This is a great show - topics are interesting and well researched. The negative is the overuse of voice actors. The gimmick is too dramatic, takes one out of the moment and, for me, incredibly distracting. This trend seems endemic to Pushkin in general. Wish it would go away.

I’ve now listened to this reading by Jill Lepore three times in the last 24 hours or so. I can’t stop thinking about it and I’m going down various rabbit holes online to learn more! The amount of historical context about Frankenstein I never knew before is blowing me away. And then to learn that Lord Byron was Ada Lovelace’s Father?! I will be rereading Frankenstein over the weekend, and I can’t wait!!

This is my current favorite podcast. Jill delivers the story in an uncomplicated, intelligent and pleasant way. Her voice is so soothing and well modulated. I’ll be listening to the other shows she is on after this one. Keep up the great work!

The parakeet episode is pretty interesting and funny at the same time. Again sad what man can do. Keep presenting the great and interesting history truthfully.

Intellectually and emotionally stimulating each and every time.

Very well done

Why have one, when you can have a pair of keets? This podcast is super informative about very interesting random stories—hence, the title. The Last Archive would not be the same without the new host, Ben. His silky smooth voice and obvious fascination with all things historic drive you to want to listen to more and more episodes. Do yourself a favor… have a listen!

Unsubscribed!

There are sooooooo many ads.

Hello, I listen to your show because you have a unique perspective on a variety of subjects. Something you said in the time episode about people who work during the pandemic that their days are extremely long. As a blind person our days are always the same whether it’s Covid or not. Most of us time is dictated by the time before we went blind. I was lucky in the sense that I slowly lost my vision, but could never drive, so you fill your days with constructive things.I read books listen to podcasts decided to learn braille. Zoom was great for me as Library‘s. Had to have a zoom classes for the sighted so I got to experience new things. The sited got a taste of what it’s like to be blind with no transportation, and it sounded like you handled it as well as a lot of blind and disabled people. i’m afraid everything will go back to the time before . I hope not.

I have really enjoyed the first 3 seasons of The Last Archive with Jill Lepore and Season 4 with Ben Naddaff-Hafrey continues with excellent narratives about the history of truth. Fingers crossed for a Season 5 - Ben has successfully carried the mantle handed off by Jill Lepore. Can’t wait to hear more.

Come on. Gambling ads constantly. It’s grotesque especially as it feels like I’m being pressed by horrible ads to pay for premium. It’s obvious and obnoxious.

Thank you for this episode. To a large extent Ms. Ella is an enigmatic person, and glimpsing more into her life at the reformatory is priceless. I feel the podcast should have described better the atrocities those Caucasians committed against the “inmates” especially the black female inmates. It was perfunctory that in that basement females - particularly vulnerable black females - were repeatedly raped, impregnated, given abortions, butchery of their reproductive systems thereby rendering them infertile. Ms. Ella was so victimized and made infertile.

This show is incredible. It's the best version of something you've heard before and the best version of something completely new

Really well done and unique topics. I love The Last Archive!

Such an entertaining deep dive into interesting topics. Season 4 is off to a great start!

I just discovered this podcast, and I’m loving it (and also Dr. Lepore’s articles for the New Yorker). This particular episode was fascinating. I’d love to hear the author’s thoughts on the historic roots of the American aversion to “socialized medicine “. Why was Oveta Hobby happy to let children die before she’d let the federal government hand out vaccines? Why do so many people today feel the same way? What are they afraid of?

Great great show. I can’t get enough of it. Hoping for many more years of this show. Absolutely love Jill’s voice, humor and story telling.

who killed truth? ❤️❤️❤️ love that line :)

Leave this podcast with your students and they’ll get a year of history/philosophy/ethics/storytelling lessons, while you marvel behind your desk.A gift to educators.

I’m not prone to stopping everything to write. But this episode hit home. And when the narrator commented on farmers of color, that especially convinced me to comment. Thank you for acknowledging that simple dynamic. My native tribe also was hard hit, forcing the downsizing or elimination of our numerous family farms. And it did cast us to the winds. But as a side note, it also forced so many of us to see what the outside world held. For some, more tribulations. But for others, much success Still, it made me nostalgic.

Jill Lepore has a good ear for the unusual and a great sense for how to get from those little unusual stories to the present. Her episode on encyclopedias is well worth a listen!

Ms. Lepore falls into the same trap many journalists do when they attempt to be “unbiased.” She makes false equivalencies and ignores facts to appear above the fray. As a historian, she should recognize how poorly her attempts will age.

please don’t have this (or other pushkin shows) pop up in my feed until i can actually listen to it. this is a reasonable ask, no? this show is wonderful and i’ve listened and subscribed since the beginning. i’ve re-listened. i’m financially poor. turns out anxious agoraphobic geniuses (so i’m told) are not too hot on the job market. i get to download podcasts where there is accessible internet and listen to them in my tiny, decrepit hovel. when you guys make it seem like there’s a new episode but i can’t listen to it, there is no new episode. so quit lying. ironic.in a bad way. thank you, keyleh

I have 8 newer podcasts than this one but this one is ahead of all of them, even though I have already listened to it. Can’t seem to get rid of it. Guess I’ll have to cancel my subscription. Is that a paid ad or something? Maybe I need a new podcasting app. Too bad. I liked this show.

