Who was Louise-Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun—and why is one of history’s most successful female artists still relatively unknown?

📘 In this episode, we celebrate Creativie Beginnings Month with historian and biographer Judith Lissauer Cromwell who shares insights from her new book: “Louise-Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun: Portrait of an Artist, 1755–1842.” From 18th-century France to exile during the French Revolution, discover how this trailblazing portraitist overcame gender barriers to become a legend in her time.

🎧 Listen now + learn more: https://www.judithcromwell.com

📌 This Episode is also featured on Big Blend’s Podcast Channels: • Women Making History • A Toast to The Arts • Way Back When Listen here: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-network/bigblendradionetwork

in honor of Armed Forces Day, we're spotlighting this episode of Big Blend Radio’s WAY BACK WHEN History Show featuring Mir Bahmanyar—acclaimed author, military historian, and TV/film producer—discussing his gripping new book, "The Houdini Club: The Epic Journey and Daring Escapes of the First Army Rangers of WWII."

A former U.S. Army Ranger who served in the Second Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Mir Bahmanyar brings unmatched authenticity to the story of WWII’s elite “Darby’s Rangers.” He shares the untold, uncensored saga of the original Army Ranger battalions—highlighting their brutal training, combat missions across North Africa, Sicily, France, and Italy, and the legendary POW escapes that earned them the nickname “The Houdini Club.”

Bahmanyar draws from firsthand interviews, personal correspondence, and newly uncovered historical sources to portray the raw courage and human drama behind one of America’s most daring military units. His military expertise, deep research, and storytelling make this episode a must-listen for history lovers, military buffs, cultural travelers, and fans of WWII true stories.

Mir Bahmanyar holds a B.A. in History from University of California at Berkeley and an M.A. in War Studies from King's College London. Mir served on the Board of Directors for the 75th Ranger Regiment Association and was an Associate Historian of the World War Two Ranger Battalions Association. Learn more about his work and books: www.mirbahmanyar.com/

Subscribe to Big Blend Radio's WAY BACK WHEN History show, here: way-back-when-history.podbean.com/

🍕 National Pizza Party Day is HERE! 🎉 Join us for a fun and delicious episode of Big Blend Radio's HAPPY HOUR as we celebrate everything pizza! From classic deep dish and thin crust debates to the age-old question of pineapple on pizza, we're diving deep into the world of everyone's favorite food.

We explore unique pizza parlors and ask our fantastic guests the ultimate pizza party question: If you could invite ANY three people (alive, passed on, or fictional) to a pizza bash, who would they be and what kind of pizza are you serving?

Our special guests include: 🍕 Peggy Fiandaca, LDV Winery: https://ldvwinery.com/ 🍕Jeffrey Spear, Branding Expert & Writer: https://spearwrites.contently.com/ & https://www.studiospear.com/ 🍕Rose Palmer, Travel Writer & Photographer (live from a cruise!): https://quiltripping.com/ 🍕Clifford Garstang, Acclaimed Author: https://cliffordgarstang.com/

Craving some pizza inspiration? Check out these recipes and articles: 🍕 Chef Ivan's Pizza Dough: https://blendradioandtv.com/listing/lets-make-pizza/ 🍕 Peggy's Quick & Fresh Marinara: https://blendradioandtv.com/listing/peggys-quick-and-fresh-marinara-recipe/ 🍕 Giada's Positano Pizzas: https://blendradioandtv.com/listing/positano-pizzas/ 🍕 Spicy Veggie Pizza-Dilla: https://blendradioandtv.com/listing/spicy-veggie-pizza-dilla/ 🍕 Margherita French Bread Pizza: https://blendradioandtv.com/listing/margherita-french-bread-pizza/ 🍕 5 Italian Foods You Won't Find in Italy: https://blendradioandtv.com/listing/five-italian-foods-you-wont-find-in-italy/

Don't forget to check out this episode on the Big Daily Blend and Eat, Drink & Be Merry channels of the Big Blend Radio Network: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-network/bigblendradionetwork