71. Marie Bonaparte, Part I
Welcome back! After a long break to buy new soundproofing equipment – which may or may not have been successful – we’re back with a new mini...
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The Land of Desire: French History and Culture
Episodes
20 of 74 episodes70. Fifth Anniversary! Listener Q&A
Aloha from Hawaii! Your host is celebrating a lot of things right now: Bastille Day, the ability to travel responsibly, the birthday of a ce...
69. The Boy Who Solved Vanilla
We’re back! After a big move, which required the dismantling and relocation of the trusty recording studio (a.k.a. Diana’s closet), I’m exci...
68. Antoine Parmentier & The History of the Potato
April showers bring May flowers – unless they bring floods, famine, and fear. This month, I’m looking at the moment in French history when f...
67. Marcel & Celeste, Part II
What better way to “celebrate” a year of sheltering in place than a closer look at France’s most famous social distancer? This week, I’m loo...
66. Marcel & Celeste, Part I
What better way to “celebrate” a year of sheltering in place than a closer look at France’s most famous social distancer? This week, I’m loo...
65. A Trip to the Spa
The darkest days of winter are here, and I think it’s time we all indulged in a little self-care, non? My own quarantine hobby, skincare, se...
64. Louis Pasteur and The History of the Vaccine
Happy New Year! The Land of Desire is BACK with an exciting – and hopeful – story to set us off on the right track in 2021. Your happy host...
63. Jeanne de Clisson and the Black Fleet
BOO! It’s spooky season, so I’m bringing you a chilling tale of piracy, treachery, and blood-soaked revenge. This week, we’re digging into t...
62. Surya Bonaly
At long last, I get to combine two of my great passions: French history and 1990s women’s figure skating! Let’s face it, France hasn’t produ...
61. Euro Disney
It’s that time of year – les vacances! Oh, wait, you’re stuck at home? No big international trips? Global pandemic got you grounded? Yeah, m...
60. The History of Madeleines
It’s our birthday!! Today, The Land of Desire kicks off its fifth year and what better way to celebrate than with a little cake? This week,...
59. Women At War BONUS: The Witness (Rose Valland)
Surprise! I know I said I was done with Women At War, but then I immediately sat up in bed one night and smacked myself in the forehead. Thi...
58. Women At War 5: The Survivor II (Marie-José Wilborts)
It’s the two-part conclusion of the miniseries: Women In War. This episode was a long time coming. I struggled to read the stories of Ravens...
57. Women At War 5: The Survivor I (Marie-José Wilborts)
It’s the two-part conclusion of the miniseries: Women In War. This episode was a long time coming. I struggled to read the stories of Ravens...
56. Women At War 4: The Résistante (Jacqueline Marié)
We are going underground. ― Jacqueline Marié It’s the continuation of my new miniseries on a subject extremely near and dear to my heart: Wo...
55. Women At War 3: The Collaborator (Coco Chanel)
If one took seriously the disclosures that Mademoiselle Chanel allowed herself to make about those black years of the Occupation, one’s teet...
54. Women At War 2: The Schoolteacher (Berthe Auroy)
Why is it that knowing how to remain alone in Paris for a year in a miserable room teaches a man more than a hundred literary salons and for...
53. Women At War 1: The Exile (Elisabeth Kaufmann)
“We decided to take only precious items. But what did we have that was precious?” ― Jackie DeCol, Parisian refugee I’m excited to announce t...
52. Luncheon of the Boating Party
“It is fresh, and free.” ― Paul de Charry, art critic This week, we’re kicking off the fourth year of the podcast with some hot fun in the s...