I love intellectual podcasts from all perspectives and have listened to every episode of The Last Archive and generally enjoyed them. This “Tree Branch” episode was frankly silly and stupid and fantastical in an unrealistic way. My intelligence as a Harvard graduate was insulted. Please do better! The suppositions and magical thinking are off the chart. If only this…if only that…. Pure fantasy and insulting. I will stay subscribed but we will see….

I haven’t even listened yet, and I had to correct some of the reviews. Subscribers get the bonus episodes and EARLY ACCESS to the new episodes. You’re not losing anything if you’ve been listening for free! Think for a second, please. Also, there’s no reason except greed? Do you do your job for free? Most podcasters start out free because they have to build an audience, and they’re honing they’re skills. When it begins to take more effort and time than the can squeeze in, they can either quit or find a way to monetize. It’s not that complicated. Stop expecting constant free entertainment. That’s not a God-given right.

Lapore does a masterful job of presenting her topics. Assuming the subject matter interests you, this podcast can hardly be beat. Lapore’s voice is especially likable. She has a friendly, approachable tone mixed with knowledgeable treatment of the content.

I have enormous respect for Jill Lepore and would happily pay for her writing—in fact I have, frequently. To JMH commentator: we have choices in life and I am happy to pay the people who work hard to bring this podcast to life. You can choose otherwise. Every podcaster gets “paid” in some way. I prefer to pay them explicitly. Thanks Jill and Pushkin for bringing this podcast to life.

Do you have to pay a subscription for these podcast episodes when there are plenty great podcasts out there for free. There’s no explanation for it so I’ll just assume it’s greed.

I really like this podcast. I really REALLY hate that it’s now subscription only

Great work! Live the content and the storytelling style!

I’ve had this podcast in my list for quite a while as Malcolm G. had recommended it and I’m a fan. I finally have the opportunity to listen and I’m thoroughly enjoying it. Just starting season 2. Totally hooked!

The Evening Rocket series is going to the moon! It shows how sci-fi influenced Silicon Valley and Muskism. Muskism is Elon Musk’s brand of capitalism. Jill Lepore is a great narrator and writer.

Absolutely love Malcom and Pushkin but this is way to political. I don’t like dems, and or repubs but that’s why I like Malcom. He doesn’t ever push a stance but this is a joke!

Just WOW. UNFOLLOWING the show now!

This is always a fascinating look into the background of interesting pieces of history at the bouindary betrween history, science, and politics. Always well done.

Love the podcast in general. The Evening Rocker series has been superb, highly recommended.

Podcasters lose me when they slip in their political point of view. regardless of which side you’re on. No thank you. Not what I signed on for. Bye

A wide range here from the marvelous first episode on the blue bottle (and the work of history itself) to this undercooked rocket offshoot.

This is a must-listen for anyone who appreciates history and quality scholarship!

Extreme liberal bias and apparently no self awareness.

This second season was FANTASTIC . The themes and connections between episodes were so more apparent than the first season. Great structure, and great stories! Can’t believe I have never heard of “Axis Sally….” First season seemed a little messy, with some episodes not seeming to fit the narrative. This season however, everything made total sense and everything fit. Congrats on a wonderful season, can wait for season 3!

I love the show but PLEASE, PLEASE have some sort of small gap or indication when an ad is going to start. The topics are heavy sometimes and it’s really creepy to snap from discussing the iron lung to “DO YOU WANT SUPERPOWERS? Zip recruiter…” without even a moment to let the heavy stuff sit. It puts equal weight on the advertisement which is just NOT true. It destroys the tone of the episodes and honestly is really grating as I keep going through the season. Just a “more after the break” would be necessary and would make the experience much more enjoyable.

I enjoyed the first season and looked forward to the second season. I love history but as we move toward the end of season 2 you could feel the focused shift to her need to vent on conservatives and her personal dislike for Rush and Trump. I’m not a fan of these guys at all but I feel a price of the “doubt” puzzle is missing and few guys shaping all of the conservative thought is too simple (Or maybe it can be, i don’t understand how they think). I came for history and instead it got like a lesson in the pearls of giving conservatives technology. It was a good listen through season one; some of two. She brought in experts on things (many of who I looked up and started reading. You can tell she is trying to keep a open mind to the history as it comes; but her bias is to up front and I’m going to have to find a different history podcast to listen to; this podcast did not met it’s learning objective.

…the extreme liberal bias and playing fast and loose with history and facts made it too hard to. Too bad. Pushkin should drop this one.

This show is great the topic is poignant and timeless. Absolutely love it. But there are weird jump cuts and parts that repeat because of them. It only happens with this show I don’t know why. It’s also not an app error. It’s shows it’s playing straight through and was posted that way

I love the two of you (Jill and Malcolm). No need to repeat things. If they don’t get it the first time fucum…

Love this podcast and I cannot wait for the next season!

Although I thought season 1 was slow to start, the goal of each episode is to explain the sentiment of the time with an interesting story of an era. In season 2 the team really hit their stride finding relevant situations in our past to explain the whole story of how our culture and politics ended up where we are now.