world of theatre, making sets and working as a court entertainer. In the world of art, da Vinci paints "The Virgin of the Rocks", and "Lady with an Ermine", showing off his skills in both science and symbolism. Leonardo also takes full advantage of his time in court to make connections, becoming friends with various masters of their craft to pursue architecture and the nature of the "universal man". Eventually, Leonardo lands his biggest job yet, resulting in an explosion of resources that will allow him to pursue every interest his brilliant mind can dream up. Tune in to part three of series on Leonardo da Vinci to learn more! (Ep. 025)

Leonardo da Vinci Part 2: A Deadly Reinvention.

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 still can't seem to finish most of the work he takes on, which results in one of the greatest unfinished works in history. We also get to learn about one of da Vinci's most revered paintings, which captures the soul of a young girl trapped in convention, whilst simultaneously revealing parts of his own soul. Coups will be plotted, and blood will be spilled, but from the chaos Leonardo will reinvent himself in the treacherous court of Ludovico Sforza, in the Italian city of Milan. Tune in for part 2 of Leonardo da Vinci to find out more! (Ep. 024)

Leonardo da Vinci Part 1: The Kid and the Cave.

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 childhood and education, we set the scene for Leonardo's new home of Florence, Italy -- a city of paint, gold, and blood. After da Vinci is accepted as a student under the legendary painting instructor, Andrea del Verrocchio, we also learn how young Leonardo becomes fascinated with geometry, architecture, fashion, science, and all forms of art, unknowingly securing his place as one of the most respected and popular figures of the Renaissance era. Tune in to part 1 of Leonard da Vinci to learn more! (Ep. 023)

Office Hours Ep. 1: Lingerie Roller Derby.

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 anything and everything. We also take a few minutes to go over questions we asked from previous series', and clarify a few things we didn't get quite right. Tune in for a laid-back conversation between our two hosts, Daniel Newman and Akiva Meola. 

Jack Daniel Part 6: One Last Libation.

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 death. But what events led up to his ultimate demise, and what did Jack end up doing with his fortune? Maybe most importantly, who was going to take over his legendary distillery, and would it be able to stand the test of time? Tune in for part six, the finale, of our series on Jack Daniel to find out! (Ep. 022)

Jack Daniel Part 5: The Little Guy from Tennessee.

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 starting to bask in the spotlight, the United States began to accelerate in the direction of temperance, largely aided by outspoken activists like Carrie Nation. How did the Jacks Daniel's distillery survive such a turbulent time, and was Jack still the leader of the business? Tune in to part five as we continue on with the life of Jack Daniel! (Ep. 021)

Jack Daniel Part 4: The Legend of Old No. 7.

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 tall-tales regarding the name. We also get to see Jack stretch his wings and expand his business in a way we have never seen before, in addition to introducing a new product to the marketplace called "The Belle of Lincoln." But how did Jack manage to keep his business afloat amidst the intense corruption that surrounded the whiskey industry in the United States? Was the Temperance movement still growing, and would it mean the end of distilling in the Appalachian Mountains? Tune in for part four of our series on Jack Daniel to find out more! (Ep. 020)

Jack Daniel Part 3: The Duckling Becomes the Swan.

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 precise). But the road ahead would not be as smooth as his whiskey, as the growing Temperance movement in the United States was gaining more and more momentum. How did this affect the young entrepreneur, and would Uncle Sam be a useful shoulder to cry on? Tune in to part three of our series on legendary distiller, Jack Daniel, to find out! (Ep. 019)

Jack Daniel Part 2: The Art of the Still.

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 charming personality, Jack became a popular figure throughout his community, and earned himself the nickname of The Boy Distiller. But as Jack's reputation and ambitions grew, so did his desire to expand his sales territory. Join us as we learn about Jack Daniel's early days as a prolific salesman, and ambitious whiskey maker. (Ep. 018)

Jack Daniel Part 1: Little Boy Moonshine.

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 Jack Daniel come to distill spirits in the mountains of Appalachia? Is it true that he ran away from home at just 6 years old to pursue his dream of making corn liquor, or is that just an old wives' tale? Growing up during the time of the American Civil War must have been tough, so how did he navigate through such a devastating time in American history? Tune in for part one of this series as we explore the earliest known history of Jack Daniel's life, and how the entire Daniel family came to settle in pre United States America. (Ep. 017)