It's exciting for me because what little information I can find online that is helpful to me as a self-trained historian is pretty much never about biography, which is probably what most of my work will be (biographies of people and also of communities). I have searched quite a bit online for specific How-To-Do-Biography information, advice, resources, etc, but have always come up empty handed. So I admit to doing so happy flailing when I looked at my History "channel" on my Stitcher (podcast) app and saw see that there was not only more Doing History episodes, but it was exactly what I most wanted to see! So, thank you Liz & the Omohundro Institute!
Oh, oh, oh. And! Not only does this series exist, which is great, but also the first episode (Episode 209: Considering Biography) even features one of my all-time favorite biographers, the amazing Professor of History & Law at Harvard, Annette Gordon-Reed. She wrote The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family which I listened to while driving across country last year and it just blew me away. The depth of the research, and the way she was able to return to Sally Hemmings the personhood and agency that has been denied to her in every other work I've read, and while still portraying Jefferson as a real human, without making excuses for him but also without turning him into a caricature villain (I certainly do consider all slave owners villains, but I find it very useful to learn about him in all his complexities and contradictions.)
The series isn't completed yet, but I'll come back and edit in the 4th episode next week. As of now the episodes are:
Episode 209: Considering Biography
Episode 210: Considering John Marshall, Part 1
Episode 211: Considering John Marshall, Part 2
I highly recommend checking them out! :)
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