Hostile History

About Hostile History

Since the dawn of time humanity has been at war. Conflict in one form or another has been part of our existence since we first walked the earth. While conflict and armed rebellion have evolved to look very differently over the centuries, if it feels like we’ve been here before it's because we have. Join military historian David Borys who has spent his entire career studying armed conflict as he brings together some of the brightest minds to take you inside the world's most defining conflicts and rebellions. From Genghis Khan, and the Crusades to Vietnam and the war in Iran. If you want to understand the world today you need to go back because history doesn't just repeat itself, it echoes.

Publisher

David Borys / Curiouscast

Category

history

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

1 May 2026

Latest episode

4 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

24 of 25 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   4 Nov 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Trenches to Mordor: The Lord of the Rings & War

   Host David Borys interviews historian Christopher Snyder about how World War I and II shaped J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" and its themes of courage and sacrifice.

2. 

   28 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Hidden in Plain Sight: Uncovering Queer Voices in Military History

   Host David Borys interviews Emily Gioskos of the Queer Collective, revealing hidden queer voices and acts of defiance throughout military history.

3. 

   14 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Neighbours not Enemies: The Canadian-American Alliance during the Second World War

   Host David Borys interviews Craig Baird and Lindsay Graham about how World War II forged the Canadian-American alliance, transforming both nations into influential global players.

Inside a recent episode

Trenches to Mordor: The Lord of the Rings & War

Published 4 Nov 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] And that's, you know, I think a lot of people don't give Tolkien credit for saying that the world has changed in the 20th century, that the little man can accomplish a lot. And what's clear is that the little man can suffer the same wounds as a great one, both physically, mentally, and emotionally. […]

Who has been a guest on Hostile History

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Christopher Snyder
• Emily Gioskos
• Craig Baird
• Lindsay Graham
• Tim Cook

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

3.0 / 5

2 ratings

Spotify

4.3 / 5

15 ratings

Contact Hostile History

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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Questions about Hostile History