Episodes

  • QAH Episode 122: The Festival of the Supreme Being
    Aug 6 2025

    Quarter-Arsed History presents: the Festival of the Supreme Being, the unhinged religious festival put on by Maxilimilien Robespierre as he attempted to establish the ludicrous brand-new religion he'd invented.


    History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 5th of August across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Buy your copy from Booktopia or A&U:

    AU/NZ: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.html

    International: https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Riley-Knight-History's-Strangest-Deaths-9781761472589

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    20 mins
  • History's Strangest Deaths is Out Now!
    Aug 4 2025
    Half-Arsed History's first book, History's Strangest Deaths, is now available at all good bookstores, and probably some bad ones as well. You can buy a paper version, an ebook version, or an audiobook version (or all three, if you feel like it).

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    5 mins
  • Episode 371: The French Revolution - Part 5: The Directory
    Aug 3 2025

    In this week's episode, get across the final chapter in the tale of the French Revolution: the broad political failure that was the French Directory, the collapse of which represented the end of the revolution itself.


    History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 5th of August across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or A&U:

    AU/NZ: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.html

    International: https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Riley-Knight-History's-Strangest-Deaths-9781761472589

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    1 hr and 6 mins
  • Inventions Episode 31: The Sewing Machine
    Aug 1 2025

    The sewing machine is a piece of technology that has had an outsized historical influence - not just on the textile industry, but on society, culture, and history as well.


    History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 5th of August across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or A&U:

    AU/NZ: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.html

    International: https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Riley-Knight-History's-Strangest-Deaths-9781761472589

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    28 mins
  • QAH Episode 121: A Brief History of the Guillotine
    Jul 30 2025

    Quarter-Arsed History presents: a brief history of the guillotine, a device popularised during the French Revolution, responsible for the deaths of countless thousands during the Reign of Terror.


    History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 5th of August across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or A&U:

    AU/NZ: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.html

    International: https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Riley-Knight-History's-Strangest-Deaths-9781761472589

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    25 mins
  • Episode 370: The French Revolution - Part 4: The Terror
    Jul 27 2025

    In this week's episode, get across the darkest and bloodiest chapter in French revolutionary history: the Reign of Terror, which saw tens of thousands of people killed by political violence.


    History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 5th of August across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or A&U:

    AU/NZ: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.html

    International: https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Riley-Knight-History's-Strangest-Deaths-9781761472589

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    53 mins
  • Inventions Episode 30: The Friction Match
    Jul 25 2025

    The friction match and its subsequent developments helped to democratise fire - matches have made it possible for anyone, at any time, to make use of one of humanity's most important tools, fire.


    History's Strangest Deaths, the first Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 5th of August across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or A&U:

    AU/NZ: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.html

    International: https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Riley-Knight-History's-Strangest-Deaths-9781761472589

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    22 mins
  • Tickets for the 2025 Book Tour are now available!
    Jul 23 2025

    Join me in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Maroochydore as I go through some of the stories from History's Strangest Deaths, and share juicy behind-the-scenes details about how the book was made. Don't delay - these tickets are limited and will likely run out pretty swiftly.

    • Sydney - 6:00pm 7th August at the Chauvel Cinema, tickets $20: https://www.dymocks.com.au/events/details/index/id/NTAyMA~~
    • Melbourne SOLD OUT - 6:00pm 8th August at Readings Emporium: https://www.readings.com.au/events/riley-knight-in-conversation
    • Brisbane SOLD OUT - 6:00pm 14th August at the Brisbane Square Library: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/meet-riley-knight-brisbane-square-library-tickets-1451216099419
    • Maroochydore SOLD OUT - 6:00pm 15th August at Harry Hartog: https://events.humanitix.com/q-and-a-and-signing-with-riley-knight

    I'll stick around after each show for a Q&A and signings. Looking forward to seeing everyone there!

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    6 mins