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Revisionist History

Revisionist History

Pushkin Industries 200 Episodes Sep 17, 2026

Revisionist History is Malcolm Gladwell's journey through the overlooked and the misunderstood. Every episode re-examines something from the past—an event, a person, an idea, even a song—and asks whether we got it right the first time. From Pushkin Industries. Because sometimes the past deserves a second chance.

Episodes

A Dollop Crossover | Ben Naddaff-Hafrey on Staten Island and the Revolutionary War
A Dollop Crossover | Ben Naddaff-Hafrey on Staten Island and the Revolutionary War Sep 17, 2026 4818 After Ben's Staten Island summer, he sat down with The Dollop hosts, comedians Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds, to examine Staten Island during the Revolutionary War. Ben, Dave, and Gareth dive into an extremely niche topic in history.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Fines
The Fines Sep 10, 2026 1852 How did some remains of those who died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks end up in what was once the world's largest landfill? In this episode: the battle that continues to this day over what some see as a pile of dust, and what others see as the remains of the dead.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Merciless Indian Savages | First America
Merciless Indian Savages | First America Aug 27, 2026 2245 There's a sentence in the Declaration of Independence that almost no one talks about. It's the last grievance: “He has excited the merciless Indian Savages”, it reads, "whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions." We’ve all been told the American Revolution was fought over taxation and representation. But that's not what the D
The Staten Island Problem - Part  5: Revenge of the Forgotten Borough
The Staten Island Problem - Part 5: Revenge of the Forgotten Borough Aug 6, 2026 2413 Election night 1993 meets election night 2016. The fate of the island and the country converge in the figure of one man: Rudy Giuliani.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Staten Island Problem - Part  4: Wu-Tang vs. Shaolin
The Staten Island Problem - Part 4: Wu-Tang vs. Shaolin Jul 30, 2026 1994 At the height of the secession movement, the Wu-Tang Clan forms on Staten Island. We take a tour of early 1990s hip-hop and reveal the hidden history of the group.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Staten Island Problem - Part  3: The Tuvalu Effect
The Staten Island Problem - Part 3: The Tuvalu Effect Jul 23, 2026 1889 A group on Staten Island tries to stop secession, squaring off against the secessionists in a heated set of debates and meetings recorded on never-before-seen archival tapes. A set of debates best understood via a detour into the history of a remote Polynesian island.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Staten Island Problem - Part 2: A New Map
The Staten Island Problem - Part 2: A New Map Jul 16, 2026 1677 After the Supreme Court takes a close look at New York City government, Staten Island comes out the loser. A local artist begins organizing for secession. We take a deep dive into the psychology of the island, which has a lot to do with the largest garbage dump in the world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Staten Island Problem - Part 1: The Mayor vs. the Borough President
The Staten Island Problem - Part 1: The Mayor vs. the Borough President Jul 9, 2026 2228 A riot, a voyage at sea, and a movement to break up the greatest city in the country. The first Black mayor of New York City faces off with the borough president of Staten Island and tries to hold his city together.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Revenge of "A Good Walk Spoiled"
Revenge of "A Good Walk Spoiled" Jul 7, 2026 2855 Ten years ago, Malcolm inveighed against the exclusive country clubs of Los Angeles in an episode of Revisionist History called "A Good Walk Spoiled." This November, thanks to a Los Angeles City Council member who heard the episode, Los Angeles voters will have the opportunity to take up Malcolm's cause. Today, Malcolm revisits "A Good Walk Spoiled," and speaks with Councilmember Adrin Nazarian ab
Coming Soon: The Staten Island Problem
Coming Soon: The Staten Island Problem Jun 29, 2026 203 On the 250th anniversary of the United States, Revisionist History investigates the overlooked story of New York City almost breaking apart as Staten Island threatened to secede.  Over the course of five episodes, The Staten Island Problem reconstructs the battle for New York City amidst the turbulent early 1990s — the rise of Rudy Giuliani, the peak of the homicide rate, the Wu-Tang Cl
Frankenfood | The Mistakes Series
Frankenfood | The Mistakes Series Jun 25, 2026 1928 Would a tomato by any other name taste as sweet? What about a steak? Malcolm sends Ben on a mission to investigate the cutting edge of food technology and two mistakes: one from the 1990s and one that’s unfolding as we speak.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Reconstruction: The Unfinished Promise
Reconstruction: The Unfinished Promise Jun 18, 2026 3010 Sharing Malcolm’s latest project, a podcast called Reconstruction: The Unfinished Promise.  Imagine a time when the United States was split in two. And then had to put itself back together.  It was a time of chaos and sometimes violence as millions of people fought for the right to become citizens. Americans struggled over questions like: who gets to be a citizen? Who has the right

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