American History Tellers - Podcast Rankings and reviews

Whenever I’m looking for a new podcast to listen to, it needs to have a few basic things to even keep me listening to the entire first episode. First, it needs to be well produced, meaning good mics and clear audio. Second, the topics of discussion need to be well researched and thoughtfully delivered. Third, it needs to be reliable on new releases. If it’s a weekly show, it needs to be out every week unless stated otherwise. Luckily, American History Tellers does all of the above and so much more! The production is top notch, the stories/topics are researched VERY thoroughly, and the show comes out as described every week. I love it! For anyone looking for a great podcast, that will make that commute, workout, chore, or whatever else a little easier, this is what you’re looking for!

It’s entertaining, interesting, and full of information I didn’t know previously. I like how the podcast deep dives into topics over several episodes. The narrator has a perfect voice; he’s soothing and has perfect enunciation. Even topics I didn’t think I’d be interested in I became so, due to the great writing, delivery, and content. Great job!!!

What I love most about this podcast is Graham’s ability to add eyewitness perspectives to historical events. How did it feel to BE there in these moments, to live through these times? I also appreciate that he takes events that might have been just a sentence or two in my history textbook and expands on them. I was a history nerd before I started listening to Graham, and I’ve already discovered so much about America’s past that I didn’t know. I’m looking forward to future episodes!

I think this podcast is fascinating, the way the story is told makes me wish this was how it was taught in school. I always hated history. So boring with dates and names that have no connection. This puts you there and gives you a view of what it might have been like and what was going on at the time. Giving first person accounts throughout, is an interesting way of drawing you in. The only thing that throws me off is always stating “Imagine your ____ or it’s ____ time period”. It just pulls me out of the story, if you were reading a book, it would not keep repeating that phrase to put you there. Overall I love getting interested in history again and find myself looking up more of some of the stories.

Noting that this podcast is rife with inconsistencies, inaccuracies and biases (down to the mispronunciation of the names of people and towns), I asked Graham via Twitter multiple times if he spoke with any Greenville, MS, born Percy family members (all of Will Percy’s adoptive grandchildren are living) or residents of Greenville, MS, to no response. I am very curious of his sources- Benjamin Wise, John Barry, William Armstrong Percy? If you are going to tell the story, spend less time creating dramatized dialog and instead site your sources and answer the questions.

I thought the podcast did a good job with some of the initial layout of events, etc. but the last episode and guest were skewed so heavily in favor of Los Angeles stealing water from a “portfolio” (the guest’s word) of other places and suggested that they’re supporting the places and people where they’re sourcing water. Super disheartening having lived adjacent to the Owens Valley and spent a great deal of time there. Also disappointed at the complete lack of inclusion of Indigenous peoples and the impacts the aqueduct has had on their lives.