The Biographers

Abigail Adams Part 5: Goodbye, Mrs. President.

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 many who were close to her. Sharp-witted until the end, Abigail continued to help those around her - particularly her female heirs - even in her death. Join us as we say farewell to the second First Lady of the United States. (Ep. 016)

Abigail Adams Part 4: The Student Becomes the Master.

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 events that lead up to her becoming the First Second Lady of the United States. Maybe most incredible of all, we see Abigail become a pint-sized titan of war bonds and real estate, which ultimately helped secure the futures of her entire family. Tune in to learn about scandals, scuttlebutt, and more! (Ep. 015)

Abigail Adams Part 3: Entrepreneur in a Revolution.

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 estate, purchase government bonds, and more. Despite her success, she’s missing John more than ever before… when will their extended absence end? Find out in this episode! (Ep. 014)

Abigail Adams Part 2: Remember the Ladies.

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, due to John’s position in the Continental Congress. The unintended consequence of this? Abigail was entrusted with many family responsibilities that women of the time typically didn't attend to. She also found courage to express more opinions about politics and women's needs to her friends, and her husband. Tune in to find out more! (Ep. 013)

Abigail Adams Part 1: First Second Lady, Second First Lady.

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 wife of John Adams, critics called her "Mrs. President," a dig on her influence of her husband's political policy. Long before history would come to know her name, she was simply Abigail Smith, the daughter of a local Minister, but over the years would become one of the most well-regarded women of her time, advocating heavily for her country, and women's' rights. Tune in for part one as we dive into the earliest parts of Abigail Adams' life in the world of Colonial America! (Ep. 012)

Ian Fleming Part 6: Bond Hits the Big Screen.

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 first portrayed him, but who were Ian's first two choices to play 007, and what provided the final push to go with Sean Connery? Did Ian have anything to do with producing the film adaptation of Dr. No, and what was up with all the Caribbean music? Oh, and did you also know that he became a published children's author before he died? Tune in for part 6 as we say farewell to Ian Fleming! (Ep. 011)

Ian Fleming Part 5: Pen to Paper, Mr. Bond.

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 woman. Oh, and she wants to get married now that her current husband is divorcing her. If your world got shaken up like this, how would you handle it? Well, Ian Fleming took to obsessively writing his first novel, which happened to feature a certain 00-agent that would one day take the world by storm. Tune in for part five of our Ian Fleming series to learn more about the earliest stages of writing the world's most famous secret agent -- James Bond. (Ep. 010)

Ian Fleming Part 4: Make Life Stirring, Not Shaken.

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 ever officially implemented? Did Operation Mincemeat have anything to do with pies, or was the whole thing just a hoax? Maybe most importantly: what's next for Mr. Fleming now that the Second World War is finally coming to an end? If it were me, I'd be desperate for a bit of rest and relaxation (and maybe a Vesper Martini), but which location is best suited to achieve maximum chill? Somewhere tropical, I should think. We'll answer all of these questions and more as we continue on with the exciting life of Ian Fleming! (Ep. 009)

Ian Fleming Part 3: Banks, Tanks, and Navy Ranks.

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 international intelligence reporting for the Naval Intelligence Division under Rear Admiral John Godfrey? Seriously? What did he do next, evacuate the MI6 headquarters in Paris during the Nazi invasion? Yup, and that's only the half of it. We're finally getting into Ian's involvement with the international spy network during World War II, how his involvement with the Naval Intelligence Division proved invaluable to the Allied war effort, and how his experiences during the war would spark a fire of imagination that would soon create the ultimate secret agent: James Bond. (Ep. 008)

Ian Fleming Part 2: The Name’s Fleming. Newspaperman Fleming.

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 oldest news organizations in the world as a journalist. What famous racing legend does Ian work alongside while reporting on a treacherous alpine race? Why was he later dispatched to Moscow, and what the heck is the Metro-Vickers affair? Is it possible for Ian to truly find love, or is he just hanging out with you to not-so-secretly decipher German radio transmissions? Tune in to Ian Fleming Part 2 to find out! (Ep. 007)